Mission Bay, Ventura Cove

Located near the historic Belmont Park amusement park, Ventura Cove Park is a recreational grassy park that has a unnamed small beach with light brown sand. This beach is also known as Ventura Cove Park Beach. Ventura Cove Park is situated along the shores of Mission Bay and is a part of a larger municipal aquatic park known as Mission Bay Park. Ventura Cove Park has lifeguards from the beginning of the local academic spring break to the month of October. It is important to note that lifeguard deployment around the beach is generally on weekends except during summers, when lifeguards are deployed around the beach daily.  Ventura Cove Park has many other amenities including restrooms, showers, picnic tables, fire pits, and a paved bike path. Dogs on leash are allowed in the park before 9 am and after 6 pm between April and October. Between November and March dogs are allowed before 9 am and after 4 pm. 

Ventura Cove Park offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, biking, wildlife watching, picnicking, snorkelling, fishing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, surf-skiing, jet-skiing, and boating. The generally calm and shallow water near this beach makes it ideal for beginner surfers, kayakers, canoers, and paddleboarders.  However, if you are planning to go into the water near Ventura Cove Park, please note that a portion of the water near this park is designated solely for swimmers. If you like birdwatching, you can view many interesting varieties of shorebirds around Ventura Cove Park depending on the time of the year. If you are planning to fish in the water near Ventura Cove Park, please make sure that you follow the local fishing regulations. Fire pits present around the beach in Ventura Cove Park also offer an amazing waterfront bonfire session, especially during evenings.  However, if you are planning to organise a bonfire in Ventura Cove Park, you can visit the city of San Diego’s official website to obtain more information about the bonfire regulations in Mission Bay Park.

Getting to Ventura Cove Park is easy - the free parking lot for this park is located near 3209 Gleason Road, where a free and large parking lot is also available. Signs marking the entrance to Ventura Cove Park are present around West Mission Bay Drive and Gleason Road. We recommend visiting Ventura Cove Park early as the parking lot near this park often fills up quickly, particularly during summer weekends.

There are many attractions near Ventura Cove Park. Mission Bay Golf Course and Practice Center has an 18-hole golf course that offers a challenging session of golf. Arts District Liberty Station offers many art museums, art studios, galleries, shopping stores, and restaurants and also hosts movie screenings and cultural performances. If you are looking for another attraction near Ventura Cove Park, The Maritime Museum of San Diego has an interesting collection of renovated historical ships, including the world’s oldest active sailing ship Star of India.  

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Ventura Cove Park. Red Marlin is an upscale restaurant that offers amazing breakfast dishes, steaks, and seafood. The Mission Restaurant offers amazing breakfast and lunch dishes including eggs, French toasts, pancakes, and tamales. In addition, the restaurant has also been praised by many publications including the San Diego Magazine and the Ranch & Coast Magazine. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Ventura Cove Park, the modestly priced Hodad’s offers amazing burgers and sandwiches. 

If you are looking for a hotel near Ventura Cove Park, there are many great nearby options.  The 4-Star Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa And Marina offers many amenities including a restaurant, multiple bars, a pool with cabanas and water slides, a fitness center, a hot tub, watercraft rental facility, and a spa. In addition, the hotel also organizes interesting live music performances. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Bahia Resort Hotel which offers many amenities including a pool, a hot tub, a children’s game room, multiple tennis courts, a Moroccan-themed bar, and a cafe. In addition, the restaurant also offers exciting complimentary cruises in a vintage riverboat.  If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Ventura Cove Park, the modestly priced 2-Star Old Town Inn offers many amenities including a pool, a barbecue grill, a gaming arcade, laundry facilities, and complimentary breakfast