Foodies Guide to Belmont Park
Originally opened in 1925 by sugar magnate John D Spreckles, Belmont Park is one of the most legendary attractions In San Diego. From its historic Giant Dipper Roller Coaster, its rooftop dining Cannonball, and so many things to do in between, Belmont Park is a must visit for any local San Diegian or traveler. Our guide will showcase all of the amazing dining options, activities and itineraries on how to best utilize your time at Belmont Park!
Food and Dining at Belmont Park
Belmont Park has multiple full service restaurants and quick service counters, that all offer breathtaking ocean views for both upscale and casual bites. Sports and beer lovers will feel at-home at Draft, where American fare and 100+ beers are served, accompanied by a 31-foot TV screen for big games.
Looking for a casual sand bar vibe? Head to Beach House to enjoy American fare and cocktails while soaking in the sun with beachfront tiki bars and cabanas.
Or, elevate your experience at Cannonball, San Diego’s largest oceanfront rooftop, offering inventive sushi and seafood options!
Draft - Where the Beer Foam meets the Sea Foam
Interior dining room looking towards the boardwalk
Draft is a perfect example of a San Diego restaurant that we at @sdfoodies love to recommend to locals and tourists! Draft is situated RIGHT on the boardwalk, just a few steps from the ocean. Sit back and enjoy one of their 70+ draft beers, while enjoying their panoramic ocean views and a bite to eat.
Their house-crafted offerings range from sharable plates like Shredded Beef Nachos, to meals for one like the Pistachio Crusted Salmon Sandwich (salmon filet brushed with a honey Dijon glaze, crusted with pistachios and topped with arugula, fennel, as well as a lime champagne vinaigrette. All paired perfectly with a lemon aioli on a brioche bun).
We at @sdfoodies spent the night enjoying Draft and were blown away with their menu - American, but with a very gourmet upscale selection. They offer easy to eat food that’s great with friends, a game on the TV, or just watching the sun go down over the boardwalk.
What We Got
DRAFT DIRTY DOUBLE DIPPER BURGER - two 4 oz brandt beef patties, caramelized onion, lettuce, pickle, tomato, cheddar cheese, “draft sauce”, brioche bun served with french fries
LOBSTER MAC AND CHEESE - cavatappi pasta, butter-poached lobster, 3 cheese sauce, herbed bread crumb
TRUFFLE PARMESAN FRIES - truffle aioli, parsley, garlic, parmesan cheese
GIANT PRETZELCUTERIE BOARD - beer cheese, honey dijon & whole grain mustards, pickled onion, olive, prosciutto and giardener veggie
All of these options were delicious, but we were probably the most impressed with the Giant Pretzelcuterie Board! It was not only a stunning eye-catching delight, but the garnishes and sauces made this pretzel a must order!
Cannonball - Sushi in the Sky
A perfect location for all occasions, experience unmatched views while enjoying delicious selections from Cannonball’s innovative sushi and Pacific Rim menu. Featuring multiple fire pits and unique design elements inspired by a pool-like theme, this gorgeous venue perched high above the Mission Beach boardwalk delivers more than just a night out, it delivers a one of a kind experience!
Sushi + Cocktails + Views!
Cannonball is sushi with a splash! Besides the delicious inventive sushi and California cuisine inspired by Pacific Rim influences, this oceanfront restaurant is also serving up the best views in San Diego! It's never been more enjoyable to sip on refreshing beach craft cocktails, while soaking up the essence of the ocean. With thoughtful details and accents, this Mission Beach rooftop restaurant transports you to a pool-like setting without all the splashing, but twice the views. So dive in, there's nothing quite like Cannonball!
We at @sdfoodies checked out Cannonball for a sushi and sunset dinner and were very impressed. The vibe at Cannonball is unlike most in San Diego. This rooftop restaurant perched right on the top of Belmont Park has amazing views that are hard to beat. After ascending the staircase, you “dive in” to Cannonball’s slightly submerged dining room. One you get to your seat you are greeted by an ocean view at every angle. There are very few spots in San Diego that have NO bad seats, but Cannonball seems to be one of them!
Need a drink? We highly recommend checking out their craft cocktail list. We loved the SUNNY & 75 with gin, guava, elderflower and sparkling wine or the EASTERN MEDICINE with whiskey, honey, ginger and pineapple.
After having a cocktail or two, dive into the menu and get to trying some of their delicious bites! For appetizers we started off with the spicy garlic edamame, always one of our favorites, and if didn’t disappoint. The edamame was definitely spicy, topped with a very large dose of garlic.
Afterwards we sampled a selection of their rolls, all of which were very fresh and quite generous in their portions. We got the LOBSTER ROLL with Spicy lobster, yamagobo, tempura fried, avocado, topped with jalapeños, spicy aioli and eel sauce. This fried roll was interesting, typically I don’t get fried rolls but this was absolutely divine! So much richness on this roll from the spicy lobster and avocado, it was a roll I would definitely order again.
Next up were two other rolls that I was excited to try! The SURF & TURF ROLL with spicy crab, fried asparagus, wagyu beef, scallop puree, garlic soy, red tobiko, sprouts. This roll caught my eye immediately when looking at the menu, I’m a sucker for waygu and crab, so we HAD to order this!
Finally we stuffed ourselves with the TATSU ROLL with tempura shrimp, crab mix, unagi, cucumber, avocado, eel sauce, mijinko.
Activities at Belmont Park
With so many fun activities at Belmont Park, it can be hard to know where to start! We put together our favorites below! From boardwalk rentals, cruising along the coast, to gravity defying rides towering above the park, there is an activity for every mood!
