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| San Diego Beaches |
| Click on name for website, address for map. Directions are from Old Town San Diego. |
Beacon's Beach, 760-633-2740, 948 Neptune Ave, Encinitas
Phones, no restrooms, path down bluffs to beach. Take I-5 south 22 miles to Leucadia Blvd, take a left. In just under a mile turn right onto Neptune Ave. |
Black's Beach, 858-755-2063, 11600 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla
Black's Beach is a two mile long, sandy strip situated at the base of majestic cliffs up to 300 feet high, the beach includes a glider port. Take Interstate 5 south to Carmel Valley Road. West on Carmel Valley Road to Pacific Coast Highway. South on Pacific Coast Highway to Torrey Pines State Beach. It is a one mile walk from the parking lot down the cliffs. |
Cardiff, 760-753-5091, South Old Highway 101, Cardiff by the Sea
Called the Riviera of the West, Cardiff State Beach has a gently sloping sandy beach with warm water. The site offers swimming, surfing and beachcombing. Beach is one mile south of Cardiff by the Sea, on old Highway 101. Take I-5 north 18 miles to Lomas Sante Fe Dr, turn left onto Lomas Sante Fe. In one mile turn right on Old Highway 101, Cardiff State Beach is about a half mile. |
Carlsbad, 760-438-3143, 7201 Carlsbad Blvd, Carlsbad
Carlsbad State Beach offers swimming, surfing, scuba diving, fishing and beachcombing. Carlsbad State Beach, about 5 miles in length, has picnic areas on the beach and above on the bluff. Walk along the coast or the nearly mile-long seawall / walkway adjoining the beach, beginning one block south of Carlsbad Village Drive. Take I-5 north 26 miles to Poinsettia Ln, left on Poinsettia Ln one half mile, left at Carlsbad Blvd. |
Children's Pool, 619-235-1169, 850 Coast Blvd, La Jolla
Also known as the Casa, is a small beach partially protected by a seawall. During much of the year, seals and sea lions are present on or near the beach and a reserve for these marine mammals, called Seal Rock, is just offshore. Take I-5 about 7 miles north, to La Jolla Pky exit 26A. Stay on La Jolla Pky for about two miles as it turns into Torrey Pines Rd. Right at Prospect Pl, Right on Jenner in a half mile, and then a left on Coast Blvd. in about two blocks. |
Corona del Mar, 949-644-3151, Iris Ave & Ocean Blvd, Newport Beach
Half-mile long sandy beach framed by cliffs and a rock jetty that forms the east entrance to Newport Harbor. The beach is popular with swimmers, surfers and divers. Entrance fee per vehicle. Open 8 am to 8 pm Facilities: Lifeguards, rest rooms, showers, picnic tables, and fire pits. Take I-5 north 65 miles, to CA-73 N Long Beach, go 13 miles. Exit and take a left at Bison Ave. In a half mile turn left at MacArthur Blvd, and in 2.6 miles left at E. Coast Hwy. In a half mile turn right at Marguerite Ave, and an immediate right on Ocean Blvd. |
Coronado, 619-435-1479, 1415 Orange Ave, Coronado Island
Swim, surf, sail, body board, fish, or just fall asleep in the sun. Coronado is the perfect beach to spend an entire day or weekend sprawled out under an umbrella until the sun sets over the Pacific Ocean. Take I-5 south through downtown, and take the Coronado Bridge over the bay to Coronado Island (now toll-free). The bridge lets out onto to 3rd Street. Turn left on Orange Avenue and follow it down toward the Hotel Del Coronado. Heading right off Orange onto virtually any street will get you to the beach. |
D Street Beach, 760-633-2740, 450 D St, Encinitas
High cliffs overlook a narrow beach, wooden walkway down cliffs to beach. No restrooms. Take I-5 south 22 miles, left on Encinitas Blvd. In a half mile left on S. Coast Hwy 101, in one block, right on west D Street. |
Grandview Beach, 760-633-2740, 1700 Neptune Ave, Encinitas
Beautiful high cliffs overlook a narrow beach, this is a hidden jewel. Take I-5 south 23 miles to Leucadia Blvd, make a left onto Leucadia Blvd. In just under a mile, turn right on Neptune Ave. |
Imperial Beach, Seacoast Dr & Imperial Beach Blvd, Imperial Beach
Imperial Beach features some of the best sand in the nation, which explains why it is home to the yearly U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition. It also has a park with picnic, volleyball, and basketball areas and a playground for kids, as well as restrooms and showers. The Imperial Beach Fishing Pier is popular for surf fishing. Take I-5 south 15 miles, turn right on the Coronado Ave exit and go 1 mile. Continue on Imperial Beach Blvd. |
