Best Mission Bay Beach Guide
San Diego’s Mission Bay is one of the city’s prime attractions. There are all kinds of water-based activities and 27-miles of shoreline. This is our guide to the various Mission Bay beaches and picnic areas. The focus is on helping visitors find the best Mission Bay beach for a specific activity.
Jump Ahead To
Overview
Mission Bay is a man-made saltwater bay at the entrance of the Pacific Ocean and the San Diego River. Mission Bay Park is operated by the city of San Diego. At over 4,000 acres, it is considered the largest aquatic park of its kind. Along with about 2,000 acres of water, there are 27 miles of shorelines, 19 of which are sandy beaches. The bay was developed from the 1940s to the 1960s from a tidal marsh area that supposedly was given the name False Bay by Juan Cabrillo in 1542. Mission Bay is located directly north of the San Diego airport about 3 miles north of downtown. The east end of the bay runs along the I-5 freeway. The north end is part of the Pacific Beach community. The west end of Mission Bay is a narrow strip of land that separates the bay from the Pacific Ocean. This strip is known as the Mission Beach area.
With so many places to choose from we have picked the best areas based on what they offer. As our children have grown older our focus is less on grassy areas with playgrounds and more on activities like kayaking, paddle boarding and snorkeling. The good news is Mission Bay has it all.
The focus in this article is on more low-key activities that don’t involve a motor craft or larger boat. Of course, Mission Bay has sailing, water skiing, jet skis and more. For those activities, as well as rentals please see our full Mission Bay Guide.
For more details on a specific area click on the link to that location.
Note every area listed (except for Fiesta Island and Enchanted Cove) has a restroom facility!
Best Mission Bay Beach for Dedicated Swimming Area with Lifeguards
All the below areas have dedicated swimming areas with lifeguards. These are roped off areas where only swimming is allowed. In most cases the water will be less than waist deep, but it can vary based on tides.
Lifeguards are generally on duty daily during summer and at a few places on weekends in April/May and September/October. There are no lifeguards at Mission Bay November through spring break.
Note Enchanted Cove on Fiesta Island often has a lifeguard but there is not a dedicated swimming area. This is a popular place for kids to learn to kayak, canoe and paddle board
Lifeguards available daily during summer and on weekends in spring (after spring break) and fall (through October)
Lifeguards available daily during summer
Best Mission Bay Beach for Playgrounds and Children Under 5
When our children were small, we usually looked for grassy areas and playgrounds. Swimming areas and lifeguards were not as important because we closely watched the kids near the water.
These are our top picks but note that any area with lifeguards will also be a good choice.
- Tecolote Shores has the best playground area in Mission Bay and also a huge grassy area. Our kids still talk about the alligator slide.
- Crown Point is great for gatherings. There is a playground and covered picnic tables. There is also a huge grassy area. This is a popular choice for locals as there is plenty of parking.
- Bonita Cove is in the heart of Mission Beach across from the roller coaster and Belmont Park. There are playgrounds and plenty of picnic areas. A new restroom facility should open in summer 2021.
- Leisure Lagoon has a great swimming area, playground and a small island that is easily accessible, even with small children.
Best Mission Bay Beaches for Parking and Easy Access
Parking is free and fairly plentiful throughout Mission Bay. However, on crowded summer days and weekends parking lots can fill up, especially on the west side near the beach.
There will also be more traffic near the beach area. The east side of Mission Bay is right off interstate 5 so those beaches can be popular with locals. Crown Point and Vacation Isle provide a nice compromise as they are in the center of the bay
- Crown Point has the largest parking area, and it is usually not hard to find a spot.
- Ski Beach and Vacation Isle Park on Vacation Isle generally have plenty of parking. However, it should be noted that these areas are not really suited for swimming, although they have playgrounds and grassy areas.
- De Anza Cove right off the freeway has the most parking on the east side of Mission Bay.
- Bonita Cove has the most parking on the west side near the ocean.
- The South Shores area near SeaWorld has plenty of parking but this area is mainly for launching boats. There is a small beach at South Shores that is the only beach we have yet to try in Mission Bay.
