Are you looking for a relatively easy hike at the beach in San Diego? Well, look no further! I’m always up to checking out the coastline, so I’m excited when I find a new trail to explore! Today, I will showcase four new trails- The Bayshore Trail, the Rio West Trail, the elusive Broken Hill Trail, and another popular offshoot of the Trestles Beach Trail. Ready? Let us look at a few more unique San Diego Beach hikes.
Hiking The Bayshore Trail at Cabrillo National Monument
Cabrillo Trail Map
Trailhead
San Diego Bay Inlet
Mid-Trail
End of Trail
The first time I visited the Cabrillo National Monument in Point Loma, just north of the San Diego Bay Inlet, I concentrated my time at the Nature Center and the tide pools. Today that changed as I ventured south to hike right above San Diego Bay.
I have always had a deep-seated passion for the Ocean Environment which ultimately led me to receive a degree in Marine Biology. Living in the San Diego area for over 30 years, I have extensively explored the 70 miles of San Diego’s coastline, and I am here to share! Please use my website to your advantage and have a look around at all the wonders that the beaches of San Diego can offer you!
Boy, oh boy! What a year 2022 was! Yes? I didn’t get to the coast as much as I had wished, but I did have many stellar moments! Today as an homage to the year, I would like to share the best of the best photography and a few moments revisited in my annual 2022 year in review.
Please bear with me as I am trying to remember everything by just looking back at the photos.
Ready?
Let’s go!
January 2022- Bird Rock La Jolla
I can’t tell you how awesome it was to experience La Jolla on an extremely low tide; the views here are more than otherworldly.
Notable Moments–
One thing that stuck out to me today was the number of dogs walking around on the tide pools. This area is a part of a State Marine Conservation Area, so seeing the dogs walking on the tide pools made me cringe.
I was thrilled that I was able to witness Bird Rock on a King Low Tide because the last time I experienced this was in 1990! I had a marine invertebrate zoology field trip while in college.
My only regret was that we didn’t walk further north, as I would have loved to see what Calumet Beach looked like. I love how the waves sound over there because of the large stones hitting each other.
I have always had a deep-seated passion for the Ocean Environment which ultimately led me to receive a degree in Marine Biology. Living in the San Diego area for over 30 years, I have extensively explored the 70 miles of San Diego’s coastline, and I am here to share! Please use my website to your advantage and have a look around at all the wonders that the beaches of San Diego can offer you!
It was announced on January 18 that the Rip Curl World Surf League (WSL) Finals would be at Trestles this year! That’s right! In a one-day, winner-takes-all surfing event, Trestles will be where the Championship finals will take place in September!
The 2022 WSL Championship Tour kicked off at the world-famous Banzai Pipeline on O’ahu’s North Shore on January 29. The top men and women surfers from around the world competed together at this legendary surf break.
Never before have both men and women surf the Pipeline together while competing.
WSL Men and Women Surf Competition to be Combined
A surfboard resting over at Lowers
WSL will combine the men’s and women’s Championship Tours for the first time. As noted above, never before have men and women competed at the same time or won the same prize money.
Well, this year, that has changed.
The 2022 Championship Tour (CT) Season will start with 36 men and 18 women. Halfway through the season, the field will be reduced to 24 men and 12 women.
The top-rated wave riders will automatically qualify for the 2023 season, go on to the tour’s second half, and be joined by two men’s and women’s wildcards.
WSL Championship Tour-Surfing in Over Seven Countries!
Before the Finals take over at Trestles, the WSL Championship Tour will include ten regular-season events at some very exotic locations. I’m not familiar with many of these beaches, so I thought it would be fun to do a bit of a deep dive into each location’s waves.
I will be going over specific wave characteristics of each location, noting the type and direction of each wave, the ideal swell, tide, wind, season, and how big each site can ultimately get.
I’m not a surfer, so please be patient with me and feel free to offer any suggestions if any information is incorrect or slightly off, mainly which surf breaks are used in the Championship Tour.
