San Diego is a great vacation spot for families with children of all ages. It has nearly perfect weather, you can take a San Diego harbor cruise, and it boasts beautiful beaches that are wonderful places for families to spend a day. We’ve got a list of the best beaches for your family. All you need to do is pack the sunscreen.
Moonlight State Beach, Encinitas
Head up to North San Diego and enjoy the clean, pristine beaches of Moonlight State Beach. Some of the family amenities of this beach include:
- A new, shaded playground
- Concessions and a rental area right on the beach
- Restrooms and showers
- Picnic tables and fire pits
- Volleyball and tennis courts for older children
Another reason this is a great family beach is that it tends to be less crowded than some of the beaches further to the south. You have more space to spread out and keep an eye on the kids.
Silver Strand State Beach
This beach is a few miles south of its much more popular neighbor, Coronado Beach. And while that is a great beach, too, many families prefer the quieter sands of Silver Strand. It has lots of shells, space to play football and frisbee or fly kites, and a shallow and calm ocean. All of these qualities make it a great choice for families with small children or young swimmers.
La Jolla Shores
For the older child or teenager, La Jolla Shores is a fun destination. A lot of SoCal surfing and kayaking happens here. This is also a prime spot for wildlife watching. If you are wondering about whale sightings today, or seals and sea lions, too, this is the beach to visit.
Oceanside Beach
For the quintessential SoCal beach experience, you’ll want to head to Oceanside. It has all the action you could expect from a San Diego beach, such as:
- Beach equipment rentals
- The Oceanside Pier
- Playground for small children
- Concessions
- Great waves for boogie boarding and surfing
- Plenty of parking
Carlsbad Beaches
If your family likes to camp, there’s a nice campground at South Carlsbad State Beach that puts you in the middle of the action. Carlsbad beaches run for seven miles, so there’s plenty of space to spread out. If one section feels too crowded, just move on to the next. In addition to the campground, there are many hotels nearby, so finding a place to stay at Carlsbad is rarely a problem. Parents enjoy Carlsbad’s legendary sunsets. This beach has something for everyone.
Mission Beach
For the thrill seeker in your family, Mission Beach is home to Belmont Park, SoCal’s own Coney Island. There’s a roller coaster, plenty of rides, and hotdogs galore. Mission Beach is also a calmer stretch of water. Inexperienced swimmers may enjoy this area more and feel a little safer. This list just scratches the surface of the surf and sun options in San Diego. With so many wonderful options to choose from, you can’t go wrong. Make your plans to visit San Diego today and have treasured memories for a lifetime.
