|
|
|
|
|
Back To The Search Within Travelers Digest
|
 Back
To The Travelers Digest San Diego Page Get Your Business Listed Today! San Diego, California
Known for it's near-idyllic climate, 70 miles of pristine beaches and dazzling array of world-class family attractions, including the world-famous San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park, SeaWorld San Diego and LEGOLAND California, San Diego offers a wide variety of things to see and do, appealing to guests 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 land produces quantities of flowers as well as 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 making a name for themselves, both nationally and internationally. Balboa Park, the largest urban cultural park in the U.S., features 15 museums, numerous art galleries, beautiful gardens, the Tony Award-winning The Globe Theatres and the world-famous San Diego Zoo. The region is also a breeding ground for the hottest, new talents of culinary arts, who prepare award-winning meals in many of the region's 6,400 eating establishments. San Diego´s exciting nightlife will keep you dancing until the wee hours of the morning. Explore Downtown´s Gaslamp district, eclectic Hillcrest, or the bustling beach communities for hours of evening fun. From casual seaside nightspots to upscale dance clubs you´ll find what you´re looking for in San Diego County. When the sun goes down, San Diego´s nightlife comes alive with neon lights, kinetic energy and the hustle of clubgoers seeking the ideal place to listen to live music. Downtown´s historic Gaslamp Quarter is San Diego´s most electrifying and eclectic entertainment hub featuring more than 80 nightclubs, restaurants, theaters and galleries. Other San Diego areas with exciting nightlife include Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, Mission Bay and La Jolla. Also be sure to experience the nightlife at one of San Diego´s Indian-reservation casinos. 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, accessibility for travelers with disabilities 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 variety of offerings. San Diego County offers a vacation experience for everyone.
Welcome to the Beach Cardiff It's not surprising, then, that most people - swimmers, sunbathers and surfers alike - head for spots like Pipes, a fun peaky surf break north of the campground; San Elijo, the beach in front of the campground; and Cardiff Reef, a pleasant little beach park and surf spot on the south end of the campground where the cliffs end. George's is the popular name for Cardiff State Beach, the aforementioned span of coast in front of the San Elijo Lagoon, which is also appropriately called 'Restaurant Row.' The sand here comes and goes based on the whims of the tides, but most of the time waves sculpt the stones in it into a multi-tiered berm of ankle-twisting agony. Oddly, the sand sometimes piles so high at the far south end of the beach by Seaside Reef (see Solana Beach) that it forms dunes in the parking lot and spills over onto the highway. A favorite way to savor the beach at George's is from the comfort of one of the restaurants, especially on a stormy winter evening with the illuminated waves crashing right up to the windows. Carlsbad Carlsbad State Beach is all nice, but spots like Tamarack (near its namesake street), Warm Water Jetty (by the large Electric Power Plant) and Terramar (near the lagoon) are most popular with surfers, and therefore usually the most crowded. If you think you're likely to get the urge for a bite to eat during your day at the beach, stick close to the north end by Carlsbad Village Drive; it's all residential and park land for many miles to the south. The brackish Agua Hedionda Lagoon north of Cannon Road is home to a YMCA water sports camp, a private waterskiing concession and an experimental fish farming program. Coronado Municipal Beach It's essentially one big beach from here south to the Mexican border,
arbitrarily divided into individual spots. Don't expect to find any lines drawn
in the sand, though; there's no territorialism here. In fact, you'll probably
find no friendlier or more welcoming spot. Within Coronado, there are three such
distinct zones. The first is North Beach, from Sunset Park to
the North Island Naval Base. The coastline faces due south here, and in the
summer hurricane season, when steep-angle south swells miss the rest of San
Diego, 'Outlet' is the place to be for surf. It's a sanctioned hangout for dogs
and has a dozen fire rings nestled up against the dunes. The main area fronting Ocean Boulevard to the south end of the world-famous Hotel Del Coronado is referred to as Central Beach. Park wherever you can and make your way to one of the many accessways, or just scramble over the boulders to the sand. Central Beach tends to get the most crowded, but with the grand old hotel at your back and waiters serving drinks to guests on the boardwalk, it's also the most romantic. There's a small rock outcropping in front of the hotel, but if you keep to either side, it doesn't present any real swimming hazards. The large beach area south of the Hotel Del to Silver Strand is called The Shores. Its more southwesterly exposure offers a fun, year-round beachbreak perfect for longboarding and bodyboarding. Don't be intimidated by the imposing high-rise condominium towers. There are plenty of public access right-of-ways leading to the beach at the Shores, even if the parking here is fairly scarce. Del Mar Across from the race track, where the San Dieguito River meets the sea and
