Mission Beach is a community on a stretch of sandbar along the Pacific Ocean to the west and Mission Bay to the east in San Diego. The main artery through Mission Beach is Mission Boulevard. At the south end of the beach a jetty extends into the ocean. Attractions near Mission Beach include SeaWorld and Belmont Park, which features the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster. Other amusement park rides include the Flowrider, Chaos, Vertical Plunge, Krazy Kars, Tilt-a-Whirl, Liberty Carousel, Crazy Submarine, and The Trampoline.
Mission Beach also offers opportunities to participate in tanning, volleyball, horseshoes, surfing, bicycling, skateboarding, Frisbee tossing, and other outdoor activities. A local skating club, "Skate This!", performs for free on weekends, executing trick skating and dancing on both rollerblades and traditional skates.
Thong bikinis are technically illegal on Mission Beach, but both lifeguards and local police usually do not enforce the ban on such swimwear. The consumption of alcoholic beverages on the beach is still legal. Nudity is not allowed.
Many of the beachgoers are local college and university students, but both tourists and permanent residents of the beach and other areas are also frequent visitors to the beach. Nearby Pacific Beach is to the north of Mission Beach.
Bars & Nightlife
Mission Beach has many well known bars. Most bars in the neighborhood are relaxed beach style bars. Some of the more popular places include The Sandbar Sports Grill, The Beachcomber, The Pennant, The Coaster Saloon and The Wavehouse, a beachside bar-and-grill featuring a 10-foot tall barreling artificial wave called the "Bruticus Maxumus".