San Diego County’s Best Beaches

May 20, 2022

Sponsored Exclusively by Visit California

Seventy miles of coastline makes San Diego County a shining destination for lovers of sand and surf. And with all that shore, there’s something for every sort of beach goer. From budding marine biologists to experienced shredders, here are five of the best beaches to please them all. Insider tip: Always stay for sunset to see if you can catch a glimpse of the ephemeral green flash. 

Swami’s Beach

The surf culture is strong in Encinitas, a beach community in San Diego’s North County. The city offers plenty of breaks for the catching—Seaside, Pipes, D Street to name a few. But with big swells and high performance waves, Swami’s is a local favorite. Try this recipe for a truly rad morning: surf a dawn patrol session followed by a massive breakfast burrito at Pipes Cafe, coffee from local roaster Zumbar, and a peaceful walk through the Self Realization Fellowship Gardens from which Swami’s Beach gets its name.

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

This reserve, which protects 1,500 acres of land along La Jolla’s coast, is one of the only places where you can see the country’s rarest conifer, the torrey pine. Explore groves of jutting pines as you hike from the top of sea cliffs all the way down to the shore on the aptly named Beach Trail. Celebrate your efforts with a root- or ginger-beer float. There are six to choose from on the menu at the Lodge at Torrey Pines. Or better yet, spend the night at this five-star resort.

Belmont Park at Mission Beach

Click, click, click, click, weeee! The Giant Dipper at Mission Beach’s Belmont Park delivers buzzing anticipation and stomach flips drops for $6 a pop. Built in 1925, it’s one of the last two wooden roller coasters still in operation on the west coast. The oceanfront amusement park brings nostalgia-inducing staples—including mini golf, carousel rides, and arcade games—to the sands of Mission Beach for a day of boardwalk fun.

Coronado Beach

Often voted one of the top beaches in America, Coronado Beach’s wide span, calm waters, and soft golden sand is a favorite of couples and families. Hotel del Coronado, the massive Victorian confection overlooking the beach, has been impressing guests since 1888. Sixteen presidents and hundreds of celebrities have enjoyed the hotel’s beautiful beach views, which were featured prominently in the classic film Some Like It Hot. An impressive dedication to modernization has allowed the hotel to stay completely current. The resort now offers yoga on the sand as well as mermaid fitness classes, tail rental included.

La Jolla Cove

San Diego is known for its award-winning zoo, but some of the very best animal watching is right along the shore. La Jolla Cove is home to sea lions (large, dark brown, big flippers) as well as seals (smaller and more mottled), and it’s easy to spend hours watching them swim, play, and sunbathe along the rocky coast. Admire the creatures from land at Shell BeachChildren’s Pool, or after a journey down the stairs into Sunny Jim’s Sea Cave. You can also choose to swim or kayak with your newfound friends by renting gear from outfitters including La Jolla Kayak and Everyday California.

Add new comment

Partner Voices
Every day, MGM Resorts hosts organizations and individuals from around the world with a diverse array of business purposes, needs and expectations. But they all have one thing in common—a host committed to making their meetings sustainable and unforgettable through close partnership and responsible meeting practices. Harnessing the Sun Meetings at MGM Resorts are predominantly powered by the sun, thanks to its innovative 100-megawatt solar array. As the largest directly sourced renewable electricity project in the hospitality industry, the solar array features 323,000 panels and produces up to 100% of MGM Resorts’ daytime power needs in Las Vegas.* Built in 2021, the solar array reduces the carbon footprint of meetings—and all of MGM Resorts—while still delivering an enlightening and electrifying guest experience. Leading Water Stewardship Knowing water is essential to operations, guests and employees, MGM Resorts has long employed various conservation measures and has doubled down on its commitment in recent years to become a leading corporate water steward. In 2022, MGM Resorts President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle signed the CEO Water Mandate, a United National Global Compact, becoming the first gaming company to endorse the initiative. The company replaced more than 200,000 square feet of real grass with drought-tolerant landscaping in Las Vegas and pledged to reduce water use by 33% by 2025 and by 35% by 2030. Between 2007 and 2022, MGM Resorts saved more than 6 billion gallons of water through water conservation. Fostering Diversity, Equity & Inclusion MGM Resorts serves a world of diverse people, perspectives and experiences by cultivating a workforce culture that embraces all of humanity. From mindful recruitment and hiring practices to meaningful social responsibility initiatives, MGM Resorts is a welcoming and inclusive space for veterans, individuals with disabilities, people from diverse backgrounds, LGBTQ+ community members and more. The company’s commitment to supplier diversity drives innovation by extending competitive opportunities to local and diverse-owned suppliers, while the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program provides diverse-owned businesses tools and resources to enhance and grow their businesses. Paying it Forward MGM Resorts knows that great companies must serve the greater good. That’s why paying it forward is part of its approach to meetings and events. Through the Feeding Forward Program, MGM Resorts collects and preserves unserved and untouched food from conventions held at its properties, then safely donates to food-insecure people through a partnership with Three Square, Southern Nevada’s primary food bank. Since 2016, MGM Resorts has donated more than 3.7 million meals, with a goal of 5 million meal donations by 2025. Donations include unserved perishable prepared foods from events, perishable unprepared food from MGM Resorts’ kitchens and nonperishable food items from minibars and warehouses. From world-class venues and experiences to industry leading responsible meeting practices, MGM Resorts is proud to host meaningful and sustainable events. *Not including The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas