The people are great! The ocean is awesome and free! Perfect for boogie boarding, surfing or just swimming around the ocean. I've been coming here since 2008.. Love love love ocean beach read more

I really liked this beach. We went on a Monday so it wasn't crowded and despite what the signs say, it's easy to get away with drinking and smoking as long as you're not retarded about it. There's spots for bon fires and grassy area in case you don't want to get sandy. Also lots of hot surfer dudes :D read more

OB is the most Chill beach in SD. There are many good places to eat. There is also a couple live music venues. and some uniquely OB shops like Stuff 2 Puff. The farmers market on Wed. is always a good time to see all the color of OB. There are lots of small farms that come to sell fresh produce, local artisans and live music. The homeless people are abundant in OB but they are usually chill and will leave you alone once you tell them you do not have any money for them. Parking as always is a bitch so chill out and expect to drive around a while before you find a spot. read more

Beautiful, and has some breath-taking views! A lot of fun, and a good spot to watch some surfers. Definitely a place to visit especially if you are a tourist. read more

I LOVE and will always love O.B. Lived there for 4 years & had so much fun - the time of my life. It's a beautiful beach community with REAL people of all backgrounds and social classes.Keep the kind & festive vibe alive, fellow Obecians! read more

What a funny thing...'reviewing' OB. OB cares not for your reviews! OB IS OB! 'nuf said.

This is a surfing review******* If you are a beginning - intermediate surfer I would avoid OB. It is very localized and the breaks can be weird. There are always people in the water too. If you do go I suggest going to the right of the jetty onto Dog Beach. That seems to be the area for intermediate/beginning surfers and is a better spot for long boards. I would still suggest La Jolla shores if not for the locals for the waves. OB can be tricky to ride and the waves can get pretty big. Also**** the water isn't clean. I've gotten two respiratory infections after surfing here. I'm not saying OB is all bad. If you get there around sunrise or sunset it is pretty much open to beginners. I just think the waves aren't really the best for learning, the water is kinda filthy, and the locals make it sub par unless you are more advanced. read more

OB is nice, but it suffers from the same SoCal syndrome: everyone is too cool for school. To its credit, OB manages to keep it more laid back, with a hippy funk atmosphere. The pier is nice, and Newport Avenue is lined with some interesting shops and bars. read more

The beach itself is good but parking is few and far between. There is some great people watching here. It seems to attract a more interesting clientele than most of the other beaches in and around San Diego. It does have quintessential beach town vibe which is great. There are many small interesting shops and restaurants within walking distance. read more

The beach isn't the cleanest, but there are a lot of little eateries around this area that are great. Hodads and the Bar-B-Que House are my two favorites. read more

My favorite beach in all of San Diego, except when the seaweed tide rolls up. Otherwise this place is just amazing. Great people, great surf, and great times. The surf is not for the unskilled or out of shape. Please be careful as many of my friends including myself have been dragged in to the peer. I had to retire my old Al Merrick when a tide dragged me in-between the peer and a wave smashed me up against the Columns. My board and my ego were gravely hurt that day but I still love this beach. read more

I just like this place a little of everything to suit what one likes. Yes it has it's homeless and hippie types but who would not want to be by the beach. read more

OB is a great weekend getaway location from the desert! Great food, locals are friendly.

The center of the universe.. Its where it is happening, day or night, Ocean Beach is a electric with creativity and buzz. I locally oriented community that seems to be a magnet for the curious traveller. It is a truly unique, yet quintessentially California coastal culture. read more

"OB"... is fine. I a love the beach so I have a hard time saying something bad. It's really great if you are an OC Chopper, tatoo, dread head kind of person. read more

Always have a great time at OB and try to make Wednesday's especially.