(as they say in Del Mar) the turf meets the surf, The River Mouth
is a broad wedge of beach with lots of room for volleyball games and a gathering
place for dogs. The swimming here isn't too good, due to the shallow sandbars
and unpredictable currents, but it's well protected from wind and surf - a
perfect spot to introduce small children to the sea or help them build their
first sand castle. The northern half of Del Mar City Beach, from 15th Street to The Rivermouth, is arguably San Diego's finest. It's a fantasyland of architectural dream houses flying colorful flags fronting a wide sand beach with good swimming, intermediate surf and easy access at every block. If only there were more parking, there'd be no argument at all. The main impact zone for crowds and parking is at the south end near Powerhouse Park, and the 17th Street lifeguard tower is ground zero. Most of what little parking is available here is metered, and you may have better luck with the higher numbered streets to the north, or across the highway on the east side of Coast Boulevard. On special occasions like 4th of July and Labor Day, people start arriving at dawn to stake their claims. South of 15th Street, bluffs line Del Mar City Beach, though they are neither as high nor as steep as elsewhere in North County. At all but the highest tides, the beach is totally passable all the way to Torrey Pines, and there are a number of sketchy, unsanctioned trails down from the cliffs. A dirt path paralleling the train track on the bluff is a favorite of walkers and joggers, who can go for miles without encountering a car or crossing a road. There are some patchy reefs offshore along here, creating some fairly good surf breaks at 15th Street, 11th Street, 7th Street and south of 4th Street at a place called G-Spot (so named for the womblike storm drain pipe that disgorges surfers onto the beach from an unmarked dirt trail above). People other than surfers and joggers do use the beach here, but most prefer the northern zone. Encinitas Moonlight State Beach at the end of Encinitas Boulevard, where the shore drops down nearer to sea level, is the easiest of Encinitas' beaches to find and use. Moonlight offers a large dedicated parking area, lifeguard service, restrooms and an on-site snack bar. It's a welcome relief from the rocky shores and cliffs that dominate the coast for so many miles to the north and south. D Street is the access point to the mile-long beach also known as Boneyards that runs below the bluffs from Moonlight Beach south to Swami's point. Like its neighbors - Leucadia to the north and Cardiff to the south - D Street is a rocky cobblestone-encumbered spot better suited to surfing than sunbathing, although some of those dedicated enough to make the pilgrimage are also devoted enough to bare it all. (Not that anyone's paying attention, but the Encinitas sun-worshippers seem more 'blessed' than their counterparts at Blacks Beach in La Jolla.) Swami's is the name ascribed to the popular surf break at the southernmost end of Encinitas below the golden-spired Self-Realization Center - an ashram where scores of North County devotees have studied Eastern philosophy, and an enduring symbol of Encinitas' positive and spiritual vibe. Too bad it all stops at the waterline. Swami's is a damn good wave, but when 50 guys are all vying for a three-wave set conflict is inevitable. As a beach, Swami's leaves much to be desired. For those who worship neither surf nor sun, Sea Cliff - the small park adjacent to the Swami's parking lot - offers an idyllic setting of shade trees, picnic tables, barbecues and clean bathrooms. Divers occasionally visit the reef here, but far better sites are to be found in La Jolla and Point Loma. La Jolla Torrey Pines City Beach better known as Blacks, can be found in the vicinity of the University of California San Diego campus. A gated private road, jointly owned and maintained by the residents and the university, leads to the beach off of La Jolla Farms Road. Stately eight-figure mansions and state-of-the-art medical research labs now line the bluffs where stables and pastures once lay. Unless you can procure a much coveted key to the gate, you will have to park above and walk down the road. A more direct but difficult route is the dirt trail beginning at the Torrey Pines Flight Park (the Glider Port) at the end of Torrey Pines Scenic Drive a mile north of the Farms off Torrey Pines Road. There's a spacious public parking lot by the Flight Center where you can watch