Sesame Place San Diego is the only Sesame Street-themed park on the West Coast, and it fills a gap that San Diego’s other theme parks don’t quite cover: it’s built specifically for younger kids. If your children are roughly 2 to 8 years old and light up when they see Elmo, this is their park. The rides are sized for them, the characters are at their eye level, and the whole place is designed so that little ones are the target audience rather than an afterthought.
Located in Chula Vista about 25 minutes south of downtown San Diego, the 17-acre park sits on the site of the former Aquatica water park. That water park heritage means Sesame Place has an unusually strong collection of water slides and splash areas alongside its dry rides. More than half the attractions involve water. Add in live shows, an award-winning daily parade, character meet-and-greets, and a walkable replica of the Sesame Street neighborhood, and most families find it takes a full day to experience everything. The park is also a Certified Autism Center. More on that below.
Important for 2026: Sesame Place now operates on a seasonal schedule. The 2026 season opens March 27 with the park’s 4th Birthday Celebration. Check the park calendar before planning your visit, as hours and operating days vary throughout the season.
Sesame Place San Diego Tickets & How to Save
The biggest mistake families make at Sesame Place is buying tickets at the gate. The walk-up gate price is $107.99 per person (ages 3+), but advance-purchase tickets start as low as $47.99, a savings of up to $60 per ticket.
A few key things to know:
- Children 35 months and younger get in free.
- All tickets are the same price for kids and adults (ages 3+).
- Date-specific tickets are the cheapest but lock you into a single day.
- Combo tickets covering both Sesame Place and SeaWorld San Diego are available. The two parks are operated by the same company (United Parks & Resorts), so multi-park season passes are also an option.
I keep an up-to-date breakdown of every ticket type, current prices, and which authorized discount sellers are legitimate in my dedicated guide:
If saving money on admission is a priority (and it should be, because gate prices are steep), start there.
One more tip: The park is entirely cashless. They accept credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. If you bring cash, free Cash-to-Card kiosks throughout the park will load your funds onto a Visa prepaid debit card.
2026 Season Dates & Hours
The 2026 season at Sesame Place San Diego opens on March 27 with a 4th Birthday Celebration. The park’s first seasonal event, Elmo’s Springtacular, runs on select dates from March 27 through May 22.
Hours vary by date. The park generally opens at 10 a.m. and closes between 4 and 7 p.m. It tends to operate on weekends and select weekdays in spring and fall, expanding to more days per week during summer and school break weeks.
Water attractions open seasonally as the weather warms. Dry rides are available whenever the park is open.
This is a change from the park’s early years, when it operated year-round. Always check the Sesame Place park hours calendar or the Sesame Place app before your visit.
Getting There & Parking
Sesame Place San Diego is located at 2052 Entertainment Circle, Chula Vista, CA 91911. From downtown San Diego, take I-5 south, merge onto I-805, and take exit 3 for Main Street.
General parking runs approximately $30 per vehicle. Up-close parking is available for a higher fee and includes covered spots closer to the entrance, which is worth considering on hot summer days in Chula Vista, which is inland and can get significantly warmer than the coast. Season pass holders get free general parking.
Local tip: The North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre is right next door. On concert and event nights, traffic getting in and out of the area backs up considerably. Check the amphitheater schedule before choosing your visit date, especially if you’re planning an afternoon or evening at the park. My daughter was recently stuck in this traffic for over an hour.
Sesame Place San Diego Dry Rides
Sesame Place has seven Sesame Street-themed dry rides, designed for younger kids as the primary riders. Height requirements are lower than at other San Diego theme parks, so most toddlers and preschoolers will be able to ride at least a few of these with a companion.
This is consistently one of the things parents tell me they appreciate most about this park. At SeaWorld or LEGOLAND, younger siblings often end up watching from the sidelines. At Sesame Place, most rides welcome young children as long as they have an adult companion, so even toddlers get to participate instead of just watching.
Here’s what’s available (you’ll need to be in dry clothes to ride):
Sunny Day Carousel: A classic carousel with Sesame Street flair. Guests under 42″ must ride with a companion.
Elmo’s Rockin’ Rockets: Rocket ships circle up and down. Guests under 48″ must ride with a companion.
Super Grover’s Box Car Derby: The park’s only roller coaster. It’s gentle enough for a first coaster experience but has enough dips and turns to feel like a real thrill for young kids. Must be at least 38″ tall.
Abby’s Fairy Flight: A swing ride with views across the park. Must be at least 36″ tall.
