In its annual Top 10 survey, The Travel Channel has now confirmed what locals and visitors have always known: that Coronado is one of America's finest beaches. By any standards this wide, clean, family-friendly beach would be a winner, but it's the setting, the postcard-perfect community of Coronado, that makes it so special. Turn-of-the-century mansions front the ocean, while yacht clubs line the bay. The town offers numerous parks with impeccably-maintained facilities, the entire beach is patrolled by lifeguards and, from the town skateboard park to upscale dining, there's plenty to do in Coronado when you're done at the beach. Plan to make a day of it.

It's essentially one big beach from here south to the Mexican border, arbitrarily divided into individual spots. Don't expect to find any lines drawn in the sand, though; there's no territorialism here. In fact, you'll probably find no friendlier or more welcoming spot. Within Coronado, there are three such distinct zones. The first is North Beach, from Sunset Park to the North Island Naval Base. The coastline faces due south here, and in the summer hurricane season, when steep-angle south swells miss the rest of San Diego, 'Outlet' is the place to be for surf. It's a sanctioned hangout for dogs and has a dozen fire rings nestled up against the dunes.

The main area fronting Ocean Boulevard to the south end of the world-famous Hotel Del Coronado is referred to as Central Beach. Park wherever you can and make your way to one of the many accessways, or just scramble over the boulders to the sand. Central Beach tends to get the most crowded, but with the grand old hotel at your back and waiters serving drinks to guests on the boardwalk, it's also the most romantic. There's a small rock outcropping in front of the hotel, but if you keep to either side, it doesn't present any real swimming hazards.

The large beach area south of the Hotel Del to Silver Strand is called The Shores. Its more southwesterly exposure offers a fun, year-round beachbreak perfect for longboarding and bodyboarding. Don't be intimidated by the imposing high-rise condominium towers. There are plenty of public access right-of-ways leading to the beach at the Shores, even if the parking here is fairly scarce.

Directions
From FWY 5 just south of downtown San Diego, take the Coronado Bridge over the bay to Coronado Island (now toll-free). The bridge lets out onto to 3rd Street. Turn left on Orange Avenue and follow it down toward the Hotel Del Coronado. Heading right off Orange onto virtually any street will get you to the beach.

San Diego's South Bay is a major seaport bustling with shipbuilders, naval traffic and international commerce. But out on the narrow seven mile spit of sand that protects San Diego Bay from the sea, you'll get the sensation of being far removed from civilization as you comb the endless, deserted beaches for seashells. It may not be the best place in San Diego to swim or surf or sunbathe, but it is a place where you can do it all.

Silver Strand State Beach near the resort offers both day-use and overnight RV camping, picnic areas, bathroom and shower facilities and fantastic shell collecting on the beach out front. The spot is named for the silvery oyster shells that cover the beach and dunes here and you can also find clams buried in the sand by the water. A lot of the folks who camp here are repeat customers, visitors who've fallen in love with The Strand and return for a visit year after year.

Coronado Cays Park is just down the road from the State Beach, on the ocean side opposite the gated residential community. Here you'll find more wide open beaches, without the sea of motor-homes and the drone of generators. The Cays are a great spot for a family outing and picnic in the park.

Directions
From FWY 5 southbound just beyond downtown San Diego, take the Coronado Bridge over the bay to Coronado Island, and head left on Orange Avenue HWY 75 south. From 5 FWY northbound, exit Palm Avenue west to HWY 75 north. You can't miss Silver Strand as you drive down the narrow sand isthmus dividing beach and bay.

At the end of a long day on the beach, drive out to Sunset Cliffs to watch the sun slip over the horizon. The sandstone bluffs blaze with color, and the waves sparkle like gold. If you're game for a little adventure, come early, drive out to the old Cabrillo Lighthouse and hike out to the tide pools by the point. There are in fact no real beaches on Point Loma and the swimming opportunities are poor and downright dangerous, but it's the only place in San Diego (aside from La Jolla), where you can see waves crashing on the cliffs, precarious pinnacles rising from the water, and rocky reefs full of marine life. Sadly, neither many visitors nor residents make the trip to Sunset Cliffs, and it's likely that the only people you'll run into here are the surfers who come for The Cliffs' solitary breaks and sizable swells.

Traveling southbound on Sunset Cliffs Blvd. from Ocean Beach, the first noteworthy site you'll come upon is Osprey Point. There's good fishing off the rocks here, and a textured retaining wall where rock climbers come to train. Luscomb's is next, a surf break in the middle of a small bay with a rock spire near the shore where birds like to hang out. The unappetizingly named Garbage reef belies the good surf spot where the road abruptly ends at Ladera Street. Beyond Ladera, one can drive or walk the rough road into Sunset Cliffs Park, where you'll find more quality surf spots at AB's and New Break. Beyond the southern limits of the park, the coast is wild and wooly, accessible only by boat. Hardcore surfers with boats head all the way to the tip, to the winter break called Dolphin Tanks or the summer break called Ralph's.

Directions
Take the 8 FWY west, left on Sunset Cliffs Blvd. Parking can be found in small unpaved turnouts on the seaward side of Sunset Cliffs, with curbside parking all along the inland side.

