Dive Into San Diego Water Sports

From its sparkling Pacific coastline to its scenic bays and lakes, San Diego offers endless opportunities to get on the water. Thanks to warm temperatures year-round and great water access, you can enjoy everything from surfing and paddleboarding to jet skiing and kayaking. Whether you're trying a new activity or returning to a favorite pastime, explore the options below to make a splash across the San Diego region!

Surfing

San Diego’s coastline offers an abundance of world-class surfing options, with beach, reef and point breaks that accommodate a variety of conditions as well as rider experience levels. The region is loaded with renowned surf spots, from Tourmaline Surf Park in Pacific Beach to Swami's in Encinitas to the many great breaks of La Jolla. There are also plenty of beaches that are ideal for beginners, and lots of options for learning to ride the waves through a local surf school.

Bodyboarding

Able to take off deeper and ride in the more critical part of the wave, expert bodyboarders can claim more tube time than traditional surfers, and every day is overhead. But you can also try bodyboarding for the first time in gentler conditions, such as the rolling waves of Pacific Beach or La Jolla Shores. And when you're ready, take it to the next level at a hollow shore-break spot such as Marine Street Beach in La Jolla.

Kiteboarding

This exciting and colorful sport is essentially a cross between wakeboarding and paragliding. Kiteboarders strap into a short, double-ended board and clip an oversized kite to a harness. Unlike windsurfing, which requires tacking and jibing, kiteboarders can harness the wind's energy even if they're racing dead into it. When it's time to change direction, they simply tune their kite, turn the board and go where they please. Kiteboarders also thrive in the stormy, blown-out wind conditions that traditional surfers avoid. Pacific Beach and the Coronado Shores areas are popular kite sites, although beginners like to start out at places like Fiesta Island on the protected waters of Mission Bay.

Stand-up Paddleboarding

A great way to get out on the water, see the sights and grab some exercise, stand-up paddleboarding is easy to learn on calm waters and a big, floaty board. There are numerous places to rent equipment, with Mission Bay a particularly popular option. Stand-up paddleboarding surfing on ocean waves requires a bit more expertise but can make for a fun challenge once you've mastered the basics. Just to be sure to observe proper surf etiquette and stay out of prone surfers' way when out at a popular surf break.

Sailing and Windsurfing

San Diego is a world-class sailing destination and a past host of the America's Cup, the biggest global event in competitive yachting. If you know the basics, you can rent a boat on either Mission Bay or San Diego Bay and glide across San Diego's sparkling waters. There are also lots of charter options if you prefer to just enjoy the sights and let someone else do the sailing. And if you really want to get close to the water under sail, windsurfing is a popular option, particularly on Mission Bay. It's a rush but does require some instruction and practice.

Jet-packing, Flyboarding and Hoverboarding

All three of these adventurous options give thrill-seekers the chance to realize their superhero dreams, flying high above the waters of Mission Bay or San Diego Bay, powered by water-propulsion jets. Depending upon the device you select, you can fly up to 30 feet in the air, skim across the water at speeds up to 30 mph, dive below the surface of the water, and even pull off the impossible: walking on water.

The jet pack is a bit quicker to learn as it requires very little strength to operate. The flyboard offers more freedom of movement, but demands a bit more muscle control. While the jet pack is better at spinning and skimming across the water, the flyboard is better at flips and dives. The hoverboard is basically like riding a snowboard on steroids; prior experience with surfing, snowboarding or wakeboarding is recommended.

Jet Skiing

The motor-minded can launch jet skis and other personal watercraft at boat ramps and beaches throughout the county (check the local regulations), or rent them at places like Mission Bay and Oceanside Harbor. These craft are relatively easy to use and control so it's hard to resist pinning the throttle wide open on a flat stretch of open water, but beginners can underestimate the power and the potential for accidents. Take it easy, respect the rules of the road that all boaters are obliged to follow, and have a blast.

Wakeboarding

Wakeboards are short, rigid surfboards with foot straps on the deck. Wakeboarders tow behind a speedboat like a water skier, but closer to the boat, where they can ride and play endlessly on the small waves created by the boat's wake. Like water skiing, wakeboarding is not a solo sport. You'll need a boat to pull you and someone to drive it. Fortunately, there are outfits in San Diego that can supply both, along with lessons and gear if you so desire.

Fun at Water Parks

San Diego is a water-loving town, and in addition to miles of beautiful coastline, the destination boasts several awesome water parks, providing fun alternatives to a beach day.

Sesame Place San Diego is full of watery wonders, with 11 aquatic attractions to complement its generous collection of “dry” rides. The 17-acre park — the only “Sesame Street”-themed park on the West Coast — invites visitors to try out such splashy, family-minded rides and slides as Bert’s Topsy Turvy Tunnels, Snuffy’s Spaghetti Slides and Oscar’s Rotten Rafts.

The LEGOLAND Water Park, tucked inside LEGOLAND California Resort in the North County Coastal community of Carlsbad, combines water play with LEGO creativity. It’s a perfect spot for toddlers and tweens, particularly LEGO aficionados, with more than 20 LEGO models, including a 45-foot-tall tower with multiple slides and a shallow wading pool, two sandy beach wading areas, a splash zoo and a lazy river. Plus, nestled inside the main LEGOLAND park is the LEGO CHIMA™ Water Park, which offers additional aquatic fun.

Other Water Play

Though not extreme in the popular sense, there are a lot of other water sports that San Diegans take extremely seriously. You're sure to find whatever water-sports niche is your favorite, from crewing and outrigger canoe clubs to fishing tournaments and scuba diving societies to speedboat races and rough-water swim meets. Get out there and get wet!