Get to the San Diego Beaches by Bus!

updated June 30, 2018

San Diego has many fabulous beaches - and almost all of them are reachable by bus. I'll visit a few ways to get to the beach by San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) bus. As much as you'd like to take the Trolley to the beach, it just doesn't go there so a bus will be involved.  Remember that if you don't have a monthly pass, buy a Day Pass for $5 if you're riding more than twice in a day (or $7 if you are paying cash on a bus without a Compass Card). MTS doesn't give free transfers. Also, MTS has a special fare for families - on weekends, two children under 12 ride free with a paying adult.

Always remember to plan your trip before you go by using Google Maps (just click on the bus icon when you plan your trip).  MTS has a great page that describes how to use Google Transit on their website or on your mobile phone.  You can also use the Google Transit trip planner built right into this blog.

Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, Mission Bay , and Mission Bay Park
Everybody loves Pacific Beach (PB)! PB has great beaches, plenty of volleyball courts, a very nice boardwalk, restaurants, and bars. It's a great place to tan, play Frisbee, volleyball, rollerblade, bike, or just walk around. Mission Beach (MB) is just as fun, and Mission Bay Park is a great place to have a day of fun near the water.

What's even better, there are four bus routes that serve this area. The core of these routes are the 8 and 9. Route 8 operates between Old Town Transit Center and the beach communities via Mission Bay Drive and Mission Blvd. The fare is $2.25 per trip (or $5 for a Day Pass including the Trolley). The routes each run every 15-20 minutes most of the day. You can bring your bike and your surf board!  Take the Trolley or bus to Old Town and transfer.

Route 30 operates between Downtown San Diego (on weekdays only), Old Town, the beaches, UCSD, and La Jolla/UTC. It operates every 15 minutes every day of the week. It's really the fastest way to get from Downtown San Diego and the beaches on weekdays. On weekends, catch Route 30 at Old Town Transit Center (you can take the Green Line from downtown San Diego). The fare is $2.25. Bikes are allowed.  Route 30 is the best way to get to the Banana Bungalow Hostel.

Route 27 operates between Kearny Mesa and Pacific Beach. It operates every 30 minutes on weekdays, every 60 minutes on Saturdays, but no service on Sundays. The fare is $2.25. Bikes are allowed on board.

Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach (OB) has great beaches, restaurants, and is a little more laid back than PB and MB. MTS Route 35 travels between Old Town and OB every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends. It's a very popular route during the summer because it also connects OB'ers to the Midway shopping area and Kobe's swap meet.

Route 923 runs between Downtown San Diego and OB on weekdays with 30 minute service. It connects Downtown with the Airport, the Point Loma Hostel, the OB Hostel, and arrives just blocks from the beach in OB. Be careful - the route has limited hours on weekdays - don't get stuck after a few too many beers! On weekends, you can take Route 35 to/from Ocean Beach via Old Town Transit Center.

Coronado Beaches
Coronado has wonderful beaches! Take Route 901 from Downtown San Diego across the Coronado Bridge and get off at the Hotel del Coronado. Route 901 runs every 15-30 minutes on weekdays, every 30 minutes on Saturdays, and every hour on Sundays. You can also get to the beach by taking the Coronado Ferry and then transfer to Route 904 (the 904 is a free summer shuttle!).

Imperial Beach
While Imperial Beach (IB) isn't exactly world-renowned, it does have a beach area and a nice boardwalk. Take Routes 933/934 (6-15 minute service, seven days per week) from the Iris Trolley Station.

San Diego has so much to offer&emdash;and you can get there by bus!