Over three weeks ago, I had the supreme pleasure of taking the opportunity to get out and see what was happening on the coast of North County San Diego. Amidst all of the rain that we got this winter season, I was extremely excited to see how all of the plants on the coast looked. Did the California super bloom affect the coast?
So I grabbed my backpack and filled it with plant ID books, my iPad, water, sunscreen and ran out the door. Well maybe not running, but I was super excited!
My two daughters and I headed first to Trestles Beach Trail and afterward, doubled back and explored Bluffs Beach at San Onofre State Beach. I have to say, what I saw, took my breath away.
Trestles Beach Trail to the north- San Onofre Bluff Campground south
Ok, are you ready to check out all of the plants at San Onofre State Beach in North County San Diego!
As we inch closer to the summer of 2019, many parents are looking for a summer surf camp for their kids. Well, I have done a bit of research for you by preparing a list of all of the San Diego surf camps offered in San Diego County.
I will first state general information regarding what age groups are covered, rates, student to instructor ratios, as well as any other additional information that will help you find just the right summer San Diego surf camp for your child. Please always refer to each business website for more in-depth information.
Let’s now have a look at what I found. I will first start in North County San Diego and finish down at Imperial Beach which is right next to the USA/Mexico border.
North County San Diego Surf Camps-So Much Diversity!
North County San Diego consists of San Onofre, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Solana Beach, and Del Mar. Let’s have a look at what is offered.
Endless Summer Surf Camp-San Onofre State Beach
Trail Four Lifeguard Tower
The very first summer San Diego surf camp that I will be starting with is unique. You see, Endless Summer Surf Camp not only has a 5-day long day surf camp, but it also offers the option of staying and camping overnight.
Overnight students will camp out in tents up above Trails Beach at the San Onofre Bluff Campground which is located on the southern border of San Onofre State Beach off of Old Pacific Highway.
Six trails connect the coast to the San Onofre Bluff Campground, and Endless Summer Surf Camp is located right next to the beginning of Trail 4.
San Diego County has some of the best coastlines on the entire coast of California. From the rugged coast, with towering sandstone cliffs found in North County San Diego, all the way down to the open estuaries, and sandy beaches located in South County San Diego. Today I would like to list for you some of my favorite San Diego hikes that you too can experience, on the coast of San Diego.
All San Diego hikes listed are to be taken only with a negative low tide. Please make sure to check out the tide chart before embarking on your adventure, as some of these walks are dangerous if the tide comes up on you. A good rule of thumb would be to allow a couple of hours before the high tide comes back in. Remember, a very high tide always follows a really low tide.
One more thing. I have written extensively on all of these sites previously, and have linked each post appropriately, so click on the underlined links for more information.
San Diego has a long history of surf culture. Several of San Diego’s beaches are infamous because of this culture (Old Man’s, Windansea, Tourmaline Surfing Park). Today I would like to list some of the best surfing beaches in San Diego. It is important to note that I will be covering the entire San Diego County, starting North.
The ‘Cardiff Kook’ is placed right before downtown Encinitas
To add a bit of semblance to this list, I will be adding a linked google map to each site. I will also be specifying the wave type and direction, which swell/ wind combination works best, the reliability of the location as well as any additional information that I find interesting or have written about in a prior post.
This sign is located right near Swami’s, in Encinitas
Do you love the beach as much as me? Have you ever been to San Diego? With over 70 miles of coastline, San Diego has some of the most ravishing beaches in the world!
Well, today I would like to give you my short list of the five best San Diego beaches that you have to visit if you are ever down here!
I have written extensively about each area prior, so for more information click on the appropriate link. I have also included a short video for each site to help you get a ‘real’ feel for each beach. Please have a look!
#Click on any photo to see a larger version.
Top 5 Best San Diego Beaches
I would first like to state, that I am covering the entire San Diego County, (that is where the 70 miles of coast refers to.) I will be listing exciting things to do at each location.
Are you thinking about coming down to visit San Diego with your boat or sailboat? Did you happen to know that there are ten San Diego coastal boat launch ramps?
Here is a complete list of all available San Diego boat launch ramps. I will be concentrating on the entire county of San Diego but limited to only on the coast.
Also, I will be including smaller launch ramps where you may enter smaller boats, kayaks, and paddleboards.
Where are all of the San Diego Boat Launch Ramps?
South Shores Launch Ramp- Mission Bay
Did you happen to realize that San Diego County has three separate bays to launch out of- Oceanside, Mission Bay, and San Diego Bay? Altogether, there are ten different boat launch ramps.
A couple of months ago, I had the pleasure of going down to the San Dieguito Lagoon in Del Mar to go walking on the Coast to Crest Trail. Did you know that San Diego County has six coastal lagoons? The San Dieguito Lagoon is the largest of them all.
You see, this past year, I have been having a blast visiting all of the San Diego Lagoons and Nature Centers, and this was the last lagoon to visit on my list.
Walking the Coast to Crest Trail at the San Dieguito Lagoon
The San Dieguito Lagoon is located in North County San Diego and is 21 miles north of Downtown San Diego. The lagoon is part of the San Dieguito River Park which spans over 92,000 acres!
I am ashamed to admit, that even though I have been living in the San Diego area for over 30 years, I have never heard of, much less been on, the La Jolla Coast Walk Trail.
