SAN DIEGO BEACHES and PARKS

All beaches and parks are free to enter.  Beach parking includes metered parking and in some cases, parking for $6-8 per day.

San Diego, CA

Balboa Park
DESCRIPTION: In 1892, in exchange for 32 acres of land in the northwest corner of the Park for her commercial nursery, Kate Sessions offered to plant 100 trees a year within "City Park" and donate 300 trees and shrubs for use elsewhere in the City; thus, Kate Sessions became the early designer of the park's beautiful landscaping and the park has expanded to ; home to most museums in San Diego, one of the world's great public parks also features a planetarium and large expanses of open space for picnics and outdoor sports; the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition Art and Culture, Gardens and Spanish-Renaissance Architecture left many residual venues in the park: San Diego Zoo, Fleet Science Center, Air & Space Museum, Natural History Museum, San Diego Museum of Man, San Diego Museum of Art, Mingei International Museum, Museum of San Diego History, Centro Cultural de la Raza, Balboa Park Carousel, San Diego Art Institute, Timken Museum of Art, Photographic Arts Building, Japanese Friendship Garden, San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum, Miniature Railroad, WorldBeat Center, Veterans Museum, Japanese Friendship Garden and Visitors Center; also contains performing art venues The Old Globe, Spreckels Organ Pavilion, Starlight Theatre and Starlight Bowl

DAYS & HOURS: daily 9:30a-4:30p, with expanded summer hours

ADDRESS: visitor center at 1549 El Prado # 1  MAP

PARKING: plenty all over the park

PHONE: 619-239-0512

WEBSITE: http://www.balboapark.org

Embarcadero Marina Park
DESCRIPTION: features stunning views of the harbor; a great place to jog or bike anytime, then gaze at yachts or the skyline; shops and restaurants line the marina; this popular park on the rejuvenated southern waterfront near to modern high rise hotels and the convention center attracts a lot of conventioneers
DAYS & HOURS: daily 6a-10:30p
ADDRESS: between Kettner Blvd and Marina Park way  MAP
PARKING: paid lot on premises
PHONE: 619-686-6570
WEBSITE: http://www.portofsandiego.org/embarcadero-marina-park-north.html

La Jolla Shores & Cove
DESCRIPTION: Consists of two beaches, La Jolla Shores is a sandy one mile long beach adjacent to a residential area; in summer, waves are usually the most gentle of all San Diego beaches, making it perfect for families; a permanent lifeguard station is located adjacent to the main parking lot at the foot of Calle Frescota; the south end of the beach near the foot of Vallecitos is heavily used by scuba diving classes; La Jolla Cove is one of America’s premier intimate beaches and is so romantic its been featured in several movies and TV programs; you can scuba dive or snorkel in the underwater park, it sits between La Jolla shopping district and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography

DAYS & HOURS: daily 6a-dusk

ADDRESS: 8200 Camino del Oro  MAP

PARKING: 350 spaces at the foot of Calle Frescota
PHONE: 619-235-1169
WEBSITE: link

Pacific Beach
DESCRIPATION: the north end of a 2-mile stretch of beach that connects to Mission Beach, which is also part of The Strand -- San diego's most popular beach area and drawing large crowds in summer; as always, check out surfers and divers, play volleyball or just lounge; a narrow cement boardwalk parallels the entire beach for walking and biking; use caution and courtesy in using the popular boardwalk; gift shops, restaurants, and beach rental outfits can be found north of Pacific Beach drive; the southern end is predominately residential; main lifeguard station and restrooms are at the foot of Grand Avenue

DAYS & HOURS: daily 6a-dusk

ADDRESS: Mission Beach  MAP

PARKING: limited to on-street parking in the median at the foot of Grand Avenue and along Ocean Boulevard
PHONE: 619-235-1169
WEBSITE: link

