The Quarry Playground

This one’s genuinely worth the drive if you haven’t been — the multi-level climbing structure and tunnels have actual artwork inside them, which you don’t see at most San Diego parks. Summer weekends get busy once families figure out there’s a splash pad, so go early if you want the good parking. The open grass field is legit spacious, and the whole place stays surprisingly clean for how much foot traffic it gets. They do vendor events and a farmer’s market here too, so it’s easy to make a full morning of it.