Top 10 Things to do in Mission Beach and Pacific Beach

by the Mission Beach Online and Pacific Beach Online editorial staff


When it comes to the best things to do at Mission Beach and Pacific Beach California there are lots of fun and entertaining things which visitors and locals love. Although we are probably missing a few things let's cover our Top 10 list of must things to do or visit while you are here. There are always going to be a few we missed so we are including honorable mentions at the bottom. These are not in any particular order but are all on the "must do" list when in the beach areas.

1. Walk the beach!
One of the best things about Mission Beach and Pacific Beach is that they encompass about 8 miles of beach area including the ocean and bay. Mission Beach and Pacific Beach are connected and the strip of sand on the ocean side stretches almost 4 miles long. This is one of the nicest stretch of beaches in San Diego and if you go in the morning or during a low tide you can find a nice selection of sea shells and sand dollars. If you live in San Diego or plan on visiting, your trip is not official until you have done this.

2. Check out Belmont Park in Mission Beach
Why is this on the list? Because Belmont Park is ground zero for Mission Beach and if you really want to feel the Southern California lifestyle you need to hang out and do some people watching. In the meantime you can take advantage of all the cool things Belmont Park offers including the second oldest wooden roller coaster in the USA, The Giant Dipper, great amusement rides incliding a very cool Merry-Go-Round, an arcade with tons of games, the very cool Wavehouse surf ride which creates a simulated wave for people to surf on and of course great food and places to eat like Canes Bar and Grill, which has awesome second story views looking over the beach, ocean and boardwalk areas. This area is also home to many of great shops for clothing, surfing and rentals of bikes, surfboards, boggie boards etc...Belmont Park is also located on some of the most beautiful parks in Mission Bay and San Diego and is one of the most scenic spots in San Diego.

Click Here to check out Belmont Park and The Giant Dipper Roller Coaster

3. Check out a cruise on the Bahia Belle Sternwheller Paddleboat on Mission Bay at night
The Bahia Belle is a beautiful old 3 story Mississippi style sternwheeler paddleboat that cruises Mission Bay along Pacific Beach and Mission Beach showcasing great views and live music. This is one of the funnest things to do in the beach areas because it is perfect for so many occasions. It can be fun for a romantic night out watching sunset from the open upper deck and then going down for dancing on the second floor or meeting three or four friends to hang out and enjoy awesome bay views and great conversation on the only fun party boat in the beach areas. The Bahia Belle leaves from the Bahia Hotel at 6:30PM and arrives at The Catamaran Hotel at 7PM. It goes back and forth all night long letting visitors on and off at both hotel locations. It runs until 12 midnight in the off season and until 1pm during the summer time and weekends. The boat runs every day in the summer and Thursday thru Sunday during the off season. The cost is $6.00 per person and is free to hotel guests. Suprise your friends or special someone with this for fun and you won't be disappointed!
For a map and directions to the Bahia and Catamaran Hotel Click Here

Click Here to check out The Bahia Bell

For more information on the Bahia Hotel and Resort including discount hotel room rates and availability click here

For more information on the Catamaran Hotel including discount hotel rates and online reservations click here


4. Rent a beach cruiser and cruise the boardwalk!
Dude, grab a bike and take a cruise down one of the best boardwalk areas in the world! In the Mission Beach area there are tons of great rental places that have very cool bikes that rent for as little as 2 hours at a time. When in Rome do as the Romans do and when at the beaches in San Diego get a bike a cruise the boardwalk!

5. Visit Lahiana's Beach Bar in Pacific Beach
You need the bike to get to the best beach bars and restaurants including Lahaina's Beach House Bar and Grill which has long been recognized by locals and tourists alike as one of the best spots in San Diego to eat, drink and be merry while sitting right on the beach. This legendary place has a huge outdoor patio deck which is perfect for meeting new friends and getting a great tan all while checking out surfing and the traffic on the boardwalk going by. The food is nothing to write home about but the fun and entertainment is. Check it out when the sun is out and get ready to meet some new friends!

6. Visit Canes Bar and Grill in Mission Beach
When it come to getting a great view of the beach and having a nice lunch Canes Bar and Grill is a perfect choice. Located in Belmont Park in Mission Beach this 2 story restaurant and night club has a second story outdoor patio that overlooks the Mission Beach and Mission Bay area. A bit more laid back than Lahaina's, this place offers a good menu with pizza, Mexican entrees, salads and the normal burger and fries items that folks like to eat at the beach. Check out Canes along with great ocean views for lunch and make sure to put on a little sunscreen.

7. Walk the Pier in Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach! Let's face it when it comes to vacations and the beach areas there is a lot of good eating going on. Now it is time to walk off some of those great appetizers and desserts and check out some very scenic places at the same time. There are 2 very cool piers to check out in the Pacific Beach area. Of course we have to mention the Crystal Pier Hotel and Cottages first because we have our Pacific Beach Surf Web Cam out there and it is a very popular spot for surfers and boogie boarders to go out in the water. In addition the Crystal Pier has cottages that you can rent out and sleep over the ocean for a night or two which is a one of a kind experience. The best part however is that you can walk out and get a great view of the beach areas and plenty of fresh air. Bring a camera and you won't be disappinted. In addition you MUST CHECK OUT THE OCEAN BEACH PIER. Why? Because it is the largest pier on the west coast and is only about 4 miles south of the Crystal Pier in beautiful Ocean Beach. This pier has a little cafe on it and has some of the best views from the very ends looking north and south. It is an amazing pier and a great place for some relaxing time outdoors.