Mission Bay Park
DESCRIPTION: A case of urban re-development gone right, this park was dredged, filled in and landscaped in all the right places of its 4600 acres. The world’s largest aquatic park has separate areas for swimming, fishing, powerboating and sailing. Bike riders, kite fliers and joggers also experience a taste of heaven here. World famous attraction, Sea World, allows Shamu the killer whale to headline a collection of well-trained dolphin, otter, penguin, polar bear, and sea lion acts

DAYS & HOURS: daily 6a-dusk

ADDRESS: 2688 East Mission Bay Drive  MAP

PARKING: paid lot on premises
PHONE: 619-221-8900‎
WEBSITE: link

Mission Beach
DESCRIPATION: center of a 2-mile stretch of beach known as The Strand, which begins at the Mission Bay channel entrance and ends at the north end of Pacific Beach. The Strand is the most popular beach area in the City of San Diego and draws large crowds in summer; as always, check out surfers and divers, play volleyball or just lounge on this classic California beach; the main lifeguard station and restrooms are at the foot of Ventura Place, the south side of Belmont Park, and at the commercial mall adjacent to the Mission Beach lifeguard station

DAYS & HOURS: daily 6a-dusk

ADDRESS: Mission Beach  MAP

PARKING: extensive free public parking spaces next to Belmont Park and at the foot of West Mission Bay Drive
PHONE: 619-235-1169
WEBSITE: link

Ocean Beach
DESCRIPATION: Municipal Pier is located at the south end of the beach and is available to the public for walking and fishing; there is a restaurant and bait shop on the pier; fishing from the pier does not require a fishing license, but catch regulations are enforced; numerous restaurants, surf shops, and other commercial establishments are available near the south end of the beach. The north end of the beach is primarily bordered by residential properties; check out surfers and divers, play volleyball or just lounge on this classic California beach; the main lifeguard station and restrooms are at 1950 Abbott Street

DAYS & HOURS: daily 6a-dusk

ADDRESS: 1950 Abbott Street  MAP

PARKING: 298 public parking spaces at the foot of Voltaire Street
PHONE: 619-235-1169
WEBSITE: link

Cabrillo National Monument

DESCRIPATION: Perched on a bluff near the tip of this rocky green Point Loma peninsula, this park is immaculately beautiful; in Spanish, “loma” means “hill", a fitting description of the rolling topography of the area; archaeological remnants tell of human occupation of the Point as far back as 7,000 years; the large stone monument is dedicated to Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the first European to lay eyes on it in 1542; visit the old Point Loma Lighthouse from outside and inside; and as both the entrance San Diego Harbor and a peninsila on the windy Pacific Ocean, plants and animals have adapted to this sometimes harsh environment; Point Loma has also played an important part in this country's military history - Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery honors over 86,000 veterans and dependents who are interred here; scenic Catalina Boulevard is part of San Diego’s 59-mile Scenic Drive, and affords spectacular panoramic views of the ocean and city on your way to Cabrillo National Monument

DAYS & HOURS: daily 9a-5p

ADDRESS: Point Loma  MAP

PARKING: free on premises; approaching Cabrillo National Monument has a maximum speed of 35 MPH and only 15 MPH as you near the entrance
PHONE: 619-557-5450‎
WEBSITE: http://www.nps.gov/cabr

Coronado, CA

Silver Strand State Beach
DESCRIPATION: this long strand of beach no more than a few blocks wide in sections, spans several miles while connecting Coronado with the South Bay; you can visit Hotel Del Coronado along the way; this beach is known for camping, swimming, surfing, boating, water-skiing, volleyball, and picnicking; anglers can fish for perch, corbina, grunion and yellow-fin croaker; the beach also attracts party hounds, so pick your location carefully; dogs are not allowed on the beach, but are aloowed on the camping spaces; Silver Strand State Beach now offers AT&T Wi-Fi Service

DAYS & HOURS: daily 6a-dusk

ADDRESS: 5000 Highway 75  MAP

PARKING: hundreds of public parking spaces
PHONE: 619-435-5184‎
WEBSITE: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=654