SAN DIEGO / PACIFIC BEACH
Pacific Beach vacation rentals
We love Pacific Beach because you do not have to choose between the ocean and Mission Bay. Our two family-friendly townhomes sit on quieter residential streets, with coffee, tacos, Sail Bay and the beach all close enough to reach on foot. Both have bunk rooms, beach gear and balconies made for long dinners outside.
Search live availability across our San Diego homes. Or see both Pacific Beach homes.
THE HOMES
Where to stay in Pacific Beach
These are two different homes a few minutes apart. Velvet Surf sleeps eight and welcomes dogs. Coastal Palm sleeps six and has two large balconies. Both are thoughtfully set up for family beach trips, with baby gear, off-street parking and an easy walk to the bay and the ocean.
Velvet Surf
Our larger Pacific Beach home, with three bedrooms, a real kids' bunk room, space for eight and a balcony with a fire pit and grill. This is the one to book if your dog is coming.
View Velvet Surf
Coastal Palm
A three-level Pacific Beach townhome for six, with a king suite, a bunk room and two large balconies. The main balcony has a grill, comfy seating and plenty of room to stay outside long after dinner.
View Coastal Palm
A DAY IN PACIFIC BEACH
Coffee around the corner. The ocean in the morning, the bay in the afternoon. Tacos for lunch, then dinner on the balcony by the fire pit.
Find your Pacific Beach stay →WHY PACIFIC BEACH
WHY stay IN PACIFIC BEACH, SAN DIEGO?
The beach and bay fit into the same day
Pacific Beach sits between the Pacific and Mission Bay. Sail Bay is about a fifteen to eighteen minute walk from our homes, and the ocean is about twenty. You can surf in the morning and paddleboard after lunch without crossing the city.
They work for actual family trips
Both homes have bunk rooms, pack and plays, high chairs, baby gates, beach wagons and gear for the sand. Mission Bay is usually the easier choice when small children want the water without the ocean surf.
You can leave the car parked
Coffee, smoothies, tacos, the Tuesday farmers market, Sail Bay and the ocean are all walkable. Both homes also include off-street parking, which matters in Pacific Beach more than it sounds.
The balconies are not an afterthought
These are outdoor spaces you will actually use. There is room to sit, grill dinner and light the fire pit after the beach, without squeezing everyone around a tiny bistro table.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Things to do in Pacific Beach, San Diego
We are picky about coffee and food, and we are not going to send you somewhere just because it photographs well. These are the Pacific Beach places we recommend to guests, plus the beach and bay spots that are actually worth planning around.
Beaches and the bay
Pacific Beach and the boardwalk
The oceanfront is the main event. Walk, bike or skate the boardwalk south toward Mission Beach, or claim a patch of sand and stay until sunset.
Crystal Pier
The old wooden pier and its blue-and-white cottages are the landmark at the end of Garnet Avenue. Storm closures can change access, but the shoreline around it is still one of the classic Pacific Beach views.
Sail Bay
This is where we send families for a slower beach day. The water is usually calmer than the ocean, the shoreline is sandy and the paved path is easy with a stroller, bike or beach wagon.
Tourmaline Surf Park
At the north end of Pacific Beach, Tourmaline is known for longboards and a more relaxed surf scene. It is a good place to watch, take a lesson or paddle out if the conditions match your experience.
Where to eat in Pacific Beach
Coffee Cycle Roasting
If you care about coffee, start here. They roast in Pacific Beach, and Coastal Palm is practically around the corner.
Ocean Cafe
Smoothies, acai bowls and coffee, close to both homes. It is an easy answer when everyone wants something quick before the beach.
Fig Tree Cafe
A leafy patio on Cass Street and one of our favorite brunch settings in PB. Go early on weekends if you do not want to wait.
Kono's Cafe
A Pacific Beach institution by Crystal Pier. The breakfast burrito is the order, and the weekend line is part of the deal.
More things to do
Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmers Market
On Tuesday afternoons, Hornblend Street fills with local produce, prepared food and small makers. It is close enough to both homes to walk over and bring dinner back.
