CA State Beaches
Pacific Beach
With an endless boardwalk, Pacific Beach offers low-budget housing and creative beach bars for college students and young adults. This area offers just about everything from bicycle rentals to biker bars. You will find that surfing and swimming are separated along the coast. Parking is a nightmarish prospect throughout Pacific Beach, with the best bets the lot at Tourmaline Street, and side roads on the north side of the pier.
Tourmaline Surfing Park is a surf-only beach known for its slow, slopey waves used by beginners, longboarders, kiteboarders and windsurfers. There are bathrooms and a medium sized picnic area. Alcohol is permitted only on the beach between the hours of 12 noon and 8pm. The boardwalk is a thriving parade of non-stop activity and entertainment. If you decide to join in, follow all posted regulations and parking signs to the letter of the law, as they are strictly enforced here.
North Pacific Beach is a quieter stretch of the beach with lifeguards that supervise the swimming areas and facilities at the end of Law and Diamond Street.