Do not get me wrong, because I have been up and down the coast of La Jolla (pronounced La Hoya) more times than I can count. It is one of my most revered areas in San Diego hands down. So when I came across this hiking trail while researching, I knew that I must go! Would you like to join me on a tour of the La Jolla Coast Trail?
Before we start our tour, I would like to mention that I have written extensively about walking the La Jolla coastline in a previous post- Let’s Take a La Jolla Coast Walk.
But to be fair, that post only concentrated on the area just west of Downtown La Jolla and ended at The Cave Store. Today I would like to continue the hike, by following the path past The Cave Store and walking on the official La Jolla Coast Walk Trail. Confusing? Well, I sure hope not after you finish reading this!
So are you visiting San Diego and want to experience the water? I know of a great way of doing just that, but without getting seasick. May I suggest to you, a San Diego Bay cruise?
I believe that there is no better way to enjoy the saltwater environment than being on it. After doing a little research, I found some interesting cruises. Take a look for yourself, at the wide variety of San Diego Bay cruises that are available.
It should be noted before I begin, that I will only be listing San Diego Bay cruises, not whale watching or fishing tours as I have written about both extensively. If you would like more information regarding whales or fish, please refer to the two previous posts that I have linked.
Let’s now see all of the San Diego Bay cruises and which one is best for you, shall we?
One of the best ways of experiencing a marine environment is being out on the water. The purpose of this post is to concentrate on Mission Bay and list all of the available Mission Bay cruises that are offered.
To begin with, I want to take the time here to mention that all cruises that I will be listing do not include whale watching or fishing. I have written extensively on both previously, so please click on the above-underlined links if you would like to get any further information.
Mission Bay History
Mission Bay, home to San Diego’s pride and joy, Seaworld, is located just 13 miles north of Downtown San Diego.
Originally a salt marsh, the city of San Diego put a concerted effort to transform Mission Bay into an aquatic park known as Mission Bay Park. The development of the park initially started in the mid-1940s and continued throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
Once finished, Mission Bay Park spanned over 4235 acres with a combined total of 27 miles of coastline, making it the largest man-made water park in the country! In fact, if you like the ratio’s- Mission Bay Park is 54%water and 46% land.
That is a lot of water! So let’s get on the water now!
One of the best ways to experience Oceanside Harbor up close and personal is to go on a Harbor cruise. Or even better, going out of the Harbor and exploring the coastline. Here, I would like to present to you a list of all possible Oceanside harbor cruises. As you are about to see, Oceanside Harbor cruises have a little bit of something for everyone. Just have a look!
I have previously written and listed all of the possible whale watching tours as well as all San Diego Sportfishing Party boats offered in San Diego County in two other posts. Please click on the links above for any additional information concerning whale watching or fishing tours in Oceanside.
A Variety of Oceanside Harbor Cruises
There are many cruises to choose from so let’s see what Oceanside Harbor has to offer, shall we?
Today I would like to take you on a mini photo tour of San Diego Bay! Will you join me?
First off, fun fact.
Did you know that the San Diego Bay was mentioned in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848?
After the U.S-Mexican War, the Treaty (which is still in effect) specifically pointed out that the entirety of the San Diego Bay would belong to the United States.
Discovering San Diego Bay Via Photos
Sailing San Diego Bay
The San Diego Bay is a natural deepwater harbor which is found minutes away from the border of Mexico and the United States and is the third largest bay in California after San Fransico Bay and Humboldt Bay.
The San Diego Bay is over 12 miles long and 1-3 miles wide and is separated into two sections:
North Bay-North Island, Shelter Island, Spanish Landing, Harbor Island, Coronado, Embarcadero
South Bay -National City, Chula Vista, Siver Strand, Imperial Beach
So today we will be starting our tour up north at the mouth of the bay. We will then continue to make our way on the east shore of the Bay going south and finally making our way back up north on the western shore of San Diego Bay.
Here I present to you a comprehensive list of the best San Diego birding hotspots. I will be including all of San Diego County starting first to the north and making my way south. Each site will consist of a link to an address; as well as, habitat type, amenities, tour information (if available,) and finally any notable birds of interest.
Did you know that there are many free San Diego birding tours offered all over San Diego County? I will also be including any insider information that I turn up in my research; such as prime locations within each site.
Hi! Have you ever explored a wetland before? Well, today I would like to share with you a place that you would never expect to be so wonderful-Famosa Slough in Ocean Beach. First off, what is a slough? According to the dictionary, a slough (pronounced slōō) is a swamp or shallow lake that is usually the backwater of a larger body of water with relatively low water circulation.
In other words, we can think of a slough as a wetland a little farther from the shore compared to say, a lagoon where the mouth opens to the ocean. Another way to look at is, is that a slough is the part of the estuary where fresh water from creeks and urban runoff mix with the salty ocean water that is transported by the tides.
At the beginning of Summer, I took my two daughters to go and check out the Living Coast Discovery Center, located in the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I had not been there for over 30 years, so needless to say I was super excited to go back!
Where is the Living Coast Discovery Center?
First off, The Living Coast Discovery Center is in South Bay, San Diego-Chula Vista, which is 12.4 miles from Downtown San Diego.
San Diego South Bay consists of everything south of Downtown San Diego to the Mexican Border; which includes National City, Chula Vista, Coronado, and Imperial Beach.
