7 Best Snorkeling Beaches in San Diego

When you're visiting San Diego and looking for a premiere location for snorkeling, San Diego - La Jolla Underwater Park is one you won’t want to miss!

The underwater park is 6,000 acres of protected area revered by snorkelers and scuba dives alike. The City of San Diego designated the area containing the Ecological Reserve and the Marine Life Refuge for protection in 1971 and since that time it has become an incredible place to explore!

The park, located just offshore from the La Jolla Cove beach is boat access or swimming access only. Once you arrive, the waters are complete with everything you could possibly want for a day of snorkeling including a bit of protection from the most violent waves, a reef, a kelp forest and even sea caves.

You can expect to see Harbor Seals, California Sea Lions, colorful fish and as many as 120 local species, all in an afternoon exploring the area!

La Jolla Cove faces north on the edge of a 200-foot tall sandstone cliff which protects the waters and makes them perfect for snorkeling!

Closer to shore than the San Diego - La Jolla Underwater Park, the incredible snorkeling is accessible from shore. Seals, the Orange Garibaldi which is the California state fish and sea bass are just a few of the underwater creatures you may see while snorkeling the waters at this incredible beach.

The beach is also excellent for swimming if you’d rather exercise than explore and has restrooms, lifeguards and outdoor showers to rinse after a day in the water.

It is also noteworthy that no hard boards are allowed to enter the water at La Jolla Cove.

La Jolla Caves Beach gets its name from the seven unique caves that you will find at the base of sandstone cliffs when snorkeling at this beach.

Located between La Jolla Shores and La Jolla Cove, the rugged coastline gives way to an ocean floor full of sea caves used by pirates in the 1800’s. The caves all have their own names like Sunny Jim Cave (accessible via the Cave Store for a small fee), Sea Surprise Cave and Clam Cave to name a few.

Each cave offers a unique experience with opportunities to see sea lions, several species of brightly colored fish and even leopard sharks.

With a name like Turtle Town, what more do you need to know!

This hidden gem has an ocean depth of around 30 feet and is teeming with green sea turtles that call San Diego home. The turtles swim majestically through the red and green kelp and can be spotted without much difficulty when you visit the waters in the center of the marine sanctuary. This spot can be accessed if you walk south on La Jolla Shores beach and then swim out from there.

Do know that the marine turtles are endangered and protected by law under the Endangered Species Act. Viewing them in their natural habitat is an experience you won’t soon forget but please don’t try and touch or try to feed the turtles during your visit.

Shell Beach & Boomer Beach are two small beaches near La Jolla Caves Beach and The Children's Pool, just south of La Jolla Cove.

Snorkeling at these beaches is excellent but only on calmer days as the beaches are more exposed than La Jolla Cove just around the corner. These beaches are less crowded and feature kelp beds just offshore where you can see countless colorful fish species, seals as well as many other sea creatures.

When you need a break from snorkeling, the beaches are also great for collecting shells, body boarding and swimming.

On the southern end of La Jolla Shores beach near the end of the reserve, you’ll find the Marine Room Reefs, an excellent choice for a day of snorkeling in San Diego!

The shallow waters are home to rays, halibut, flat guitarfish and moray eels to name a few.

Leopard sharks can be found here in the summer. Don’t be afraid! They won’t hurt humans as they are more scared of us than we are of them.

If you continue traveling south from the Marine Room, you will find another incredible snorkeling spot in San Diego known as Devil’s Slide Reef. Located at the base of the sea cliffs, the area can be a bit challenging to access and is best left to snorkelers with a bit of experience.

Once you arrive, the area provides waters great for snorkeling that are full of fish including zebra perch and anchovies as well as crabs and other interesting marine life. You might even get lucky and see a some spotted horn sharks, the elusive octopus or maybe a leopard shark!