Parking at the Nixon Library: A Complete Guide
What it costs, where to put the bus, and what changed in 2026
Parking at the Nixon Library is free. There is a visitor lot on site, right by the main entrance at 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd. No meters, no validation, no app.
That covers most visits. But if you are bringing a bus, arriving for an evening program, coming without a car, or wondering where the helicopter went, the details below are worth two minutes of your time.
The on-site lot
The library sits on nine acres on Yorba Linda Boulevard with its own visitor lot, a short walk from the museum doors. For a standard daytime visit — the museum is open 10am to 5pm, seven days a week — you can turn up and park without planning anything.
- Cost
- Free for all visitors. The library and the Nixon Foundation both confirm it.
- Address
- 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd, Yorba Linda, CA 92886
- Accessibility
- Accessible spaces sit near the entrance, and the main entrance is ADA-compliant with no steps or stairs on the approach.
- Buses & groups
- Groups of more than 15 are encouraged to reserve ahead. Contact the Foundation's tours team before you arrive rather than turning up with a coach and hoping.
- EV charging
- The library does not list on-site charging among its visitor amenities. If you need a charge, plan on doing it elsewhere in Yorba Linda and check a charging app before you set out.
- Busiest times
- Weekends, and weekday mornings when school groups arrive. A weekday around opening is the quietest run at both the lot and the galleries.
The presidential helicopter that stood for two decades at the east end of the parking lot is gone. On June 29, 2026, the Sikorsky VH-3A "Sea King" left the campus for a full restoration at March Field Air Museum in Riverside. It is due back in 2028 as the centerpiece of a new civics education building on the campus. If you are driving out specifically to see it, don't — and expect the lot and grounds near that end to change as construction progresses. Most guides still have this wrong.
Park once, eat well
You have already made the drive and found the space. The Wild Artichoke is a chef-driven kitchen a few minutes from the library gates — no second parking problem, no freeway. See our guide to dining near the Nixon Library.
Explore our restaurantParking for evening events and concerts
The library is a working venue as well as a museum — the Candlelight concert series, author talks, scholarly lectures, East Room programs, weddings. On those nights the lot fills far faster than it does on an ordinary Tuesday, and the crowd arrives in a single narrow window.
The fix is simple: come early. Park while the lot is still open, then eat before the program rather than fighting the arrival rush. For very large events the library may run overflow or shuttle arrangements, so check your invitation or the official Nixon Library website for instructions specific to your program.
Getting there without a car
It is doable, with a caveat. OCTA bus lines 131, 20 and 26 run near the library, and the Metrolink station at Anaheim Canyon is about four miles away — close, but not walkable, so budget for a rideshare on the last leg. Driving from most of Southern California means the 57 north to the Yorba Linda Boulevard exit, then east.
The Candlelight menu, for two
$135 per coupleShigoku oysters, Kaluga caviar mousseline, and chef's choice dessert — a shared menu composed to be light, elegant, and finished in time for your curtain. Chef Andrew Joo cooks French technique with Asian soul; the Uni Pasta and the binchotan-grilled bulgogi are where regulars start.
Reserve your tableGroups, buses and private events
School field trips, corporate outings and family reunions all come through the library lot, and a group of thirty coming off a tour at once is a logistics problem of its own. Two ways we take it off your hands: private dining and group events in our room, or catering delivered to your venue anywhere in North Orange County — which skips the parking question altogether.
Parking FAQs
Is parking at the Nixon Library free?
Yes. Visitor parking is free, in an on-site lot beside the main entrance. No fee, meter or validation.
Is there accessible parking?
Yes — accessible spaces are near the entrance, and the main entrance is ADA-compliant with a step-free approach.
Can a tour bus park at the Nixon Library?
Groups of more than 15 are encouraged to book ahead through the Nixon Foundation's tours team, which is also the moment to sort out where the bus goes. Do not arrive unannounced with a coach.
Where is the Marine One helicopter?
At March Field Air Museum in Riverside, undergoing a full restoration since June 29, 2026. It is expected to return to the Nixon Library in 2028 as the centerpiece of a new education building.
How early should I arrive for an evening event?
Earlier than you think. Concert and lecture crowds arrive in one narrow window and the lot fills quickly. Arriving with time to spare — and eating beforehand — is the difference between a relaxed evening and a scramble.
Where can I eat near the Nixon Library?
The Wild Artichoke is minutes from the museum in Yorba Linda, with a shared Candlelight menu for two at $135 per couple for guests timing a meal around an evening program.
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