12 Best Swimming Beaches in San Diego

La Jolla Cove in the popular neighborhood of La Jolla, is a safe and popular location to go for a swim thanks to the rocky extension of rocks that protects the area from larger Pacific Ocean waves that can make swimming more difficult in true open ocean water conditions.

La Jolla Cove is smaller than some of the nearby beaches such as La Jolla Shores beach and ideally suited for swimming and snorkeling for families and strong swimmers alike. Complete with lifeguards, outdoor showers and onsite restrooms, the beach is popular with daily or weekly local swimmers that enjoy the challenge of swimming back and forth to a buoy just offshore.

After a good swim, don’t miss the tide pools at low tide, especially at the nearby La Jolla Tide Pools beach.

When we think of San Diego’s most beautiful beaches, it doesn’t get much better than Coronado Central Beach on Coronado Island!

This white sands beach is family-friendly with generally calm waters, lifeguards on duty and restrooms for public use. Extending from Sunset Park to the iconic Hotel del Coronado, this San Diego beach is perfect for kids of all ages to play in the ocean without the challenges of battling huge waves.

When the sun starts to set and you’ve had your fill of swimming for the day, take a stroll on the boardwalk, enjoy the ocean breeze and take in the colors of a beautiful San Diego sunset.

Del Mar City Beach is the main beach in the popular San Diego neighborhood of Del Mar. Located about a half hour drive north of Downtown San Diego, the beach runs from San Dieguito River mouth to Powerhouse Park and is popular with swimmers looking for an open water challenge.

Exposed to the sea, the beach itself is still family-friendly with perfect sand for sandcastles or sunbathing but ocean conditions that are best left to more accomplished swimmers. Lifeguards dot the shoreline for safety and the surf can pick up at times which can add to the fun.

If you’re traveling with your dog, stop by nearby Del Mar Dog Beach and let your dog run in the sand and plow into the ocean. It’s fun to let your dog go for a swim in the ocean and this neighboring beach is the place to do it!

Seascape Beach in Solana is a sandy beach located below the high bluffs that is perfect for swimming in San Diego. The seas here can be steady and consistent, perfect for a swimsuit, goggles and some swimming.

With lifeguards and outdoor showers, this San Diego beach is also a popular spot for surfing with the winter months offering the largest waves. The long sandy beach is postcard perfect and a great one to consider for a morning swim or an evening sunset.

Fletcher Cove Beach, known locally as Pillbox, is Solana Beach’s central beach park and a great place to go for a swim! Just north of Seascape beach, you can expect plenty of sand once you walk down from the bluff to the seaside.

If you’re interested in surfing, after a nice swim in the cool ocean waters, consider renting a surfboard and trying your hand at catching a wave or two. The beach is not only a great place for a swim but like so many beaches in Southern California, a nice spot to surf as well!

Mission Beach is home to a mile of white sand, open space for sunbathing and great ocean waters for an afternoon swim.

The beach is one of the most iconic beaches in all of San Diego, complete with a boardwalk and the amusement park known as Belmont Park. Lifeguards are present year-round so you and your family can feel safe when diving in for a swim.

Glorietta Bay Park & Beach is a small, north-east facing beach in Coronado on the southside of San Diego. The beach is a great choice for families as it comes complete with picnic tables and a playground for the kids.

As with all the Coronado Beach Beaches, you can expect calmer waters for swimming, silky sand and unbelievable postcard views you won’t soon forget.

If time permits, consider visiting nearby Silver Strand State Beach, another excellent Coronado Beach for swimming.

Located on the northside of San Diego, Pier View North & Pier View South Beaches are great beaches to go for a swim!

The beaches feature a boardwalk, firepits and lifeguards for added piece of mind while venturing out for a swim. Many visitors come here to surf but the waters, especially in the summer months can be great for swimming as well.

You can’t miss these beaches for the pier that reaches out into the ocean and makes these beaches a great choice to enjoy!

As the northernmost beach in Carlsbad, Carlsbad City Beach is an excellent choice and one of the best beaches for swimming in San Diego!

Public access is possible by multiple stairways but the climb down is well worth the gorgeous views and lovely seas, perfect for a morning swim or family afternoon playing just offshore. Lifeguards are also on duty at this San Diego beach which is an added bonus.

Another Carlsbad nearby beach worth exploring is Tamarack Surf Beach, part of Carlsbad State Beach and great for surfing with lifeguards and restrooms facilities onsite.

If you prefer to swim in slightly warmer water, then Warm Water Jetty Beach in Carlsbad might be the perfect beach for you!

The beach gets its name from the Carlsbad Power Plant which adds warm water into the sea. Restrooms are onsite as well as lifeguards. Many people enjoy going surfing at the beach as well.

If you want to stay in Carlsbad by this great swimming beach, consider the Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort for a family-friendly, spacious hotel that will meet all your needs and more!

Moonlight State Beach in Encinitas is a beautiful Southern California beach perfect for an afternoon swim, a picturesque sunset and a stroll on the beach under the moonlight, as it’s namesake suggests.

Complete with fire pits for the ultimate after hours treat, the beach can be great for a group of friends or a romantic evening for two.

The Cardiff Beaches can be great choices for swimming in San Diego, especially our favorite in the area, San Elijo State Beach!

The beach features a campground on the bluffs above the beach and is known for longboarding. We recommend only truly strong swimmers take on this Cardiff beauty due to the rip currents that are present in the area.