The Chula Vista bayfront used to be a stretch of industrial land with a marina and not much else. That description hasn't been accurate for a while now, but 2026 is the year it became obviously wrong. Two major parks are in different stages of completion, a third pocket park is under construction, and the combined new parkland along San Diego Bay will top 70 acres when everything is done.
Sweetwater Park: Already Open
Sweetwater Park opened on April 2, 2025, and it's the Port of San Diego's largest park at 39 acres. The design focuses on passive recreation and natural habitat. There are no ball fields or basketball courts here. Instead, you get nature playgrounds, two miles of walking and biking paths, sand dunes, native plantings, and views of the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge.
Kumeyaay signage is featured throughout the park, connecting visitors to the Indigenous history of the land. A 25-foot public sculpture called "Rigors of Flight" by artist Roberto Salas stands at the entrance. The total cost came in just under $20 million, funded in part by the National Park Service's Outdoor Recreation Legacy Program.
The park sits next to the Gaylord Pacific Resort, and the trail system connects to Living Coast Discovery Center on Gunpowder Point Drive. Early-morning walkers and birdwatchers have made it a regular stop. Families use the nature playground on weekends. It's quiet, open, and designed to feel like you're outside the city even though you're seven miles from downtown San Diego.
Harbor Park: Under Construction
Harbor Park, formerly known as Bayside Park, is doubling in size from 12 to 25 acres. The Port of San Diego broke ground on the south phase in March 2026. Phase one will add a nautical-themed playground with multi-age climbing equipment and a play slope, with construction expected to finish by fall 2026. Phase two adds a splash pad, targeted for spring 2027. The $15 million project was partially funded by the California Coastal Conservancy.
The park sits directly in front of the Gaylord Pacific, which means guests at California's largest hotel will have a 25-acre public park right outside their door. Port of San Diego chair Ann Moore said at the groundbreaking that "most of the dirt area you see here will become park." The north phase funding hasn't been identified yet, but the south phase is fully funded and moving.
Citrus Bay Park: Just Getting Started
A half-acre pocket park is rising on the former Sears property near Chula Vista Center Mall on Broadway. Citrus Bay Park is part of CalWest's Citrus Bay townhome community and carries a citrus theme that ties back to Chula Vista's lemon-growing history. City planners call it the first visible public open space connected to the broader bayfront transformation. Construction started in March 2026.
The Bigger Network
Bayfront isn't the only park story in Chula Vista. Rohr Park in Bonita has 2,988 reviews and draws families for its open green space. Sweetwater Summit Regional Park offers trails and camping on the eastern edge of the city. Mountain Hawk Park in Eastlake has lake views and playground equipment.
The Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan calls for 200+ acres of parks, open space, and habitat restoration across the 535-acre project area. About 130 acres are planned for public parks, promenades, and bike paths. These aren't distant plans anymore. The dirt is moving.
If you haven't been to the Chula Vista bayfront in the last year, go. Sweetwater Park alone is worth the trip. And by the end of 2026, Harbor Park will be joining it.
