Visiting San Diego

California's second largest city and the United States' seventh largest, San Diego boasts a citywide population of nearly 1.3 million residents and more than 2.8 million residents countywide. Within its borders of 4,200 sq. miles, San Diego County encompasses 18 incorporated cities and numerous other charming neighborhoods and communities, including downtown's historic Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy, Coronado, La Jolla, Del Mar, Carlsbad, Escondido, La Mesa, Hillcrest, Barrio Logan, Chula Vista just to name a few.

San Diego is renowned for its idyllic climate, 70 miles of pristine beaches and a dazzling array of world-class family attractions. Popular attractions include the world-famous San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park, Sea World San Diego and LEGOLAND California. San Diego offers an expansive variety of things to see and do, appealing to guests of all ages from around the world. In San Diego's East County, the terrain varies from gentle foothills to mile-high mountains and the historic mining town, Julian, down to the 600,000-acre Anza Borrego Desert State Park, offering nature-conscious visitors endless opportunities to hike, camp, fish, observe wildlife and much more. In San Diego's North County, the agricultural community produces quantities of flowers and magnificent produce. Wine growers are also making a mark by growing and harvesting quality grapes that become excellent wines, which are served at some of the most elegant restaurants and resorts in the region. Along the west, 70 miles of Pacific Ocean coastline not only supports year-round outdoor recreation, such as surfing, boating, sailing and swimming, but also important scientific research at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. To the south, it's a whole different country, Mexico, featuring its own cultural offerings in various towns along the border and coastline, including Tijuana, Rosarito and Ensenada.

San Diego's arts and culture and culinary arts are booming the hottest, new culinary arts talents prepare award-winning meals throughout the regions 6,400 eating establishments. Balboa Park, the largest urban cultural park in the U.S., is home to 15 museums, numerous art galleries, beautiful gardens, the Tony Award-winning The Globe Theatres and the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

San Diego County also features 92 golf courses and a variety of exciting participatory and spectator sports, beachfront resorts and luxury spas, gaming, a dynamic downtown district, annual special events and unique holiday offerings, multicultural festivals and celebrations, colorful neighborhoods and communities, a rich military history and much more.

The most difficult decision to make regarding a vacation to San Diego is determining what to do and see among the region's vast and diverse offerings. San Diego County promises a truly remarkable vacation experience for everyone.

Beaches

The beach is more than a boundary dividing land from sea, more than a place to swim or sunbathe. In San Diego, the beach is a way of life, a source of pride and joy, a defining influence in people's lives. For some, the mere memory of a mid-summer sunset melting into the Pacific is reward enough. Others have a more intimate relationship with the sea: surfing and sailing, biking and running, swimming and diving along San Diego's many coastal beaches and bays. Whether you're a first-time visitor or life-long resident, The San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau encourages you to enjoy the beach and hopes the information provided here will help you to make the most of your stay.

Cardiff

A combination of geographical features and governmental designations have kept this section of California coastline relatively wild. Leaving Swami's in Encinitas, the highway hugs the coast along the bluffs at San Elijo State Beach and dips down across the lagoon at Cardiff State Beach. The north (San Elijo) half of Cardiff is characterized by patches of reef that tend to keep most of the wave action off the beach (which has a little more sand on it), while the south half is predominantly shorebreak pounding relentlessly on the cobblestone.

Carlsbad State Beach

Carlsbad began as a rural agricultural community and Santa Fe Railroad whistle stop, a place people passed through on their way to points north or south. In recent years, farms and flower fields have given way to corporate headquarters, and the Legoland theme park draws visitors from around the world. In spite of all the new activity east of the freeway, Carlsbad's beaches remain one of San Diego's best kept secrets, which is just fine with the locals. The north half of the Carlsbad coast is composed of a series of small beaches divided by sea walls. The cliffs here are relatively low and in most places the Coast Highway passes right next to the shore, offering an unobstructed view of the sea and open access to the beach. As much the engineers of Carlsbad's dramatic buildup as the products of it, the locals have gone to great lengths to beautify their downtown businesses, homes and beaches. Well-designed walkways, attractive sea walls and all kinds of facilities have been added to make the beaches as pleasing to the eye as they are accommodating to users.

Coronado Municipal Beach

In its annual Top 10 survey, The Travel Channel has now confirmed what locals and visitors have always known: that Coronado is one of America's finest beaches. By any standards this wide, clean, family-friendly beach would be a winner, but it's the setting, the postcard-perfect community of Coronado, that makes it so special. Turn-of-the-century mansions front the ocean, while yacht clubs line the bay. The town offers numerous parks with impeccably-maintained facilities, the entire beach is patrolled by lifeguards and, from the town skateboard park to upscale dining, there's plenty to do in Coronado when you're done at the beach. Plan to make a day of it.

