San Diego Coast Life Blog

A Travel Guide for Locals and Visitors

Archive for category Beach Cities

10 Best San Diego Beaches

Sep 29

Posted by admin in Beach Cities, Beaches | No Comments

San Diego has some of the finest beaches in the world. For a comprehensive list, go to Best San Diego Beaches.

1) Coronado City Beach: Wide, sandy, resort-style beach was voted one of USA’s best beaches. Ideal for family and kids. One of most romantic beaches in the world. Beautiful views of Las Coronado Island, boats, and Point Loma peninsula. Surf more gentle than at other beaches. Ideal for swimming and walking. Next to Hotel Del Coronado and historic homes with nearby downtown shops and restaurants.

2) Harbor Beach in Oceanside: Widest, sandy beach in the county. Next to harbor. Great for family, romance, walking. Playground, fire rings, overnight camping, nearby dining.

3)  Moonlight State Beach in Encinitas: Great family beach. Playground, snack bar, fire rings, large sandy area. Good swimming, boogie boarding, walking. Dining and shops in nearby downtown Encinitas.

4) Carlsbad State Beach: Wide, sandy beach. Great for family and kids. Good swimming, boogie boarding, walking. Next to Carlsbad Seawall, palisades, Frazee Park, hotels, quaint Carlsbad Village.

5) Del Mar City Beach: Resort-style beach, with grassy park, dining and nearby Del Mar Village at south end. Expensive homes line the beach to Dog Beach at north end. Great for family. Good swimming, boogie boarding, and walking.

6) Cardiff State Beach: Campground at north end; tide pools at south end. Great for family. Good swimming, boogie boarding, and walking. Near Cardiff Town Center. Next to Restaurant Row.

7) Torrey Pines State Beach: More secluded, away from urban life. Beautiful, tall Torrey Pines cliffs on south side. Park your camper or RV nearby. No overnight camping. Great for family, walking, or romance. Good swimming, boogie boarding, and walking. Dining a short drive away.

8) South Mission Beach to North Pacific Beach: Actually 4 beaches. Nearly 4 miles of sandy beaches, paralleled by Oceanfront Boardwalk. Attractions along the way include Belmont Park, Crystal Pier, and Pacific Beach Palisades.

9) La Jolla Shores: Great family beach. Large grassy park with playground. Beautiful view of La Jolla peninsula. Dining nearby. Surf more gentle than at other beaches. Good swimming, boogie boarding, walking, romance. Popular spot for scuba diving.

10) Silver Strand State Beach: Secluded beach away from urban life. Good family beach. Includes overnight campgrounds. Beautiful views of Las Coronado Island, boats, and Point Loma peninsula. Good swimming, boogie boarding and walking.

See San Diego Beach Pictures

Crystal Pier

Nov 30

Posted by admin in Pacific Beach, Piers, San Diego | 1 Comment

Located at the end of Garnet Ave in Pacific Beach, CA, Crystal Pier is a long wooden pier which debut in 1927. The pier’s main attraction, Crystal Pier Hotel, features 29 blue and white cottages built in the 1930s. The cottages extend to about the half way point of the pier. Patrons can park their cars next to their cottages and listen to the rumble of the waves below them. For those who don’t want to be directly over the water, some of the cottages are directly over the beach near the entrance. For hotel reservations, go to www.crystalpier.com.

Although there’s a hotel on the pier, Crystal Pier is open to a public during daylight hours for sightseeing and fishing.

At the pier’s entrance is the historic “Crystal Pier” sign, as well as the famous Pacific Beach Boardwalk, which stretches for 3 1/2 miles along the beach from North Pacific Beach to South Mission Beach. Also at the entrance is a palisade park on the north side with stairway leading down to the beach. This is a center of activity with shops, restaurants and hotels nearby.

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Cabrillo National Monument

Nov 29

Posted by admin in Landmarks, Point Loma | No Comments

By Mark Goodkin
San Diego Coast Life

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Cabrillo National Monument is a historic landmark and park near the tip of Point Loma in San Diego, CA. The monument commemorates explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo’s first landing at San Diego Bay on September 28, 1542. This Spanish explorer was the first European to visit what is now the west coast of the United States.

Cabrillo National Monument Park

Cabrillo National Monument Park

The center piece of the national park is the tall monument of Cabrillo himself looking toward the San Diego Bay, considered a natural harbor at the time. The statute with bay is a popular backdrop for photo opportunities of families and friends.

Nearby the monument is the visitors center, which includes a large gift store, along with a theatre for viewing movies about the park and local history. Outside the visitors center are decks which face the bay. The decks have large stationary binoculars and educational pictorial displays about the bay, the park and the areas history.

