I would like to have all of my San Diego County beach videos in one place on this page. I take pride in that we have some gorgeous beaches here in San Diego!
With San Diego County having over 70 miles of coast, there is something for everyone! From the wild, untouched beaches of San Onofre down to the most significant National Estuarine Research Center right on the Mexican Border, the beaches of San Diego County are waiting for you!
Have a look for yourself!
I have underlined and linked all appropriate material that I have written about for each site. Please feel free to explore and look around at all of the information!
Table of Contents
San Onofre State Beach is on the northern border of San Diego County. I highly recommend visiting this Beach, as it is so primitive. As you can see, I have two videos of San Onofre State Beach (I love this place!) I took the first in winter and the second in summer. Have fun and compare the seasonal shorelines! Please see the link above for more information.
The Trail to Trestles Beach is located on the NW corner of San Onofre State Beach. This Beach is known worldwide due to the famous surf breaks offshore. Click on the link for more information!
Here is one of my all-time favorite spots in San Diego! I adore the makeshift garden that the surfers have created! I also love how rustic and ‘natural’ this Beach is. To learn more, please click on the link above.
My family has always loved Oceanside Harbor- North County, San Diego’s only harbor. Whenever we have a beach day, we will come here to have our favorite fish, chips, and clam chowder in San Diego at Harbor Fish and Chips! Harborside Village is a collection of shops and restaurants on the harbor’s south side. On the harbor’s west side are Oceanside Harbor Beach and the location for the public boat launch.
Saint Malo Beach is found in southern Oceanside, just at the border with Carlsbad, and is known for its rich history and architecture, which has little to no information on the internet, which I found intriguing. Click on the above link for more details!
The Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation runs a Discovery Center in the lagoon’s southeast portion. You will find plenty of information regarding the lagoon, its flora, and its fauna here.
Click on the link above for more in-depth information.
—>Touring 10 North County San Diego Beaches<—
Hubbs Trail over at the NW portion of the Aqua Hedionda Lagoon offers a .5-mile hiking trail to stroll around the lagoon. Fishing is also popular at this lagoon, as well as paddle boarding.
Click on the above link for more information!
Warm Water Jetty beach is found just west of the Encina Power Plant and the Agua Hedionda Lagoon. Terramar Beach is just a bit south of here and is an excellent spot to check out the tide pools. Come and explore these beaches at a very low tide!
South Ponto Beach is found on the western border of the Batiquitos Lagoon in Carlsbad and on the edge of Carlsbad and Encinitas. Here you will find protected dunes as well as a fantastic bluff overlook!
—>Five Best Beaches You Must Visit!<—
If I had to pick my favorite spot on the 70 miles of San Diego coast, the beaches of Encinitas would win hands down. I can not tell you how many times in the last 30 years I have walked this stretch of Beach. There is something to be said about uncrowded beaches with towering sandstone cliffs that make you feel small. Click on the link above for more information!
—>The Beaches of Encinitas-A Photo Tour<—
Moonlight State Beach has always been a family favorite. The cove-like setting and soft sandy Beach provide summer fun hours. What I enjoy the most about this Beach is that you are right in the middle of Encinitas. Walking north, I checked out the Stonesteps Beach staircase and headed a bit south to climb the D Street Beach staircase. Both provide excellent photo opportunities! Let’s have a look!
Located right above Swami’s State Beach, this beautiful garden is open to the public, and I highly recommend visiting. Most of the park was planned and planted by Swami Paramahansa Yogananda in the early 1920s.
Here is another of my favorite spots in San Diego. The way that the Beach is set up looks somewhat like a cove and provides superb acoustics! The sandstone bluffs are covered in vegetation which is excellent habitat for birds. So even though the street is up above, all you can hear is the sound of crashing waves and the sweet sound of birds! It is a hidden paradise here! For more information, click on the link above!
Here we explore the San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center, located just east of Cardiff State Beach and right on the southern border of Encinitas in North County San Diego. The Nature Collective offers a plethora of information, from environmental to the area’s historical significance.
Here we will be exploring the coast of Solana Beach. We will start the journey at South Cardiff State Beach, followed by Tide Park Beach, Fletcher Cove Beach, Seascape Sur Beach, and Del Mar Shores Beach.
Come and join me as I travel the coast of Del Mar, visiting every Beach. We start at North Del Mar Dog Beach, then Seagrove Park and Powerhouse Park, Del Mar City Beach, and finish at the South Beach of Del Mar Beach Access.
Torrey Pines State Beach is found between Del Mar and the northern border of San Diego in the community of La Jolla. This Beach has always been a favorite since I moved here over thirty years ago. Here you have a fantastic surf-fishing beach, and the view from up above is out of this world. Please click on the above link for more information!
