Mission Bay Guide: Ventura Cove/Santa Barbara Cove
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 Ventura Cove and Santa Barbara Cove area of Mission Bay.
- Location: 1000 W. Mission Bay Dr
- Parking: Free parking lot at Ventura Cove Beach and along Bahia Point
- Facilities: Restroom at Ventura Cove Beach
- Lifeguards: Seasonal lifeguards at Ventura Cove Beach (Daily during summer)
- Rentals: Plenty of nearby rental locations including Bahia Resort
Jump Ahead To
Overview
NOTE: Pictures in the original article were taken during summer 2020. Updates include pictures taken during winter 2021 at low tide.
- Ventura Cove and Santa Barbara Cove sit on the west end of Mission Bay across the street from Belmont Park and the excitement of Mission Beach.
- Bahia Point is a small peninsula that sticks out into Mission Bay and separates Ventura Cove on the east from Santa Barbara Cove on the west.
- The Bahia resort dominates most of Bahia Point. However, there is limited free parking all along Bahia Point. Ventura Cove has its own free parking lot.
Santa Barbara Cove
The beach area along Santa Barbara Cove is sandy and has its own boardwalk. However, there is limited parking, and the area is filled with residential housing, much of it vacation homes.
There are large parking areas across the street at Bonita Cove and Belmont Park. If you do not mind a short walk this can be a nice option because the actual beach area will be more secluded.
Mission Beach is only two blocks from Santa Barbara Cove and this is actually one area of Mission Bay where there are dining options (dining tends toward the casual side).
A lack of public restrooms is probably the biggest downside. The nearest restrooms are several blocks away.
Ventura Cove
Ventura Cove is one of Mission Bay’s nicest beach for young children. The water is calm, not very deep and there is a dedicated swimming area with lifeguards.
Next to the swimming area is probably the most popular place in Mission Bay for standup paddle boarding (SUP) and kayaking.
This is a great place for beginners. There is more activity and motorboats than nearby Mariners Basin. However, near shore the water is calm. This allows one to venture out into they bay at their own pace.
A popular SUP or kayak trip is to paddle directly across the bay from Ventura Cove to Paradise Point resort on Vacation Isle.
The parking lot at Ventura Cove is fairly small and quickly fills up on busy summer days. However, most of the time parking is not a problem.
Additional parking is found at the larger lots across W. Mission Bay Drive at Bonita Cove.
In terms of dining, Belmont Park and the heart of Mission Beach are only two blocks away. These are mostly for casual dining.
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.
