5 of the Best Beaches for Families in San Diego
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This is a list of the best beaches for families in San Diego.
San Diego boasts some of the country’s most beautiful beaches for everyone to enjoy. It is California, after all! The beaches found at San Diego’s 70 miles of coastline are all perfect for swimming, snorkeling, or just bumming it for the day while the kids splash and frolic. But to help plan your trip to San Diego, we’ve got a list of all the best beaches for families in San Diego here!
If you’re looking for other things to do with kids in San Diego, check out this list of the 17 Top Kid Activities in San Diego!
Table of Contents
Best Beaches for Families in San Diego
Coronado Central Beach
Coronado Central Beach begins at the Hotel del Coronado and extends quite far past the hotel. The wide, flat sandy beach and generally calm waters make it one of the best beaches for families in San Diego, particularly those with smaller children. The beach consistently ranks highly on national travel lists like Travel + Leisure, and the north end of the beach is even dog-friendly and on a good day, has waves for surfers to catch.
[Book your own stay at Hotel del Coronado to make the best of your visit to San Diego!]
La Jolla Shores Beach
Another perfect beach for families, La Jolla Shores Beach boasts flat, sandy shores, and wonderful water. It’s one of the best beaches for families in San Diego for this reason! Kids will enjoy the sand and water, along with nearby Kellogg Park’s playground, grassy areas, and lots of amenities. Lifeguards always patrol the area and visitors can take advantage of fire pits and bathrooms. The beach is also a short, easy walk away from Avenida de la Playa, La Jolla Shores’ main street, where they can grab snacks and more.
In addition, the beach boasts fantastic water activities such as kayaking sea caves and snorkeling or swimming with Leopard Sharks, which have the largest aggregation in the world at La Jolla Shores.
Del Mar Beaches
Del Mar Beaches features 3 distinct beach areas on San Diego’s coast. The 15th street through 29th street stretch features a beachfront in front of some of the most beautiful homes in the area. In addition, some of the most popular restaurants in Del Mar are located within easy walking distance of this beach.
Torrey Pines State Beach, located near the famous state reserve, is another popular stretch of Del Mar Beach. The California State Park system is in charge of this beach so payment for parking is required.
Finally, the most family-friendly section of Del Mar Beaches is located closest to the highway. Bathrooms, showers, and lifeguards are all there, as well as a great kids’ play area next to the lagoon.
Moonlight Beach
Moonlight Beach is probably one of the best beaches for families in San Diego for beach-loving families. Featuring tons of amenities that are perfect for families like picnic tables, fire rings, lifeguards, restrooms, volleyball courts, and equipment rentals, Moonlight Beach has everything any family needs for a day of fun in the sun and water. There is even a snack bar to get refreshments for the family!
Mission Bay Beaches
Mission Bay is the largest human-made aquatic park in America. It’s perfect for families with young children because the water has no waves. Soft sand and calm water combine to make an atmosphere that is both relaxing and incredibly safe for kids. In addition, the beach features vendors that have a large selection of water sports equipment to choose from.
There you have it — the 5 best beaches for families in San Diego! Which have you visited? Which is your favorite?
