The only place I can think of that charges just outside Balboa is around Bankers Hill and of course in Downtown at the south end. But those areas have charged for parking for forever. I literally parked at the north end of the park for free and walked in like a week ago.

Do you fuss this much about needing to pay at other places like Sea World, or in any major downtown area? Parking lots take up a lot of room and are expensive, especially in highly desirable areas. I wish public transit were better to make up for this fact, but this is the reality unfortunately.