Before you head out onto The Pier at the foot of Newport Avenue for a quick look, make sure you know what you're getting yourself into. It's a good mile or so round trip, but well-worth the effort for the great view and the sensation of watching swells pass under your feet and waves crash on the pilings. There's a classic coffee shop mid-way out and a tackle shop too. Ocean Beach Pier is one of the few places in San Diego where you can fish without a valid California fishing license. You're still expected to know and follow all the size and catch limits, but there's sure to be an old pro near at hand to recite them for you.

Directions
Take the 8 FWY west to Sunset Cliffs Blvd. and turn right on West Point Loma Blvd.

Ocean Beach is a cozy little beach with a small town feel, nestled between the San Diego River and the hills of Point Loma. It's the kind of place where you can pull a chair up to the bar for a cup of coffee and settle in with the newspaper on a cold, stormy day. Like a small town, people greet one another as they meet on the pier for a fish or cross paths on the boardwalk. Surfers enjoy the waves created by the jetties here while swimmers and sunbathers will be pleasantly surprised by the friendly, familiar atmosphere on the beach.

Dog Beach, wedged between the Mission Bay Harbor Channel and the jetty at the north end of Ocean Beach, is a dog's slice of heaven. Here, pets are not only allowed on the beach, but encouraged to come anytime, cast off their leash and run amok with all their pals. After work, or anytime on the weekend, you'll find upward of 100 specimens, big and small, young and old, all frisking and fetching. The system only works when humans act responsibly, making sure their pets are vaccinated, obedient and otherwise qualified to be unleashed on the world. Pet owners are required by law to clean up after their pets at Dog Beach and all other San Diego Parks and Beaches but, needless to say, it's a good idea to watch your step.

Ocean Beach has lifeguard-supervised swimming and surfing areas, restrooms, showers and assistance for disabled patrons. Here, and at many other of San Diego's most popular beaches, lifeguards offer special rubberized roadways and off-road wheelchairs to help get you from the boardwalk, over the deep sand and out onto the beach where the fun is. Just inquire at the main lifeguard tower, during regular on-duty hours.

The wide marshland that once lured mariners to their doom at the mouth of the San Diego River has since been dredged and designated as an aquatic playground. Mission Bay Park covers 4200 acres in roughly equal parts of land and water. A network of waterways, inlets and islets make the best way to explore Mission Bay by boat. Most of its 27 miles of meandering shoreline are sandy beaches, with the remainder devoted to marinas and resorts. The paramount symbol of watery fun in Mission Bay is the Sea World Adventure Park in the southeast quadrant of the park. At Fiesta Island and Leisure Lagoon in the east bay, the names say it all, while it's easy to imagine what to expect at places like Sail Bay and Mariners Cove on the west end. There's always something happening in Mission Bay, from waterskiing and wakeboarding to sailing and swimming.

Areas of greatest interest and their associated uses within Mission Bay Park include: Vacation Isle with its resort hotel, Barefoot Bar and public parks; Crown Point a favorite spot for volleyball games; Ski Beach a hot spot for company parties and casual picnics; Santa Clara Point with its excellent Aquatic Center offering water sports rentals and instruction; Sail Bay with its wide running path, Fanuel Park playground, and nightly live music at the Catamaran Hotel; Mariners Point, home of the ESPN X-Games and the Bahia Hotel; Quivera Basin offering daily fishing and scuba diving charters, the Islandia Hotel and a sampling of waterfront shops and restaurants; Dana Landing the busy boat launching ramp and sportfishing center; East Mission Bay Park with its information center, endless grass parks, Hilton Hotel Resort, playgrounds and boat launching ramps; and Fiesta Island the multi-purpose, dune-covered island enjoyed by recreational enthusiasts of all kinds.

Directions
Mission Bay is bordered to the east by the 5 FWY and East Mission Bay Drive, to the West by Mission Blvd, to the north by Grand Avenue and to the south by West Mission Bay Drive and Sea world Drive. Ingraham Street runs north-south dead through the middle of the park via a series of islands and bridges. Check a map to determine where you're heading and how best to get there.

Mission Beach is the closest thing in San Diego to classic East Coast beaches like Atlantic City and Coney Island. At one time, it was a thriving summer circus of vacation rentals, carnival games and other seaside concessions. Over the years, bungalows have been turned into condos and hot dog stands have been replaced by hot night clubs, but the circus is clearly in town to stay. Expect to find all kinds of free-spirited folk, sporting all kinds of styles - from dreadlocks to designer jeans - and styling all kinds of sports - skating, skateboarding, surfing and cycling. But that's only one side of the Mission Beach story. A stone's throw from the beach, on the Mission Bay side, you'll find middle-age professionals out for a run, kids learning to sail at the Aquatic Center, and families picnicking on the grass.

North Mission Beach from Pacific Beach Drive south to the Roller Coaster is predominantly residential, with funky apartments along the beach and, out on the main drag, funkier clothing stores, smoothie bars and head shops. Many locals here forego material pleasures for the opportunity to live at the beach and revel in the carefree joys of youth. So relax, join the party and understand that in M.B. a torn thrift shop sofa serving as patio furniture is no eyesore, but a proud declaration of independence.

