Best Beaches in San Diego
Here is a list of our favorite beaches in and around the city of San Diego. This list includes Coronado and La Jolla, but not the North County area (Del Mar to Oceanside). There are so many great beaches in this majestic city that it’s hard to create a best beaches list.
The editors of California Beaches have personally visited every San Diego beach and put a lot of hard thought into this. Luckily the beaches near San Diego have just about every beach-related activity covered. Here are the beaches listed by their best category. See our “Best Overall Beach” at the bottom of this list!
Best Tide Pools
Cabrillo National Monument
See all the San Diego Tide Pools
Best People Watching
Best Surfing
Tourmaline Surf Park
See all the San Diego Surf Spots
Best Family-Friendly Beaches
Best for Beach Walking
Best Walking Path
Best Beach for Hiking
Flat Rock at Torrey Pines State Beach
Best Beach to Rappel Into
Best Pier
Ocean Beach Pier
See all the San Diego Piers
Best Spot for Kayaking & SUP
La Jolla Caves (put in at La Jolla Shores)
Best Sunbathing
Best Volleyball Beach
Best Beach for Sunset Photos
Best Lighthouse
Best Dog-Friendly Beach
Coronado Dog Run Beach
See all the San Diego Dog Beaches
Best Lodging on the Beach
Crystal Pier Cottages at Pacific Beach
Best Wildlife Watching
Best Camping
Campland on the Bay
See all the San Diego Camping
Best Clothing-Optional Beach
And the Best Overall San Diego Beach is…
Coronado Beach is our current best beach in San Diego. Why you ask? Well it’s just a short drive over the San Diego-Coronado Bridge from downtown and has all the qualities of a top Southern California beach. The location is usually protected by Point Loma so the waves here are mellow. Add to that the constant presence of lifeguards and you have a safe family-friendly spot. The beach and the surrounding hotels, shops, and restaurants are clean and inviting. There are places to walk behind the beach and and the facilities are well-maintained. And even though Coronado Beach is popular, the beach is huge so there is always room for visitors to spread out and enjoy it!