This isn’t coming from casual concertgoers. As an outlet that covers dozens of concerts a year, we've long avoided the Chula Vista venue for this very reason. And judging by the responses, we're far from alone.
"I have boycotted that venue for 10 years it is the worst place ever!!!! I had to walk 5 miles to get an Uber once out of that sht hole," one reader wrote. Another: "I refuse to go. It’s such a f**in nightmare. Can’t believe after all these years they haven’t gotten it figured out." A third kept it simple: "That place blows."
The complaints stretch back decades. "I tried to see Radiohead there 20 years ago but gave up. It’s a horrible location." Others now plan around the problem: "We had the Lawn Pass for years… we would always look up the set lists… and leave a few songs early. Bummer but better than taking 2 hours to get home." More recent experiences echo the same pain points: "It’s the worst place ever to get out of!" "It’s always SO BAD. They need shuttle buses or something." "It took an hour and a half for me and my friend to get out!"
Ride-share is no silver bullet. "I’ll never drive there again," one follower said. "Getting an Uber is sketchy too… drivers stand around and try to charge you cash. They’ll accept the ride but make you stand around forever before eventually canceling." Another added: "If you take a Lyft and try to get to the pickup spot? What a nightmare - it’s usually two hours minimum to get out of that place."
Some veterans have survival strategies. "VIP parking is the only way to go. And turning right so you go the back way out." One concertgoer reported a rare win - "We got out of the lot within 3 minutes… 15 min exit? I’ll take it! (I leave before the 2nd encore)" - but even they admitted the trick was leaving before the final songs.
Others simply wait it out: "I just hang out in the parking lot for an hour and it’s fine… unwind after the show." A few skip the car entirely: "We’ve been going the ‘back way’ for years… pack our bikes… ride down… then ride back out Otay Mesa Rd."
The gridlock doesn’t just affect fans. Neighbors in nearby communities feel the squeeze, with one reader from Escaya noting, "The cops block off the road even if you live there - they won’t let you through even if you show ID… we just give everyone a heads up on show nights." Another summed up what many feel in the moment: "That parking lot is a nightmare! Just stop traffic and let the people out!"
To be fair, this is a relatively massive venue - 20,500 capacity - and big shows will always strain infrastructure. But ownership and operators have had decades to tune ingress and egress. The recurring themes in our inbox - limited exit capacity, confusing traffic control, forced long loops to reach the freeway, and chaotic ride-share zones - suggest operational fixes could help even before any concrete is poured.
There is, however, some good news on the horizon. The City of Chula Vista broke ground in March on the Heritage Road Bridge Replacement Project, a long-planned upgrade that replaces the old temporary bridge over the Otay River with a new, wider, six-lane concrete span. The project includes sidewalks, bike lanes, new traffic signals at Heritage Road/Main Street and Heritage Road/Entertainment Circle North, and roadway improvements approaching the bridge. City leaders billed the work as a direct benefit for access to both Sesame Place and North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre - "get in faster, get out faster" - with construction now underway.
Infrastructure alone won’t fix everything, but it should help. Wider lanes and better signalization can untangle at least part of the bottleneck that traps cars on show nights. Combined with smarter on-site traffic management - clearer laneing, better timing on lot releases, and a real plan for ride-share - concertgoers might finally get an exit strategy that doesn’t involve leaving before the encore.
Until then, fans are making hard choices. "Will drive to and from/spend the night in LA to see a show before going to this venue. WOOF!" wrote one follower. Another didn’t mince words: "It’s been the same for over 20 years… it’s a sh*t show to get in and out." And a pragmatic voice we heard again and again: "You have to leave a concert 30 minutes early to get out."
We've asked the venue for comment on near-term operational changes and how they’ll coordinate with the city while the bridge work progresses. We’ll update this story if we hear back. In the meantime, share your experiences and tips - routes, parking hacks, bike plans - so we can help readers navigate show nights without sacrificing the last songs. Because San Diego deserves great concerts without the dread that begins the second the lights go up.
Originally published on September 5, 2025.
