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Which piers you can walk, which you can fish from without a license, and where to park at each.
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San Diego County has four piers worth planning around. Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach is the unusual one — a private pier with rentable cottages built on it, open to the public during daylight hours. Ocean Beach Pier, once the longest concrete pier on the West Coast, has been closed to the public because of storm damage while the city works through a replacement project, so check the current status before going. Imperial Beach Pier is the quiet southern option with a good sunset and easy parking, and Oceanside Pier in North County is the longest wooden pier in the West and the most family-friendly, with a restaurant at the end. On any public pier in California you can fish without a fishing license, though bag limits and size rules still apply.
| Pier | Status / length | Parking and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crystal Pier | Open daylight hours · ~870 ft | Pacific Beach · street parking only, hard in summer |
| Ocean Beach Pier | Closed for storm damage / replacement | Check city status before visiting |
| Imperial Beach Pier | Open · ~1,500 ft | Free lot and street parking, rarely full |
| Oceanside Pier | Open · ~1,900 ft, longest wooden pier in the West | Paid lots nearby, Coaster train stops steps away |
| Shelter Island Pier | Open · bayside fishing pier | Free lot, calm water, good for kids |
The only pier in California you can sleep on.
Pacific Beach · Free · Daylight hours only
Built in 1927, Crystal Pier carries a row of small cottages you can rent by the night, with the ocean directly under the floor. The public can walk the pier during daylight hours; the gate closes at night and cottage guests drive out onto the pier to park.
Local tip: Cottages book six to eleven months ahead for summer. Walk out at sunset for the best view back at the PB boardwalk.
Pacific Beach · Free street parking, very tight
There's no dedicated lot. Free two-hour and unrestricted street parking runs along Mission Boulevard and the numbered streets, but summer weekends fill by 9am. Park inland five blocks and walk.
Closed, and its future is being decided. Plan around it.
Ocean Beach · Closed to the public
Repeated winter storms damaged the 1966 concrete pier badly enough that the city closed it and moved toward a replacement rather than another round of repairs. Timelines have shifted more than once — check the City of San Diego's project page before planning a visit.
Local tip: The beach, the tide pools south toward Sunset Cliffs and the Newport Avenue shops are all still open and worth the trip.
Less famous, less crowded, easier to park at.
Imperial Beach · Free · Open daily
The southernmost pier in California, quiet on weekdays with a wide beach and a clear westward sunset. Parking is easy compared to the north-county beaches.
Oceanside · Free to walk · ~1,900 ft
The longest wooden pier on the West Coast, with a restaurant at the far end and a working surf break beneath. The Coaster commuter train stops a few blocks away, making it the easiest pier to reach car-free from downtown San Diego.
Point Loma · Free · Bayside
A calm-water fishing pier on San Diego Bay with a free lot, cleaning stations and views back at the downtown skyline. The best pier for young kids and first-time fishing.
No. The pier has been closed to the public after storm damage while the city moves toward replacing it rather than repairing it again. Timelines have changed more than once, so check the City of San Diego's project page before you go. The beach and tide pools nearby remain open.
Yes, during daylight hours. The pier is privately operated with rentable cottages on it, but the public can walk out to the end while the gate is open. It closes at night.
No — California waives the license requirement for fishing from public piers. Size limits, bag limits and seasonal rules still apply, and hand-taken shellfish like lobster are not covered by the exemption.
Shelter Island Pier for calm bay water, free parking and fish-cleaning stations, or Oceanside Pier for length, a restaurant at the end and a train stop nearby.
There is no pier lot. Use free street parking on Mission Boulevard and the numbered streets, and expect to park several blocks inland on summer weekends after 9am.
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Written and fact-checked by the Sandi Spots Editorial team — San Diego residents publishing under Sleep Coast LLC. Every place we recommend has been visited in person or verified against an official source, and no business can pay for inclusion or a higher ranking. Last updated .