The Holiday Bowl will bring an enormous number of cars into downtown San Diego: full of locals and out-of-towners, families, college students, alumni, those with deep pockets and those on a budget, some relaxed and others in a rush. Add that to the usual traffic and it can be a challenge. But fortunately not for you because you are reading this guide.

Holiday Bowl Parking Made Easy

The 2023 Holiday Bowl is December 27, 2023. If you are here, we’ll assume you already picked out your seats and puchased tickets. You already know about entrance gates and the bag policy. You are here because you want to find the best parking options for the Holiday Bowl near Petco Park so let’s get to it.

Holiday Bowl Parking Tips

1. Reserve a space in advance. Even if it means paying a few bucks more — and often it doesn’t. Get it taken care of so you can enjoy a stress-free gameday. But don’t wait. The best spaces go first.
2. Get there just a little bit earlier than you think. Stay ahead of the herd. Those extra minutes won’t go to waste.
3. If you don’t mind, walking a little further has benefits. Cheaper spaces, better traffic flow (especially after the game), enjoy the fresh air, sights and culture. And work up an appetite for concessions.
4. The game has a 5PM weekday kickoff so unfortunately street parking will be challenging. Parking meters will be in effect. Yellow curbs won’t help you.
5. Read about options for guests with disabilities who would normally have access to handicapped parking spaces: Accessible Parking at Petco Park.
6. Take the Trolley and avoid parking entirely. Or drive to a park-and-ride lot (e.g.Old Town), park for free and take the trolley

If none of this sounds like your style, and you prefer to just cannonball down the highway and see what you can find, we do sincerely wish you all the luck.

Pre-Purchase Parking

You have two options for reserving Holiday Bowl parking:

1. SpotHero – Search and find the best parking by distance and price. Choose the parking lot that is best for you. Click and reserve and the space is yours. Simply show your mobile phone when you arrive.
2. Padres Preferred Lots – These are the official Holiday Bowl parking lots, two premium lots closest to the stadium. You’ll pay a bit more for the convenience. They are the Padres Parkade (Lot info) at the corner of Tenth Avenue and K Street, and Tailgate Park, which is the tailgate lot if you plan on tailgating.

Holiday Bowl Tailgating

Yes tailgating is allowed in the Tailgate Park Lot. You will be directed by parking lot attendants upon arriving to Tailgate Park. Tailgate directly behind your vehicle only, no reserving additional spaces. Tailgating is not permitted in any other garage or lot. Read more about Tailgate Park.