Buccaneer Beach

On our list of the best activities in San Diego.

At barely 150 feet wide, Buccaneer Beach is one of the smaller stretches of sand in Oceanside, with a lifeguard tower, a snack bar and a basketball court packed into the adjoining park. A large rock sits in the surf line, visible and easy to avoid at low tide but hazardous once the tide comes back up over it. Intermediate surfers and up work the break, running knee-high to overhead on the south and southwest swells that show up most through summer, and at low tide it's an easy walk north along the sand to Oceanside Boulevard Beach.