Moonlight Beach

On our list of the best activities in San Diego.

Midnight picnics held here by locals in the early 1900s gave the beach its name, and Moonlight is one of the few California state beaches that doesn't take the annual day-use pass. The sand sits at street level rather than below a bluff, so a walk from the C Street lot leads straight onto the beach, past volleyball and tennis courts to first-come fire rings on the sand. A seasonal snack bar sells firewood and grill packages alongside the usual restrooms and showers.