You probably see lists all the time which supposedly claim what the best beaches in San Diego are. Sure there's beautiful beaches like Coronado to spend the day at- but there's no surf! Or 15th Street in Del Mar has surf- but good luck parking in the summer! So what's the best beaches that has the amenities mom wants, the surf dad craves, and a beach your grom is going to be stoked to hang at all day? Well look no further, here's the top beaches in north county San Diego that has something for everyone. So how was the list compiled? It needed 3 basic things: surf of course, bathrooms (because there's nothing worse then when your little one has to do the big one, and there's no where to go but home), and a big beautiful beach full of sand. So without further hesitation, here's the top beaches from south to north:
This is a massive beach. Technically it's the south end of Del Mar all the way to Black's Beach in La Jolla. And it has a ton of parking- spots on the beach, a big parking lot at the south end of the beach next to the cliff AND a big parking lot across the highway on the lagoon. Just make sure you park at the south end of the beach as the closest bathrooms to the surf are down there. And speaking of surf, there's always a spot to find a wave to yourself at this beachbreak. Crystal clear water too. And if you're feeling adventurous, hike up the hill into the Torrey Pines reserve and check out the views from a couple hundred feet up on the cliff. Directions to the beach: Head south on Highway 101- which turns into Camino del Mar- which turns into North Torrey Pines Road. Basically just keep driving down the coast south of Del Mar and you'll run into it. And if you like the pic above, check out more shots of San Diego from master lensman Aaron Chang here.
SeasideThe sign says 'South Cardiff State Beach' but the locals call it Seaside Reef. And technically this spot almost didn't make the list as there wasn't much sand here lately. But with the latest sand replenishment program this past winter, the north end of the beach has plenty of spots to post up all day. Big parking lot too that's hardly ever full. And if you plan to surf, you can hit the reef (if it's not too crowded) or head up the beach to 'Georges' which has plenty of room to spread out. The restrooms used to be on the beach but big storms a few years back eroded the foundation and they had to move them to the back of the parking lot. Directions to the beach: Head north on highway 101 and it's at the north end of Solana Beach. Or head south on highway 101 and it's at the south end of Cardiff by the Sea. Your choice.
Cardiff Reef
Of course the reef is crowded as heck nowadays with shortboarders, longboarders, the stand up brigade, kayakers, and even kiteboarders on windy days. But since this is a story about family beaches, the key here is the lagoon; the bigger waves break outside on the reef, then they lose their energy as they make it to shore, and by the time they hit the lagoon, we're talking about ankle slappers here. Perfect for the groms to learn how to surf. It unfortunately has the smallest of the parking lots on this list, but there's more parking on the street just north of the beach. Bathrooms are located smack dab in the middle of the parking lot. Directions to the beach: Head north on highway 101 from Solana Beach and it's about 3/4 mile north of Seaside. Or head south on highway 101 through Encinitas and it's about 2 miles south of downtown.
Moonlight Beach
Maybe the best all around family beach on this list for a variety of reasons: Big sandy beach, plenty of parking in the lot on the hillside, even a playground for the little ones, lots of surf north and south of the main beach, and the city is doing a big redevelopment of it's lifeguard tower, snack shack, bathrooms, and new to the beach- rentals of bikes and boards. All ready in time for summer. Plus volleyball courts for the hidden Sinjin/Stoklos in you. Directions to the beach: Either go due west on Encinitas Blvd. from the 5 Freeway or head north or south on highway 101 and head to the center of town.
A hidden gem here. Most people drive by on highway 101 and pass the jetties not thinking twice about this stretch of beach. But at the border of Carlsbad/Leucadia is a little parking lot with showers, bathrooms, a lookout on the cliff, and plenty of space on the beach. If dad plans on surfing, there's not much excitement straight out from the parking lot- he has to run north to the jetties- but there's plenty for the groms and a quiet beach for mom. Directions to the beach: Head due west on La Costa Ave. from the 5 freeway. Then make a right on highway 101 and go north about 1/4 mile and make a legal U-turn at the 1st light.
For the purpose of this list we'll narrow down Oceanside to just the south jetty to the harbor entrance. Probably the best surf for dad in this entire list. But everyone already knows Oceanside has good surf. The great thing about this family location is the size of the beach- it's long and deep. Plenty of room to find a spot for you, grandma, your uncle, his kids, the groms, you name it. Plus the usual bathrooms, volleyball courts, parking, and as a bonus for mom- right behind the beach is the harbor with shops and restaurants. You could spend days there with all the amenities. Directions to the beach: From the 5 freeway, get off on Harbor Drive and head west until you can't go any further- unless your car is amphibious. For more great shots of Oceanside, check out Rob Gilley's Surfer magazine gallery here.
Of course there's all kinds of great beaches in north county San Diego- that's why I live here. But they didn't make this list because of a lack of parking, no bathrooms, or the surf spots are a secret. So do some hunting of your own this summer and find more beaches for you and your family!