La Jolla Cove, 619-235-1169, 1100 Coast Blvd, La Jolla
Small beach, tucked between adjacent sandstone cliffs. La Jolla Cove is one of the most photographed beaches in Southern California. Take I-5 about 7 miles north, to La Jolla Pky exit 26A. Stay on La Jolla Pky for about two miles as it turns into Torrey Pines Rd. Right at Prospect Pl, bear right at Coast Blvd South. |
La Jolla Shores, 619-235-1169, 8200 Camino del Oro, La Jolla
Mile long sandy beach, adjacent to a residential area. In summer, waves at this beach are usually the most gentle of all San Diego beaches, La Jolla Shores has the only beachfront boat launch within City limits. Take I-5 about 7 miles north, to La Jolla Pky exit 26A. Stay on La Jolla Pky for about two miles as it turns into Torrey Pines Rd. Turn right in .3 miles on Calle de la Plata, then left in one block on Avenida de la Playa, then right in one block onto Camino Del Oro. |
Mission Beach, 619-221-8900, Ocean Front Walk, San Diego
Mission Bay is used by motorboaters, sailboaters, rowers, waterskiers, picnickers, joggers, and swimmers. It is also home to many species of birds, fish, and other animals and has a nature reserve at it's northern end near Crown Point. Take I-5 north to I-8 west. Exit Mission Bay Drive and turn right onto W. Mission Bay Drive. |
Moonlight Beach, 760-633-2740, 400 B St, Encinitas
Moonlight State Beach is a family / locals kind of beach that is flat, sandy, and perfect for a picnic and a day of sunning. The athletically inclined will find some serious volleyball at the three beach courts. Take I-5 south 22 miles, left on Encinitas Blvd. In a half mile left on S. Coast Hwy 101, in one block, right on west B Street. |
Ocean Beach, 619-221-8899, 1950 Abbott St, San Diego
Lifeguards, restrooms, showers, and disabled access. It also has separate swim and surf zones. Ocean Beach has public lots at the end of Voltaire Street, Santa Monica Avenue, and Newport Avenue. Street parking is scarce on summer weekends. Take I-8 west to Sunset Cliffs Blvd and bear left, turn right in a half mile on Point Loma, and in a half mile left on Abbott St. |
Oceanside, 760-435-4000, 1540 Harbor Drive North, Oceanside
Oceanside’s beach is adjoined by “The Strand,” a main street that is excellent for strolling, rollerblading, or bike riding. Volleyball courts are set up along the beach, and the pier is considered excellent for surf fishing. Take I-5 24 miles north, exit Harbor Dr, bear right at Harbor Drive North. |
Pacific Beach, 619-483-6666, Ocean Blvd, Pacific Beach
This long beach, known as The Strand, lies directly adjacent to the residential and commercial areas of the Pacific Beach and Mission Beach communities. It is the most popular beach in the City of San Diego and draws large crowds in summer. Take I-5 north 4 miles to the Grand Ave/Garnet Ave exit. Bear right at Mission Bay Dr, left at Grand Ave, right at Mission Blvd, and finally left at Diamond St. |
San Clemente State Beach, 949-492-3156, 3030 Ave. del Presidente, San Clemente
San Clemente State Beach is 54 miles from Old Town. San Clemente State Beach is popular with surfers on the north end of the one-mile beach. Other popular activities are skin diving and hiking along the trails on the bluffs. The beach has a landscaped bluff top with picnic areas. Trails lead down to the beach, which is also popular for body surfing, swimming, and skin diving. Take I-5 north 52 miles to Cristianitos Blvd, turn left. Turn right on Avenida del Presidente. |
San Elijo State Beach, 760-753-5091, 2050 N. Hwy 101,
San Elijo State Beach is 26 miles from Old Town, the closest state beach campground. Located on the San Diego Coast, San Elijo State Beach offers swimming, surfing and picnicking. The narrow, bluff-backed stretch of sand has a nearby reef popular with snorklers and divers. Take I-5 north 23 miles to Leucadia Blvd, turn left. In a half mile turn right on Hwy 101. San Elijo State Beach is one and a half miles up Hwy 101. |
San Onofre, 949-492-4872, 3030 Avenida Del Presidente, San Clemente
