Ahhh yess the beaches. One cannot bring to mind San Diego and not visualize in some way the beautiful beaches stretched all the way down the coast from the North County to La Jolla, Mission Bay and San Diego Bay, as well as the southernmost point of the southwestern United States. It is a wonderland of beach paradise.
After living in San Diego for about 4-5 years now -- being a trans-plant from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii -- I'm finally getting a feel for each beach and it's community, and have been slowly learning my way around these places.
It feels good to know the right place for the occasion, whether it be surf or fun beach activities. I have taken it upon myself as my duty to represent these beaches fairly and say that these are my favorite beaches in San Diego and I highly recommend them. They are all beautiful and unique in their own way and I have grown to appreciate them.
1. Pacific Beach -- Pacific Beach to me is the best all-around beach for everyone. It is big enough to handle large crowds and has great waves on most days. The lifeguards are great there so it's good for families. The boardwalk is the best I've seen as far as cool beach boardwalks, spectacular cliff-side views , great sunsets, and people-watching. The shops and restaurants are also great and worth visiting. One of our most favorite places to dine is Filippi's on Garnet. They have some amazing pizza as well as a dinner that includes Lasagna, Eggplant Parmesan, house salad and Minestrone soup. The shops are quite varied but mostly seem to be hip and eclectic as well as great surf shops and clothing/furnishing stores. They also boast a variety of regional cuisine restaurants which in my opinion definitely puts it over the top of many nice beaches of the world.
You are most likely to see --
surfers, bodyboarders, cyclists, runners, students, yuppies, hippies, punks, tourists, good waves, hot chicks, buff dudes, skateboarders, college students, big beach, cliffs, more waves, great sand quality and texture, great sunsets, a very cool pier with rental apartments on it, tons of great shops, restaurants, hotels, the very first Rubio's.
2. Ocean Beach -- Ocean Beach is one of the most unique places on Earth. It is one of the last real 'communities' out there in beach-land. It is a beach that is friendly to all and that spirit is exemplified by the large dog beach that is full of so many dog gone characters running around and charging into the waves looking for tennis balls or squeaky toys. Everyone's spirit seems to improve when dogs are around. I would say that is a good analogy for this town. Extremely friendly beach town with so much personality and charm.
The Ocean Beach Pier is also one of the longest piers on the west coast, and is also made of cement and is quite sturdy. It's pier is most supreme over Pacific Beach's squeaky rotting wood one (Most of it's ok but in some areas you can see straight through so I like to watch my step on that one).
Newport Avenue is where most of the cool shops and eateries are at. It's a bit lower budget than PB for the most part but there are definitely some awesome grinds on this little strip of stores, shops, and restaurants.
The Sunshine Company is a great place to get a massive beer selection a rooftop deck and a taqueria next door with a window that goes right into Sunshine Company. Also hit up Pride surf shop and South Coast Surf Shop. They have a great selection and a friendly crew.
The waves in OB are pretty darn great, despite being quite close to the river which at time can make them one of the slightly dirtier waves at times, and especially after a rain. Overall though the waves in OB are many and excellent. For this reason it can also become quite crowded but still fun.
OB is one of those towns I will always be fond of. Great, great beach. Most interesting people watching ever.
You are most likely to see --
Surfers, bodyboarders, swimmers, cyclists, skateboarders, great waves, dogs and people of all shapes and sizes, hippies, cyber-hippies, street punks, tattoos, piercings, normal people (not too many), cool shops and restaurants, eclectic stores, amazing pier, beautiful cliffs, awesome sunsets, live bands, one of the best Farmer's Markets around.
3. Imperial Beach -- It's quit possible that I put Imperial Beach in the 3rd spot because I don't want everyone to go there or move there or something. Imperial Beach is my spot. It's a quiet cool family beach town which is far enough away from the crowd to feel the energy of the beautiful and vast beach and ocean there. There are also some amazing houses right on the beach which are fun to look at while I'm riding or waiting for those excellent waves. There's not too much going on in Imperial Beach but that's one thing I love about it. From most places there you can see the bullring in Tijuana. It is the southernmost beach in the western United States.
