TIPS
Local know-how for San Diego — where to go, what it costs, what trips people up — checked against the agency, the dataset or the law that decides it, and dated so you can see how fresh it is.
32 tips · showing 16–30
Where can you camp on the beach in San Diego?
At three state beaches (South Carlsbad, San Elijo in Cardiff, and Silver Strand for self-contained RVs only) and at private Campland on the Bay in Mission Bay. State sites open on ReserveCalifornia six months ahead at 8 a.m. and go fast.
Booking window6 months
The best places to learn to surf in San Diego
La Jolla Shores or Tourmaline. Both are sheltered from the swell direction that makes the other breaks heavy — the Shores by Point La Jolla, Tourmaline by being a designated surf park with no swimmers in the water.
Best beginner breakLa Jolla Shores
Can I take my dog to the beach in San Diego?
Yes, but not in the middle of the day. City beaches bar dogs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. between April and October, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. between November and March. Dog Beach in Ocean Beach and Fiesta Island are off-leash all day.
April – OctoberNo dogs 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Can you drink alcohol on the beach in San Diego?
No. Alcohol is prohibited on City of San Diego beaches, the cliffs, walkways, park areas and the adjacent parking lots. Glass containers and smoking are banned in the same areas.
Alcohol on the beachProhibited
How to read a San Diego surf report
Read the seconds, not the feet. Period is the gap between waves and it decides whether a swell is organised groundswell or local wind chop — four feet at 16 seconds and four feet at 6 seconds are completely different days.
What the buoy measuresSignificant wave height
How to spot a rip current before you get in the water
Look from high ground for a dark, narrow gap in the line of breaking waves, or a patch of choppy water heading straight out. Watch for several minutes — and know that rip currents form on calm, sunny days, not just rough ones.
Typical flow1–2 ft/second
Is it safe to swim after it rains in San Diego?
No. San Diego County advises staying out of the ocean and bays for 72 hours after rain stops. The trigger is a fifth of an inch, and no warning signs go up for it — the beach will look completely normal.
Wait after rain72 hours
The calmest water for small kids in San Diego
The bay side, not the ocean side. Mission Bay is a sheltered aquatic park protected from Pacific swell — that distinction matters far more for small kids than which beach town you pick.
When is the water warm enough to swim without a wetsuit?
August is the peak at about 68°F, with July and September close behind around 66–67°F. June is only 64–65°F despite feeling like summer — the water lags the air by roughly two months.
Warmest monthAugust, about 68°F
Half-day, full-day or overnight: which San Diego fishing trip actually catches tuna?
Not the half-day. Half-day boats fish the kelp for bass, yellowtail and barracuda for about $80. Tuna usually means a full-day or overnight trip, and bluefin mostly 1.5 days or more. Bluefin season runs roughly May to October.
Half day~$80
Is your San Diego vacation rental legal? How to check its license before you book
Ask the host for the STRO license number, then look it up on the City's active-license list or map. Mission Beach's whole-home cap is full, so an unlicensed whole house there is a red flag. This applies inside City of San Diego limits only.
Where to checkCity license list & map
The best hotels in Mission Bay, Mission Beach and Pacific Beach
Paradise Point, Hyatt Regency Mission Bay, The Dana and San Diego Mission Bay Resort for calm bay water; Bahia and Catamaran in Mission Beach; Crystal Pier, Tower23, Pacific Terrace and The Wayfarer on the sand in PB.
Hotels picked10
Where to watch your college football team in San Diego: the alumni bars, school by school
Ohio State: American Junkie or Oggi's Del Mar. Michigan: The Local PB or Tower 13. Iowa: PB Alehouse. Plus Penn State, USC, Oregon, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M and more, from club pages.
Schools covered17
Where to watch your NFL team in San Diego: fan-club bars for every team we could find
Steelers at Break Point, Packers at Miss B's, Bears at 710 Beach Club, Vikings at Garage, Browns at The Tilted Stick, Bills at The Local PB, Chiefs at Kansas City Barbeque, and 13 more teams' home bars.
Teams covered20 of 32
What do people get wrong about visiting in June?
That June is a sunny beach month. It's usually the grayest stretch of the year on the coast — "June Gloom" — while inland areas a few miles east are clear and hot. And the water is still only about 64–65°F.
Sunny days, June58%
