Top Beaches In San Diego

 If you are looking for a summer vacation in the sun, San Diego is hard to beat. There is plenty to do, but most people are interested in hitting the beaches.

San Diego is a popular vacation destination. There is a lot to do. You can go to the San Diego Zoo, take in the nightlife or sit in the sun at a Padres game. Ah, who am I kidding? Everyone wants to go to the beach. The good news is San Diego top vacation spots has plenty of them. Even better, the beaches all have different vibes, which means there is one for everyone.

If you are looking for a beach with lots of hard bodies and a party atmosphere, one stands above all the others. Mission Beach is located about 5 minutes north of downtown San Diego. The beach is a wide, white beach with a whole lot going on. If you are looking for the young party crowd, this is the place. Try to go early as parking is a pain and fills up quickly.

Perhaps your hard body, party years passed a while back. You want to hit the beach, but are looking for a calmer atmosphere. Del Mar is the place. Del Mar is located about 15 minutes north of downtown San Diego. The atmosphere is more family oriented and relaxed.

Del Mar offers an added benefit. From the middle of June through the Fourth of July, you can walk over to the Del Mar Fair. It is a smorgasbord of booths, concerts, rides and a good time.

If you are in Del Mar in late July through early September, the fair closes and the horse-racing season takes place. The races start at 2 p.m. and concerts are often held afterwards. You can hit the beach early in the day and go play the ponies in the afternoon.

Some people just prefer to relax in solitude at the beach. Put another way, they prefer to be on the beach with as few people as possible. During the summer, San Diego beaches are packed, but there are a few secret spots. Solana Beach is located just north of Del Mar. Cliffs back the beach, so there are not a lot of people. To find solitude, just park at the end of Lomas Sante Fe, the main street, and walk north or south along the beach till you find a perfect spot.

There is little doubt that beaches in San Diego are epic during the summer. That being said, keep in mind that there can be coastal cloud cover much of June, known as "June Gloom." Even if you experience this, there are plenty of other things to do.