San Diego is known for many things, but more than anything else, the city is known as one of the nation's most beautiful beach destinations. With sunny, temperate weather from January through December, it's not uncommon for local beaches to be crowded all year long. We've compiled a list of San Diego's more secluded spots—those less likely to be packed with other surfers, swimmers, and sunbathers of both the local and visiting variety.

Encinitas

Seaside State Beach

A view of an orange sky in the evening above a small beach with palm trees in San Diego — The southern end of Cardiff State Park offers more privacy.

Seaside State Beach is the perfect example of something special hidden in plain sight. This little sliver of beach is located on the southern end of Cardiff State Park, which tends to be busier the farther north you go.

Seaside actually sits in the space between, well, the sea and Highway 101. The lack of people comes with a trade-off: Here, the sound of crashing waves is met with the addition of some road noise from cars and the occasional motorcycle speeding past on the freeway. And while surfers sing the Seaside State Beach's praises, families are warned that this part of the shoreline is notorious for a wicked and dangerous rip current, making it a risky swimming spot, especially an inexperienced swimmer.

D Street Beach

A wooden staircase leads down to the beach surrounded by palm trees in San Diego — D Street Beach is much quieter than its nearby neighbor, Moonlight State Beach.

Named after its access point, D Street Beach is accessible via a staircase on the western end of D Street in Encinitas, hidden down at the bottom of a bluff. Due to its proximity to its famous next-door neighbor, Moonlight State Beach, which is almost always crawling with people, this beach tends to draw the locals for an hour or two on a weeknight for a quick swim or a walk up and down the sandy shore.

Along with the calm, easy-going vibes, the bluff provides some shade in the daytime and a beautiful backdrop during the sunset hours. There's even a shower at the bottom of the steps to rinse your feet before making a slow climb back to street level.

Solana Beach

Fletcher Cove

A view of the shore from out in the ocean of cliffs and buildings in San Diego — Fletcher Cove gives visitors a unique view of the ocean with many nearby attractions.

Fletcher Cove—sometimes called the Pillbox due to a series of WWII era military installations that dot the cliffside—is a gem hidden in the heart of Solana Beach. In fact, it's pretty much the only bit of Solana Beach that isn't underwater during high tide.

In addition to the beach itself, Fletcher Cove has a small playground, a basketball court, picnic tables, and a little stretch of grass perfect for afternoon barbecues in the sun. While this beach is sometimes overlooked, it has year-round lifeguards on duty and is easy to access via car or train.

La Jolla

Black's Beach

A cliffside view of a remote, unpopulated beach in San Diego with the tide coming in — Black's Beach requires a cliffside trek, but the experience is worth the effort.

It's possible Black's Beach is San Diego County's most famous hidden beach, as contradictory as that may seem. Shrouded in rumor and local lore, Black Beach has a history of being a secluded haven for the city's large nudist sunbathing population. (Please check local laws before actually dropping trou.)

A day at Black's is a commitment: This slice of shoreline is only accessible via a dodgy steep descent down the side of a cliff, unless it's low tide when you can walk two miles from Torrey Pines State Reserve or three miles from La Jolla Shores Beach. Come high tide, the only way out is up through a crevice in the cliffside. So be prepared to carry all your beach gear and your surfboard down and back up, and note that due to its remote nature, there aren't a whole lot of amenities like bathrooms or trash cans. But those who make the effort are rewarded with a quiet reprieve from city life, and if you sit long enough, it's likely you'll catch the sight of dolphins playing in the waves.

San Diego

Border Field State Park

A view from the ocean of the shoreline with beachfront, houses, and people in San Diego — Imperial Beach has fewer and fewer visitors as you travel south along the coastline.

Border Field State Park is located on the southernmost end of Imperial Beach, and it actually connects the Southern California coastline to that of Mexico. Due to its location, most people never make it quite that far south.

Beyond the typically quiet nature of this shoreline, the park is a small part of the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve and is filled with salt marshlands, local wildlife, and an unusual landscape with sand dunes unlike any of the other local beaches. Border Field is also the only San Diego beach where horseback riding is permitted. Anyone looking to make friends across national borders can do that at Friendship Park where Californians can become acquainted with our closest international neighbors.

San Diego Area

5 Hidden Beaches in San Diego