Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TOP BEACHES IN SAN DIEGO
Choosing San Diego's best beaches is like comparing jewels at Tiffany.
Coronado Muni-
cipal Beach
has appeared on just about every Top 10 list; others depend on what you're
looking for.
Bodysurfing:
Pacific Beach and La Jolla Shores. Experienced bodysurfers can head to
La Jolla for the big swells of Boomer Beach near La Jolla Cove, or the whomp(forceful
tubes that break directly onshore) at Windansea or the beach at the end of Sea Lane.
Family friendly:
Shell Beach (La Jolla), 15th St Beach (Del Mar), Moonlight Beach (En-
cinitas).
Nude beach:
Black's Beach.
Surf breaks, from south to north:
Imperial Beach (best in winter); Point Loma (reef
breaks, less accessible but less crowded; best during winter); Sunset Cliffs (Ocean
Beach); Pacific Beach; in La Jolla: Big Rock (California's Pipeline), Windansea (hot reef
break, best at medium to low tide), La Jolla Shores (beach break, best in winter) and
Black's Beach (a fast, powerful wave); Cardiff State Beach; San Elijo State Beach
(Cardiff); Swami's (Encinitas); Carlsbad State Beach and Oceanside.
Teen scene:
Mission Beach, Pacific Beach.
Sights
San Diego Zoo & Balboa Park
San Diego's Zoo is a highlight of any trip to California and should be a high priority for
first-time visitors. It's in Balboa Park, which itself is packed with museums and gardens.
To visit the zoo, all 14 museums, half-dozen botanical gardens and more would take
www.balboapark.org
; House of Hospitality, 1549 El Prado; 9:30am-4:30pm)
. Pick up a park map
(suggested donation $1) and the latest opening schedule.