This reserve is located on the top of the bluffs above Torrey Pines State Beach and includes the Los Penasquitos Lagoon. I would rate this park the number one spot for a coastal hike! Home to the rarest pine tree in the nation- The Torrey Pines. Please click on the link above for more information!
Black’s Beach is on the southern end of Torrey Pines State Beach, and this Beach is one of the most extensive public nude beaches in the United States. The Beach is sectioned off, with the north beach being swimsuit-free, while the southern end is a must! Click on the link above for more information!
Scripps Coastal Reserve is an ecological reserve south of Black’s Beach on the bluffs overlooking Scripps Beach and La Jolla Shores Beach, a self-guided biodiversity trail. For more information, please click on the link above.
The La Jolla Coast Walk Trail’s starting point is next to The Cave Store and Goldfish Point, which is in the northern section of Downtown La Jolla. The Trail was created in 1932 and was given historical significance in 1990. Discover the sheltered Cave’s Beach and experience views that are out of this world!
North Pacific Beach is just north of the Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach. Here and the locations just north, including the Tourmaline Surfing Park, are great places to surf. Click on the link above for more information!
Dog Beach, found in Ocean Beach, is San Diego County’s only 24-hour leash-free dog park! Join me for a mini-tour of the backside of Dog Beach, where you may see and experience the wonder of the dunes.
The Famosa Slough is a 37-acre urban wetland habitat in Ocean Beach. In 2010 this area was classified as State Marine Reserve (SMR).
Sunset Cliffs Natural Park is just south of Ocean Beach in Point Loma. The park is broken into two sections: the Linear Section, which is right along the cliffs, as well as the hillside section, found at the southern end. Come and have a look at this spectacular place! Click on the above link for more information.
Coronado Island is just across San Diego Bay from Downtown San Diego. On the island’s west side stands the iconic Hotel del Coronado, built-in 1888. I have always loved coming here, primarily because of the dunes! Not many other places in San Diego have so much sand on the Beach. Also, it is essential to mention that Coronado Beach always makes the top ten beaches in the US. Click on the link above for more information!
Pepper Park Pier is located in Chula Vista, next to the Sweetwater River Channel and the San Diego shipyard. It is essential to mention that due to the proximity of the river channel, it is not recommended to fish here after a rainstorm. This is because the water’s salinity will drop considerably, and the fish will move to saltier water.
Bayside Pier is located right outside Chula Vista Harbor. One side of the pier faces the harbor, and the other faces San Diego Bay. The outside of the dock has better luck than the inside. Here you will find the bare minimum when it comes t fishing because there are no sinks.
Imperial Beach is the most southwesterly city in San Diego County and the United States! Located just two miles from the US/Mexico border, the town has a ‘beachy-vibe, with both a hip and nostalgic feel at the same time. Surf culture is evident everywhere, right down to surfboard benches at the Beach! Imperial Beach pier offers fabulous fishing and a view of the Coronado Islands in Mexico.
One thing to note is that Imperial Beach has some of the dirtiest water in the nation after a big storm, and this is because of Mexico’s raw sewage entering the ocean from the so th. It is a beautiful beach, but I would be hesitant to enter the water.
Here is a mini-tour of the Tijuana Estuary Visitor Cen er. I highly recommend visiting here first before venturing out into the park. You will find a great deal of valuable information that you can take with you to understand what you are seeing.
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View Comments
San Diego Is now on my list of places to visit. Videos are just amazing.
Hurry down here Patty! Thank you for commenting, I appreciate you stopping by :-)
Hey Colleen, that's a great collection of beach videos you have published here. Did you record all of them by yourself? I remember how my wife and I visited San Diego back on New Years Eve 2007/2008. I studied a year abroad in Tucson, AZ and when she visited me after three months, we decided to spend some time in San Diego. It was AWESOME!
You know, there is one thing I am missing on this page: An index/table of content on top of the page would be great that links to each video.
Otherwise: Great post :-)
All the best,
chris
Thank you for visiting Chris! Yes, I created all of the videos on my iPad. I am slowly learning along the way ;-). I agree San Diego is gorgeous with so much to do and see. Thanks again!
Colleen, this page is wonderful!! I love how I can visit each site and stay on one page. Well done.
These beaches are incredible. What a glorious place to live. I’ve been down there once or twice in the past, but it’s been ages. Guess it’s time to visit again soon.
I’m definitely bookmarking your site for future reference.
Cheers
Suzanne
Thank you so much for your kind words, Suzanne! I agree the beaches are incredible, and I never tire of going to the coast. I hope you will be able to make it down here soon!