Del Mar

It's remarkable indeed that Del Mar has managed to maintain its rural yet sophisticated feel even in the face of a burgeoning North County population boom. If you rise early in the morning you may still find trainers from the famous Del Mar racetrack exercising their horses on the beach by The River Mouth. Head inland on Via De La Valle and you'll find stately ranches and polo fields. But the beach is what started it all, and visitors keep coming year after year. There are three main beaches in Del Mar, all large and with lots of sand.

Encinitas

The coolest thing about Encinitas isn't the beach itself, but the pervasive beach culture. A child of the '60s that grew up to become a real estate gold mine, Encinitas offers the best of both worlds: the refined tastes and civic responsibility that come with prosperity and the energy and vitality that come from free-spirited ideals and attitudes. The historic La Paloma Theatre and adjacent Martini Ranch often host surf movies and live surf bands, respectively. Whether you're interested in yoga, acupuncture or stronger potions like coffee, you'll find plenty of choices in town. There are three primary beach zones in Encinitas, each with its own unique character and appeal.

Imperial Beach

It's fitting that Imperial Beach is the site of the annual U.S. Open Sand Castle Building Contest, which draws hundreds of thousands of spectators and competitors from around the world each July. The creations range from fairytale castles to science-fiction landscapes to fantasy mermaids and other inspired forms. The party lasts all weekend, with a street fair on Saturday and main event on Sunday, but its fruits do not. Inevitably, the tide comes in and washes the beach clean again.

La Jolla

If you're on holiday in San Diego, a visit to La Jolla should already be on your agenda. This affluent community is known for luxury homes, fine dining and upscale shopping. But its real assets are the beaches, and these are freely available for the enrichment of all. The coastline varies dramatically in La Jolla. At its northernmost limit, fortified by 300 foot sea cliffs, is Blacks. The Shores is a mile long crescent of prime sand beach favored by active beachgoers of all interests. The Cove, with its Mediterranean backdrop, is among San Diego's most sheltered swimming spots, while the reefs southward around Windansea and Birdrock are among its most exposed.

Leucadia

Leucadia encompasses the two beach parks Leucadia State Beach and Encinitas County Beach, but more importantly, the three popular surf spots Grandview, Beacon's and Stone Steps. It's all vertical cliff here and the only way down is via one of three well-maintained stairways. The beach itself is rocky and, due to its isolation, often littered with kelp and other debris washed in by the sea. High tide can force you perilously close to the eroding cliffs. Of course, none of this matters to Leucadia's principal beach users - surfers - who spend their time in the water, not on the shore.

Mission Bay

The wide marshland that once lured mariners to their doom at the mouth of the San Diego River has since been dredged and designated as an aquatic playground. Mission Bay Park covers 4200 acres in roughly equal parts of land and water. A network of waterways, inlets and islets make the best way to explore Mission Bay by boat. Most of its 27 miles of meandering shoreline are sandy beaches, with the remainder devoted to marinas and resorts. The paramount symbol of watery fun in Mission Bay is the Sea World Adventure Park in the southeast quadrant of the park. At Fiesta Island and Leisure Lagoon in the east bay, the names say it all, while it's easy to imagine what to expect at places like Sail Bay and Mariners Cove on the west end. There's always something happening in Mission Bay, from waterskiing and wakeboarding to sailing and swimming.

Mission Beach

Mission Beach is the closest thing in San Diego to classic East Coast beaches like Atlantic City and Coney Island. At one time, it was a thriving summer circus of vacation rentals, carnival games and other seaside concessions. Over the years, bungalows have been turned into condos and hot dog stands have been replaced by hot night clubs, but the circus is clearly in town to stay. Expect to find all kinds of free-spirited folk, sporting all kinds of styles - from dreadlocks to designer jeans - and styling all kinds of sports - skating, skateboarding, surfing and cycling. But that's only one side of the Mission Beach story. A stone's throw from the beach, on the Mission Bay side, you'll find middle-age professionals out for a run, kids learning to sail at the Aquatic Center, and families picnicking on the grass.

Ocean Beach

Ocean Beach is a cozy little beach with a small town feel, nestled between the San Diego River and the hills of Point Loma. It's the kind of place where you can pull a chair up to the bar for a cup of coffee and settle in with the newspaper on a cold, stormy day. Like a small town, people greet one another as they meet on the pier for a fish or cross paths on the boardwalk. Surfers enjoy the waves created by the jetties here while swimmers and sunbathers will be pleasantly surprised by the friendly, familiar atmosphere on the beach.

