East Shore
Mission Bay, CA
East Shore is a genuinely calm, no-waves stretch of Mission Bay with numerous parking lots and a visitor information center nearby for anyone new to the area. Playa Pacifica's swimming beach sits just south along the same shoreline, both benefiting from the bay's natural shelter from ocean surf.
A genuinely easy, calm-water stretch with real parking capacity, a practical choice for a straightforward bay beach day.
How we score beachesThe visitor center here is a real, useful stop for maps and information if this is your first visit to Mission Bay.
Multiple lots serve the shoreline.
Dogs must be leashed in this part of Mission Bay Park, and are banned from the beach daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Nov 1 to Mar 31) or 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Apr 1 to Oct 31).
Sheltered bay water warms up earlier in the season than the open ocean nearby.
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