Most of the action centers around Belmont Park at the intersection of Mission Blvd. and West Mission Bay Drive where you can ride the historic Giant Dipper roller coaster, or rent a set of rollerblades to ride up and down the boardwalk. This is where all walks of life all go out for a walk, a ride, a roll, a stroll, a surf, a beer or a bite to eat - or simply to watch other people out doing their thing. Rock on.

South Mission Beach offers the same scene and scenery found in North Mission, but the pace slows as you continue south, until you reach the end of the boardwalk, the end of the beach, and the end of the road at South Mission Beach Park. Here fishermen cast their lines off the jetty and watch the boats pass in and out through the Harbor Channel. You'd never know it to look, but a half-mile off the coast are a series of shipwrecks, placed here to create an artificial reef and a diver's Disneyland.

Directions
From the 5 FWY take Garnet Avenue west to Mission Blvd. south. Alternatively, take Sea World Drive to West Mission Bay Drive to the roller coaster. The city bus runs right through Mission Beach, call San Diego transit at 619-233-3004 for routes and schedules.

Pacific Beach, with its endless boardwalk (three miles from here to the Mission Bay Harbor Channel), low-budget housing and funky beach bars is a favorite haunt of college students and young adults living the California Dream. The heavily trafficked boardwalk is a fascinating exhibition of contemporary style and beach culture. Tattooed skateboarders rub elbows with study-weary grad students, and sailors on shore-leave gawk as bronzed beauties cycle past in bikinis.

Tourmaline Surfing Park where the rugged headlands of La Jolla end abruptly, is a surfing-only beach favored for its slow, slopey waves by longboarders, beginners and (when the wind is up) windsurfers and kiteboarders. There's a medium-capacity parking lot here with bathrooms and a small picnic area. There's nothing particularly special about Tourmaline, but it's a perfect place to try your hand at surfing.

North Pacific Beach from Tourmaline to Crystal Pier is the 'calm before the storm' that is P.B. proper. Families tend to prefer this quieter stretch of beach with its lifeguard supervised swimming areas and facilities at the ends of Law and Diamond Streets.

Pacific Beach from the Crystal Pier to Pacific Beach Drive offers regular lifeguard service, bathrooms and pockets of dedicated parking at Grand Avenue and PB Drive. You can find anything from bicycle rentals to biker bars along the coast here, and more of the same as you head inland up Garnet Avenue for many blocks. Swimming and surfing are segregated throughout P.B., the latter being mediocre here at best. There's always a party on the beach and on the boardwalk, especially on any sunny summer afternoon.

Directions
From the 5 FWY take Garnet Avenue west all the way to Mission Blvd.

If you're on holiday in San Diego, a visit to La Jolla should already be on your agenda. This affluent community is known for luxury homes, fine dining and upscale shopping. But its real assets are the beaches, and these are freely available for the enrichment of all. The coastline varies dramatically in La Jolla. At its northernmost limit, fortified by 300 foot sea cliffs, is Blacks. The Shores is a mile long crescent of prime sand beach favored by active beachgoers of all interests. The Cove, with its Mediterranean backdrop, is among San Diego's most sheltered swimming spots, while the reefs southward around Windansea and Birdrock are among its most exposed.

If the streets and storefronts in La Jolla seem older than elsewhere along the coast, it's because they are. With its fantastic natural scenery, unique in all San Diego, it was a natural choice for the earliest settlers and Indians before them. Over the years, the rising demand for room with a view has set the market and shaped La Jolla into the affluent community reflected in the upscale restaurants, fine art galleries and Ferrari dealerships about town. Travelers can still appreciate the simple bounty that started it all, with a driving or walking tour along La Jolla's rocky points and reefs from La Jolla Cove to the Children's Pool, and southward to Windansea Beach and Bird Rock. In the space of a few short miles, you'll encounter peaceful bays and pounding surf, offshore kelp and near shore tide pools, sea caves and seal rookeries, sparkling azure water and gleaming white beaches.

Torrey Pines City Beach better known as Blacks, can be found in the vicinity of the University of California San Diego campus. A gated private road, jointly owned and maintained by the residents and the university, leads to the beach off of La Jolla Farms Road. Stately eight-figure mansions and state-of-the-art medical research labs now line the bluffs where stables and pastures once lay. Unless you can procure a much coveted key to the gate, you will have to park above and walk down the road. A more direct but difficult route is the dirt trail beginning at the Torrey Pines Flight Park (the Glider Port) at the end of Torrey Pines Scenic Drive a mile north of the Farms off Torrey Pines Road. There's a spacious public parking lot by the Flight Center where you can watch hang-gliders, para-gliders and glider planes soar on the thermal updrafts created by the cliffs, or leave your car for the long trek to the beach. Blacks is famous among surfers for big winter swell, but is better known to the rest of the world as a nude beach. Nudism is unlawful in San Diego, but it has persisted at Blacks for decades, the only real deterrent being cold weather. The nudists (or 'nakes' as Surfers call them) tend to hang out north of the Glider Port Trail, while surfers head south to the main peaks. For the most part, surfers and nakes are the only people motivated enough to make the mission to Blacks, so if these aren't your motives think about giving Blacks a miss and heading to The Shores instead.