Imperial Beach hosts an annual sand castle competition that has some mind blowing sand sculptures. I would highly recommend that event. Also the sand is the best in San Diego next to Coronado's pure white grains. The waves there are phenomenal but for the most part uncrowded due to it's positioning right next door to Mexico. And the Tijuana River flows some nasty stuff out once in a while... but usually only after a fairly heavy rain. It is advisable not to surf within at least 3 days of a heavy rain due to the unusually large amount of bacteria in the water. On stretches of good weather, the water in California is generally very nice and fairly clean... but it does get a bit chillier than our tropical neighbors in Hawaii.
You are most likely to see
-- surfers, bodyboarders, families enjoying the beach, alot of people fishing on the pier (must be some good fish around there), a restaurant on the pier (The Tin Fish -- try the garlicky shrimp burrito it's amazing), dogs (on and off leashes), free parking close to the beach, one of the coolest surf shops in California (The Surf Hut on Seacoast Dr.), one of the best sandcastle competitions ever.
4. Coronado City Beach -- Many people have heard of the famous Coronado Island and it's amazing and beautiful blue bridge that leads to one of the finest places in America. With it's fine white grains of sand and expansive beach, to it's parks and quaint family beach town, it stands as a must see if you are visiting San Diego. Coronado has so much charm and is quite an upscale neighborhood as well -- being home to The Hotel Del Coronado... one of America's most famous historic hotels. It has not lost it's feeling as an extremely comfortable and laid back beach place to dine or relax and get a tan. The waves here are somewhat finnicky but can be good at times. Good offshore winds as well.
5. Torrey Pines State Beach -- This beach and area is a rare place indeed and pretty much a must-visit if you would enjoy hiking along a beautiful coastline amongst a rare breed of native trees called Torrey Pines. There are some nicely paved trails and paths around this area and the beach is long and expansive. There is also a large long parking area where people can park their cars or RV's with ease. It is a popular place though so it sees plenty of traffic through the year, but it is large and able to handle it without seeming too crowded. The feeling of nature there is amazing. The large hill there is a great workout for hikers and bicyclists alike.
So whether you are a local or a visitor... I hope this avid beach-goer has inspired you to visit San Diego's beautiful beaches as much as possible. Let's keep them clean and serene for years to come...
After living in San Diego for about 4-5 years now -- being a trans-plant from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii -- I'm finally getting a feel for each beach and it's community, and have been slowly learning my way around these places.
It feels good to know the right place for the occasion, whether it be surf or fun beach activities. I have taken it upon myself as my duty to represent these beaches fairly and say that these are my favorite beaches in San Diego and I highly recommend them. They are all beautiful and unique in their own way and I have grown to appreciate them.
1. Pacific Beach -- Pacific Beach to me is the best all-around beach for everyone. It is big enough to handle large crowds and has great waves on most days. The lifeguards are great there so it's good for families. The boardwalk is the best I've seen as far as cool beach boardwalks, spectacular cliff-side views , great sunsets, and people-watching. The shops and restaurants are also great and worth visiting. One of our most favorite places to dine is Filippi's on Garnet. They have some amazing pizza as well as a dinner that includes Lasagna, Eggplant Parmesan, house salad and Minestrone soup. The shops are quite varied but mostly seem to be hip and eclectic as well as great surf shops and clothing/furnishing stores. They also boast a variety of regional cuisine restaurants which in my opinion definitely puts it over the top of many nice beaches of the world.You are most likely to see --
surfers, bodyboarders, cyclists, runners, students, yuppies, hippies, punks, tourists, good waves, hot chicks, buff dudes, skateboarders, college students, big beach, cliffs, more waves, great sand quality and texture, great sunsets, a very cool pier with rental apartments on it, tons of great shops, restaurants, hotels, the very first Rubio's.
2. Ocean Beach -- Ocean Beach is one of the most unique places on Earth. It is one of the last real 'communities' out there in beach-land. It is a beach that is friendly to all and that spirit is exemplified by the large dog beach that is full of so many dog gone characters running around and charging into the waves looking for tennis balls or squeaky toys. Everyone's spirit seems to improve when dogs are around. I would say that is a good analogy for this town. Extremely friendly beach town with so much personality and charm.