Found this purty beach while going to visit my brother in SD. Got there as dusk was approaching and everything was so pleasant and scenic. The place was very touristy as any beach community would be but it was a nice visit since it's been so hot around that it was a pleasant time. If only we got to the beach earlier and enjoyed the sun... next time! read more

It was awesome! Great beach, water, weather, environment everything was great. I live in LA but this beach is beautiful. I would definitely come back again. Fire pit, dogs allowed, alcohol?! Oh yeah! read more

Ocean Beach - Beaches Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

People as Far as the Eye Can See... Sand? Check! :-) Water? Check! :-) Sun? Check! :-) People? Check mate... :-( There are better options if you're looking for a good beach without the crowds. read more

My wife and I had some time to kill before our flight home so we hung out in OB for a few hours. We liked it, not only did we get a great burger at hodads, had a few drinks on our mini bar crawl, but also got sit in the sun and people watch. It reminded us of Santa Cruz, which is a good thing. read more

Not the best beach in my opinion. This is what is so great about San Diego, all the different neighborhoods and beaches. They really all have a different vibes. OB is not vibing with me though. There are a lot of homeless/beach bum hippies. There are a lot of shops and restaurants but it's really not my speed. I don't think this is a very family-friendly beach. I like north county beaches better. read more

My first time to Ocean Beach. This beach is pretty. The shops are interesting, The hippie decor is amusing. There's lot of homeless people, which is sad. I didn't walk on the pier. read more

I came to this beach last week with my guy friend cause he loves this beach and I've never been to it. I can totally see why he likes it, It's way better then pb and mb, and those are my favorite beaches. It was more quite and didnt have annoying people mb and pb have. Plus i was able to work on my tan without the crazy people checking me out from the boardwalk !!! I think once summer get's here, I'll be comming to this beach, if i can remember how to get to it. and a big plus, there wasnt many kids there which was great cause they drive me nuts!!!! read more

This place remind me of Berkeley or SF Haight-Ashbury except is on the beach. It's a mixed crowd but it's a fun place to be. If you don't like chain stores/restaurants, this is a town for you. The only restaurant chain I saw in this whole area was a Starbuck. How rare is that??? read more

A beautiful clean beach!! Great restaurants & stores within walking distance too!

OB rules! Laid back people, laid back atmosphere, dive bars .... What's not to love?

My favorite beach. I love the vibe that I get here. Super relaxing and not to crowed, even on their busy day. They have life guard on duty and the ocean is a ton of fun to swim in. read more

We are just ending our vacation here at Ocean Beach. For the most part we had a great time. The reason for the 2 stars is how gross this place is! We have our kids with us and we won't let them outside before 10am. You have to give the homeless people time to wake up and move on. Homeless people are everywhere and we never went out after dark. We came to the beach because it was dog friendly, however after we found a needle with surgical gloves washed up in the cove we did not want our children or dogs playing there anymore. We ended up heading over to the bayside, and we spent a day in Coranado and another in Mission Beach. Not a kid friendly beach and we felt very unsafe! It's too bad too, because the town has a lot of potential. read more

First time being here and just a nice place to bring your pet the dog overall is super nice and clean I went on a Monday and it was very calm and the other dogs were all very sociable the waves weren't over powering my pup had a blast running through the water if you're looking for a Peaceful and relaxing place for you and your dog to enjoy then this is the place to be at and its always beat to explore the cliffs the way the waves hit the rocks is amazing and just be careful with the little crabs even though they run away when they see you! read more

If you are looking for tourism at its finest DON'T GO to OB go to Mission where you belong. Ocean Beach is The coolest place on the planet!

I am from Kansas City originally, so living near the water is something I have never experienced before. It's still amazing to me (and I don't think I will ever get used to it) that I can go to the beach on a whim, any time I want, every single day. I for one love this beach. Parking isn't great (traffic in general is pretty crowded) and the airplanes overhead can be kind of annoying, but those things aren't dealbreakers. I think people who are raised in San Diego take their beaches for granted -- it's so easy to scoff at something when you grow up around it and always have access to it. Before I moved here, I had never been in the ocean before, and what others call a sub-par beach is like magic to me. So this place gets a solid four-stars. read more

Before I "review" I have to say that today was my first time seeing the Pacific. Also, I didn't know anything about this area beforehand. I really liked it. I didn't feel uncomfortable at all (this from a girl who's been sheltered her entire life). I found it interesting and open minded. No one seemed to bother anyone and just had a good time. In fact, this place was what I envisioned Cali to be. Laid back, open minded and just enjoying yourself. I'm sure that there's a lot that I have no idea about. But I'll definately return. This place has character. I guess for everyone that's written bad reviews..I just don't see it through your eyes. read more

Super relaxing place to be - used to live on Cape May a few blocks from the beach and I sure miss it! Great culture, unique people, and plenty to do around here. Not to mention Hodads... read more

I just can't stand the people around here but I do love the sunsets. Beware of the homeless people around this area as you might get mugged. Lots of crazy people around here at night time so come with a group of 4 and you'll be more than okay. It's better to be around the pacific beach area at night and it's right up the street. Few bars right off the beach but it's nothing more than old timers and locals. Motorcycle type of crowd. read more

Great place for the kids. Lots of shops and food in walking distance. Had a great time here.