There's always something going on at La Jolla Shores Beach. The north end of the beach, better known as Scripps for the Scripps Institute of Oceanography and its landmark pier (not open to the public) is favored by intermediate surfers and bodyboarders. By day the main beach is a busy swimming area popular among families, who set up elaborate base camps on the grassy park, while the children make forays to the shallow water to boogie board. At night it's alive with the glow of beach fires and the nervous energy of young adults socializing. The south part of the coast here is largely shielded by La Jolla Bay, and is used as training grounds by scores of scuba diving students. Small boats can be launched directly into the sea from the end of Avenida De La Playa, and a block or two up the same road are shops that'll rent you a kayak, fill your scuba tank or sell you a bikini. The La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club comprises the southernmost end of La Jolla Shores Beach. The club is private property but the beach itself is public. Beyond that, the sand abruptly ends in front of the Marine Room Restaurant, where harmless Leopard Sharks often congregate in the shallows, offering snorkelers an exhilarating encounter.

Directions From the northbound 5 FWY exit La Jolla Parkway west to La Jolla Shores Drive. From the southbound 5 FWY exit La Jolla Village Drive west, then left on Torrey Pines Road to La Jolla Shores Drive. Turn left at Avenida De La Playa, right on Camino Del Oro two blocks to Kellogg Park.

La Jolla Cove is the north facing point on the seaward end of the cliffs that form a small deep water bay here. The cliffs are riddled with sea caves of special fascination to kayakers who paddle over from La Jolla Shores Beach. For $3.00, you can descend a spooky tunnel in the basement of the old Curio Shop (on Coast Blvd. just off Prospect Street) to Sunny Jim's Cave at the base of Deadman's, or snorkel over from The Cove on a calm day, to explore the huge grotto beneath The Clam.

La Jolla Cove itself is a fine little beach just right to comfortably accommodate a few dozen beachgoers. On busy summer days, a few hundred will somehow manage to squeeze their way in for the terrific swimming and snorkeling afforded by The Cove's sheltered waters and abundance of bright orange Garibaldi fish and other tame marine life (The Cove has long been protected from fishing of any kind). Scuba divers and ocean swimmers use The Cove as a safe point of entry and exit. No surfboards, boogie boards or rafts of any kind are allowed. There is an excellent grass park adjacent to The Cove with bathrooms, showers, picnic tables, a paved pedestrian walkway and several public gazebos.

Proceeding south from La Jolla Cove, the coast is exposed to the mercy of the sea. Boomers, a wave reserved exclusively for body-surfing is the first spot on the route. A stairway at the south end of the park leads to Shell Beach. The big draw here is Seal Rock, where California Grey Seals congregate when the tide is low and the surf is down. At high tide when Seal Rock is awash, you'll find the seals hauled out on the small sand beach inside the breakwall at The Children's Pool. There has been a great deal of debate over the issue of who should have the right use this beach - humans, seals or both. Check with the lifeguards on site to find out the current ruling, but be aware that seals, though cute, are wild and unpredictable animals better left well alone. If you're feeling daring you can walk out on the seawall and watch the seals from a closer vantage point, but remember that you're also closer to the waves.

The tiny beach on the south side of the Children's Pool is Casa Beach and its slightly larger neighbor to the south is called Wipeout. Both of these spots can be hazardous for swimming because there's a lot of moving water and rocks here. There are a few small caves on the beach, but they're often choked with seaweed and other flotsam. A long narrow band of grass park indicates that you've arrived at Hospitals. Hospitals is a great reef but a poor beach. At low tide there are wonderful tidepools and great shelling all along the coast here. The conditions don't often cooperate, but when they do, it's the best dive site in town, with dramatic undersea arches and ledges chock full of lobster. At the south end by the gazebo is the Hospitals surf spot, the northernmost of La Jolla's reefbreaks.

The road leaves to coast between Horseshoe and Windansea, which prevents most people from ever finding Marine Street Beach, the prettiest, whitest beach in all of San Diego. As such, the beach here is dominated by teens and locals. Marine Street's claim to fame is its wicked shorebreak otherwise known as 'womp.' Bodysurfers and bodyboarders get short, deep tube rides as the waves hit the steep shelf and unload onto the shore. There are several nameless surfbreaks on the reefs at either end of the beach - all fickle, all dangerous, all heavily localized, but also very, very, very good when they're on...

Windansea is the next beach traveling southward. Made famous by Tom Wolfe's story 'The Pump House Gang,' Windansea was and is all about fitting in. The break is an easy left/right peak that breaks on any tide, any swell and practically any day of the year. It's accordingly crowded, and the crowd accordingly competitive. It's not always a friendly scene in the water, but refreshingly familiar on dry land. The beach is broken by rocks, creating natural alcoves of varying size, perfect for private parties or private rendezvous. Swimming is best on the south half of the beach between Kolmar Street and Big Rock Reef. Lifeguards supervise near the grass shack at the end of Bonaire Street in summertime.

The remainder of the coast from Big Rock south to P.B. Point is characterized by forbidding cliffs and rocky shoreline. Lucky indeed is the beachcomber who stumbles upon the stairs at the foot of Bird Rock Avenue on a neap tide, and discovers the sea floor spread out before him like a magic carpet. These are the richest reefs in town, providing numerous surf spots when swell is running, and great diving when it's not. Limited access, no beaches, no lifeguards and no facilities of any kind make Bird Rock a poor choice for swimmers and sunbathers, but it's definitely worth a snapshot on the way through.

