Near the man-made islands of Mission Bay, this beach runs along Mission Boulevard and boasts a fabulous 2 mile boardwalk. One of the best places in San Diego to soak up the city's beach lifestyle, this is an unsurpassed area for water sports, people watching or building sandcastles. For a faster pace, rent a bike or in-line roller blades or better yet, take a ride on Belmont Park 's world-famous w
ooden roller coaster or the Wave House's artificial surfing waves. As you venture further down South and there are a host of volleyball courts where you can spend your days diving in the sand and enjoying in the sun with your friends or family. Attractions near Mission Beach include SeaWorld in Mission Bay Park and the historic amusement park Belmont Park which features the original wooden Giant Dipper Roller Coaster as well as newer rides such as the FlowRider at Wave House, Vertical Plunge, Krazy Kars, Tilt-a-Whirl, Liberty Carousel, Crazy Submarine, The Beach Blaster, and The Chaos. The Mission Beach Plunge Pool in Belmont Park is a 60-foot by 175-foot swimming pool that holds close to 400,000 gallons. The Plunge's changing rooms were featured in the Tom Cruise film Top Gun. Mission Beach offers opportunities to participate in sunbathing, surfing, bicycling, skateboarding, Frisbee tossing, and other outdoor beach and water activities. It is a well known, popular location for engaging in sports, including beach volleyball and basketball, with courts available for both. There is a public recreation center on Santa Clara Avenue on the bay side of Mission Beach. At the south end of Belmont Park, Wave House Athletic Club is a full-service beachside fitness center, complete with cardio equipment, weights, fitness classes, aquatic classes in the Plunge, and beach Bootcamps. Mission Beach includes Mariner's Point, the original site of the Over-the-line softball-on-the-beach tournament. Mission Beach has many well-known bars. Most bars in the neighborhood are relaxed, beach-style gathering places. Some of the more popular places include Guava Beach Bar, Sneak Joint, The Sandbar, Coaster Saloon, and The Beachcomber and The Pennant in South Mission, Wave House, is also a beach-side bar and grill featuring an 10-foot tall barreling artificial wave called the Bruticus Maximus and a smaller wave for children called a FlowRider. The consumption of alcoholic beverages on the beach is illegal as of April 2008. Nudity is not allowed. Many beachgoers are local college and university students, but both tourists and permanent residents of the beach and other areas are also frequent visitors to the beach. Weekly and monthly rentals are available during the summer months.