Vacation rentals in Mission Beach, San Diego

The Mission Beach neighborhood of San Diego, spanning just two miles of oceanfront, is a laid-back waterfront playground whose very history is grounded in fun. In 1925, an entrepreneur — credited with building San Diego into the bustling beach city it is today — decided an amusement park was just the thing to lure people to the Mission Bay area. Belmont Park featured thrill rides alongside a 60-foot saltwater swimming pool where famous celebrities swam. The park has changed significantly since then, but still draws crowds today. But wait, there’s more: The neighborhood is also home to a popular beach and Mission Bay Aquatic Center, the largest manmade aquatic park in the nation. The fun continues into the night, as revelers flock to local bars to partake in the neighborhood’s thriving nightlife.

In general, you can expect warm, sunny weather in the 60s and 70 degrees Fahrenheit nearly year round. However, from May to August it’s not unusual to experience marine layer — gray clouds, especially in the morning, which locals call June Gloom. From September through February you may experience Santa Anas, warm winds that can gust up to 100 miles per hour. Pack a sweater or light jacket to guard against winds or cooler evenings.

Belmont Park

Belmont Park has been modernized over the years, but rightly retains the vintage charms of a classic oceanfront theme park. Its crowning glory is a wooden roller coaster 75 feet tall at its highest peak that rockets screaming patrons at 48 miles per hour. Built in 1925, the coaster underwent an extensive upgrade in the 1990s and has since landed a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. The park also boasts modern thrill rides, as well as a carousel, bumper cars, an arcade, and midway games.

Mission Beach

Flanked by a two-mile boardwalk populated by joggers, inline skaters, and cyclists, and set against the backdrop of Belmont Park, vibrant Mission Beach attracts surfers and loungers in equal share. Nearby South Mission Beach offers volleyball courts as well as courts for a quirky sport that is sort of like softball on the beach, played with teams of three, and Mission Bay hosts a world championship every year.

Mission Bay Aquatic Park

Carved out of wetlands and marsh, the 4,235-acre manmade Mission Bay Aquatic Park accommodates just about every water activity there is. Surfing, paddleboarding, waterskiing, kayaking, windsurfing, sailing, and wakeboarding are all offered here, with equipment available to rent. Let your dog run free at an off-leash dog park on sand dune-covered Fiesta Island, where you can also find bonfire pits and picnic tables. If you’re not feeling sporty, tap into your inner mermaid and take a lazy dip in one of the designated swimming areas with alluring names like Enchanted Cove and Leisure Lagoon.