A Quick Guide to San Diego Beaches

Most people that visit San Diego come for the beaches and perfect climate. If you are planning a trip, here is the scoop on the beaches, when to come and where to go.

A Quick Guide to San Diego Beaches

While San Diego is often represented as having perfect year around weather, this is not entirely true for beach goers. It goes without saying that the months of December through March are pretty nippy, but there is another period when the beaches are barren and it might surprise you.

Visitors to San Diego in May and June often are very disappointed. During these months, we have something known as "June Gloom". Essentially, the coast is covered in low clouds and going to the beach is an exercise in futility. Don't come! On the other hand, the two best months to visit are August and September. They are blazing hot and the beaches are less crowded, particularly in September after school starts.

So, which beaches should you go to? Well, there are a lot to choose from and everyone has an opinion. Here is mine!

If you want a beach with lots of younger people, Mission Beach is pretty much the place to be. The beach is one of the wider ones in San Diego, but it is packed. There is also a boardwalk behind it which is packed with people hanging out, rollerblading and so on. This is the place to be young and good looking.

If you prefer a more relaxed beach experience, Del Mar offers plenty of space with nice beaches. Some areas of the beach will have lots of people, but you can stroll south or north to less crowded areas. The beach areas are known by the numerical streets that run perpendicular to them. The beach at 17th street is the most crowded, while there are far fewer people on the sand at 22nd street. You don't have to know the streets. Just park, walk out to the beach and mozy up the beach till you find a spot you like.

If you are looking for a beach with a very private experience, the beaches below the cliffs in Encinitas are the way to go. These can be a little harder to find since there are only a few entrances to them, but you want to ask around for a location known as "stone steps". Once you find it, you walk a few hundred steps down to a beach with only a few people. Walk a few hundred feet in either direction and you are alone.