These decks offer a panoramic view of San Diego Bay with Coronado and North Island in the foreground and the downtown San Diego skyline and Coronado Bay Bridge in the background. Farther south is Mexico.

Another feature of Cabrillo National Monument is the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, just a short distance along a trail, up the hill. The lighthouse, now a historic landmark, once guided sailing vessels into the harbor during the second half of the 1800s. The living quarters of the Keeper of the Lighthouse appear much as they did during the 1880s.

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Children's Pool, La Jolla, CA

Nov 28

Posted by admin in Beaches, La Jolla | No Comments

Children’s Pool is a small, made made cove with a protected sandy beach. The beach is within walking distance of  La Jolla Cove, Ellen Browning Scripps Park, and La Jolla Downtown Village.

Children's Pool, La Jolla, CA

Children's Pool, La Jolla, CA

Several years ago, a concrete seawall was built to act as a barrier between the surf and beach, and create the protected cove. Children’s Pool was so named because the gentle water, created by the sea wall, was considered suitable for children.

For years, Children’s Pool was popular spot for beachgoers. More recently, the beach has been a protected haven for harbor seals and off limits to people.  People can walk out along the seawall to catch closer glimpes of the harbor seals, as well as enjoy watching the surf roll in and scenic ocean view.

Steps lead from beach to the cliff top walkway and street above. Another popular gathering spot for viewing the Harbor Seals is along the rim of the bluff, next to the pathway. Docents are usually available to keep people off the beach and answer questions about the seals.

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La Jolla Cove

Nov 28

Posted by admin in Beaches, La Jolla | No Comments

La Jolla Cove is a small, secluded beach below Ellen Browning Scripps Park in La Jolla, CA. The beach is a popular entry point for scuba divers and swimmers alike. The water can get a bit rough, especially in winter, so it’s always well to exercise caution. A lifeguard tower is located at the beach with lifeguards who keep watch all year round. The tower also has daily surf and tide reports.

La Jolla Cove

La Jolla Cove

The beach is popular in summer, when the surf is more gentle and the water warmer. Most people like to sit in the sun or wade only a short distance out. Steps lead from the sand to the rim of the park above, where people like to gather and enjoy the scenic ocean view.

La Jolla Downtown Village is just a block away, with cafes, specialty shops, art galleries, ocean view dining and luxury hotels.

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Old Point Loma Lighthouse

Sep 5

Posted by admin in Landmarks, Point Loma | No Comments

Point Loma Lighthouse

Old Point Loma Lighthouse

By Mark Goodkin
San Diego Coast Life
See Photo Gallery

Old Point Loma Lighthouse stands proudly near the tip of Point Loma in San Diego, CA. The lighthouse is part of Cabrillo National Monument Park.

The keeper kept the flame lit in the lighthouse for 36 years – from November 15, 1855 to March 23, 1891. From this vantage point, ships could see the lighthouse from afar – at least when it wasn’t foggy.

The lighthouse was replaced by the “New” Point Loma Lighthouse, which still operates today, located at the foot of the Point Loma bluffs. Although the old lighthouse was high up, fog made it hard for ships to see the light. The new lighthouse could be seen during foggy times.

It costs $5 to get into the national park, but you can use the entry ticket for 5 days. Once you pass through the entry gate, you go up a windy road to a large parking lot near the visitors center. Read the rest of this entry »

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Sunset Cliffs

Jul 17

Posted by admin in Point Loma | No Comments

By Mark Goodkin
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Sunset Cliffs Overlooking Secluded Beach

Sunset Cliffs Overlooking Secluded Beach

Located along the entire ocean side of Point Loma, Sunset Cliffs is named after its breathtaking ocean views especially at sunset. Sunset Cliffs Park is that section of the cliffs accessible to the public, along Sunset Cliffs Blvd, from Point Loma Ave (see map) to Ladera Street (see map). Parking is free. There are several places to park along the street and at a few parking areas beside the cliffs. Sunset Cliffs is an ideal place to park the car, get out and stretch the limbs, and walk around.

When I was there, it was a hot, sunny, summer day. I parked my car along Sunset Cliffs Blvd, on the Point Loma Ave side. The first thing I did was take in the sweeping view. To the north, expensive homes lined up along the cliff tops with Ocean Beach and the OB Pier beyond. To the south, a dirt walking path ran along the entire cliff top, as far as the eye could see. Nearby, I noticed people descending a steep trail. On closer look, I saw a secluded sandy beach below filled with beachcombers and colorful umbrellas

Read the rest of this entry »

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