Directions
From the northbound 5 FWY exit La Jolla Parkway west until it merges with Torrey Pines Road. From the southbound 5 FWY exit La Jolla Village Drive west, then left on Torrey Pines Road. Continue past La Jolla Shores Drive and turn right on Prospect Street. The first right off Prospect Is Coast Blvd. which serves all the spots described in the first part of this guide. Beyond Horseshoe, Prospect Street becomes La Jolla Blvd. Heading southbound on La Jolla Blvd. turn right on Marine Street for Marine Street Beach, right on Nautilus Street for Windansea Beach, right on Bird Rock Avenue for Bird Rock.

At Torrey Pines you've got two ways to go. The low road will take you to a popular beach right off the highway, with bathrooms, showers, lifeguards and a safe spot for kids to play by the lagoon. The high road leads to a coastal wilderness of pine forests, sandstone canyons and a network of dirt hiking trails on the bluffs overlooking the sea. Virtually everything in Torrey Pines is protected, from the Penasquitos river valley on the east side of the highway, to the State Park lands on the west, to the Underwater Ecological Reserve offshore. The world famous Torrey Pines Golf Course helps to safeguard the southern end of the bluffs from development while the rugged cliffs do their part to discourage access (and crowds).

Torrey Pines State Beach runs for three miles between Carmel Valley Road and the Glider Ports at Torrey Pines Scenic Drive. The north section where the highway runs adjacent to the beach is the choice for swimming and other traditional activities, while non-traditionalists who prefer to dress down for the beach (nudists), will find the southern section more to their liking. The beach here is well covered by sand, with few exposed rocks, readily passable at all but the highest tides. There is also access from above via two challenging hiking trails - one in the State Park and another beginning at the Glider Port.

Torrey Pines State Park is a 1750 acre reserve dedicated to preserving its namesake, the Torrey Pine tree (which grows only here) and other indigenous wildlife in its native environment. It's not your typical beach outing, but certainly a memorable one.

Directions
From the 5 FWY exit Carmel Valley Road west to Torrey Pines Road south (aka Pacific Coast Highway). There are four parking options. The first is the large-capacity lot on the left side of Carmel Valley just before reaching the coast. Option two is the roadside parking along the southbound shoulder of PCH. Options three and four are both within the State Park at the south end of the beach. An entrance fee ($4.00 per vehicle) is collected at the gate which is open from 8am until sunset daily. The lower, beach level lot is directly beyond the gate, with additional parking around the park headquarters and trailheads at the top end of the road.

It's remarkable indeed that Del Mar has managed to maintain its rural yet sophisticated feel even in the face of a burgeoning North County population boom. If you rise early in the morning you may still find trainers from the famous Del Mar racetrack exercising their horses on the beach by The River Mouth. Head inland on Via De La Valle and you'll find stately ranches and polo fields. But the beach is what started it all, and visitors keep coming year after year. There are three main beaches in Del Mar, all large and with lots of sand.

Across from the race track, where the San Dieguito River meets the sea and (as they say in Del Mar) the turf meets the surf, The River Mouth is a broad wedge of beach with lots of room for volleyball games and a gathering place for dogs. The swimming here isn't too good, due to the shallow sandbars and unpredictable currents, but it's well protected from wind and surf - a perfect spot to introduce small children to the sea or help them build their first sand castle.

The northern half of Del Mar City Beach, from 15th Street to The Rivermouth, is arguably San Diego's finest. It's a fantasyland of architectural dream houses flying colorful flags fronting a wide sand beach with good swimming, intermediate surf and easy access at every block. If only there were more parking, there'd be no argument at all. The main impact zone for crowds and parking is at the south end near Powerhouse Park, and the 17th Street lifeguard tower is ground zero. Most of what little parking is available here is metered, and you may have better luck with the higher numbered streets to the north, or across the highway on the east side of Coast Boulevard. On special occasions like 4th of July and Labor Day, people start arriving at dawn to stake their claims.

South of 15th Street, bluffs line Del Mar City Beach, though they are neither as high nor as steep as elsewhere in North County. At all but the highest tides, the beach is totally passable all the way to Torrey Pines, and there are a number of sketchy, unsanctioned trails down from the cliffs. A dirt path paralleling the train track on the bluff is a favorite of walkers and joggers, who can go for miles without encountering a car or crossing a road. There are some patchy reefs offshore along here, creating some fairly good surf breaks at 15th Street, 11th Street, 7th Street and south of 4th Street at a place called G-Spot (so named for the womblike storm drain pipe that disgorges surfers onto the beach from an unmarked dirt trail above). People other than surfers and joggers do use the beach here, but most prefer the northern zone.

Directions From the 5 FWY exit Del Mar Heights Road or Via De La Valle and head west. Del Mar Heights leads to the south end of Del Mar at PCH and 4th Street; Via De La Valle meets PCH on the extreme north end of Del Mar at the Rivermouth. To find the main beach area, follow the Coast Highway to the intersection of 15th Street and Coast Boulevard, midway between these two points. All of Del Mar's beaches are named after its numbered streets, so finding any specific spot referred to here is as simple as locating the same street.