I have always had a deep-seated passion for the Ocean Environment which ultimately led me to receive a degree in Marine Biology. Living in the San Diego area for over 30 years, I have extensively explored the 70 miles of San Diego’s coastline, and I am here to share! Please use my website to your advantage and have a look around at all the wonders that the beaches of San Diego can offer you!
I apologize for getting this information out so late, but here it is! Starting this week, the San Diego Bird Festival will be happening over at the Marina Village Conference Center in Quivira Basin, Mission Bay.
If you love birds, this conference is especially for you!
Let’s take a look at everything that the Festival has to offer- from fantastic field trips, thought-provoking lectures, as well as a prominent vendor Exhibit Hall which has everything you didn’t know that you needed!
I have always had a deep-seated passion for the Ocean Environment which ultimately led me to receive a degree in Marine Biology. Living in the San Diego area for over 30 years, I have extensively explored the 70 miles of San Diego’s coastline, and I am here to share! Please use my website to your advantage and have a look around at all the wonders that the beaches of San Diego can offer you!
Boy, was I excited to finally go to the beach on May 24, 2020? Is anyone else happy to get out of their houses, too? I was so pleased to go to San Onofre State Beach twice a week. Because of the lockdown in California, I could not witness the beginning of the wildflower season. So my main objective on this first day back to the beach was to see as many plants as possible! The first time we headed to Trestles, and the following Friday, I explored the southern section, just under San Onofre Campground at Bluffs Beach (or Trails Beach). Below, I would love to share with you what I saw- all the plants at the beach I encountered.
Previous to this beach adventure, I had just finished a post on Southern California Native Plants. This post has documented all the plants and wildflowers I encountered in the scrub and Southern Oak Woodland behind my neighborhood during Lock-Down in 2020. After hours and hours of research, I sure learned a tremendous amount!
Plant Names Given by San Diego Native InhabitantsÂ
I have recently been fascinated with Native American uses of the native plants in the area (Ethnobotany), so I thought I would continue with the same format I followed for my previous native plant post.
The Kumeyaay people were the first known original inhabitants of San Diego, with meyaay translating to ‘those who face the water from a cliff.” (Click on the link to hear the correct way to pronounce Kumeyaay)
I have always had a deep-seated passion for the Ocean Environment which ultimately led me to receive a degree in Marine Biology. Living in the San Diego area for over 30 years, I have extensively explored the 70 miles of San Diego’s coastline, and I am here to share! Please use my website to your advantage and have a look around at all the wonders that the beaches of San Diego can offer you!
Hey! Have you ever seen an earthquake fault line? No? Well, today is your lucky day! Referred to as the Cristianitos fault, you can walk right up to it over at San Onofre State Beach.  Now I need to state this fact upfront so there will be no confusion. I am not a geologist; therefore, please be patient with me. If I make an incorrect claim, do not hesitate to correct me in the comments at the end of the post. I love to learn new things and will not be offended at all. Several references have helped me tremendously, but I have left them below. I encourage you to check them out!
Let’s take a trip to San Onofre State Beach (my favorite beach in San Diego) and investigate the Cristianitos fault line. As a bonus, I will highlight other unique geological features here at this fabulous State Beach.
Wait, what?! A nuclear generating station? Next to a fault line?
SONGS is no longer active and has been decommissioning for several years now. But obviously, the question is, why build a nuclear power plant right next to an earthquake fault line? (Click on the above link for more detailed decommissioning information.)
#Click on any photo for a larger version
The Cristianitos Fault Line-Shake, Rattle, & Roll?
I have always had a deep-seated passion for the Ocean Environment which ultimately led me to receive a degree in Marine Biology. Living in the San Diego area for over 30 years, I have extensively explored the 70 miles of San Diego’s coastline, and I am here to share! Please use my website to your advantage and have a look around at all the wonders that the beaches of San Diego can offer you!
Today I would like to share with you all one of my most awe-inspiring places to go to in San Diego County. Every time I am here, I never want to leave. Wherever you look, there is something incredible to see. Even the sounds here are sweet! If you enjoy taking photos, San Onofre State Beach is THE place you must visit!  The views here are extraordinary! Situated on top of towering sandstone cliffs, San Onofre Bluffs Campground has some of the best coastal hiking trails to experience in North County, San Diego.