San Onofre State Beach features 3.5-miles of sandy beaches with six access trails cut into the bluff above. The campground is along Old Highway 101 adjacent to the sandstone bluffs. The beach is popular with swimmers and surfers. The park includes a marshy area where San Mateo Creek meets the shoreline and Trestles Beach, a well-known California surfing site. Whales, dolphins and sea lions can be seen offshore from time to time. The park’s coastal terrace is chaparral-covered. Take I-5 north to Cristianitos Rd exit, turn left. Turn right at Avenida Del Presidente. |
Silver Strand, 619-435-5184, 5000 Hwy 75, Coronado Island
Park facilities include four large parking lots, which can accommodate up to 1,000 vehicles. Restroom and cold showers are available on each side of the park. Beach restrooms are for Day-Use visitors. Take I-5 south through downtown, and take the Coronado Bridge over the bay to Coronado Island (now toll-free). The bridge lets out onto to 3rd Street, keep going to 4th St, bear right at Pomona Ave, left at 3rd St, left at Orange Ave, left at Silver Strand Blvd. |
Solana Beach, 858-720-2400, 635 S. Hwy 101, Solana Beach
The City of Solana Beach encompasses 1.7 miles of beach front bordered on the north by Cardiff State Beach, and on the south by the City of Del Mar. The beach front is divided into four main Beach Parks: Fletcher Cove, Tide Beach Park, Seascape Surf, and Del Mar Shores. I-5 north exit Lomas Santa Fe Drive west to Pacific Coast Highway. Continue straight through the intersection to Fletcher Cove or head north or south on Sierra Avenue to explore other the options. Seaside lies directly at the bottom of the hill as you drive north on PCH toward Cardiff. |
South Carlsbad, 760-438-3143, 7201 Carlsbad Blvd, Carlsbad
South Carlsbad features swimming, surfing, skin diving, fishing and picnicking. The large bluff-top campground. Stairs down bluff lead to the beach. Take I-5 north 26 miles to Poinsettia Ln, left on Poinsettia Ln one half mile, left at Carlsbad Blvd. |
Stonesteps Beach, 760-633-2740, 350 S. El Portal St, Encinitas
Long narrow beach along high bluffs. No restrooms. Take I-5 south 22 miles to Encinitas Blvd, turn left. In half mile turn right on north Coast Hwy 101, and in .6 miles left at El Portal St. |
Swami's Beach, 760-633-2740, 1298 S. Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas
This beach is a local favorite for surfing. On most mornings and evenings, you can stand on the steps and watch the surfers walk by in a steady stream. Take I-5 south 22 miles to Encinitas Blvd, turn left. Turn left on S. Coast Hwy 101. |
Torrey Pines State Beach, 619-755-2063, 9609 Waples St, La Jolla
This wide, sandy beach stretches 4 1/2 miles from Del Mar past Los Peñasquitos Lagoon to the base of sandstone cliffs at Torrey Pines Mesa. Swimming, surfing and fishing are popular. Red-hued bluffs and wet sand make strolling on the beach popular at low tide. Take the Carmel Valley Road exit off of I-5 heading north from San Diego. Park for free along 101 to the north and then walk south to the beach. Or pay a small fee and park high above the beach on the cliffs to enjoy the hike down to the sparkling Pacific Ocean.
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Trestles Surfer Beach, Cristianitos Rd, San Clemente
Trestles Beach is regarded as one of the premiere surf breaks in the United States. Many would say the best in San Diego County. SurfLine provides an internet source of beach weather and surf reports, including live streaming video feeds. Take I-5 north 52 miles to Cristianitos Rd exit. Park in the parking lot next to the Carl's Jr, and follow the people carrying surfboards. The only way to get there is the one mile walk down the trail. |
Windansea Beach, 619-221-8824, 6800 Neptune Pl, La Jolla
Best known for its beautiful scenery and surf breaks created by underwater reefs. Sandstone rocks act as partitions along the beach offering a secluded atmosphere for sunbathing. Much of the beach at Windansea experiences shorebreak, a condition on steep beaches which results in hard breaking surf right at the shoreline. Take I-5 north 4 miles to the Grand Ave/Garnet Ave exit. |
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The Old Town San Diego Art Festival is partially supported by funding from the City of San Diego Economic Development and Tourism Support Program and the County of San Diego Community Enhancement Program.
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