Flying into SAN
San Diego International Airport (SAN) sits on the bay next to downtown. USD's Visit Campus page says campus is about a 10 minute ride from the airport, and that a taxi or ride share should cost approximately $20. Campus entrances are off Linda Vista Road, and the address for your map app is 5998 Alcalá Park, San Diego, CA 92110.
Getting to campus without a car
- San Diego Flyer. The airport runs a free electric shuttle from the transportation islands at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 to Old Town Transit Center. It is ADA accessible, air conditioned and has luggage racks.
- USD tram. USD says its tram is free to visitors and runs about every half hour between Old Town Transit Center and campus. Live tracking is at USDTram.com.
- MTS bus 44. USD's transportation page lists route 44 serving campus every 15 to 20 minutes.
Old Town Transit Center is also a Trolley stop on the Blue and Green lines and a COASTER stop, which helps if you are coming down from North County. MTS buses and trolleys take contactless tap payment. If you are headed downtown instead, MTS Route 992 connects the airport to downtown.
Parking when you visit
USD sends general visitors to the Main Parking Structure (MPS), the West Parking Structure (WPS), the West Parking Lot (W1), the Gravel Lot (W2), the Jenny Craig Pavilion West Lot (E3) and the Manchester Village Field Lot (E6). Two hour spaces include spots along Torero Way.
Visitor rates on USD's guest parking page:
- 30 minutes: $1.50
- 1 hour: $3.00
- 2 hours: $6.00
- 4 hours: $12.00
- Full day: $21.00, or $18.00 in the West and Manchester areas
Pay stations take coins, Visa and Mastercard, or you can use the ParkMobile app. Every paid parking area at USD is pay by plate, so keep your license plate number handy when you pay.
Where families stay
USD's partner hotels sit in a handful of areas:
- Old Town: the historic district around Old Town Transit Center, where the USD tram stops.
- Mission Bay and Pacific Beach: beach and bay hotels a short drive northwest.
- Shelter Island, Point Loma and Harbor Island: bayfront hotels near the airport and Liberty Station.
- La Jolla: farther north along the coast.
USD's Hotel Partners page says Bartell Hotels offers preferred rates to "students, parents, alumni, family, friends and employees associated with USD." USD and Bartell both describe the offer as 15% off the best available rate. USD also lists a separate 12% rate at the Hilton Garden Inn in Old Town, which it calls the closest hotel to campus. One Bartell hotel still named on USD's page, the Holiday Inn San Diego Bayside, now appears on Bartell's own USD page as the DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego Bayside. We don't take money from hotels; the list below is about location, not a ranking.
Weekends to plan early
Three weekends are worth planning around early: OLÉ Weekend move in at the end of August, Homecoming and Family Weekend (October 16 to 18, 2026), and commencement (Sunday, May 23, 2027). If your plans touch any of them, sort out your room and your parking plan first.