Mission Bay Guide: Sail Bay
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 Sail Bay area in northwest Mission Bay
- Location: 4000 Fanuel Street
- Parking: Street parking and a small parking lot at Fanuel Street Park
- Facilities: Restroom at Fanuel Street Park
- Lifeguards: Seasonal lifeguards at Fanuel Street Park (Daily during summer)
- Rentals: Location on Catamaran Resort pier and several blocks away in Mission and Pacific Beach.
NOTE: Pictures in the original article were taken during summer 2020. Updates include pictures taken during winter 2021 at low tide.
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Overview
Sail Bay is the large northwest section of Mission Bay where Mission Beach meets Pacific Beach. Mission Beach is a small strip of land about 3 blocks wide with the Pacific Ocean on one side and Sail Bay on the other.
The east end of Sail Bay is created by Crown Point Peninsula and Vacation Isle. Sandy beach area and the Mission Bay Bike Path run the entire length of Sail Bay.
The actual beach area at Sail Bay is generally not as crowded as other beach areas because parking is limited. There is a small parking lot on the north end of the bay at Fanuel Street Park, but generally parking is limited to what is available on side streets.
The beach around Fanuel St Park has a playground and a dedicated swimming area for small children.
Along with sailing, Sail Bay is a great area for standup paddle boarding (SUP) and kayaking. Close to shore the water is calm. As you venture deeper into the bay there will be some wakes, but most of the high speed boats tend to stick to the eastern end of Mission Bay.
The northwest corner of Sail Bay is home to the popular Catamaran Resort. The resort has its own pier with plenty of rentals, from bikes, to kayaks, SUPs and sailboats.
The southwest end of Sail Bay features Santa Clara Point with the Mission Bay Aquatic Center and Mission Bay Sportcenter. This is a popular area for kayak, SUP and small boat rentals. As the name Sail Bay implies this is a great place to learn sailing. Motorboat speed is limited in Sail Bay and the area was especially designed for sail boats.
Conclusion
Overall Sail Bay is a great beach area with the major downside being limited parking. Houses, especially vacation rentals, line the bay and generally one needs to be prepared to walk several blocks.
The upside of limited parking is that when you are actually on the beach Sail Bay (along with Santa Barbara Cove directly to the south) tends to be one of the less crowded areas of Mission Bay.
Like most of the Mission Bay area dining is limited past the resorts. A few blocks away there is casual dining in Pacific Beach, but everything will be a walk. Mission Beach also has a few dining options.
Additional Resources
For our full guide to Mission Bay go here.
To find which beach is right for you check our guide to Best Mission Bay Beaches.
For hotel suggestions in the area check out our guide to Where to Stay in Central San Diego Beaches.