Unlike other spots in North County where the wide, straight beaches are uninterrupted for miles, the coastline in Solana Beach is more convoluted and the cliffs encroach right to the water's edge in places, making them impassible especially at high tide. Fortunately, staircases descend the cliffs at practically every street corner, so every part of the beach is accessible vertically, if not horizontally. This also makes a visit to Solana Beach a more adventurous experience. One staircase might lead you to a deserted locale where you can be alone with your friends and your thoughts; another might lead to a busy beach teeming with surfers, families and fishermen.

The five main spots from north to south include Seaside, a good surf spot with an outer reef called Table Tops that breaks on big southwest swells; Tide Beach, with the best sand of the bunch and a patch of reef that offers tidepooling; Fletcher Cove (also known as Pillbox), another spot popular among surfers; and Seascape Beach and Del Mar Shores on the north side of the San Dieguito river mouth, two spots frequented primarily by local residents.

Directions
From 5 FWY exit Lomas Santa Fe Drive west to Pacific Coast Highway. Continue straight through the intersection to Fletcher Cove or head north or south on Sierra Avenue to explore other the options. Seaside lies directly at the bottom of the hill as you drive north on PCH toward Cardiff.

A combination of geographical features and governmental designations have kept this section of California coastline relatively wild. Leaving Swami's in Encinitas, the highway hugs the coast along the bluffs at San Elijo State Beach and dips down across the lagoon at Cardiff State Beach. The north (San Elijo) half of Cardiff is characterized by patches of reef that tend to keep most of the wave action off the beach (which has a little more sand on it), while the south half is predominantly shorebreak pounding relentlessly on the cobblestone beach.

It's not surprising, then, that most people - swimmers, sunbathers and surfers alike - head for spots like Pipes, a fun peaky surf break north of the campground; San Elijo, the beach in front of the campground; and Cardiff Reef, a pleasant little beach park and surf spot on the south end of the campground where the cliffs end.

George's is the popular name for Cardiff State Beach, the aforementioned span of coast in front of the San Elijo Lagoon, which is also appropriately called 'Restaurant Row.' The sand here comes and goes based on the whims of the tides, but most of the time waves sculpt the stones in it into a multi-tiered berm of ankle-twisting agony. Oddly, the sand sometimes piles so high at the far south end of the beach by Seaside Reef (see Solana Beach) that it forms dunes in the parking lot and spills over onto the highway. A favorite way to savor the beach at George's is from the comfort of one of the restaurants, especially on a stormy winter evening with the illuminated waves crashing right up to the windows.

Directions From the 5 FWY exit Manchester Avenue west until it becomes San Elijo Avenue, then turn left at Chesterfield Drive, go over the railroad tracks and onto Pacific Coast Highway. Head south for Cardiff Reef and George's, or park along the roadside and use the campground to access San Elijo Beach and Pipes.

The coolest thing about Encinitas isn't the beach itself, but the pervasive beach culture. A child of the '60s that grew up to become a real estate gold mine, Encinitas offers the best of both worlds: the refined tastes and civic responsibility that come with prosperity and the energy and vitality that come from free-spirited ideals and attitudes. The historic La Paloma Theatre and adjacent Martini Ranch often host surf movies and live surf bands, respectively. Whether you're interested in yoga, acupuncture or stronger potions like coffee, you'll find plenty of choices in town. There are three primary beach zones in Encinitas, each with its own unique character and

Moonlight State Beach at the end of Encinitas Boulevard, where the shore drops down nearer to sea level, is the easiest of Encinitas' beaches to find and use. Moonlight offers a large dedicated parking area, lifeguard service, restrooms and an on-site snack bar. It's a welcome relief from the rocky shores and cliffs that dominate the coast for so many miles to the north and south.

D Street is the access point to the mile-long beach also known as Boneyards that runs below the bluffs from Moonlight Beach south to Swami's point. Like its neighbors - Leucadia to the north and Cardiff to the south - D Street is a rocky cobblestone-encumbered spot better suited to surfing than sunbathing, although some of those dedicated enough to make the pilgrimage are also devoted enough to bare it all. (Not that anyone's paying attention, but the Encinitas sun-worshippers seem more 'blessed' than their counterparts at Blacks Beach in La Jolla.)

Swami's is the name ascribed to the popular surf break at the southernmost end of Encinitas below the golden-spired Self-Realization Center - an ashram where scores of North County devotees have studied Eastern philosophy, and an enduring symbol of Encinitas' positive and spiritual vibe. Too bad it all stops at the waterline. Swami's is a damn good wave, but when 50 guys are all vying for a three-wave set conflict is inevitable. As a beach, Swami's leaves much to be desired. For those who worship neither surf nor sun, Sea Cliff - the small park adjacent to the Swami's parking lot - offers an idyllic setting of shade trees, picnic tables, barbecues and clean bathrooms. Divers occasionally visit the reef here, but far better sites are to be found in La Jolla and Point Loma.

Directions
Exit Encinitas Boulevard from the 5 FWY and head west. Encinitas Boulevard becomes B Street as soon as you cross Pacific Coast Highway, and B Street leads directly to the parking lot at Moonlight Beach. Simply head south two blocks to find D Street, or continue south on Coast Highway to Swami's (look for the sign just south of the golden towers).