hang-gliders, para-gliders and glider planes soar on the thermal updrafts created by the cliffs, or leave your car for the long trek to the beach. Blacks is famous among surfers for big winter swell, but is better known to the rest of the world as a nude beach. Nudism is unlawful in San Diego, but it has persisted at Blacks for decades, the only real deterrent being cold weather. The nudists (or 'nakes' as Surfers call them) tend to hang out north of the Glider Port Trail, while surfers head south to the main peaks. For the most part, surfers and nakes are the only people motivated enough to make the mission to Blacks, so if these aren't your motives think about giving Blacks a miss and heading to The Shores instead. There's always something going on at La Jolla Shores Beach. The north end of the beach, better known as Scripps for the Scripps Institute of Oceanography and its landmark pier (not open to the public) is favored by intermediate surfers and bodyboarders. By day the main beach is a busy swimming area popular among families, who set up elaborate base camps on the grassy park, while the children make forays to the shallow water to boogie board. At night it's alive with the glow of beach fires and the nervous energy of young adults socializing. The south part of the coast here is largely shielded by La Jolla Bay, and is used as training grounds by scores of scuba diving students. Small boats can be launched directly into the sea from the end of Avenida De La Playa, and a block or two up the same road are shops that'll rent you a kayak, fill your scuba tank or sell you a bikini. The La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club comprises the southernmost end of La Jolla Shores Beach. The club is private property but the beach itself is public. Beyond that, the sand abruptly ends in front of the Marine Room Restaurant, where harmless Leopard Sharks often congregate in the shallows, offering snorkelers an exhilarating encounter. La Jolla Reefs La Jolla Cove is the north facing point on the seaward end
of the cliffs that form a small deep water bay here. The cliffs are riddled with
sea caves of special fascination to kayakers who paddle over from La Jolla
Shores Beach. For $3.00, you can descend a spooky tunnel in the basement of the
old Curio Shop (on Coast Blvd. just off Prospect Street) to Sunny Jim's Cave at
the base of Deadman's, or snorkel over from The Cove on a calm
day, to explore the huge grotto beneath The Clam. La Jolla Cove
itself is a fine little beach just right to comfortably accommodate a few dozen
beachgoers. On busy summer days, a few hundred will somehow manage to squeeze
their way in for the terrific swimming and snorkeling afforded by The Cove's
sheltered waters and abundance of bright orange Garibaldi fish and other tame
marine life (The Cove has long been protected from fishing of any kind). Scuba
divers and ocean swimmers use The Cove as a safe point of entry and exit. No
surfboards, boogie boards or rafts of any kind are allowed. There is an
excellent grass park adjacent to The Cove with bathrooms, showers, picnic
tables, a paved pedestrian walkway and several public gazebos. Proceeding south from La Jolla Cove, the coast is exposed to the mercy of the sea. Boomers, a wave reserved exclusively for body-surfing is the first spot on the route. A stairway at the south end of the park leads to Shell Beach. The big draw here is Seal Rock, where California Grey Seals congregate when the tide is low and the surf is down. At high tide when Seal Rock is awash, you'll find the seals hauled out on the small sand beach inside the breakwall at The Children's Pool. There has been a great deal of debate over the issue of who should have the right use this beach - humans, seals or both. Check with the lifeguards on site to find out the current ruling, but be aware that seals, though cute, are wild and unpredictable animals better left well alone. If you're feeling daring you can walk out on the seawall and watch the seals from a closer vantage point, but remember that you're also closer to the waves. The tiny beach on the south side of the Children's Pool is Casa Beach and its slightly larger neighbor to the south is called Wipeout. Both of these spots can be hazardous for swimming because there's a lot of moving water and rocks here. There are a few small caves on the beach, but they're often choked with seaweed and other flotsam. A long narrow band of grass park indicates that you've arrived at Hospitals. Hospitals is a great reef but a poor beach. At low tide there are wonderful tidepools and great shelling all along the coast here. The conditions don't often cooperate, but when they do, it's the best dive site in town, with dramatic undersea arches and ledges chock full of lobster. At the south end by the gazebo is the Hospitals surf spot, the northernmost of La Jolla's reefbreaks. The road leaves to coast between Horseshoe and Windansea, which prevents most people from ever finding Marine Street Beach, the prettiest, whitest beach in all of San Diego. As