Port of San Diego unveils plans to double Chula Vista Bayfront's Harbor Park

Chula Vista’s Bayfront is set for a major boost in outdoor recreation as the Port of San Diego and the city of Chula Vista move forward with plans to expand Harbor Park next to the Gaylord Pacific resort.

The first phase of the project will transform the existing 12-acre waterfront park into a larger destination, featuring playgrounds, walking paths, a splash pad and trees.

Residents have long enjoyed the Bayfront’s open space, including beach volleyball, bird-watching, and simple time outdoors.

“I love being out amongst nature,” said long-time Chula Vista resident Jennie Strangman. “This is the only place really in Chula Vista that we can be amongst the water, the squirrels, tons of squirrels, and ducks.”

Strangman once worried this space might disappear as the Bayfront development took shape. Those concerns eased when the Port revealed the vision for Phase One of the Harbor Park expansion. The new features will be built directly next to the Gaylord Pacific, on its south side.

Phase Two will develop a nearby strip of vacant land to the west of Gaylord, ultimately expanding Harbor Park from 12 acres to 25.

“Wow, that’s a lot,” Strangman said.

The project builds on Sweetwater Park, another Bayfront open space completed in 2025. The Port of San Diego and the city of Chula Vista committed to preserving and adding parkland when Bayfront plans were approved 13 years ago. The broader development will bring more hotels, homes, restaurants and shops, and significantly more public park space.

“All we can do is wait and see what happens here once it’s developed,” Strangman said.

The first phase of Harbor Park is expected to cost about $15 million and be completed by early 2027.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.