Hello all,

Is it worth it to get a place on the beach during the last week of Dec? We're from New England so used to a bit cooler weather but I don't want to bother if the ocean is too cold to swim. Also...Mission Beach/Bay or Coronado for an active family with teens?

Thanks!

The combination of air/water temp won't be good for swimming. Can intrepid soles go in the water? Sure. But don't expect to hang out in the surf.

Mission bay is basically a run-off ditch with no exchange of clean water with the ocean. Good for sailing/boating, but not good (IMO) for swimming.

That said, there is still a big advantage of being near the ocean beach for open space for active teens.

Mission Bay and Mission Beach are not the same thing. Mission Bay is largely enclosed, as J62 says. It's not totally enclosed, there's a channel at South Mission that takes you to the ocean. It's fine for swimming most of the year, but after rain it does collect runoff and you should stay out of the water for a few days. It's pouring rain right now, and we're supposed to have a lot of rain (for us) over the next week, maybe longer.

Mission Beach is the ocean. Much bigger beaches and lots of space to play ball or whatever. It won't be good lying-on-the-beach-getting-a-tan weather, even compared to New England!

If you'd be spending a lot of time on the beach, then it would be worth finding somewhere to stay on a beach, but IMO, you'd be better staying downtown where you'd be closer to the Embarcadero, Balboa Park, masses of restaurants and the Trolley which helps with getting around.

For a location to stay, as you ask, Coronado wins hands-down. Mission Bay is motel-row, nothing attractive, while Coronado is very special, and you can always go and have a cup of tea at the venerable Hotel del Coronado (www.hoteldel.com/) and imagine you're actually staying there in a swank suite...

Beach and swimming - not unless you're a diehard surfer in a wetsuit.

Enjoy!

Thanks for the opinions, decided on a hotel with heated pool and a sidetrip to Coronado

Good choice! Make sure the pool is inside. It's cold here today.

Only if you're an eskimo!

The ocean in San Diego in the summer is equivalent to Marble Head or further north in summer in MA, to give you a rough idea. (idea is that even in summer the Pacific is not very warm)

The ocean in San Diego in winter is even colder, and you'll need a wet suit to go in.

If you want swimming in December, consider Hawaii or the Caribbean, or possibly far South Florida.

Otherwise, the weather in San Diego is usually in the 60's in December, I believe. Pretty nice really. Go to the San Diego zoo - the animals will all be out in the cooler weather.

You're lucky to find the water swim-able before July