Two women chatting whilst stand up paddleboarding in Mission Bay.

©Corey Jenkins/Getty Images

Mission Bay

San Diego


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. Sailing, windsurfing and kayaking dominate northwest Mission Bay, while waterskiers zip around Fiesta Island. Kite flying is popular in Mission Bay Park, beach volleyball is big on Fiesta Island, and there’s delightful cycling and inline skating on the miles of bike paths.

Although hotels, boat yards and other businesses dot about one-quarter of the land, it feels wide open. Fun fact: Spanish explorers called this expanse at the mouth of the San Diego River 'False Bay' – it formed a shallow bay when the river flowed and a marshy swamp when it didn’t. After WWII, a combination of civic vision and coastal engineering turned it into a recreational area.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby San Diego attractions

1. Belmont Park

0.73 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…

2. Mission & Pacific Beaches Boardwalk

1.11 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…

3. SeaWorld San Diego

1.52 MILES

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

4. Dog Beach

1.86 MILES

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

5. Ocean Beach Coast

1.88 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…

6. Ocean Beach Pier

2.31 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…

7. Ocean Beach Farmers Market

2.33 MILES

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

8. Presidio Hill

3.18 MILES

In 1769 Padre Junípero Serra and Gaspar de Portolá established the first Spanish settlement in California overlooking the valley of the San Diego River…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "usa/san-diego/attractions/mission-bay/a/poi-sig/1424595/361857",
      "destination": "San-Diego",
      "continent": "North-America",
      "country": "USA",
      "region": "California",
      "city": "San-Diego",
      "position": "superzone"
    }