San Diego Beaches

San Diego is a major destination for surfers, body-boarders, jet-skiers, snorklers, divers, fishermen, and tourists just wanting to get away from the Midwest winters. For surfers, there are many great beaches available both in the North and South County. You can see surf competitions at beaches like Moonlight State Beach in Encinitas, or take lessons from some of the many surf schools. A popular surf site is Swami’s in the North County, where surfers climb down a cliff to enjoy the protected beach. One of the most frequented beaches is Torrey Pines Beach, a state park, where you can park within a few feet of the beach or drive to the top of the hill and look out over the ocean. A little south of Torrey Pines is Blacks Beach, one of the few nude beaches in the county.

Many of the beaches specialize in bike rentals, snorkeling, jet-skis, kayaks, dining nearby, or just enjoying the sunset at the end of a day. One thing the local’s watch for is the elusive green flash that is sometimes seen just as the sun dips below the horizon. You can watch the national sand castle competition at Imperial Beach in the South County, or search the tide pools and watch the seals with your kids at La Jolla Cove, or even jet-ski around Mission Bay. There are a couple of Dog Beaches where your canine pet can frolic with other dogs in the surf. One is located in Solana Beach and is open to dogs from Labor Day to Memorial Day; and the other is in Ocean Beach, which offers a wide array for the dogs to romp on over 38 acres!

The pride that San Diego shows for its beaches is reflected in an environmental movement to keep its beaches clean and to prevent run-off from encroaching on the beauty of the area. The beaches of San Diego are its pride and joy and there is a strong commitment to preserving their beauty and health. And San Diego takes great pride in the safety of its beaches, with trained lifeguards manning the more popular beaches and a public awareness campaign of beach safety, including how to handle a run-out, and when not to go into the water after a large rain storm.

San Diego is proud of its gorgeous beaches and its fun-and-sun beach culture. The beaches provide a great incentive to bring people to the area as well as contributing to the local economy in many ways, such as income for surf shops, rental companies, hotels, nearby attractions, and events along the coast. But primarily, it’s an enormous natural resource that San Diegans enjoy and protect. It’s something you can count on 365 days a year!