There are seven 1/4 mile hiking trails that lead you down to the beach, as well as countless numbers of ravines, gullies, arroyos, and barrancas.  I think you will love it here, especially if you appreciate a wild and undeveloped beach, which is my favorite type of beach!
On this particular day, my daughter and I started over at Trail Six (see map below) and set up a tent to relax.
My goal on this day was to explore vast amounts of uncharted territory by exploring a few narrow sandstone gullies and a wider barranca south of Trail Six.
Would you care to see what I experienced?
Below, I have provided a campground map to understand the terrain and location better.
*Of particular note- in case you notice the pink hue in some of the photos, this is because of all of the fires that were (some still are) burning while I was here.
I have always had a deep-seated passion for the Ocean Environment which ultimately led me to receive a degree in Marine Biology. Living in the San Diego area for over 30 years, I have extensively explored the 70 miles of San Diego’s coastline, and I am here to share! Please use my website to your advantage and have a look around at all the wonders that the beaches of San Diego can offer you!
Seeing how I have been homebound during this unprecedented Worldwide Lockdown (I am sure you can relate), I had the time to do some shark research. I have always wondered how often sharks are seen off the coast of San Diego. Through the years, I have heard rumors, but seeing that I had a bunch of time on my hands, I set out to find all I could about San Diego shark sightings and encounters that happened off the coastline.
Sharks have fascinated me since I was a little girl, and my first scientific report was on the hammerhead shark in fourth grade.
Something so powerful and alluring about sharks tugging deep at your primal soul: the coldness of the eyes and the methodic tail movements that propel them through the water always captures my attention and imagination. I mean, the fact that sharks have been around for over 400 million years blows me away!
But I digress.
My mind was running wild while reading the fascinating shark encounter reports. It was a welcome reprieve to escape the world’s chaos.
So, why not document the various shark sightings/ encounters in San Diego County, beach by beach? It would make for a great addition to my website, as well as for my curiosity. Â
Sad News From Santa Cruz, California
While writing this article, something truly tragic happened off the coast of Northern California at 1:30Â pm on May 11.
On the northern end of Monterey Bay, Ben Kelly, 26 years old, was attacked and killed by a shark while surfing. The tragedy occurred 100 yards (91 meters) from the shore of Sand Dollar Beach at Manresa State Beach, Santa Cruz.
Kelly was surfing with a friend, who said they could swim back to shore but could not stop the bleeding.
Experts also noted that this area is notorious for juvenile great white shark sightings and is called “Shark Park.”
But a juvenile did not attack Ben, as experts reported the shark to have been larger than 10 feet.
What Types of Sharks Are Found off the Coast of San Diego County?
Terramar Beach
Before I get into all the critical shark sighting data I have uncovered, I thought I would first make a list of possible sharks seen in and around San Diego waters.
To go one step further, I have separated them into Coastal and Pelagic groups. Down below are the definitions given to simplify the difference between the two.
I have always had a deep-seated passion for the Ocean Environment which ultimately led me to receive a degree in Marine Biology. Living in the San Diego area for over 30 years, I have extensively explored the 70 miles of San Diego’s coastline, and I am here to share! Please use my website to your advantage and have a look around at all the wonders that the beaches of San Diego can offer you!
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 the rain we got this winter season, I was extremely excited to see how all the coast plants looked. Did the California super bloom affect the coast?
So I grabbed my backpack, filled it with plant ID books, my iPad, water, and 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 the San Onofre State Beach plants in North County, San Diego?
I have always had a deep-seated passion for the Ocean Environment which ultimately led me to receive a degree in Marine Biology. Living in the San Diego area for over 30 years, I have extensively explored the 70 miles of San Diego’s coastline, and I am here to share! Please use my website to your advantage and have a look around at all the wonders that the beaches of San Diego can offer you!
Have you ever been to San Diego? With over 70 miles of coastline, San Diego has some of the most enchanting beaches in the world! Do you love the beach as much as I do?
