Mission Bay, Mission + Pacific Beach
Mariners Basin, Bonita Cove, Mission Beach, Crystal Pier, Pacific Beach
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Duration:
3-4 hours Distance: 4 miles per direction (6.4 km) This day at the ocean is a great combination of a hiking/biking tour and a beach day.
Easy to combine with: Point Loma/Sunset Cliffs Getting there From Del Mar: Take HWY 1 South to Torrey Pines Rd until you merge into Girard Avenue. At Pearl Street make a right turn and continue along La Jolla Blvd. Continue on the boulevard until it merges into Mission Blvd. Instead of finishing at Crystal Pier and Garnet Avenue you can start here. If you want to follow the original direction continue on Mission Blvd until the far end at the ocean and the public parking spot. |
From Mission Bay: Take West Mission Bay Drive until you reach Mission Blvd. Make a left into Mission Blvd and continue until the far end and the public parking lot.
From Downtown: Use I-5 North and exit at Sea World Drive. Stay left after the ramp to continue on Sea World Drive West towards West Misson Drive. The first exit leads you toward West Mission Drive/Ingraham Street. After being on the 2nd feeder, exit again onto West Mission Drive. Cross Mission Blvd and turn left to continue to the far end and the public parking lot. From Point Loma: Take Nimitz Boulevard North and continue on Sunset Cliffs Blvd towards Mission Beach. Sunset Cliffs Blvd merges into Sea World Drive. From there exit towards West Mission Drive/Ingraham Street. Take the final exit onto West Mission Drive and turn left on Mission Blvd to continue to the far end and the public parking lot. From Coronado Island: Cross Coronado Island Bridge and merge onto I-5 North. Exit at Sea World Drive. The first exit leads you toward West Mission Drive/Ingraham Street. After being on the 2nd feeder, exit again onto West Mission Drive. Cross Mission Blvd and turn left to continue to the far end and the public parking lot. |
Bike rentals in Mission Beach:
Ray’s Rentals at 3221 Mission Boulevard
http://www.rays-rentals.com/
If you consider renting a bike for the whole day you easily can combine this tour with the La Jolla Tour. You might need several hours for the roundtrip but the distance is doable (max. 32 miles/51 km roundtrip).
Ray’s Rentals at 3221 Mission Boulevard
http://www.rays-rentals.com/
If you consider renting a bike for the whole day you easily can combine this tour with the La Jolla Tour. You might need several hours for the roundtrip but the distance is doable (max. 32 miles/51 km roundtrip).
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1st stop: Mariners Basin/ Bonita Cove Park your car at the public parking lot at North Jetty Road (to your right at the end of Mission Boulevard) and walk towards Bayside Lane. If you rent a bike, leave your car at the bike shop and ride down to the Bayside Lane. Enjoy the view from Bayside Lane over Mission Bay and Ocean Beach at the opposite of the San Diego River. What most visitors don’t know: until 1950 there was a wooden bridge connecting Mission Beach with Ocean Beach. But this bridge was closed in 1950 and demolished in 1951. Following the Bayside Lane you are surrounding a green used by locals for BBQs. At the end turn right and merge into Bayside Walk. This path leads you along Mariners Basin and Bonita Cove where sport boats usually drop anchor. To your right you can see the Quivira Basin and the Mission Bay Bridge connecting the headlands. |
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2nd stop: Mission Beach – also known as MB
At the end of the path and San Fernando Place you can cut through to the ocean. At Ocean Front Walk to your right starts Mission Beach’s amusement mile, the Belmont Park. The atmosphere is similar to Venice Beach and if you are looking for a relaxed walk/ride along the ocean you should continue along the beach.
At Belmont Park you will find attractions like a rollercoaster, plenty of shops, restaurants and street performers. http://www.belmontpark.com/
The park was built in 1925 to attract prospective homeowners. Only two attractions are left from the original complex: The wooden Giant Dipper (rollercoaster) and the Mission Beach Plunge, a Spanish-renaissance styled pool.
But as said: nothing keeps you away from the beach. A bit further north the quietness slowly returns and the beach is getting less crowded.
As before you are passing one beach home after the other. Most of them are vacation rentals. While proceeding to Pacific Beach you can watch people sitting on their patio and decks.
If the promenade is too busy or you want to feel the sand underneath your feet walk over to the beach if you didn’t rent a bike.
3rd stop: Crystal Pier
In the far you can see a pier. This one contains a hotel complex. Don’t hesitate to enter the pier passing the hotel bungalows to walk to its end. From the tip you have a nice view over the waterfront.
4th stop: Pacific Beach – also known as PB
Behind the pier starts Pacific Beach, a neighborhood known for a nice nightlife and bar scene along Garnet Avenue. If you are curious just walk/bike straight down the street starting at Crystal Pier. From the pier you also can extend the route by following the shoreline trail to the north and towards La Jolla.
If you want to see some diversity on your way back to the parking lot follow Verona Court towards the bayside. Head to the right and continue down Bayside Walk to enjoy more views over Sail and Mission Bay and the Mission Bay Yacht Harbor.
At El Carmen Place you are crossing the harbor’s access road approaching Santa Barbara Cove. This cove is framed from the yacht harbor in the north and the Bahia Resort in the south. On the opposite of the cove you see another vacation resort called Paradise Point. Most resorts around Mission Bay have an own small marina, widely spread greens in a tropical surrounding giving resort guests the feeling of staying on an own little island.
At Santa Barbara Place make a right to walk/ride back to the oceanfront.
This prevents you from getting stuck at the intersection of W Mission Bay Drive and Mission Blvd. Behind Belmont Park follow the Ocean Front Walk back to the public parking lot where you started your beach hike, respectively return to the bike rental.
In front of the parking lot you will find several inviting beach volleyball courts in case you haven’t had enough exercise yet. If you prefer a nap on the beach consider a rest at the less packed section before you continue exploring San Diego.
This hiking/biking route can be easily combined with the Point Loma/Sunset Cliff or Old Town Tour or even with the La Jolla Tour.
