San Diego State Park |
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San Diego State Park Overview
The state park system is responsible for almost a third of California's scenic coastline. State parks include underwater preserves, parks, redwood forests, plant and wildlife reserves, state beaches, recreation areas, wilderness areas, reservoirs, historic parks & homes, Spanish buildings, lighthouses, ghost towns, waterslides, conference centers, and off-highway vehicle parks. Below you'll find a list of the more popular San Diego State Parks and ones we personally recommmend from the popular surf spot of San Onofre to the historic Old Towne San Diego. State Park camping is a popular activity with most State Park campgrounds offering extra conveniences like flush toilets, running water and firewood. |
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San Diego State ParkSan Onofre State Beach is located off interstate 5 in San Clemente. You can't miss it because it surrounds the nuclear power plant. This is mainly a surfers beach with breaks like Old Man's, Churches and Trestles. The northern portion from Trestles to Old Man's has a rock bottom and are day use areas. The southern portion features high bluffs with RV and tent camping and dirt trails that lead down to large sandy beaches. These beaches are known to surfers as 'trails' for the 6 trails that connect the bluffs to the beaches. See our Surfing page for more details. 
Carlsbad State Beach is located between Oceanside and Leucadia. Carlsbad offers sandy beaches (most with bluffs), several estuaries, sand dunes and a state beach. The most popular beach area is at the end of Tamarack Avenue. The southern portion offers opportunities for beach camping. Swimming, surfing and sun bathing are popular activities. This park is a great choice for camping at the beach. 
Leucadia State Beach is located off Interstate 5 at Leucadia Boulevard. This State Park features a series of hard-to-find beaches along Neptune Avenue. Because these beaches are not visible from the main highway, they are usually less crowded than other nearby beaches. Unending stretches of narrow sand beaches are back by towering cliffs. Staircases and steep paths lead down to the sand. These are great beaches for relaxing, surfing and swimming. These beaches have some of San Diego County's best surf breaks including Beacon's, Grandview and Stonesteps. 
San Elijo State Beach is located off Interstate 5 south of the Encinitas Boulevard exit on Highway 101. Pronounced San A-lee-ho, this park is situated on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, just a short distance from San Elijo Lagoon and the ever-popular town of Solana Beach. San Elijo offers day use parking for swimmers, surfers, snorkelers, scuba divers and sunbathers in the northern portion and a very popular State Park campground to the south. Activities include beach camping, swimming, surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, sun bathing, fishing and bird watching at the San Elijo Lagoon Estuary. Several great surf breaks are situated along San Elijo's shoreline and the big wave producing Swamis is a short distance north of the park. This park is a great choice for camping by the beach. Cardiff State Beach is located off Interstate 5 one mile south of Cardiff on Old Highway 101. Cardiff is a gently sloping sand beach. Swimming, surfing and sun bathing are popular activities. 
Torrey Pines State Park is located off Highway 101 between La Jolla and Del Mar. This reserve offers short hiking trails and a bike trial on the bluffs overlooking the ocean. The rarest pine tree is protected and abundant here. A state beach is attached at the entrance of Torrey Pines and offers a large sand beach for swimming and surfing. Palomar Mountain State Park is located east of Pala off Highway 76. Nestled in a conifer forest resembling Sierra Nevada terrain, Palomar Mountain offers spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. Activities include State Park camping, picnicking, hiking and fishing. Several hiking trails branch out from the campground leading to nature trails and panoramic lookouts. Cuyamaca Rancho State Park is located on Highway 79 between Highway 78 and Interstate 8, south of Julian. Cuyamaca is located in a forest of oaks & pines with beatiful meadows and streams. A climb to Cuyamaca Peak offers views of Lake Cuyamaca to the north, Anza-Borrego Desert to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The nearby Lake Cuyamaca offers swimming, boating and fishing. Activities include State Park camping, picnicking, hiking, mountain biking, swimming, boating, fishing and horseback riding. 
Old Town State Historic Park is located off interstate 5 south of interstate 8 in San Diego. The park recreates life in San Diego from 1821 to 1872. Features include original adobe structures, a schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, stable with carriage collection and a mansion built around a garden courtyard. Some of San Diegos best Mexican restaurants are located within the park. The most haunted house in the United States is also located within the park and tours are offered, both day and night. There is no entrance fee into the park. A MetroLink station is located behind the park offering easy and affordable access to other popular regions of San Diego. Silver Strand State Beach is located 4.5 miles south of the upscale city of Coronado on Highway 75. Silver Strand is basically a long sandbar that separates San Diego Harbor from the Pacific Ocean. This is a long, wide beach with volleyball nets, fire rings, RV campsites, public restrooms and beach showers. Beaches on the harbor and ocean sides are separated by pedestrian tunnels that go underneath the roadway. Activities include surfing, swimming, sunbathing, fishing, water skiing, volleyball, biking, skating, boating and beach parties. |
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