Today, I would like to give you my shortlist of the five best San Diego beaches you must visit if you are ever down here!
I have written extensively about each area, so 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!
Top 5 Best San Diego Beaches
I would first like to state that I am covering the entire San Diego County (where the 70 miles of coast refer.) I will be listing exciting things to do at each location.
I have always had a deep-seated passion for the Ocean Environment which ultimately led me to receive a degree in Marine Biology. Living in the San Diego area for over 30 years, I have extensively explored the 70 miles of San Diego’s coastline, and I am here to share! Please use my website to your advantage and have a look around at all the wonders that the beaches of San Diego can offer you!
Say, are you looking for dog-friendly beaches in San Diego? There is no better feeling than sharing the outdoors together as a dog owner! And what better place to explore than at the beach!
Here I would like to present a comprehensive list of all the dog-friendly beaches in San Diego. I will cover the entire San Diego County, starting north and making my way to the U.S./ Mexico Border.
I have added a # to specify which location is leash-free.
I have always had a deep-seated passion for the Ocean Environment which ultimately led me to receive a degree in Marine Biology. Living in the San Diego area for over 30 years, I have extensively explored the 70 miles of San Diego’s coastline, and I am here to share! Please use my website to your advantage and have a look around at all the wonders that the beaches of San Diego can offer you!
Trestles Beach is a collection of surf breaks located at the northern border of San Onofre State Beach. Saying that this beach is world-famous is an understatement! The Hurley Pro is held here!
I went over this area a bit in a previous post on San Onofre State Beach, but today I would like to concentrate on the Beach Trail leading to Trestles Beach.
The Beach Trail going east also becomes the Panhe Nature trail, which I have also written about if you are interested.
Recently, I have been teaching myself about all of the Southern California native plant species, so today, I would like to point out a few to you if you do not mind. It helps me!
Once we arrive at Trestles, I will also showcase the San Mateo Creek/ Lagoon, which ends at the beach, and check out the surfers and the dunes.
I have always had a deep-seated passion for the Ocean Environment which ultimately led me to receive a degree in Marine Biology. Living in the San Diego area for over 30 years, I have extensively explored the 70 miles of San Diego’s coastline, and I am here to share! Please use my website to your advantage and have a look around at all the wonders that the beaches of San Diego can offer you!
Panhe Nature Trail connects the San Mateo Campground to Trestles Beach on the Northeastern San Onofre State Beach border. Here you may witness firsthand what ‘Old California ‘ used to be.
Would you like to join me for a tour?
Let’s go.
Discovering The Panhe Nature Trail
Panhe was one of the largest villages of the Acjachemen (Ah-HAWSH-eh-men) native people who were the original inhabitants of Southern California (12,000BC-1542 AD).
In 1769, the first close contact between the Acjachemen, Spanish explorers, and the Catholic Missionaries occurred at this spot. As well as the site for the very first baptism in California! The site is marked by a cross, which still stands today.
I have always had a deep-seated passion for the Ocean Environment which ultimately led me to receive a degree in Marine Biology. Living in the San Diego area for over 30 years, I have extensively explored the 70 miles of San Diego’s coastline, and I am here to share! Please use my website to your advantage and have a look around at all the wonders that the beaches of San Diego can offer you!
San Onofre State Beach is over 3000 acres of sandy and rocky beaches, weathered bluffs, and coastal wetlands located on the northernmost border of San Diego County and 3 miles south of the city of San Clemente in Orange County.Â
My family and I love to explore this area!
Over 2.5 million people frequent San Onofre State Beach every year, making it one of the top five most visited state parks in California.
Come and join me for a tour!
Fun Fact- “Onofre” in Spanish means defender of peace.
I have always had a deep-seated passion for the Ocean Environment which ultimately led me to receive a degree in Marine Biology. Living in the San Diego area for over 30 years, I have extensively explored the 70 miles of San Diego’s coastline, and I am here to share! Please use my website to your advantage and have a look around at all the wonders that the beaches of San Diego can offer you!
