Marine Street Beach

Located near the western end of Marine Street, Marine Street Beach is a long beach with light brown sand, mossy rock formations, and a nearby parking lot for visitor convenience. This beach is situated below a blufftop residential area and is sandier than other beaches in La Jolla. The water near Marine Street Beach has rocky reefs and kelp beds, making it an interesting spot for exploration. While there is a lifeguard tower in Marine Street Beach, lifeguards are deployed here during summers and on peak weekends during spring and autumn due to the rough surf conditions that attract many visitors.

Marine Street Beach does not have any other amenities, so plan your trip accordingly. However, you will find picnic areas nearby, perfect for a day out. Marine Street Beach allows dogs on a leash before 9 am and after 6 pm between April and October. Between November and March, the beach allows dogs before 9 am and after 4 pm.

Marine Street Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, surfing, bodysurfing, bodyboarding, fishing, boating, and scuba diving. The water near Marine Street Beach offers powerful and thrilling waves, which makes it popular among surfers, bodysurfers, and bodyboarders. However, if you are planning to go into the water near Marine Street Beach, we recommend being very careful as the water here has extremely strong and dangerous currents, especially in the sea lane where the rough surf is most intense. We strongly recommend that swimmers, children, and beginner surfers forego going into the water here as drowning-related accidents have also been previously reported from Marine Street Beach. In addition, localist surfers are often present on this beach and may try to dissuade you from surfing here. The water near this beach is also popular with divers, who often explore the vibrant underwater biodiversity and topography present here. The water near this beach is home to many kinds of fish including cabezon, surfperch, bass, sheepshead, garibaldis, and treefish. In addition, the water near Marine Street Beach is a great spot to watch leopard sharks, which are generally harmless and congregate here to mate between April and May. The water near Marine Street Beach is also home to many kinds of marine mammals including seals, sea lions, and migrating whales (generally between December and April). In addition, there is a unique semicircular reef in the water near Marine Street Beach (usually accessible by boat) known as Horseshoe Reef. The San Diego Council of Divers also organizes a safety and education program near Marine Street Beach known as The Rocks, Rips, & Reefs Program which seeks to sensitize divers and snorkelers about ways to safely enter and exit the water near this beach and other La Jolla beaches. The large variety of fish in the water near Marine Street Beach makes it an ideal fishing spot. However, if you are planning to fish in the water near this beach, we recommend that you comply with the local fishing regulations. 

Getting to Marine Street Beach is easy - the access stairway to the beach is located near the intersection between Marine Street and Vista Del Mar Avenue, where street parking is also available. As another option, you can also access Marine Street Beach by walking along the coastline from Windansea Beach (located near the intersection between Neptune Place and Nautilus Street) and Hospital Beach (located near 445 Coast Boulevard). Limited street parking is available near both these beaches, so it's best to arrive early, especially on peak weekends when parking can be a challenge.

There are many attractions near Marine Street Beach. Birch Aquarium has interesting exhibits highlighting the vibrant marine life of the Pacific Ocean and it also hosts many other interesting events including summer camps for kids, academic lectures, and onsite tidepool tours. La Jolla Historical Society’s Wisteria Cottage Gallery offers many interesting artistic and historical exhibitions. If you are looking for another attraction near Marine Street Beach, the La Jolla Recreation Center was built in 1915 and was designed by Irving Gill. This recreation center has many amenities including playgrounds, basketball courts, tennis courts, and weight room facilities. In addition, this center also organizes many interesting programs like tae kwon do classes, gymnastics, yoga classes, and adult fitness classes.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Marine Street Beach. Catania is an upscale rooftop Italian restaurant that offers Instagram-worthy views of the San Diego County shoreline. In addition, this restaurant serves excellent pasta and pizzas. This restaurant has been praised by the prestigious MICHELIN Guide. Sugar and Scribe is a restaurant and bakery that offers fantastic breakfast dishes including pancakes, French toasts, eggs, and sandwiches. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Marine Street Beach, the modestly priced Brick and Bell Cafe offer excellent breakfast dishes including bagels, muesli, granola, wraps, and toast. In addition, the restaurant also serves outstanding sandwiches, salads, soups, and desserts.

If you are looking for a hotel near Marine Street Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 4-Star Pantai Inn offers many amenities including complimentary breakfast, barbecue grills, and laundry facilities. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star La Jolla Cove Hotel & Suites which offers many amenities including a pool with sundeck, firepits, barbecue spots, and pool tables. The hotel also has a hot tub and a rooftop bar that offers incredible views. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Marine Street Beach, the 2-Star La Jolla Biltmore Motel has a snack bar and is located conveniently close to some of the major attractions in San Diego.