Kate Sessions Park
Take a blanket and something to drink. The hill looks over Mission Bay, the ocean and downtown, and sunset is when the view really earns the drive.
Belmont Park
The old-school seaside amusement park in Mission Beach, with the Giant Dipper, games and the boardwalk right outside. It works especially well when the kids need more than another beach day.
SeaWorld, the zoo and Balboa Park
SeaWorld is about seven minutes by car. The San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park are about sixteen, which makes Pacific Beach an easy base for the rest of the city too.
IS IT FOR YOU
Who Pacific Beach is best for
Families who want easy options
You can do the ocean in the morning, switch to the calmer bay after lunch and still be home for dinner. There is enough nearby that every day does not need a complicated plan.
People who would rather walk
Coffee, breakfast, tacos, the farmers market, Sail Bay and the ocean are all close enough to reach on foot. You will still want a car for the zoo or La Jolla, but not for every meal.
Surfers and bay people
You do not have to pick a side. Surf the ocean in the morning, paddleboard Mission Bay in the afternoon, then walk the boardwalk when the sun starts to drop.
Families and friends who need real space
Velvet Surf sleeps eight and Coastal Palm sleeps six. They are separate homes a few minutes apart, and each gives a family or friend group room to spread out without leaving Pacific Beach.
PB energy nearby, quiet streets at home
Pacific Beach is lively around Garnet Avenue and the boardwalk, especially on summer weekends. Both of our homes are on quieter residential streets away from the loudest blocks. You can walk into the energy when you want it, then come back to a home that actually feels restful.
GOOD TO KNOW
A few things to know before you book
How close is the beach?
From both homes, the ocean is about a twenty minute walk. Sail Bay on Mission Bay is closer, about fifteen minutes from Velvet Surf and eighteen from Coastal Palm. Both homes come stocked with a beach wagon and plenty of beach gear, so all you need to bring is sunscreen.
Can we bring our dog?
Velvet Surf welcomes dogs. Coastal Palm does not. On city beaches, dogs are not allowed from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. between April and October, or 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. the rest of the year, and must be leashed outside those hours. Fiesta Island in Mission Bay is a short drive and is leash optional.
Can we drink on the beach?
No. Alcohol is not allowed on San Diego beaches, boardwalks or beach parks, so save the wine for the balcony.
How easy is it to explore the rest of San Diego?
Very. SeaWorld is about seven minutes away, La Jolla Shores about fifteen, the zoo and Balboa Park about sixteen, and the Gaslamp Quarter about twenty. Drive times vary with traffic.
BOOK DIRECT
Booking these homes directly
Our best available rate
Booking direct avoids the guest service fee the third party platforms add to every reservation. Same home, same team, our best available rate.
You reach the people who host you
From the first question to check out you are talking to our own San Diego team, not a call center and not a platform inbox.
A little extra for booking with us
Guests at both homes receive a discount code for Triton Charters, for a day out on the water.
GOOD TO KNOW
Questions about staying in Pacific Beach
Are your Pacific Beach rentals good for families?
Yes. Both homes have a bunk room, and a pack and play and high chair are available. The calm water of Mission Bay is a short walk away, which is ideal for small children.
Can I walk to the beach from your Pacific Beach homes?
Yes. The ocean is about a twenty minute walk from both homes, and Sail Bay is about fifteen to eighteen minutes.
Which Pacific Beach home is dog friendly?
Velvet Surf welcomes dogs. Coastal Palm does not. Check the property page for pet fees and limits before you book.
How many people can stay?
Velvet Surf sleeps eight across three bedrooms and Coastal Palm sleeps six across two. Book both for groups of up to fourteen.
Do the homes have outdoor space?
Yes. Both have large balconies with lounge seating, a fire pit and a grill.
Is Pacific Beach or Ocean Beach better for families?
Pacific Beach, if the children are small, because Mission Bay gives you flat calm water on one side and the ocean on the other. Ocean Beach, if you are bringing a dog or you want to walk everywhere.
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