Good (calm water) beach in San Diego area

[carmel]

Looking for a calm, clean beach to take my kids wading in. No rocks to climb down to water and no giant waves. Been looking at La Jolla Cove . Thoughts???? We would be going on a weekday in July and don't really want to be in a crush of people either.

Thanks!!!

 

[PHXscuba]

Mission Bay is pretty calm because you don't get the big waves. Sand and fairly clean that I recall. Can't speak to crowds as we were there in October.

PHXscuba

 

[ahutton]

La Jolla Cove is pretty but is down a long set of stairs if I remember correctly. There are a lot of rocky outcroppings there in Scripps Park. Our favorite family beach is Mission Beach - we have lunch at the Subway across from the public parking lot and then walk down to the water!

 

[Cheshirecatty]

We love Mission Beach. We usually stay at the Catamaran Resort, and out the back side of the Hotel, is a beautiful, clean stretch of beach with VERY calm water. It is usually uncrowded, has a place to rent towels, kayaks, paddle boats, etc., has a snack bar, and is a really lovely situation. I don't believe you have to be a guest of the resort to take advantage of most everything. We always see a few families with pretty young children enjoying the beach there. We've been at most times of the year, and it was never crowded except a few days around July fourth!

 

[SMD]

Please check with the local lifeguard station or local agency that puts out the surf report before going to the beach. Any beach can look calm and have a strong undertow on any given day. I can't tell you how many times I never went in deeper than my knees with hardly any waves, but then looked up after awhile and realize that the current had taken me 20 yards down the beach.

 

[halfmonkey]

Mission Bay is probably the calmest beach in San Diego but I don't know if I would say it's the cleanest just simply because it's a secluded bay and well protected from the ocean currents. Therefore, you don't get the natural ocean currents cleaning out the water as much as say an open beach to the ocean.

Regarding La Joola Cove, I'm not sure if you're referring to the La Jolla SHores of the La Jolla Cliffs. The La Jolla Cliffs is where the Children's Pool is and it's not really the best place for the kids to play. It was originally created as a place for kids to play and without getting into all of the controversy about it's use now, although you technically legally can go there and play next to the seals, it's not the cleanest because of the seal poop and probably not the safest because we all know sharks eat seals and the water there is not very calm either.

La Jolla Shores is nice and we actually go there a lot but the parking is very limited and it gets very crowded so people park in the streets and it fills up very quickly.

I would recommend Coronado. It has white sand and although it is open to the ocean, I wouldn't say that the water is rough. Of course with all ocean facing beach, you have to be careful but it's a nice beach and of course, you'll be on Coronado island so it's a nice place to walk around after you're done with the beach.

Also, it seems that they have more space for parking and the beach is a lot bigger with a lot more sand area so I don't think you'll have to worry too much about overcrowding.

Have fun and good luck.

 

[Purrkins]

I always find Coronado to be the calmest of the beaches, unless a storm is coming in, then it kicks up nicely.

La Jolla Shores is a wonderful beach, lots of life guards and excellent parking.

La Jolla Cove is a great place for snorkeling and launching kayaks. Not so much for wading.

Children's Pool/Beach in La Jolla has been overrun by seals and not open to swimming (but totally worth a visit).

For what you are looking for tho, Mission Bay might be what you need. No waves at all as it is a protected bay. Also close to many hotels so perhaps near you.

In July all beaches will have some crowds but nothing like the weekends when they're totally packed.

Safe travels!

 

[Plasticletters]

I live in San Diego and frequent the beaches often.
What you are looking for is Coronado. You're not going to find another beach in San Diego with that combination of gentle/almost nonexistent waves (Missin Beach will have waves unless you go to the bay side - which isn't actually on the ocean itself per-say) and no rocks to contend with (La Jolla Cove is cut out of rocks and in between sea caves). Head to Coronado.

 

[ten6mom]

I am taking my boys (6&9) to San Diego next week and am also trying to decide which beach... just to play and relax. Mission sounds nice but there appears to be an amusement park there and I am trying to avoid that this trip.....

 

[eduk8r26]

We were at Coronado Thursday and the waves were pretty big.

 

[sonnyjane]

I am taking my boys (6&9) to San Diego next week and am also trying to decide which beach... just to play and relax. Mission sounds nice but there appears to be an amusement park there and I am trying to avoid that this trip.....

Belmont isn't exactly an "amusement park", couple of rides more like a county fair. Also that is just one very small part, about two blocks, of Mission Beach. Plenty of beach aside from that area.

 

[ten6mom]

Belmont isn't exactly an "amusement park", couple of rides more like a county fair. Also that is just one very small part, about two blocks, of Mission Beach. Plenty of beach aside from that area.

Good to know..... thank you!