Moonlight State Beach is in the heart of the city of Encinitas. This is one of the best family beaches in North County San Diego. Beach Type: Long sandy beach Access: Directly from parking lot/street Parking: Free parking lot, street parking/some paid parking Facilities: Full restrooms by lifeguard tower Good For: Laying out in the…
Mission Trails Regional Park introduced the 5-Peak Challenge in 2015 in order to get hikers to explore more trails. South Fortuna is the shortest mountain in the challenge, but it is just as challenging as the higher peaks. Starting Point: West Fortuna Staging Area parking lot at eastern end of Clairemont Mesa Blvd Length: 5…
The Living Coast Discovery Center is a hidden gem in Chula Vista, about 15 minutes south of downtown San Diego. The center is a combination zoo and aquarium. There are hands-on exhibits with all kinds of animals native to the San Diego coastal area. This includes fish, sea turtles, sharks, sting rays, birds of prey…
Coming from the east coast to San Diego one of the first thing I noticed was the massive fishing piers. There are five major piers in San Diego and four of them are freely open to the public. This is our guide to San Diego Piers. Overview My first experience with fishing piers was in…
As its name implies, Oceanside is a classic beach town. There are several beach areas, but the center of action are the beaches north and south of the Oceanside Pier. Beach Type: Classic wide sandy beach Access: Directly from street Parking: Free and paid parking in neighborhood Facilities: Full restrooms Good For: Laying out in…
Encinitas is a beach town just north of San Diego. One of the best places to visit is the free Meditation Gardens at the Self-Realization Fellowship. Located on the cliffs above the beach, this is one of the most scenic areas in coastal San Diego County. WEBSITE: http://www.encinitastemple.org/ You cannot miss the Self-Realization Fellowship as…
Mission Trails Regional Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States. At its heart is a state-of-the-art visitor’s center. This should be your first stop when visiting Mission Trails. WEBSITE: https://mtrp.org/visitor-center/ The Mission Trails area is massive and expanding. However, unlike the expansion in much of urban San Diego, Mission Trails…
Mission Trails Regional Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States. Only eight miles from downtown San Diego, Mission Trails seems miles away from city life. This is our core guide to Mission Trails Regional Park. Overview WEBSITE: https://mtrp.org/ Mission Trails Regional Park was started in 1974. It continues to grow…
Lake Murray Reservoir is part of San Diego’s massive Mission Trails Regional Park. This area is great for boating, fishing and general recreation. It also has a paved biking/jogging trail that is perfect for the entire family. This is our guide to the Lake Murray Bike Trail. Starting Point: Lake Murray Rest Area, 5650 Kiowa…
Seaport Village has been a main highlight of downtown San Diego since the 1980s. However, it is slated for major redevelopment. This is our Seaport Village guide as it currently exists in 2019. WEBSITE: https://www.seaportvillage.com History Seaport Village opened in 1980 at the center of San Diego’s downtown harbor. It is located on 14-acres by…