TrainDay2SanDiego: Free Trains & Balboa Park Museums ½ Price!

TrainDay2SanDiego: Free Trains to Balboa Park and Museums ½ Price!

What We're Doing: We'll take FREE Metrolink and Coaster trains from Irvine to Oceanside, then Oceanside to San Diego. We'll grab brunch in SD, then walk or bus to Balboa Park. We'll use the San Diego ½-price museum pass, explore Balboa Park, then head back to Santa Fe Depot. Total mileage: ~5 miles (YMMV).

Note: MTS buses are not honoring Free transit day, so to save extra hours walking, Please bring exact change for the bus $2.50 x 2 Adult, or $1.25 X 2 Senior, Adult fare can be paid with a credit card on bus.

Meetup: Irvine train station at 6:00am—no tickets needed! Meet on Platform 2 for Metrolink IE/OC 803.

• Departs Irvine 6:23am, arrives Oceanside 7:24am.
• Coaster 626: Departs 7:36am, arrives Santa Fe Depot 8:37am.
• Return: Coaster 641 departs SD Depot 4:20pm, arrives O’side 5:22pm. Metrolink IE/OC 824: Departs Oceanside 5:39pm, arrives Irvine 6:38pm.

Tips: Apply sunscreen, wear hat/extra layer for morning, comfortable walking shoes (~5 miles on mostly flat hard surfaces; some hills/stairs possible). Bring refillable water bottle, snack (post-breakfast), optional lunch.

🎟️ Tickets & Costs: All transit free for Rosa Parks Birthday/Transit Equity Day—no tickets needed! Balboa Park museums ½ off with printed pass. (See links below)

🚶‍ What We’ll Do:

• Metrolink Irvine to Oceanside.
• Coaster Oceanside to Santa Fe Depot.
• Breakfast at Swamis Café, then Balboa Park museums at ½ price.
• ~5 miles walking total, possible stairs.

🕓 Schedule—Outbound:

• 6:00 AM: Arrive Irvine Station (15215 Barranca Pkwy, Irvine, CA); meet on Platform 2 (near side). Hop on at other stops OK. Note the IE/OC trains do not originate or return to Los Angeles Union Station.
• 6:23 AM: Metrolink IE/OC 803 departs Irvine.
• 7:24 AM: Arrive Oceanside Transit Center.
• 7:36 AM: Coaster 626 to Santa Fe Depot.
• 8:37 AM: Arrive Santa Fe Depot.
• 9:00–10:00 AM: Breakfast at Swamis Café.
• 10:00–10:30 AM: Grab ½-off printed passes.
• 10:30 AM–3:30 PM: Explore Balboa Park museums @ ½ off!

🕓 Schedule—Return:

• 3:30 PM: Head to Santa Fe Depot.
• 4:20 PM: Coaster 641 departs SD, arrives O’side 5:22 PM.
• 5:39 PM: Metrolink IE/OC 824 departs Oceanside, arrives Irvine 6:38pm.

Participating ½-Off Balboa Park Museums:

• Balboa Park Botanical Building
• Centro Cultural de la Raza
• Fleet Science Center
• ICA Central
• Japanese Friendship Garden
• Marston House Museum & Gardens
• Mingei International Museum
• MOPA@SDMA*
• Museum of Us*
• San Diego Air & Space Museum
• San Diego Automotive Museum
• San Diego History Center
• San Diego Model Railroad Museum
• San Diego Museum of Art*
• San Diego Natural History Museum*
• WorldBeat Cultural Center

🧴 What to Bring:

• Comfortable walking shoes.
• Extra layer for morning.
• Bring exact change for 2 bus trips ($2.50 ea Adult $1.25 ea Senior)
• Bring $ for Museums and food.
• Sun protection: hat, sunscreen, sunglasses.
• Refillable water bottle.
• Light snack (post-breakfast).

Meeting Options:

• Irvine Station Platform 2 (near side) or onboard Metrolink IE/OC 803 from Irvine.
• Oceanside Transit Center by Pronto kiosks/ped underpass ~7:24am (no tickets needed).

DISCLAIMER: Group organizer, assistant organizers and event hosts assume no liability; hike at your own risk. By being a member of this group you hereby agree to assume all risks and liability related to or resulting from any group functions. You agree that neither you nor any third party will hold any of the group's leaders, officers, or representatives liable for any injury, loss, or damage to your own person or any members of your family, friends, acquaintances, children, pets, or property, arising directly or consequently from a group activity. You also agree that your membership of this group is based on an "at will" basis.