What Beach is not to be missed About This Page:

[coffeechef]

I think we would like to see the Pacific Ocean. We will be in the San diego area for 5 days before heading to Disneyland.
Nice Family beaches??

[duck addict]

San Diego has a ton of beaches.

Some of the best family beaches are on Mission Bay (near the ocean). Some beaches are great for viewing, some for surfing, hang gliding, etc. Pacific beach has a great old coaster.

Since SD has wonderful year round weather, they will almost all be open.

[RobinKay6573]

I don't know about SD but my friend Cindy and I went to Laguna Beach and we both loved it. The town is so pretty and the beach was very clean. Everyone there was so down-to-Earth which was very nice.

[Owl]

San Diego has some great beaches, but for a beach town experience Laguna Beach, Newport Beach/Balboa and Huntington Beach are probably better. Laguna is more touristed and has more boutique shops. Newport and Huntington are both typical beach cities with piers, fishing, surfers, seaside boardswalks (I know they are concrete not wood, LOL) and lots of cafe's restaurants and shopping.

If nothing else as you drive up I-5 from San Diego get off at Dana Point and take Pacific Coast Highway to Newport Blvd. to get to Disneyland rather than the freeway the whole way. At least this way you get to drive up the coast and go through all the towns along the way. It's a much prettier drive and you will get a Pacific Beach experience looking at all the houses and boats along the shore as well as the ocean. If you are lucky on a clear day you may see Catalina Island as well.

[DyanKJ130]

If you take the I-5 Route will you avoid a lot of traffic and will it add a significant amount of travel time on to your trip??

[Owl]

Originally Posted by DyanKJ130

If you take the I-5 Route will you avoid a lot of traffic and will it add a significant amount of travel time on to your trip??

Disneyland is right next to the I-5 so it is shorter to go from San Diego strait up the Freeway to Disneyland. Getting off the I-5 at Dana Point and going up the coast on Pacific Coast highway to Newport Blvd and then taking the 55 up to the 5 to Disneyland though will only add 30-40 min. to the trip and it is a much more scenic drive up the coast. There are plenty of places to stop along the way as well (if you have time, Balboa Peninsula in Newport is very beachy and has the Fun Zone too).

As far as saving on traffic, most of it is near Disneyland on the I-5 which you have to use on either route. The worst time is 3-7 weekdays so try to avoid that or be prepared to see some lovely concrete scenery.