San Diego is one of the most beautiful places in California and one of the main reasons for that are beaches. San Diego’s beaches are something you must see! This city is also known for its warm weather throughout the year, so if you move to San Diego, you can find a beach that is perfect for you, whether you are looking for relaxation or sports. We had a very hard job, to pick only 5 beaches among the 70 miles of coastline, but this is our top 5 list!
- Coronado
This beach starts at the famous Hotel Del Coronado, famous destination for royalty and celebrities, and continues north to Sunset Park. This is a family-friendly beach and it is very large, so even when it gets crowded, you can find a secluded and hidden spot for yourself and your family. However, always try to come to this beach early in the morning if possible. There are 4 different beach areas here – Glorietta Bay Park, Coronado City Beach, Tidelands Park and Centennial Park. You can easily reach Coronado by public bus, car, shuttle or taxi. If you are coming here with kids, don’t forget to bring a kite because this beach is perfect for it. The northern part of the beach is pet-friendly. Fun fact about Coronado is that scenes from a famous movie ‘Some Like It Hot’ are filmed here.
- Mission Beach
Mission Beach is one of the most popular beaches because of its location. This, of course, means that it is usually crowded. It is located very close to the popular Belmont Park and Ocean Front Walk. The beach itself has anything you might need – restrooms, showers, fire pits etc. Lifeguards are here every day, so you can feel free to bring your kids with you. This is definitely one of the liveliest beaches in the area. You can enjoy different sports, such as skateboarding, biking down the boardwalk or playing volleyball. Don’t forget to take a ride on the iconic roller coaster.
It is not even possible that you can get bored on the Mission Beach because there are many attractions and activities that you can enjoy here.
- Pacific Beach
Pacific Beach is not just a beach, but it is a community located between Packific Beach Drive and the Crystal Pier. It is a laid back community where you can enjoy charming restaurants and shops. Beach is gorgeous and usually crowded. The other name for Pacific Beach is “The Strand” and it is very popular among the locals and tourists. During the night, there are beach lights of bonfires and beach parties and this attracts a lot of young people. Crystal Pier is a fishing pier for all those who enjoy this sport.
- Flat Rock Beach
To get to this beach, you will have to hike a bit to reach it. So grab a map from the Visitors Center and make a loop hike using Beach Trail and Broken Hill Train. Make this a little family adventure! There is another way as well, which is by walking from Black’s Beach or from Torrey Pines South Beach. Anyhow, the access is not very easy, but once you climb up the large, flat rock you will enjoy a stunning ocean view. This is a breathtaking spot with white sand and sweeping bluffs. It is not that famous for tourists, so you can find your peace of mind here.
- Solana Beach
This beach is located in San Diego’s North Country and it has many hidden spots and surfing hot spots. The Seaside is great for surfing and has an outer reef while Del Mar Shores is visited by the locals. There are five spots in total here, and they are all different. There is Tide Beach that is famous for its white sand, Fletcher Cove is another surfers paradise and Seascape Beach is for everyone – tourists, surfers and locals. Lifeguards are present during the whole summer, so you can bring your little ones here and feel safe.