8. Visit SeaWorld San Diego
This is a very cool thing for locals and visitors to do since it a a great way to get some excercise while checking out a lot of great exhibits and shows. SeaWorld San Diego is located right on Mission Bay and is about 8 Blocks away from Belmont Park. Seaworld has some great rides which provide aerial views of the entire area so be sure to bring your camera. During the summer Seaworld shoots off fireworks over Mission Bay every night and on weekends during the off season. This is a fun place for kids and adults, especially those who like to take pictures!
For more inormation on SeaWorld San Diego including discount online tickets click here

9. Feed the Birds on Mission Bay!
Looking for soemthing fun to do with the kids or a way to spend some free time? Try checking out beautiful Mission Bay, one of the most awesome sections of parks and water in the USA and while your at it bring along some bread and feed some of the birds along the way. Mission Bay is home to over a dozen different types of birds and also over 4,000 acres of parks and wetland area. This area is what makes San Diego and the Mission Beach areas so beautiful. There are over 15 miles of bike and jogging trails along with plenty of road space to drive right into some of the most beautiful parks you will ever set eyes on. When it comes to spending a fun afternoon on the water bring a picnic basket, a blanket and chairs and also an extra loaf of bread for the feathered friends who like to visit you while you are there. Take some time to drive and visit these areas and you will be happy you did!

10. GET IN THE OCEAN!
People you have made it this far, some of us from thousands of miles away, and now we are here and have not been in the ocean? WHAT? Okay folks let us just say your arrival in San Diego is NOT official if you have not been in the water. For all of the chickens out there who are afraid of the ocean, hate "cold 68-70ish degree water", afraid to swim or are just lazy, roll up you pants or just take your shoes and socks off and get you feet wet walking around looking for shells. Please do something and do it soon because there are way too many locals and visitors who travel in that don't get a chance to get their feet wet once in a while. For those who enjoy the ocean you should try out surfing lessons, or rent a surf board, boogie board, kayak, jet ski, wake board and boat or something else that will get you on the bay or ocean. San Diego is home to the Pacific Ocean, something they do not have in Minnesota or anywhere else east of here so if you are not out in the sand and in the water once in a while enjoying it you are missing out!
The beach area in Mission Beach and Pacific Beach along the ocean is about 4 miles long and Mission Bay has over 19 miles of beaches and boardwalk area to enjoy for water activities.



Other great things to do and places to visit in the Mission Beach and Pacific Beach areas. When it comes to some great places to eat you must include Isola Lounge in Pacific Beach which is a little upscale and perfect for a great dinner or happy hour. This place is the best at the beach if you want to dress up a little and be in a progressive enviroment. Other good restaurants include Kafe Yen, Karinya Thai Food Restaurant, Daddios Bar, Grill and Breakfast Cafe -good for lunch and dinner or just drinks including a Snickers Mocha, Kabucki Sushi in "PB", or Mizu Sushi in Mission Beach, Kojack's Greek Food in Mission Beach. If you are looking for a great Pizza in Mission Beach call 858-488-4010 for Gabianos Pizza which is great delivered and also has salads and sandwiches which can be delivered right to your door.

When it comes to nightlife and hot spots there are a few good ones to visit. The most popular place in the area is Pacific Beach Bar and Grill. This place could easily be on the top 10 list and probably should be. Pacific Beach Bar and Grill has great food and happy hour specials along with a very festive crowd of local professionals and college age locals who stop by for meeting friends and then later start dancing when the nightclub Tremors opens up. It is a fun place with a ton of TV's, outdoor patio and always a line after 10PM. Another famous place to visit is the Beachcomber in South Mission Beach which is a little tiny place but one that encourages interaction as you sit and stand next to other visitors. This place is famous for Sunday nights, but almost every Thursday thru Sunday you will see a lot of college age students mixed in with locals and tourists in the area making it a diverse group of folks. Sundays have live music that goes from 4PM until 8PM. Canes in Mission Beach has some great live music and also some fun club nights to check out and also Blind Melons in Pacific Beach on Garnet Avenue.

Great places for breakfast in the beach areas include The Mission Cafe on Mission Blvd. in Mission Beach, Cantina Panaderia in Pacific Beach and Picoso Mexican Restaurant right by the pier on Garnet. All of the places have great food and The Mission Cafe and Cantina Panaderia are well known for their awesome ecelctic dishes, awesome pancakes, and one of a kind healthy eating menu's. Daddios in Pacific Beach is also a great place for a great mocha, pancakes and maybe even an omlette serving up your standard All American favorites. Mention Mission Beach Online.com at Daddios and save 15% on your total bill. Just make sure you let them know before you ring up to make it easy for your server.

Check out these places and make your beach experiences that much better!