Best Secluded Mission Bay Beaches
Mission Bay is right by the airport and downtown of one of the largest cities in the United States. Thus seclusion is a relative term. Nevertheless, a great portion of Mission Bay can be fairly secluded on weekdays and in the winter. Weekends and summers can bring crowds throughout the bay.
The best hidden places to get away from the crowds are North Cove beach on Vacation Isle and Fiesta Island, especially the Enchanted Cove area.
Mariners Point Park (just east of Ventura Cove) and Hospitality Point (off Quivira Basin) are isolated but they can attract a sketchy crowd.
Best Mission Bay Beaches for SUP/Kayaking
Mission Bay is a prime spot for kayaking and standup paddle boarding (SUP). Almost all the bay is open to these activities. The exception is the areas mainly for high powered boats and jet skis around south Fiesta Island and Fiesta Bay.
We have some definite Mission Bay favorites for SUP and kayaking.
- Mariners Point and Mariner’s Basin is our favorite for beginners. This is a sheltered area where there will be no wakes from boats. In addition, it is easy to paddle out to the snorkeling at Mariner’s Point.
- Ventura Cove is the spot we go to most often. It is not too hard to cross the bay to Paradise Point on Vacation Isle and the 5 MPH speed limit means there will be limited wakes. Avoiding the wakes is easy by staying close to shore.
- Sail Bay is a great spot on the north side of Mission Bay. The area from the Catamaran Resort to Fanuel St Park has wide open sandy beaches and calm water. The big downside is limited parking.
- Enchanted Cove on Fiesta Island is a great spot to go to escape the crowds. There are no wakes, and you can even paddle out to a small island (Enchanted Isle). The big downside is this more rustic area does not have restrooms.
Best Mission Bay Beaches for Snorkeling
Mission Point Park/Mission Point Beach in the southwest corner of Mission Bay is the place for snorkeling. This is a great area for beginners as snorkeling can be done in waist deep water. The snorkeling is done along the rocks that form the point from the beach.
Best Mission Bay Beaches for Ocean Access
Mission Beach is only two blocks from Mission Bay, and it is possible to combine a day at the bay with a day at the beach.
The best areas for an easy walk to the Pacific Ocean include:
- Bonita Cove which is located across the street from Belmont Park and the Mission Beach boardwalk.
- Mission Point Beach which is located along the entrance channel from the ocean to Mission Bay.
- Sail Bay by the Catamaran Resort. This is located where Mission Beach becomes Pacific Beach to the north.
Best Mission Bay Beaches for Campers and RVs
The northeast section of Mission Bay is home to Campland on the Bay and the Mission Bay RV Resort. The prime beach for this area is De Anza Cove Park.
The entire eastern end of Mission Bay, running parallel to interstate 5 is popular with RVs. RVs park along Mission Bay Drive and there is an RV dump station at the Clairemont Drive/I5 exit.
Best Mission Bay Beaches for Home Rentals
Many San Diego vacation rentals are located on Mission Bay. Most of these run along the west side at Mariners Basin and Santa Barbara Cove. These locations are highly desired because they have access to wide, uncrowded sandy beaches. They are also only a block from the Pacific Ocean.
The Crown Point area also has vacation rentals. This is a quieter, more residential area considered part of the Pacific Beach neighborhood. Mission Bay is so big it has separate bays within the big bay. The east side of Crown Point is on Fiesta Bay while the west side is on Sail Bay
Additional Resources and Links
For our full guide to Mission Bay go here.
For hotel suggestions in the area check out our guide to Where to Stay in Central San Diego Beaches.
Check out our12-mile Mission Bay Bike loop that goes through most beaches (except for Vacation Isle).
East Mission Bay Beaches (North to South)
De Anza Cove
Leisure Lagoon and Tecolote Shoes
Fiesta Island and Enchanted Cove
Central Mission Bay Beaches (North to South)
Crown Point
Vacation Isle including Ski Peach, North Cove, Paradise Point and Vacation Isle Park
South Shores, Sunset Point and Dana Landing
Quivira Basin
North Mission Bay Beaches (North to South)
Sail Bay and Fanuel Street Park
Ventura Cove and Santa Barbara Cove
Bonita Cove, Mariners Basin and Mission Point Park