such, the beach here is dominated by teens and locals. Marine Street's claim to fame is its wicked shorebreak otherwise known as 'womp.' Bodysurfers and bodyboarders get short, deep tube rides as the waves hit the steep shelf and unload onto the shore. There are several nameless surfbreaks on the reefs at either end of the beach - all fickle, all dangerous, all heavily localized, but also very, very, very good when they're on... Windansea is the next beach traveling southward. Made famous by Tom Wolfe's story 'The Pump House Gang,' Windansea was and is all about fitting in. The break is an easy left/right peak that breaks on any tide, any swell and practically any day of the year. It's accordingly crowded, and the crowd accordingly competitive. It's not always a friendly scene in the water, but refreshingly familiar on dry land. The beach is broken by rocks, creating natural alcoves of varying size, perfect for private parties or private rendezvous. Swimming is best on the south half of the beach between Kolmar Street and Big Rock Reef. Lifeguards supervise near the grass shack at the end of Bonaire Street in summertime. The remainder of the coast from Big Rock south to P.B. Point is characterized by forbidding cliffs and rocky shoreline. Lucky indeed is the beachcomber who stumbles upon the stairs at the foot of Bird Rock Avenue on a neap tide, and discovers the sea floor spread out before him like a magic carpet. These are the richest reefs in town, providing numerous surf spots when swell is running, and great diving when it's not. Limited access, no beaches, no lifeguards and no facilities of any kind make Bird Rock a poor choice for swimmers and sunbathers, but it's definitely worth a snapshot on the way through.
Mission Bay Areas of greatest interest and their associated uses within Mission Bay Park include: Vacation Isle with its resort hotel, Barefoot Bar and public parks; Crown Point a favorite spot for volleyball games; Ski Beach a hot spot for company parties and casual picnics; Santa Clara Point with its excellent Aquatic Center offering water sports rentals and instruction; Sail Bay with its wide running path, Fanuel Park playground, and nightly live music at the Catamaran Hotel; Mariners Point, home of the ESPN X-Games and the Bahia Hotel; Quivera Basin offering daily fishing and scuba diving charters, the Islandia Hotel and a sampling of waterfront shops and restaurants; Dana Landing the busy boat launching ramp and sportfishing center; East Mission Bay Park with its information center, endless grass parks, Hilton Hotel Resort, playgrounds and boat launching ramps; and Fiesta Island the multi-purpose, dune-covered island enjoyed by recreational enthusiasts of all kinds. 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. North Mission Beach from Pacific Beach Drive south to the Roller Coaster is predominantly residential, with funky apartments along the beach and, out on the main drag, funkier clothing stores, smoothie bars and head shops. Many locals here forego material pleasures for the opportunity to live at the beach and revel in the carefree joys of youth. So relax, join the party and understand that in M.B. a torn thrift shop sofa serving as patio furniture is no eyesore, but a proud declaration of independence. Most of the action centers around Belmont Park at the intersection of Mission Blvd. and West Mission Bay Drive where you can ride the historic Giant Dipper roller coaster, or rent a set of rollerblades to ride up and down the boardwalk. This is where all walks of life all go out for a walk, a ride, a roll, a stroll, a surf, a beer or a bite to eat - or simply to watch other people out doing their thing. Rock on. South Mission Beach offers the same scene and scenery found in North Mission, but the pace slows as you continue south, until you reach the end of the boardwalk, the end of the beach, and the end of the road at South Mission Beach Park. Here fishermen cast their lines off the jetty and watch the boats pass in and out through the Harbor Channel. You'd never know it to look, but a half-mile off the coast are a series of shipwrecks, placed here to create an artificial reef and a diver's Disneyland. Ocean Beach Dog Beach, wedged between the Mission Bay Harbor Channel and the jetty at the north end of Ocean Beach, is a dog's slice of heaven. Here, pets are not only allowed on the beach, but encouraged to come anytime, cast off their leash and run amok with all their pals. After work, or anytime on the weekend, you'll find upward of 100 specimens, big and small, young and old, all frisking and fetching. The system only works when humans act responsibly, making sure their pets are vaccinated, obedient and otherwise qualified to be unleashed on the world. Pet owners are required by law to clean up after their pets at Dog Beach and all other San Diego Parks and Beaches but, needless to say, it's a good idea to watch your step. Ocean Beach has lifeguard-supervised swimming and surfing
areas, restrooms, showers and assistance for disabled patrons. Here, and at many
