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With San Diego's 70+ miles of coastline, there are many different ways to enjoy the ocean no matter where along the coast you are. See below for some of the most popular water activities at San Diego's most popular beaches. Each one of these beaches, also has water sport rentals available in the shops off the beach. You can also check out Viator for booking water activities like surf lessons, kayaking, snorkel tours, and more.
Coronado Beach
Common Water Activities:
Swimming
Boogie Boarding
Stand Up Paddle boarding on calmer days
Other Information to note:
Coronado Beach isn't suitable for surfing, however, Stan's beach, which is just South of Hotel Del is close by and commonly used for surfing.
Ocean Beach
Common Water Activities:
Swimming
Boogie Boarding
Surfing
Stand Up Paddle boarding
Other information to note:
People often surf and paddle board at Dog Beach as well, which is located right next to Ocean Beach.
Mission Beach
Common Water Activities:
Swimming
Boogie Boarding
Surfing
Stand Up Paddle boarding
Pacific Beach
Common Water Activities:
Swimming
Boogie Boarding
Surfing
Stand Up Paddle boarding
Other information to note:
It's best to avoid swimming close to the pier, as the currents are often stronger, and the lifeguards advise against it.
For surfing, more experienced surfers might surf by the pier (as the waves are often slightly bigger), and Tourmaline is better for more beginner surfers (as the waves are often gentler).
Windansea Beach
Common Water Activities:
Surfing
Swimming
Stand Up Paddle boarding
Other information to note:
A lot of the water activities are dependent on conditions here and largely affected by tides as well. There are also rocks/reef in the water here, which is important to note for swimming. The surf break is further out and not right on shore.
La Jolla Shores
Common Water Activities:
Swimming
Boogie Boarding
Surfing
Stand Up Paddle boarding
Kayaking
Snorkeling
Other information to note:
The waves are often more gentle here, which makes it great for beginner surfers, as well as families. Kayaking/Stand Up Paddle Boarding from La Jolla Shores to La Jolla Cove and the Sea Cave are popular activities, in addition to snorkeling and swimming with leopard sharks.
Del Mar Beach
Common Water Activities:
Swimming
Boogie Boarding
Surfing
Stand Up Paddle boarding
Other information to note:
South Del Mar Beach has a reef, and there will often be more surfers in the water compared to people swimming in that area due to this.
Moonlight State Beach
Common Water Activities:
Swimming
Boogie Boarding
Surfing
Stand Up Paddle boarding
Carlsbad State Beach
Common Water Activities:
Swimming
Boogie Boarding
Surfing
Stand Up Paddle boarding
Other information to note:
Some parts of the beach might be rocky, so it's good to be aware of that if spending time in the water.
Oceanside Beach
Common Water Activities:
Swimming
Boogie Boarding
Surfing
Stand Up Paddle boarding
Other information to note:
A large portion of the beach is rocky, so keep that in mind if you're planning to spend a beach day here. Also, the pier makes a good base for fishing, and Oceanside Harbor provides calm waters for stand up paddle boarding.
Enjoying San Diego from the water, is one of the best ways to do it! What are your favorite water activities at these San Diego beaches?
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