70 Miles of Coast
Your guide to San Diego — beaches, trails,
tide pools, neighborhoods and things to do.

Field guide index

Bluffs

Explore bluffs through our San Diego field notes. Find practical guides, coastal context and links to the official information you need before heading out.

Coastal bluffs and ocean shoreline in Solana Beach
Solana Beach

Seascape Sur Beach: Walking Solana Beach’s Shoreline

A practical guide to Seascape Surf, often searched as Seascape Sur, and the neighboring Solana Beach accesses.

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Torrey Pines State Beach
La Jolla / Del Mar

Torrey Pines Beach: State Beach, Cliffs and Flat Rock

A practical guide to the sand below Torrey Pines, with the differences between the beach, reserve and Black’s Beach explained.

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The bluff-top Coast Walk path in La Jolla, with coastal plants and an ocean view
La Jolla

La Jolla Coast Walk Trail: Access, Views and Safety

A short bluff-top route links the Cave Store area with Coast Walk near Torrey Pines Road. Come for ocean views, not beach access.

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Sunset Cliffs Natural Park in San Diego, California
Sunset Cliffs / Point Loma

Garbage Beach San Diego: Sunset Cliffs Tides and Safety

A safety-first look at the Sunset Cliffs shoreline, separating king-tide viewing from low-tide exploring.

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Sunset over the shore at San Onofre State Beach
San Onofre / San Clemente border area

San Onofre Bluffs Trail 1: Closures, Maps and Beach Safety

The latest State Parks notice limits access south of the Trail 1 parking lot. Do not use older hike descriptions as evidence that the southern bluffs are open.

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Sandy passage on Beach Trail in the Torrey Pines reserve
Torrey Pines / La Jolla

Beach Trail Torrey Pines: Reserve Walk and Access Guide

Beach Trail links the reserve landscape with the shore, but closures and ocean conditions can prevent the usual route. Check before traveling.

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Aerial view of the San Clemente and San Onofre coast, the wider setting of the Cristianitos Fault
San Onofre / San Clemente border coast

Cristianitos Fault, San Diego Coast: A Geology Guide

Understand the fault through California’s official geology guide without treating an exposed cliff as a climbing destination.

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Black's Beach and its tall coastal bluffs in La Jolla
La Jolla / Torrey Pines

Blacks Beach San Diego: Access, Rules and Cliff Safety

Plan a Blacks Beach visit with official access advice, unstable-cliff warnings and a careful explanation of clothing-optional claims.

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Layered cliffs above Black's Beach, illustrating the coastal setting rather than a specific collapse
La Jolla / Torrey Pines

Torrey Pines Landslide: Black's Beach Cliff Collapse History

Understand the documented 2023 Black's Beach landslide, why coastal cliffs can fail and how official safety guidance applies to visitors.

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Large breaking surf at Ocean Beach in San Diego
San Diego coast

Big Waves San Diego January: What to Check Before Visiting

Winter surf can change a beach outing quickly. Watch from established areas far from wave wash, cliffs and closed structures.

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Pacific surf below the coastal bluffs near Torrey Pines and Black’s Beach
San Diego coast

Beach Trails: Unique San Diego Coastal Hikes

Choose a beach trail for the experience you want: sand underfoot, a paved oceanfront stroll, or a bluff-top hike with room to watch the waves.

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