Best Kid-Friendly Beaches in San Diego

San Diego means fun in the sun, and these kid-friendly beaches in San Diego will keep you and your family happy during your next visit to the area. The Southern California coastline is full of beautiful beaches and places to visit with your family. The areas closest to and in San Diego are perfect for including in your next summer vacation or weekend getaway with your family.

Best Kid-Friendly Beaches in San Diego

La Jolla Cove: The beaches of La Jolla are only 30-45 minutes from downtown San Diego and offer beautiful swim areas as well as the always popular tide pools for kids to go exploring in. Tide pools offer a great chance to find things like seashells, crabs and sea urchins that are beautiful and unique to the area. Go early to see the tide pools, or late evening to see the most spectacular sunsets over the water.

Imperial Beach: Just a few miles down the road from Coronado Beach, Imperial Beach is a favorite destination for locals. With beautiful beaches, great water and waves, it is a fun place to bring out the wakeboards or simply to enjoy a picnic with the family. These beaches tend to be busier with locals than tourists, but are a great destination to take kids of all ages for an afternoon of fun in the sand.

Coronado Beach: This sprawling beach on Coronado Island is a great place to visit with your kids. White sandy beach within walking distance of condos and hotels makes it a perfect destination for your time in the area. Coronado offers beautiful beaches and great play areas for kids. Safe for families and perfect for picnics and lazy days in the sand and sun Coronado Beach is a great place to take the entire family.

Moonlight Beach: This beach in Encinitas is a popular destination for families with its park nearby and access to things like shops adjacent to the beach, playgrounds and of course multiple lifeguard towers nearby. It’s a safe beach for kids and offers beautiful swim areas as well as great surfing depending on the tide that day. It is named Moonlight Beach for the spectacular views of the moon each evening and is a favorite for romantic strolls with your love as well as fun afternoons with the kids.

Cardiff Beach: Cardiff by the Sea is a great location to visit just outside San Diego. This beach is one of the best beaches in San Diego for kids because of the ability to find great seashells, and enjoy a beautiful beach with restrooms and lifeguards nearby. This public beach is one of the most popular in the area but is well worth the drive to have a safe and fun place for your kids to play in the sand and sun.

These are what we believe are the best beaches in San Diego for kids to enjoy. From great beautiful beaches to nearby parks and lifeguards on duty, these are the beaches we head out to enjoy. A beautiful sunny day playing in the sand and surf is made even more fun when you can feel safe having your kids along with you.