Sweetwater Marsh(San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge)

Located in the city of San Diego, Sweetwater Marsh is a small and narrow beach that is a part of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Sweetwater Marsh is a great birdwatching spot especially during fall and winter months, and a home to many protected and endangered birds and animals. Also known as Gunpowder Point, Sweetwater Marsh is situated on the east side of the city of Chula Vista and is densely surrounded by cities.

There are many amenities here including restrooms, bird blinds, an aquarium, a zoo, and a nature center that provides educational exhibits.

Sweetwater Marsh offers several fun activities including birdwatching, hiking, biking, and paddle-boarding. If you like kayaking, Chula Vista Kayaks offers kayaking tours around Sweetwater Marsh which starts from Chula Vista Bayside Park in the north.

Getting here is very easy – a free parking lot is situated near 215 Bay Boulevard at the west end of E Street in Chula Vista from where you can a shuttle bus (visit Living Coast Discovery Center website for more information) to the nature center. Once you reach here, carefully climb down on the access trails here that lead to Sweetwater Marsh through marshlands.

If you are looking for nearby attractions, there are many within a 15-minute drive of Sweetwater Marsh. National City Golf Course is a nine-hole beachfront golf course with a par 5, five par 4’s, three par 3’s, a driving range, and a restaurant. The lively nightlife neighborhood Gaslamp Quarter is known for its clubs, dive bars, cocktail lounges, and restaurants. If you like performing arts, Spreckels and Balboa theaters feature music concerts, comedy shows, and plays, and you can also visit Horton Plaza Park here that has an interactive fountain. Spread across five-and-a-half-acres, Pepper Park features a playground, boat launch, fishing pier with lighting for night fishing, and picnic tables. Another great attraction near Sweetwater Marsh is San Diego Zoo, a non-profit wildlife sanctuary that is home to 3,500 rare and endangered animals, and over 700,000 plants.

If you get hungry, there are many restaurants within a 10-minute drive of Sweetwater Marsh. Galley At the Marina is a vegetarian-friendly eatery-bar with oceanfront patio setting and feature seafood dishes, fish 'n' chips, happy hour, live music, and dancing. If you like Italian food, Olive Garden Italian Restaurant serves classic Italian dishes like Chicken Parmigiana and Fettuccine Alfredo, pasta, chicken, and beef dishes. If you are looking for a family-friendly restaurant, Family House of Pancakes offers breakfast options that include pancakes, omelets, sandwiches, tacos, and burgers.

If you are looking for a hotel near Sweetwater Marsh, you can drive 15-minutes to the 45,000 square feet upscale 4-Star hotel Coronado Island Marriott Resort & Spa that boasts three pools, ballrooms, a pickleball, and a spa. The 3-Star pet-friendly Best Western Plus Marina Gateway Hotel features a pool and gym. If you are looking for an affordable hotel near Sweetwater Marsh, the 2-Star Motel 6 Chula Vista, CA - San Diego welcomes pets.