other of San Diego's most popular beaches, lifeguards offer special rubberized
roadways and off-road wheelchairs to help get you from the boardwalk, over the
deep sand and out onto the beach where the fun is. Just inquire at the main
lifeguard tower, during regular on-duty hours. Before you head out onto The Pier at the foot of Newport Avenue for a quick look, make sure you know what you're getting yourself into. It's a good mile or so round trip, but well-worth the effort for the great view and the sensation of watching swells pass under your feet and waves crash on the pilings. There's a classic coffee shop mid-way out and a tackle shop too. Ocean Beach Pier is one of the few places in San Diego where you can fish without a valid California fishing license. You're still expected to know and follow all the size and catch limits, but there's sure to be an old pro near at hand to recite them for you. Oceanside Oceanside Harbor, aka The Jetties, is a popular surfing
area, especially in summer south swell season. The parking here is a mix of
free, paid, metered and private (for slip holders in the marina), and much of it
is time-limited, so check the signs carefully before choosing a spot. The early
bird parking strategy doesn't necessarily hold true at The Jetties. Surfers
typically fill the lots at dawn and vacate them by noon when the onshore wind
kicks in and blows out the surf. Lifeguards, bathrooms, showers and places to
eat are all close at hand. Fishermen can try their luck off the end of a jetty
(beware of high surf and high tides), or surf cast on the south side by the San
Luis Rey river mouth. You can also book boat charters out of Oceanside Harbor,
launch your own at the boat ramp, or ride a new commuter ferry to and from
downtown San Diego. For commuter ferry information in San Diego County, call
toll free: 1-866-WaveWay (1-866-928-3929). Outside San Diego County, call toll
free: 1-800-974-8885. Oceanside City Beach, aka The Strand, is the classic West Coast beach complete with boardwalk, pier and wide open sand. The coastline is razor-straight here with a shallow sand shelf that slows and mellows the surf as it rolls in and laps gently on the shore. This makes Oceanside an ideal spot for children to swim or ride the inside whitewater on boogie boards. The outside offers decent beachbreak for board surfing, but it's usually bigger and better up by the harbor. There are a number of small parks along the boardwalk with restrooms, picnic tables, barbecues, and an excellent playground by the pier. Other beach-related attractions include the nearby California Surf Museum and seasonal surf and volleyball competitions. Buccaneer Beach is a couple miles south of the pier where the beach narrows and the road dips down to sea level. It's a popular spot for kids to practice their surfing with easy access and lifeguard supervision close at hand. Pacific Beach Tourmaline Surfing Park where the rugged headlands of La Jolla end abruptly, is a surfing-only beach favored for its slow, slopey waves by longboarders, beginners and (when the wind is up) windsurfers and kiteboarders. There's a medium-capacity parking lot here with bathrooms and a small picnic area. There's nothing particularly special about Tourmaline, but it's a perfect place to try your hand at surfing. North Pacific Beach from Tourmaline to Crystal Pier is the 'calm before the storm' that is P.B. proper. Families tend to prefer this quieter stretch of beach with its lifeguard supervised swimming areas and facilities at the ends of Law and Diamond Streets. Pacific Beach from the Crystal Pier to Pacific Beach Drive offers regular lifeguard service, bathrooms and pockets of dedicated parking at Grand Avenue and PB Drive. You can find anything from bicycle rentals to biker bars along the coast here, and more of the same as you head inland up Garnet Avenue for many blocks. Swimming and surfing are segregated throughout P.B., the latter being mediocre here at best. There's always a party on the beach and on the boardwalk, especially on any sunny summer afternoon. Point Loma Traveling southbound on Sunset Cliffs Blvd. from Ocean Beach, the first noteworthy site you'll come upon is Osprey Point. There's good fishing off the rocks here, and a textured retaining wall where rock climbers come to train. Luscomb's is next, a surf break in the middle of a small bay with a rock spire near the shore where birds like to hang out. The unappetizingly named Garbage reef belies the good surf spot where the road abruptly ends at Ladera Street. Beyond Ladera, one can drive or walk the rough road into Sunset Cliffs Park, where you'll find more quality surf spots at AB's and New Break. Beyond the southern limits of the park, the coast is wild and wooly, accessible only by boat. Hardcore surfers with boats head all the way to the tip, to the winter break called Dolphin Tanks or the summer break called Ralph's.
Global Adventure Reviews | Recommended Businesses Search for Lodging | Get Travel Advice | Privacy Policy | Contact Us |
