San Diego likes to bill itself as the finest city in America. While that might be debatable, there is no argument the beaches have a lot to offer. If you are planning on taking a trip to city, you might be surprised to learn the beaches come in may shapes and flavors. Here’s an insiders guide to your options.

When many people think of the beach, they think of hard bodies and golden tans. If this is your idea of a good beach, then there are two beaches that you should check out – Mission and Pacific Beach.

Mission Beach is located about 5 minutes north of downtown San Diego [and the airport]. It is a wide, white sand beach with a boardwalk running along behind it. This is a good place to do some rollerblading, biking and kicking back on the sand. The only downside to Mission Beach is houses run along the back of it and parking can be brutal. This brings us to Pacific Beach.

Pacific Beach is the next beach north of Mission Beach. It offers the same basic layout with one exception. The beach backs up to bars, places to eat, a pier and, well, you get the idea. This is a good spot for doing some serious people watching. If you want to wet your whistle with an adult beverage or three, Lahaina’s is a legendary spot. You just sit on a deck outside that is packed with people being merry.

Ah, but what if you are looking for more of a family beach since you have kids? No worries. There are plenty of beaches in San Diego that are perfect. Del Mar is perhaps one of the most popular. The beach is plenty wide and beautiful. The northern section also abuts up to the Del Mar Fairgrounds. In June, the Del Mar Fair offers entertainment all day while the latter part of summer sees the Fair convert to the Del Mar horse races.

For those looking for a secluded beach, there are still more choices in San Diego. An excellent choice is Solana Beach. This is a costal town just north of Del Mar. Much of the beach is secluded because it runs up against cliffs. Take the various access points down to the beach and you can walk north or south along the cliffs for a hundred feet and find your own little peaceful spot of heaven.

San Diego has much to offer beyond beaches and you should take the time to check out things such as the zoo, Balboa Park and so on. Still, most visitors are looking to burn off some stress lounging on the beach. Any beach will do, but the above represent some quality spots.