Located about 8 miles north of San Diego, Ocean Beach Pier is the longest pier in the county, the second longest on the west coast (behind Santa Cruz), and the longest concrete pier in the world. It was built for fishing but has always attracted people who want to take photos under it or walk half a mile out over the ocean. At the end of the pier, you can walk even further on the arms that extend both left and right. No fishing license is required. Beneath the pier are tide pools and this is a very kelp-y beach.
Ocean Beach is known to locals simply as OB. It is a small beach town and it is the perfectly small vintage beach town where you find things like record stores and hippy vans. One of the most laid-back areas on our list, OB attracts many surfers and this is another hot spot for waves. Everyone is friendly, and you will definitely get the Southern California feel as you pass the old-fashioned antique shops, taco stands, surfer stores, and people in their most casual beach clothes with their furry friends headed to the dog beach! The pier itself even has a cafe and a bait shop so you can take a break and sip on a coffee as you listen to the crashing waves and seagulls. This quaint beach town also has a thriving nightlife that attracts locals, and is just as casual as everything else you can do here. A particularly popular place is the burger joint Hodad’s, which has a reputation for amazing food of large portions and is probably as casual as it gets, complete with surfboards hanging around the restaurant.
In addition to OB’s many activities, nearby are a skate park, Point Loma, Cabrillo National Monument, Sea World, Mission Beach (along with Belmont Park and the historic Giant Dipper) and Sunset Cliffs. Sunset Cliffs is arguably one of the most beautiful places in San Diego, and maybe even the entire California coast line. It offers hiking, caves, hard-to-access beaches at the bottom of the cliffs, and views that will take your breath away.
