Description - Mission Bay Park consists of 4,235.6 acres, approximately 46% land and 54% water. There are 27 miles of shoreline, 19 of which are sandy beaches. Mission Bay was originally named False Bay by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, who came upon it in 1542. In those days, it was a vast tidal marsh that could confuse mariners into believing it was the larger bay just to the south, San Diego Bay. In 1944, civic leaders began a series of steps to dredge the marsh and create an aquatic recreation facility. Today, you will find that Mission Bay is used by motorboaters, sailboaters, rowers, waterskiers, picnickers, joggers, and swimmers. It is also home to many species of birds, fish, and other animals and has a nature reserve at it's northern end near Crown Point.

Lifeguard Protection - Lifeguard staffing on Mission Bay beaches is primarily seasonal, usually beginning with school spring break, continuing with spring weekends, becoming daily during summer, and reduced to weekends after summer through October. Between November and spring break, there are no lifeguarded beaches on Mission Bay.

The primary Mission Bay beaches where staffing is provided most consistently are:

Bonita Cove - 1000 West Mission Bay Drive at Mariners Way
Leisure Lagoon - 1900 East Mission Bay Drive
De Anza Cove - 3000 East Mission Bay Drive

Additional Mission Bay beaches are usually guarded daily during summer:

Sail Bay - 4000 Fanuel Street
Crown Point - 3700 Crown Point Drive
Ventura Cove - 1000 West Mission Bay Drive at Gleason Road
Tecolote Shores - 1600 East Mission Bay Drive
Enchanted Cove - Located on Fiesta Island

Drop Off - There are no significant currents on Mission Bay, nor is there any surf; but there is a hazard posed by the drop-off. It can be a particular problem for small children. The steepness of the beach can be such that a child who is waist deep, for example, may take one step and be in water that is over their head. For this reason, parents are strongly urged to watch their children closely and to allow swimming only in areas supervised by a lifeguard. It is also strongly recommended that those who are weak swimmers or non-swimmers not be permitted to use floating objects that might allow them to access water over their head. If they lose the floating object they can quickly submerge and drown.

Restrooms and Showers - Restrooms with showers are located at all of the above listed swimming beaches on Mission Bay, except at Enchanted Cove. At some beaches there are two restroom buildings available.

Disabled Accessibility - There are very few stairs in Mission Bay Park. Instead, the park is composed primarily of abundant grassy park areas with extensive cement walkways. Of particular note is the playground at Tecolote Shores which was designed for use by physically challenged children, and is very popular with all children. It is located at approximately 1500 East Mission Bay Drive, very near the swimming area.

Parking - Mission Bay has extensive, free parking lots, particularly adjacent to most of the swimming beaches. Exceptions are Enchanted Cove and Sail Bay, where parking lots are not available, but parking is available nearby. All parking lots fill on popular days, particularly summer weekends. Overnight camping is prohibited and it is unlawful to park a vehicle in Mission Bay Park between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. daily.

Official Web Site

If you are trying to find Mission Bay Beaches , you have come to the right place. Our map is interactive, includes the streets/major attractions in the immediate area, and can be easily zoomed, reformatted or repositioned to meet your needs. If you see a map that is in error, please email us at maps@mustseesandiego.com.

Map of Mission Bay Beaches Location