Pacific Beach Boardwalk

Pacific Beach is a beach area where partying college students live, and families going to SeaWorld stay for their vacation. It has a terrible traffic and parking problem, as it was designed in the 1950s when there were fewer people living in San Diego. The traffic along Grand Ave and Garnet Ave might drive you crazy, but hang in there. The architecture is bland 1950s style but you can still find some nice things hidden here and there.

A good find is Better Buzz Coffee Pacific Beach Grand (it is one of three branches in Pacific Beach), which has a cute interior and a narrow rooftop area with views of the sea. There is some parking in the lot but you can only park for one hour.
The beach at Pacific Beach is grotty and uninspiring, but has a long boardwalk that is fun for strolling or rollerblading. If you need to park by the beach, find a side street far away, such as Cass Street or Dawes Street, and walk.
The best find in the Pacific Beach area is the lagoon at Sail Bay. Here, families gather on the huge lawns or the white sand beach and hang out. Kids run free in the huge expansive spaces. It is a lovely scene. For a wonderful evening, sit outside under tiki torches or beside a fire pit at Moray's in Catamaran Resort Hotel and have a sushi roll. You can walk to Moray's from the beach- take San Rafael Place, which connects you with the Bayside Walk along Sail Bay lagoon.

Directions

If you need to park by the beach, find a side street far away, such as Cass Street or Dawes Street, and walk to the beach.

Click on map for interactive view