Cookie Climb: Cookie Monster-themed towers where kids pull themselves up and ride back down. Must be at least 38″ tall.
Sesame Street Soar & Spin: A gentle ride that lifts families up for a bird’s-eye park view and spins. Guests under 42″ must ride with a companion.
Rub-A-Dub Sub: Ernie’s bath-themed ride spins forward and backward. Guests under 36″ must ride with a companion.
There’s also Rosita’s Harmony Hills, a musical play area (not a ride) where younger kids can climb, crawl, and make music. It’s a great energy-burner between attractions and doesn’t have a height requirement.
Sesame Place San Diego Water Rides & Slides
The water side of Sesame Place is where the park’s Aquatica heritage really shows. With 11 water attractions, including one of the largest wave pools in Southern California, it’s more water park than most people expect from a Sesame Street theme park.
Water attractions are seasonal and generally available from spring through early fall. Pack swimsuits, towels, and water shoes. Life vests are provided free (USCG Type II and III) and are required at some attractions based on height.
Big Bird’s Beach: A massive 500,000-gallon wave pool surrounded by a sandy beach. This is the centerpiece of the water park. Guests under 48″ need a companion and life vest. Cabana rentals are available here, and I’d recommend reserving one in advance during summer because Chula Vista heat plus a full day at the park makes shade valuable.
Big Bird’s Rambling River: A 1,250-foot lazy river. Guests under 42″ should wear a life vest.
The Count’s Splash Castle: A multi-level water playground with slides and interactive features. Great for younger kids who want to get wet without tackling the taller slides.
Elmo’s Silly Sand Slides: Six smaller slides into shallow pools, designed for guests under 48″. The best spot for the littlest kids to splash safely.
Cookie’s Monster Mixer: The park’s biggest thrill, a six-story family raft ride through a giant funnel. You can see this one from the parking lot. Must be at least 48″ tall.
Bert’s Topsy Turvy Tunnels: 60-foot tube slides, both enclosed and open-air. Under 42″ must ride with a companion.
Ernie’s Twisty Turny Tunnels: Solo tube slides. Must be at least 42″ tall.
Oscar’s Rotten Rafts: Family tube slide. Must be at least 42″ (under 42″ with a companion).
Honker Dinger Dash: Racing body slides with a 180-degree turn. Must be at least 42″ tall.
Snuffy’s Spaghetti Slides: Six 60-foot body slides, enclosed and open-air, ending in a pool. Must be at least 42″ tall.
Shows, Parades & Character Meet-and-Greets
Welcome to Our Street
The park’s main live character show features Elmo, Abby, Grover, Rosita, Cookie Monster, and a live performer (DJ Dani) in a musical performance where the characters try to decide what kind of show to put on: a dance show, a magic show, or a cookie show. It’s well-produced and genuinely entertaining for little kids. Show times vary by date.
Sesame Street Party Parade
This is what families consistently rave about. The daily parade features floats with Sesame Street characters dancing and performing, while kids along the route stomp, clap, snap, and dance. It’s highly interactive. Kids don’t just watch, they participate.
A note for sensory-sensitive families: The parade is loud and visually intense. The park offers low-sensory viewing locations. See Accessibility & Autism Resources below.
Character Meet-and-Greets
Elmo, Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Abby Cadabby, Oscar the Grouch, Bert and Ernie, Grover, Zoe, Rosita, and other characters appear throughout the park for photos and hugs. Check the Sesame Place app for the day’s character schedule and locations so you can plan around your child’s favorites.
Sesame Street Neighborhood
Beyond the rides, set aside time to walk through the interactive Sesame Street Neighborhood. It’s a recreation of the show’s iconic set: Big Bird’s 123 Stoop, Hooper’s Store, Oscar’s trash can, and Bert and Ernie’s doorbell.
Story time with Big Bird happens here, and there’s a musical play area for younger kids. You can knock on Oscar’s trash can, check Elmo’s window, and buy a bubble wand at Hooper’s Store. Tap it on the green stickers placed throughout the neighborhood for a surprise. For a lot of families, especially those with kids who are deep into their Sesame Street phase, this area is just as memorable as the rides.
Sesame Place San Diego Dining
Sesame Place has several quick-service dining spots throughout the park: Grover’s Grill, Telly’s Trattoria, Oscar’s Grouchy Grub, Monster Snacks, Eats on the Streets, and Wavepool Market. The food is standard theme park fare (burgers, pizza, chicken fingers) with some healthier options, such as wraps, salads, and fresh fruit.
