Mission Beach

What Makes Mission Beach Special

Mission Beach sits on a narrow strip of land barely two blocks wide. The 3-mile boardwalk runs along the ocean side from South Mission Beach all the way north into Pacific Beach, while Mission Bay — the country's largest aquatic park — sits just two blocks east. You can paddleboard at sunrise, surf by mid-morning, and watch volleyball at sunset all without moving the car.

Belmont Park is the centerpiece. Built in 1925, the wooden Giant Dipper roller coaster is one of only two surviving wooden coasters from the 1920s on the West Coast and is a National Historic Landmark.

Best Things to Do in Mission Beach

Ride the Giant Dipper at Belmont Park — under $10 and a real piece of California history.

Bike the full Mission Beach boardwalk into PB. Cruiser rentals start at $10/hr from any of the boardwalk shops.

South Mission Jetty: walk out to the rocks for some of the best sunset photos in San Diego.

Beach volleyball at the South Mission courts — pickup games every weekend afternoon.

Paddleboard or kayak Mission Bay from the calmer bay-side beaches like Bonita Cove.

Belmont Park: A Brief History

Belmont Park opened on July 4, 1925 as 'Mission Beach Amusement Center' — the brainchild of sugar magnate John D. Spreckels, who hoped to drive streetcar ridership out to the beach. The wooden Giant Dipper roller coaster, designed by famed coaster engineer Frank Prior, opened with the park and is still running today on the original 1925 wooden track structure.

By the 1970s the park had fallen into disrepair, and the Giant Dipper was nearly demolished. A grassroots 'Save the Coaster' effort in 1988 rescued it, and the National Park Service designated the Giant Dipper a National Historic Landmark in 1987 — one of only two surviving wooden coasters from the 1920s on the West Coast.

Mission Bay: The Underrated Half

Most visitors only see the ocean side of Mission Beach, but the bay side — just two blocks east — is the real local secret. Mission Bay is the largest aquatic park in the country (4,200 acres), and the Mission Beach side has calm beaches, easy paddleboard launches, and grassy parks perfect for picnics.

Bonita Cove on the south end is the best protected swimming spot for small kids in the city. Santa Clara Point hosts the Mission Bay Aquatic Center, which rents kayaks, SUPs, sailboats, and offers lessons in everything from windsurfing to wakeboarding at some of the lowest prices in San Diego.