The epitome of Southern California beach culture, Mission Beach life really does revolve around sand and surf – not least because there’s almost nothing else to see or do along this slen­der, 3.6 km-long peninsula. You’ll get the measure of Mission Beach along the beachside boardwalk, thronged with cyclists, roller-skaters and others, whose clothing often leaves little to the imagination. The board-walk is always busy and so too is the single main road, Mission Beach Boule­vard, which local police often close during the crazed days of summer.

At the southern end of the boardwalk, Belmont Park is where you’ll spot two much-updated survivors of 1920s Mission Beach: the Giant Dip­per Roller Coaster, and a 175-ft-long salt water swimming-pool known as The Plunge.

Detour – Mission Bay Park

Filling a 4,600-acre expanse between Downtown and Mission Beach, these one-time marshlands have developed into a series of beach-lined lagoons. Come the weekend, the grassy sec­tions are clogged with frisbee throwers and volleyball players as jet-skiers and wind-surfers zip by on – or above – the park’s waterways. Mission Bay Park is also the site of Sea World, which has been wracked with controversy in recent years concerning severe cruelty to animals – this was best highlighted in the 2013 documentary Black Fish (https://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-sandiego/).

Detour – Ocean Beach

Surfing and sunbathing are the big attractions of Ocean Beach, though unlike the heavily tourist-populated Mission Beach this little community possesses a small-town charm and perches picturesquely on the hilly neck of the Point Loma penin­sula, with the impressive Sunset Cliffs overlooking its popular strips of sand.

Detour – Pacific Beach

It may neighbour riotous Mission Beach but Pacific Beach is an altogether more genteel residential community, one which decorates its beach-side path­way with plants and well-tended gar­dens. Pacific Beach’s most energetic spots are the trendy eateries and nightspots grouped along its main street, Garnet Avenue.