Best of 2000: Best Bayside Walk

Chula Vista Marina

Ocean breezes in your hair, a grassy park on one side, a sandy beach on the other, restaurants and picnic tables handy, and a breathtaking view of the San Diego skyline. And you have it all to yourself. The Chula Vista Marina is deserted most weekdays, and even on summer weekends there's plenty of room to wander around, fly a kite, have a picnic, or ride your bike without being shoulder-to-shoulder with everyone else in town. This is a working marina, with hundreds of boats in the water and a huge launching area nearby. Chula Vista, in the last two years, has added a children's playground and a new restaurant (Bob's on the Bay), and once the nearby SDG&E plant is torn down (supposedly by 2002), there'll be nothing to obstruct the view. Only twice a year does the marina get crowded: Founder's Day in June, when the tall ships come for a visit, and the Christmas Boat Parade in December. Take I-5 to J Street exit, turn toward the bay and follow signs.