Stunning San Diego Beaches to People Watch and Chill
Even in January, the beaches of San Diego are beautiful and a great place to socially distance while soaking up some sun. During our month-long stay in San Diego, we went to the beach as frequently as possible. We enjoyed walks in all sorts of weather, watching surfers, seals, and sea lions, avoiding seagulls while snacking, and just kicking back and relaxing. Below are our impressions of the various beaches in and around San Diego.
Torrey Pines
One of our very first stops in San Diego was Torrey Pines Natural Reserve. Here there is a rocky beach backdropped by beautiful cliffs. To get a bit of a workout, we first climbed up the paved hill to access hiking trails that all offer fabulous views of the Pacific. We checked out a few different paths before descending back down to the beach via the aptly named Beach Trail. If the tide is too high, the beach can be inaccessible, however, the tide was just receding while we were there, so we had a couple of close calls with the waves, but were able to jump on nearby rocks without getting splashed. This is definitely a popular spot for people from all walks of life. We enjoyed spotting the very fit SoCal influencers, as well as the kids who loved climbing all over the rocks. Just be warned- don’t get too close to the cliffs here, because rock slides are very evident!
Windansea
The beach we visited most frequently was Windandsea in La Jolla. This beach has big rock formations in the sand, so even at high tide, we were able to find a place to relax and take in the view. We loved this funky landscape so much that it ended up bookending our trip to San Diego. On our first night in California, we caught the most beautiful sunset here, and on our last day, we came back to relax and read our books. The vibe here was mostly families and couples, but we did see a few groups of friends enjoy bocce and slam ball. Surfers enjoy this spot too, so there is plenty to watch.
La Jolla Cove
After an Andrew-designed food tour, we thought we would just check out this little beach called La Jolla Cove, that we saw Google Maps. We didn’t do much research and were pleasantly surprised to find out that it is home to a ton of seals and sea lions! They are really funny, but also very smelly and loud. After we had enough of their stench, we explored the tide pools nearby. This area was packed and hard to socially distance on a weekend, but when we went back on a weekday, and it was a nice place for a stroll.
Coronado Island
This was our favorite beach to sunbathe. The long wide sandy shoreline reminded us of our beaches back east. The sand is so soft, and the beach is enormous, with plenty of room for social distancing. During a mid-January mini heatwave, we took full advantage by spending a relaxing Sunday on this beach. During the day we mostly saw couples and some families, but as dusk fell there were more groups of friends. Toward the Coronado Hotel at sunset there were plenty of groups of people partying at the Tiki Bar. This beach is wonderful any time of day.
Sunset Cliffs
The popular surfing destination, Sunset Cliffs, was on our list to visit for weeks before we finally got there. We enjoyed the walk along the top of the sandy cliffs all the while watching the surfers in the water. To find ourselves a sandy spot to soak up the sun, we climbed down a slippery ledge to a mostly empty beach. Then as the sun began to set, we posted up on one of the cliffs to watch some surfers and enjoy the golden glow. Make sure to stake out some prime real estate early, as it seems everyone in San Diego comes to Sunset Cliffs for the sunset.
Tourmaline Surfing Park Beach
This beach represented the very stereotypical idea of a SoCal surfer. The parking lot was filled with folks changing into their wetsuits next to their vans. We liked the vibe, but the sand of this beach wasn’t wide, so there weren’t a whole lot of great spots to chill. Most people on this beach are watching their kids or friends surfing. You’ll find professional surfers here too, so it makes for a great people-watching beach.
Pacific Beach
This is a big beach with a ton of seagulls ready to steal your food! We only hung out here for an hour or so as we ate our amazing ceviche and fish tacos from Oscars Mexican Seafood. The sand here is wide with plenty of space. In the middle of Saturday, most of the people there were eating, or exercising. But, the pier is cool to look at!
Mission Beach
This is a super commercial section of the shoreline. It reminded us of the boardwalks at the Jersey Shore. There are plenty of games and popular franchise restaurants. We walked here on a stormy day where the waves were whipping the jetty. If you like the boardwalk feel, this is the place for you.