Boardwalk Rentals - Mission Beach Rentals
Head over to Mission Beach Rentals conveniently located in Belmont Park for a premium renting experience! These aren’t your old, tired rental bikes - these are shiny, new, and run smooth! The staff at Mission Beach Rentals was fantastic and showed us how to best enjoy the boardwalk.
We rented the beach cruisers pictured above and the roller blades. We found the bikes to be more fun (probably since we know how to do it) than the roller blades (its been a long time). Either way we had a blast cruising along the sunny boardwalk and enjoying the amazing view!
Prices of Rentals at Mission Beach Rentals are VERY reasonable, see below!
Adult Cruiser $10 / 1st hour
3-Speed Cruiser $15 / 1st hour
Tandem Bike $20 / 1st hour
Kid’s Bike $10 / 1st hour
Skateboard $10 / 1st hour
Rollerblades $10 / 1st hour
Roller Blading on the Boardwalk
Rides at Belmont Park
The RIDES! Arguably one of the funnest parts of Belmont Park! whether you are a grown adult, small child, or somewhere in between, there is always a spot in our hearts for a ride on the beach! Belmont Park excels in the nostalgic rides from the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster to the Bumper Cars, as well as the newer rides like Zero Gravity and Mic Drop.
Happy Riders after a spin on the famous Giant Dipper Roller Coaster
The famous Giant Dipper Roller Coaster has a storied history here in San Diego. The Giant Dipper was built by the Prior and Church Company (a pioneer in the coaster field) in 1925, during the Golden Age of wooden roller coasters. After the park’s closing in 1976, a group of concerned citizens formed the “Save the Coaster Committee” to prevent the demolition of the coaster and attempt to restore it instead. The committee obtained a state historic preservation grant to help start restoration.
In 1990, the San Diego Coaster Company was formed and a lease was signed with the city of San Diego to restore and operate the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster at Belmont Park. It was restored at a cost of $2 million and, in all, took three years of planning and building. The renovation of this vintage wooden roller coaster included such improvements as an all-new track and track bed, 11,000 new bolts, thousands of board feet of lumber and two new trains with modern restraint systems.
If you are a fan of older roller coasters, this a must! This coaster has a ton of character and although it isn’t as smooth as modern rides, it has a view that cannot be matched! Take a look next time you are up there and be ready to snap a quick photo!
Liberty Carousel 🎠
One of our favorites has to be the Liberty Carousel, located near the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster, it is an antique reproduction made with an attention to detail that transports riders back to the golden age of carousels. The Carousel has a special decorative touch for San Diegans: A series of 12 paintings recalling the city’s history.
Pictured in the hand-painted scenes are Father Junipero Serra as he is about to discover Mission San Diego, the Spirit of St. Louis flying over the Giant Dipper, the Hotel del Coronado and girls on horseback in a 20’s beach scene. The paintings are patterned after photographs preserved by the San Diego Historical Society.
Looking to win a prize? Head over to the many boardwalk games and test your luck! We got lucky at the HotShot stand, a classic basketball game.
Family Fun Day Itinerary
Nothing says a good day out with the family, than a day at Belmont Park. From rides, tasty bites, and more, there is something to do for everyone at Belmont Park. Follow along with us as we have an amazing day here!
Head over to Belmont Park early as parking can get busy at this beachside locale. Parking is free and is located adjacent (south, and north) of the park. the south parking lot is much bigger so head there first if you can! Street parking is limited and is frequently taken by surfers, so dont count on it. Once arriving head over to the ticket counter located in the center of the park by the Control Freak and Carousel. This is where you will find your tickets, passes you will need for your day.
Prices start at $60 for the Ride and Play package that gives you unlimited access to a majority of the rides, not including some of the premium attractions like the Zipline, and Escape Room. If you can plan on doing a lot of rides this is a great choice, as the ticket prices for individual tickets start at $1 and rides cost on average 5-8 tickets per ride.
Once securing your tickets we highly recommend hitting the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster, Control Freak, Beach Blaster, and Zero Gravity. These are all of our favorites and have some serious adrenaline rush involved.
Afterwards reward yourself with some ice cream and funnel cake at the Sweet Shoppe, and Belmonty’s, two of Belmont Parks beachside dining venues that are a delicious sweet treat! We were very impressed with the Sweet Shoppes tasty bites and MASSIVE portions. WE got two scoops of Birthday Cake and Strawberry in awaffle cone bowl that was freshly made. Looking for something warm? Right next door at Belmonty’s you can expect fried fair food classics such as Funnel Cakes, Chicken Sandwiches, and Burgers. We opted for the Funnel Cake and loved every sweet bite!
Next up on your fun day at Belmont Park, head over to our favorite activity, The Sky Ropes. This elevated rope course is great for those who seek an adrenaline rush! This course allows you to be strapped in about 20 feet above the ground and walk an obstacle course that involves moving obstacles, tightropes, and even a zipline! Smaller kids or those who aren’t okay with heights may want to sit this one out!
Afterwards head beneath the rope course and indulge in a Dole Whip, preferably in the Pineapple souvenir cup! Its a tasty way to reward your day!
Next up on your day here, head to the recently remodeled Plunge Pool, While The Plunge has a fresh new look, it has a rich history. The Natatorium, which later became known as The Plunge swimming pool was constructed in 1925 as a centerpiece of the park along with the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster within the original Mission Beach Entertainment Center, now known as Belmont Park. The 60’ by 175’ pool was, at the time, the largest salt-water pool in the world— holding 400,000 gallons of water.
We love this pool as its absolutely stunningly beautiful and its large size is great for bringing a large group or family too! Our favorite part is definitely the obstacle course, this kid friendly blow up course brings out the fun with its slippery plastic that had everyone laughing the afternoon away!
MORE TO COME!
We will be writing more about all the other venues at Belmont Park, so check back to see more soon!
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