It's hard to tell where Leucadia ends and Encinitas begins, but for purposes of this guide, we'll consider the dividing point to be A Street (just north of Encinitas Boulevard), which, incidentally, is where the roadside tiki stands and space-age liquor store signs give way to strip malls and 7-Elevens.

Leucadia encompasses the two beach parks Leucadia State Beach and Encinitas County Beach, but more importantly, the three popular surf spots Grandview, Beacon's and Stone Steps. It's all vertical cliff here and the only way down is via one of three well-maintained stairways. The beach itself is rocky and, due to its isolation, often littered with kelp and other debris washed in by the sea. High tide can force you perilously close to the eroding cliffs. Of course, none of this matters to Leucadia's principal beach users - surfers - who spend their time in the water, not on the shore.

Directions
Take Leucadia Boulevard west from the 5 FWY. Cross the train tracks and cut west up any side street off Coast Highway to Neptune Avenue. Neptune is one-way running northbound. If you overshoot your target you'll have to circle back south on Coast Highway and try again. Heading south to north on Neptune, look for parking and beach access around the cul-de-sacs at El Portal Street (leading to Stone Steps), Leucadia Boulevard (the trailhead for Beacon's), and Grandview Street at the far north end of Neptune (leading to Grandview Beach).

Carlsbad began as a rural agricultural community and Santa Fe Railroad whistle stop, a place people passed through on their way to points north or south. In recent years, farms and flower fields have given way to corporate headquarters, and the Legoland theme park draws visitors from around the world. In spite of all the new activity east of the freeway, Carlsbad's beaches remain one of San Diego's best kept secrets, which is just fine with the locals. The north half of the Carlsbad coast is composed of a series of small beaches divided by sea walls. The cliffs here are relatively low and in most places the Coast Highway passes right next to the shore, offering an unobstructed view of the sea and open access to the beach. As much the engineers of Carlsbad's dramatic buildup as the products of it, the locals have gone to great lengths to beautify their downtown businesses, homes and beaches. Well-designed walkways, attractive sea walls and all kinds of facilities have been added to make the beaches as pleasing to the eye as they are accommodating to users.

Carlsbad State Beach is all nice, but spots like Tamarack (near its namesake street), Warm Water Jetty (by the large Electric Power Plant) and Terramar (near the lagoon) are most popular with surfers, and therefore usually the most crowded. If you think you're likely to get the urge for a bite to eat during your day at the beach, stick close to the north end by Carlsbad Village Drive; it's all residential and park land for many miles to the south. The brackish Agua Hedionda Lagoon north of Cannon Road is home to a YMCA water sports camp, a private waterskiing concession and an experimental fish farming program.

Directions
From the 5 FWY take Cannon Road, Tamarack Avenue or Carlsbad Village Drive west to Pacific Coast Hwy. Parking is a mixed bag of small beach lots and standard roadside spots. Be careful and deliberate when pulling in or out since the traffic moves at a steady clip as you get down near the Power Plant. The same precautions apply when crossing the highway here on foot.

Long stereotyped as a military town for its proximity to the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Reserve, Oceanside has matured into a thriving private sector community and a popular beach destination in its own right. This is North County's answer to Mission Beach, without the Belmont Park carnival scene and associated boardwalk freak show. What Oceanside's got going for it is a healthy supply of sand beach with relatively small crowd demands. This makes for easy access, fewer parking hassles, and plenty of room to spread out your beach towel. If you're looking to get away from it all, head toward Buccaneer Beach on the south end. If the fast lane is your thing, cruise the The Strand by the pier at the foot of Mission Boulevard. Oceanside is one of those places you can hit on a lunch break for a quick jog, or idle a long summer day away in the sun. There are plenty of family-friendly restaurants in the area (most notably, Ruby's Diner on the end of the pier and the fish & chips seafood joints in the Harbor) and fun '50s style motor lodges (some with pirates and other themes).

Oceanside Harbor, aka The Jetties, is a popular surfing area, especially in summer south swell season. The parking here is a mix of free, paid, metered and private (for slip holders in the marina), and much of it is time-limited, so check the signs carefully before choosing a spot. The early bird parking strategy doesn't necessarily hold true at The Jetties. Surfers typically fill the lots at dawn and vacate them by noon when the onshore wind kicks in and blows out the surf. Lifeguards, bathrooms, showers and places to eat are all close at hand. Fishermen can try their luck off the end of a jetty (beware of high surf and high tides), or surf cast on the south side by the San Luis Rey river mouth. You can also book boat charters out of Oceanside Harbor, launch your own at the boat ramp, or ride a new commuter ferry to and from downtown San Diego. For commuter ferry information in San Diego County, call toll free: 1-866-WaveWay (1-866-928-3929). Outside San Diego County, call toll free: 1-800-974-8885.

Oceanside City Beach, aka The Strand, is the classic West Coast beach complete with boardwalk, pier and wide open sand. The coastline is razor-straight here with a shallow sand shelf that slows and mellows the surf as it rolls in and laps gently on the shore. This makes Oceanside an ideal spot for children to swim or ride the inside whitewater on boogie boards. The outside offers decent beachbreak for board surfing, but it's usually bigger and better up by the harbor. There are a number of small parks along the boardwalk with restrooms, picnic tables, barbecues, and an excellent playground by the pier. Other beach-related attractions include the nearby California Surf Museum and seasonal surf and volleyball competitions.