Dine with Elmo & Friends is an upgraded experience at Elmo’s Sunny Day Café: a buffet meal where Sesame Street characters visit your table for singing, dancing, and photos. It costs extra beyond park admission, and reservations are recommended. If your child would lose their mind at the sight of Elmo up close during lunch, this is worth the splurge.
Outside food is not allowed, with exceptions for refillable water bottles, baby food/formula, and guests with dietary needs or allergies. A water bottle refill station is located behind Grover’s Grill.
Tips for Visiting Sesame Place San Diego
Download the Sesame Place app before you go. It’s genuinely useful. You can check ride wait times, see show and character schedules, navigate the park, and buy add-on experiences from your phone.
Best time to visit: Weekdays during the school year are the least crowded. Early season (before Memorial Day) and September tend to be lighter. Summer weekends and holiday weeks are peak. Expect longer waits and full cabana bookings.
What to bring: Swimsuits and towels (even if you’re not sure about water rides, because your kids will end up wet), sunscreen, water shoes, a change of dry clothes, and a refillable water bottle. Lockers are available at the front of the park.
Sunny Day Guarantee: If bad weather forces the park to close early or significantly disrupts ride operations during your visit, you can request a free return visit through Guest Relations or online within one week.
Quick Queue pass: Front-of-the-line access is available for an additional fee. On busy days, this can dramatically reduce time spent in lines, especially valuable when you have young kids with limited patience for queues.
Cabana rentals: Reserve in advance during the summer months. Chula Vista is inland and gets meaningfully hotter than coastal San Diego. The shade and private space near the wave pool make a big difference on a July or August day.
Stroller rentals are available in the park.
Upgrade Your Day
Chula Vista is inland and gets significantly hotter than coastal San Diego, and since this is a water park, you’ll be going in and out of the water all day. That combination makes a cabana rental worth considering, especially during summer.
Cabanas come with shade, comfortable seating, a table, cold water, a refrigerator, and a safe for your valuables. That last part matters more than you’d think! When you’re constantly heading to slides and splash areas, not having to worry about your phone, wallet, and keys is a real quality-of-life upgrade. Some cabana tiers also include food service delivered to your cabana via QR code ordering, unlimited drinks, and unlimited Magic Queue (front-of-the-line) passes for your group. Cabanas accommodate up to 6 guests, with the option to add 2 more for an additional fee.
There are different cabana locations throughout the park. Abby’s cabanas include access to a private splash pool and a private entrance to Big Bird’s Rambling River. The Big Bird’s Beach cabanas are next to the wave pool. Book early for summer dates because these sell out.
If a cabana isn’t in the budget, self-service lockers are available near the front of the park for storing your phone, wallet, keys, and other valuables while you’re on the water rides. You can also upgrade your day with an All-Day Dining Deal (eat at participating restaurants as often as once every 90 minutes), a Quick Queue pass for front-of-the-line access, or reserved theater seating for the Welcome to Our Street show. All can be purchased in advance through the Sesame Place website or app.
Stroller rentals are also available in the park. They’re large double strollers with seat belts and a canopy, and you can reserve one online in advance.
Accessibility & Autism Resources
Sesame Place San Diego is a Certified Autism Center (CAC), designated by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). All staff receive specialized training in autism sensitivity and awareness. The park provides sensory guides posted at every attraction so families can assess how each ride or show may affect a child with sensory processing needs. Noise-canceling headphones and quiet rooms are available, and staff can suggest low-sensory viewing spots for the parade. For families navigating autism or other sensory needs, it’s one of the most thoughtfully accommodating parks in Southern California.
Ride Accessibility Program (RAP): Guests with disabilities that make waiting in standard queues difficult can enroll at Guest Services. Fill out a questionnaire in advance and bring it to the park for a personalized boarding plan.
Hotels Near Sesame Place San Diego
If you’re visiting from out of town or just want to split the trip across two days, there are affordable, family-friendly hotels in the Chula Vista area.
See: Best Hotels Near Sesame Place San Diego
More San Diego Family Activities
Sesame Place is one of several excellent San Diego theme parks and family attractions. If you’re planning a broader trip:
- SeaWorld San Diego is Sesame Place’s sister park and offers combo ticket deals. It’s about 25 minutes north and has more to offer for older kids and teens.
- How to Buy Discount Sesame Place San Diego Tickets: My detailed breakdown of every way to save on admission.
- Best Things to Do in Chula Vista: What else is nearby if you’re spending time in the area.
- Things to Do in San Diego with Kids: Our comprehensive guide to family activities across the city.
Katie Dillon
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