Pacific Beach

Pacific Beach is the name of both the beach and this neighborhood of San Diego. Known locally as P.B. this stretch of sand runs between La Jolla and Mission Beach.

At the heart of Pacific Beach is the Crystal Pier which dates back to the 1920s. The main beach is the area to the south of the pier, whilst the other side is known as North Pacific Beach. 

Running the entire 3.2 mile stretch of Pacific Beach is Ocean Front Walk, a concrete boardwalk lined with trendy bars, shops and restaurants. As well as being a great place to just chill out this is the spot for cruising on anything with wheels from rollerblades to bikes.

Activities on the beach range from just lounging to hitting the waves. That said the most consistent waves are at the Tourmaline Surf Park Beach right at the northern end of P.B.

Volleyball is also a pretty big deal at Pacific Beach with plenty of nets setup along the length of the beach. Head to Sail Bay for the serious action.

One of the great things about P.B. is that the beach scene doesn’t stop when the sun goes down. As well as the lively nightlife on the strip behind the Crystal Pier there are fire pits dotted along the sand where you can hold your own party.