I've lived in OB for a little over two years and it is, in my opinion, a truly mixed bag. The area is magnificently beautiful, especially along the cliffs. The view from the beach is possibly the most beautiful scenery I've ever experienced. The weather, as well, is perfect for me: not too hot, not too cold. The wild parrots are also priceless. That said, the most disappointing, annoying, and sometimes infuriating parts of living in OB are human. All of my neighbors and most of the residents I've come to know are really nice and laid back, but the visiting shoppers, bar hoppers, bums, and jerks can be overwhelming. This is a place where the kids who harassed the school bus monitor would feel right at home. An easy example of this can be experienced merely by walking down the sidewalk of Newport Avenue. No one, and I mean absolutely no one, will make the least bit of room for others on the sidewalk. Groups of people will walk abreast on the sidewalk and, again, make no room for anyone, whatsoever, regardless, and if you say anything (like, "Excuse me, please."), you'd better be ready to engage in either a shouting match or fisticuffs. I won't even elaborate on the horrible bicyclists who seem to think they own the sidewalk, the kids in cars who shout obscenities at pedestrians, or the bums who shout at, accost, and demand (yes, demand) money from passersby. In short, ideal place for deaf adults who have no need to go to shops or bars. Ideal place for anyone who likes to stay at home. Mostly horrible place for children, people who dislike disease, or, basically, anyone with any sense of civility or decency. read more

Ocean Beach is that affordable beach area nestled in the heart of the coast. You find a nice blend of people here and there are some good bars and restaurants in the area. Parking can get rough and even trickier if you don't know the area well. It's a bit smaller than other beaches but is still very relaxing to come here. As packed as it gets, it doesn't ever feel as crowded as PB. Sadly, there are more homeless I find here than other beaches, which could be because it's not that big of a beach, but even taking that out, I would expect OB to be one of the cleaner beaches, which it's not. I would be a bigger fan of OB if it was cleaner but I got to say for everything it has to offer, I would expect a bit better quality in experience. Traffic getting out of OB can be a hassle as well. And though I believe there are better beaches in San Diego, OB is still a fun place to come to every now and then. read more

This is my favorite beach in San Diego, hands down. Growing up in SD, it was always my go to place for everything. The people leaving weird/bad reviews, I don't think they have much of a clue about this place. It is a great little hippy/artist community. There are tons of shops, bars, places to eat; the beach, cliffs and pier are all wonderful. Outdoor activities galore. Ask the locals questions and they will be happy to chat. I love coming here with friends or bringing my dog to Dog Beach. I have no clue what that chick is talking about because I see police in and around the trailer station in the pier parking lot all the time. They have bigger issues than a bum with a nug tho. No one with half a brain really cares about somebody smoking unless they are otherwise being stupid. Yes, you will probably smell weed or see people smoking. Yes, if you are awake in the middle of the night, there is a good chance you will see people acting outright crazy, there's a lot of bars. The locals enjoy the nightly drunk show. It's all part of the charm. You can try to complain, but no one is going to care. If you are looking for a yuppy, uptight, upscale beach, or if weed smoke or culture bothers you, go to up north, this place isn't for you. If you want a chill beach with beautiful scenery, cool people and a relaxed vibe, this place is just the ticket every single time. read more

Love this beach. Make sure you can figure out how to parallel park here. It feels like a great beach town but with actual shops that aren't just tourist t-shirt places. I love this place! You can see the ocean from a few blocks away. Ocean Beach is a destination type beach with an eclectic feel. read more

better off taking your yuppie ass to Pacific Beach, you'll fit in better.