Oceanside City Beach

Long stereotyped as a military town for its proximity to the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Reserve, Oceanside has matured into a thriving private sector community and a popular beach destination in its own right. This is North County's answer to Mission Beach, without the Belmont Park carnival scene and associated boardwalk freak show. What Oceanside's got going for it is a healthy supply of sand beach with relatively small crowd demands. This makes for easy access, fewer parking hassles, and plenty of room to spread out your beach towel. If you're looking to get away from it all, head toward Buccaneer Beach on the south end. If the fast lane is your thing, cruise the The Strand by the pier at the foot of Mission Boulevard. Oceanside is one of those places you can hit on a lunch break for a quick jog, or idle a long summer day away in the sun. There are plenty of family-friendly restaurants in the area (most notably, Ruby's Diner on the end of the pier and the fish & chips seafood joints in the Harbor) and fun '50s style motor lodges (some with pirates and other themes).

Pacific Beach

Pacific Beach, with its endless boardwalk (three miles from here to the Mission Bay Harbor Channel), low-budget housing and funky beach bars is a favorite haunt of college students and young adults living the California Dream. The heavily trafficked boardwalk is a fascinating exhibition of contemporary style and beach culture. Tattooed skateboarders rub elbows with study-weary grad students, and sailors on shore-leave gawk as bronzed beauties cycle past in bikinis.

Point Loma

At the end of a long day on the beach, drive out to Sunset Cliffs to watch the sun slip over the horizon. The sandstone bluffs blaze with color, and the waves sparkle like gold. If you're game for a little adventure, come early, drive out to the old Cabrillo Lighthouse and hike out to the tide pools by the point. There are in fact no real beaches on Point Loma and the swimming opportunities are poor and downright dangerous, but it's the only place in San Diego (aside from La Jolla), where you can see waves crashing on the cliffs, precarious pinnacles rising from the water, and rocky reefs full of marine life. Sadly, neither many visitors nor residents make the trip to Sunset Cliffs, and it's likely that the only people you'll run into here are the surfers who come for The Cliffs' solitary breaks and sizable swells.

San Onofre State Beach

Jealously claimed by Orange County, San Onofre is actually situated south of the county line in San Diego. bordered to the south and east by the sprawling Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Reserve, San Onofre offers an opportunity to appreciate what Southern California's entire coastline may have looked like 100 years ago. Here you will find barren, windswept bluffs, native vegetation and a tidal wetland frequented by migratory birds and wild deer. In stark contrast to its primitive, natural side, San Onofre is also home to a nuclear-powered generating facility and a state-of-the-art military base. Ironically, it is these same potentially destructive forces that protect this area from development and provide the 20 mile coastal greenbelt that has prevented San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles from merging into one huge megalopolis. San Onofre offers three unique beach areas - Trestles, Old Man's and Trails - and two great ways to enjoy them - by day or overnight camping.

Silver Strand State Beach

San Diego's South Bay is a major seaport bustling with shipbuilders, naval traffic and international commerce. But out on the narrow seven mile spit of sand that protects San Diego Bay from the sea, you'll get the sensation of being far removed from civilization as you comb the endless, deserted beaches for seashells. It may not be the best place in San Diego to swim or surf or sunbathe, but it is a place where you can do it all.

Solana Beach

Unlike other spots in North County where the wide, straight beaches are uninterrupted for miles, the coastline in Solana Beach is more convoluted and the cliffs encroach right to the water's edge in places, making them impassible especially at high tide. Fortunately, staircases descend the cliffs at practically every street corner, so every part of the beach is accessible vertically, if not horizontally. This also makes a visit to Solana Beach a more adventurous experience. One staircase might lead you to a deserted locale where you can be alone with your friends and your thoughts; another might lead to a busy beach teeming with surfers, families and fishermen.

Torrey Pines

At Torrey Pines you've got two ways to go. The low road will take you to a popular beach right off the highway, with bathrooms, showers, lifeguards and a safe spot for kids to play by the lagoon. The high road leads to a coastal wilderness of pine forests, sandstone canyons and a network of dirt hiking trails on the bluffs overlooking the sea. Virtually everything in Torrey Pines is protected, from the Penasquitos river valley on the east side of the highway, to the State Park lands on the west, to the Underwater Ecological Reserve offshore. The world famous Torrey Pines Golf Course helps to safeguard the southern end of the bluffs from development while the rugged cliffs do their part to discourage access (and crowds).