The Ocean Beach Pier is also one of the longest piers on the west coast, and is also made of cement and is quite sturdy. It's pier is most supreme over Pacific Beach's squeaky rotting wood one (Most of it's ok but in some areas you can see straight through so I like to watch my step on that one).
Newport Avenue is where most of the cool shops and eateries are at. It's a bit lower budget than PB for the most part but there are definitely some awesome grinds on this little strip of stores, shops, and restaurants.
The Sunshine Company is a great place to get a massive beer selection a rooftop deck and a taqueria next door with a window that goes right into Sunshine Company. Also hit up Pride surf shop and South Coast Surf Shop. They have a great selection and a friendly crew.
The waves in OB are pretty darn great, despite being quite close to the river which at time can make them one of the slightly dirtier waves at times, and especially after a rain. Overall though the waves in OB are many and excellent. For this reason it can also become quite crowded but still fun.
OB is one of those towns I will always be fond of. Great, great beach. Most interesting people watching ever.
You are most likely to see --
Surfers, bodyboarders, swimmers, cyclists, skateboarders, great waves, dogs and people of all shapes and sizes, hippies, cyber-hippies, street punks, tattoos, piercings, normal people (not too many), cool shops and restaurants, eclectic stores, amazing pier, beautiful cliffs, awesome sunsets, live bands, one of the best Farmer's Markets around.
3. Imperial Beach -- It's quit possible that I put Imperial Beach in the 3rd spot because I don't want everyone to go there or move there or something. Imperial Beach is my spot. It's a quiet cool family beach town which is far enough away from the crowd to feel the energy of the beautiful and vast beach and ocean there. There are also some amazing houses right on the beach which are fun to look at while I'm riding or waiting for those excellent waves. There's not too much going on in Imperial Beach but that's one thing I love about it. From most places there you can see the bullring in Tijuana. It is the southernmost beach in the western United States.
Imperial Beach hosts an annual sand castle competition that has some mind blowing sand sculptures. I would highly recommend that event. Also the sand is the best in San Diego next to Coronado's pure white grains. The waves there are phenomenal but for the most part uncrowded due to it's positioning right next door to Mexico. And the Tijuana River flows some nasty stuff out once in a while... but usually only after a fairly heavy rain. It is advisable not to surf within at least 3 days of a heavy rain due to the unusually large amount of bacteria in the water. On stretches of good weather, the water in California is generally very nice and fairly clean... but it does get a bit chillier than our tropical neighbors in Hawaii.
You are most likely to see
-- surfers, bodyboarders, families enjoying the beach, alot of people fishing on the pier (must be some good fish around there), a restaurant on the pier (The Tin Fish -- try the garlicky shrimp burrito it's amazing), dogs (on and off leashes), free parking close to the beach, one of the coolest surf shops in California (The Surf Hut on Seacoast Dr.), one of the best sandcastle competitions ever.
4. Coronado City Beach -- Many people have heard of the famous Coronado Island and it's amazing and beautiful blue bridge that leads to one of the finest places in America. With it's fine white grains of sand and expansive beach, to it's parks and quaint family beach town, it stands as a must see if you are visiting San Diego. Coronado has so much charm and is quite an upscale neighborhood as well -- being home to The Hotel Del Coronado... one of America's most famous historic hotels. It has not lost it's feeling as an extremely comfortable and laid back beach place to dine or relax and get a tan. The waves here are somewhat finnicky but can be good at times. Good offshore winds as well.
5. Torrey Pines State Beach -- This beach and area is a rare place indeed and pretty much a must-visit if you would enjoy hiking along a beautiful coastline amongst a rare breed of native trees called Torrey Pines. There are some nicely paved trails and paths around this area and the beach is long and expansive. There is also a large long parking area where people can park their cars or RV's with ease. It is a popular place though so it sees plenty of traffic through the year, but it is large and able to handle it without seeming too crowded. The feeling of nature there is amazing. The large hill there is a great workout for hikers and bicyclists alike.
So whether you are a local or a visitor... I hope this avid beach-goer has inspired you to visit San Diego's beautiful beaches as much as possible. Let's keep them clean and serene for years to come...
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