SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA/USA - FEBRUARY 03, 2018:  Many people play with their dogs near the rock jetty at the water's edge of Dog Beach, one of the first official leash-free beaches in the U.S.; Shutterstock ID 1048968695; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

Sherry V Smith/Shutterstock


Your pooch can go leash free at this sandy spot in Ocean Beach. A large parking area is available.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby San Diego attractions

1. Ocean Beach Coast

0.05 MILES

Just north of the pier, near the end of Newport Ave, is the beach scene’s epicenter, with volleyball courts and sunset barbecues. Further north on Dog…

2. Ocean Beach Pier

0.45 MILES

This half-mile-long pier has all the architectural allure of a freeway ramp, but at its end you’ll have a great perspective on the coast. There’s also a…

3. Ocean Beach Farmers Market

0.51 MILES

If you’re here on Wednesday afternoon, stop by the farmers market to see street performers and sample fresh food.

4. Belmont Park

1.25 MILES

This old-style family amusement park has been a Mission Beach fixture since 1925. The star attraction is the Giant Dipper, a classic wooden roller coaster…

5. SeaWorld San Diego

1.7 MILES

Opened in San Diego in 1964, SeaWorld became one of California’s most popular theme parks. Visitors shuttle between aquatic-themed rides, animal…

6. Mission Bay

1.86 MILES

Just east of Mission and Pacific Beaches is this 7-sq-mile playground, with 27 miles of shoreline and 90 acres of parks on islands, coves and peninsulas…

7. Mission & Pacific Beaches Boardwalk

2.67 MILES

Central San Diego's best beach scene is concentrated in a narrow strip of land between the ocean and Mission Bay. There's great people-watching along the…

8. Old Town San Diego State Historic Park

3.15 MILES

On the site of San Diego's first European settlement, Old Town consists of a cluster of restored or rebuilt historic 19th-century buildings filled with…

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