Beaches for Guests of Mission Beach Vacation Rentals
Mission Beach stretches along two miles of coastline and offers fabulous people-watching and plenty of activities including swimming, sunbathing, beach volleyball, horseshoes, surfing, and water sports. Lifeguards are posted and there are designated areas for swimming, surfing, and body surfing. The beach is open 24 hours a day and restrooms are available.The Ocean Front Walk boardwalk extends along the length of Mission Beach, offering a great place for visitors staying in a Mission Beach condo rental to go walking, jogging, biking, or skating. Bicycle and beach equipment rentals are available at the end of West Mission Bay Drive, and visitors can fish from the jetty on the south end of the beach.
Families staying in a San Diego Mission Beach rental will enjoy the Mission Beach arcade with its games, bumper boats, carousel, and indoor swimming pool. The 73-foot-tall vintage Big Dipper roller coaster at Belmont Park offers thrilling rides, and a number of eateries are located along Mission Boulevard only two blocks east of the beach.
To reach Mission Beach, take the Grand Avenue exit off Interstate 5 or take Highway 8 west to West Mission Bay Drive. Guests of Mission Beach house rentals can park at the Mission Bay Aquatic Center on Santa Clara Place or park in the free lots across from Belmont Park at West Mission Bay Drive and Mission Boulevard. There is also some street parking on Mission Boulevard. For beach information call 619-221-8900; for surfing reports call 619-221-8884.
At the north end of Mission Beach is Crystal Pier, which marks the point where Pacific Beach begins. Crystal Pier is a great spot for fishing, strolling, and watching the surfers catch some waves. Visitors can enjoy a variety of beach activities on the golden stretch of sand along with walking, cycling, skating, and shopping along the boardwalk.
Pacific Beach is popular with the college-age crowd. Guests of Pacific Beach vacation rentals will find lively nightlife in this area in the number of bars and restaurants clustered on Garnet Avenue between Ingraham Street and Mission Boulevard.
Ocean Beach vacation rentals, located on the south side of Mission Beach, make a great home base for enjoying this classic, laid-back Southern California beach community. Ocean Beach, known as OB to the locals, offers a long fishing pier and plenty of beachfront for sunning, swimming, surfing, and volleyball. The beach has lifeguards and separate areas for swimming and surfing. Amenities include restrooms and showers. Parking lots are available at the end of Voltaire Street, Santa Monica Avenue, and Newport Avenue.
Vacationers staying in Ocean Beach rentals can also explore the tide pools south of the pier, stroll along the boardwalk, and check out the shops, restaurants, and clubs along Newport Avenue. Cyclists can take an easy ride along the San Diego River channel or take a more challenging route to the Cabrillo National Monument. Special events for guests staying in an Ocean Beach or Mission Beach condo rental include the Ocean Beach Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off in June and the Ocean Beach Jazz Festival in September (619-224-4906).
Nearby Mission Bay is home to the spectacular 4,235-acre Mission Bay Park. Guests of Mission Bay vacation rentals and condos can enjoy boating, water skiing, swimming, kayaking, jet skiing, sailing, fishing, and windsurfing on the calm waters of the bay. Surfing is permitted in designated areas along the Mission Bay beach. The park's 19 miles of soft sandy beaches include the bay shoreline as well as beaches on Vacation and Fiesta islands, and there are eight designated swimming areas. Mission Bay Park also offers boat docks, launching facilities, and sailboat and motor rentals.
Off the water, visitors who rent a vacation rental in Mission Beach CA will find numerous grassy areas for picnicking and sunbathing, 14 miles of paths for waking and biking, facilities for volleyball and basketball, and seven wildlife preserve areas. Kids can enjoy flying a kite, building a sandcastle, or playing at the Tecolote Shores playground.
Amenities at Mission Bay Park include picnic shelters, barbecue grills, fire rings, restrooms, showers, and free parking. Visitors can rent surfboards, bicycles, and other equipment in the park. Lifeguards are generally available from spring to fall.