Buccaneer Beach is a couple miles south of the pier where the beach narrows and the road dips down to sea level. It's a popular spot for kids to practice their surfing with easy access and lifeguard supervision close at hand.

Directions
Head west on Mission Boulevard from the 5 FWY. Mission leads straight to the Oceanside pier. Turn north on Pacific Street to head up to the Harbor or south toward Buccaneer Beach. You can drive down onto the Strand to drop off passengers, but there's virtually no parking here and you're liable to get trapped in a slow-moving traffic parade. Public right of ways become more and more scarce as you head south down the coast, until you ultimately arrive at a gated residential community by the Buena Vista Estuary and the road turns inland over the train tracks. Buccaneer Beach is midway between the pier and the lagoon at the intersection of Pacific and Morse streets.

Jealously claimed by Orange County, San Onofre is actually situated south of the county line in San Diego. bordered to the south and east by the sprawling Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Reserve, San Onofre offers an opportunity to appreciate what Southern California's entire coastline may have looked like 100 years ago. Here you will find barren, windswept bluffs, native vegetation and a tidal wetland frequented by migratory birds and wild deer. In stark contrast to its primitive, natural side, San Onofre is also home to a nuclear-powered generating facility and a state-of-the-art military base. Ironically, it is these same potentially destructive forces that protect this area from development and provide the 20 mile coastal greenbelt that has prevented San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles from merging into one huge megalopolis. San Onofre offers three unique beach areas - Trestles, Old Man's and Trails - and two great ways to enjoy them - by day or overnight camping.

Lower Trestles, on the south side of the San Mateo Creek river mouth, is a world famous surf break with a packed and talented lineup to prove it. It's not a particularly challenging wave, but it is long, steady and consistent, ideal for performance surfing. A lot of pro surfers have honed their craft at Lowers, and on any given day (but particularly in the summer/fall south swell season) you can witness a three-ring circus of modern power surfing and aerial maneuvers. If you're keen to paddle out and give it a go yourself, be warned that this same circus atmosphere makes for some chaotic situations and clownish behavior in the water. The breaks to the north (Uppers) and south (Middles and Church) of Lowers offer mellower crowds, but at a considerable sacrifice in wave quality. The beach at Trestles is a bit sparse and difficult to access (see directions below) with cobblestones and submerged rocks by the waterline. It's not as diligently patrolled by lifeguards and offers fewer facilities than Old Man's down the coast, all of which accounts for its greater appeal among teens and locals.

Old Man's lies just north of the Nuclear Plant. Some locals swear the ocean is warmer at Old Man's, where water used to cool the reactors is pumped back out to sea, but at least, by all accounts, it is not radioactive. In fact, Old Man's is an easy spot to access, with good facilities and a safe, clean, sandy beach. Like its neighbor Trestles to the North, Old Man's - also known as San Onofre State Surfing Beach - is a world-renowned surf spot. Unlike Trestles, however, Old Man's won its fame in the early history of the sport, when heavy wooden longboards demanded softer, slower waves. It was here that 'beach boys' like Hobie Alter, Dewey Weber and Dale Velzy helped shape the sport and culture of California surfing for generations to come. Fun, gentle waves still roll through Old Man's making it a popular surf spot for beginners and veterans alike, while beachgoers will appreciate the neighborly, tailgate party scene in and around the parking lot.

Trails is the collective name for the three miles of beach fronting the San Onofre Bluffs State Campground to the south of the Nuclear Plant. The campground is set up in a linear fashion with campsites and bathroom facilities spaced at intervals all along the seaward side of the old Coast Highway. Campsites are open to tent and RV camping, but no hookups are provided. The prime sites are near the trailheads for footpaths leading down the bluffs to the beach. These access trails are numbered one through six, the beaches they lead to being their namesakes. TRAIL SIX is the most southerly and the most popular among day visitors, particularly the clothing optional set (even though nudism is not legal at San Onofre or any other beach in San Diego). The beach here is generally the same whichever trail you choose, predominantly sand with areas of rock reefs and tidepools at low tide. Surf here is fair, a bit punchier than Old Man's but not anything like Lowers. Campers enjoy surf-fishing and clam-digging. Parts of this expansive beach are patrolled by lifeguards and park rangers, but consider yourself at your own risk in all water safety judgments.

Directions To find Old Man's and Trails, exit 5 FWY at Basilone Road and head south. The entrance to the San Onofre State Surfing Beach (Old Man's) is a turnout on the right before reaching the Power Plant. Continue south past the Power Plant to reach the San Onofre State Beach campground entrance (Trails). The rangers at either of these gates can direct you to a parking area and provide information about availability, regulations, fees and current conditions. To get to Trestles, first-timers are advised to park at Old Man's and walk north up the beach.

A more direct but rather adventurous route to Trestles begins at the parking area near the Carl's Jr. restaurant on the east side of the freeway at the Christianitos exit. From here, walk, skate or bike down the paved path leading west to the beach on the north side of the San Mateo river mouth (Uppers), or follow the abandoned frontage road to an unmarked but well-used dirt path leading to the south side of the river mouth (Lowers).