Beach town

Ride a Segway through Coronado

Lookyloo at the lush landscaping and gorgeous homes of Coronado from your perch atop a Segway. Because such experiences are best enjoyed with a friend, opt for the deals for two ($118 for the basic tour, $158 for deluxe). A guide will lead you to the most beautiful, historical, and noteworthy points of Coronado, including the Hotel Del, Glorietta Bay, and many splendid neighborhoods and historic homes, including Frank Baum’s (author of the Wizard of Oz), all of which you’ll learn about as you glide along during what is bound to be a lovely San Diego day. 619-694-7702. — Barbarella Fokos

Shaper Studios

Buying gear to shape a surfboard at home could run you five grand. Visit this shape-it-yourself shop and you may build your own dream board for $100 per foot, including six hours of personalized instruction to guide you through cutting and planing a foam blank to spec. Knowledgeable instructors help you choose size and shape based on 80 house templates, which you may mix and match to fine tune your fish, longboard, thruster, or asymmetrical ride. Go for the $20 monthly membership to maintain access to the tools, and a chance to test-drive boards from the shop’s unique quiver. — Ian Anderson

Saturday Morning Cartooning at Little Fish

In this free demo class at Little Fish Comic Book Studio, burgeoning artists of all ages take part in an introductory comic-drawing class to discover what the art of creating comics from scratch entails. If you think you’ve found your niche, sign up for more, and professional comic-creators will teach you the history of comics, techniques for bringing your characters to life (both drawing and digital creation), and tips on writing your story. If you’re serious about seeing it through to the end, sign up for a full semester ($200/month) and instructors will work with you one-on-one to ensure you have the best chances to see your comic project completed. — Barbarella Fokos

Tango Del Rey

The ornate Spanish and Morroccan decor of this dancehall’s main ballroom makes a visit worthwhile, regardless of your reason. But to get your blood pumping and then set it en fuego, visit the Tango Academy. Maestro and impresario Ive Simard teaches a free intro class each Sunday at 3 (no sequins necessary). For $15 per class you may raise your game with multiple levels of instruction Monday and Wednesday evenings beginning at 7. Stick around afterward and catch a glimpse of the master class in action. This could change the way you move, for the better. — Ian Anderson

California Surf Museum

The California Surf Museum has been chronicling surf culture and preserving surf memorabilia for 25 years. Some exhibits are permanent, such as the Brief History of Surfboards, which features specimens of “plank surfboards — reminiscent of surfing’s roots in Polynesia — through foam and fiberglass to modern boards.” Other exhibitions are more topical, such as the one featuring Bethany Hamilton, the surfer who lost her arm to a shark (and still surfs), which includes her shark-bitten board and her wetsuit from that day. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors, kids 12 and under are free. Open daily, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Thursday until 8 p.m. — Deirdre Lickona

Crown Point Park

Crown Point Drive, east of Ingraham, Mission Bay

This stretch of park is nearly a mile long and features a swimming beach, grassy lawns, multiple children’s play structures, picnic areas with barbeques, and several of the county’s few remaining beach fire pits at the southern end. Bird-watching is a popular activity at the protected marsh just north of the park. Take a leisurely bike ride around the bay to Mission Beach. Stay into the evening for a clear view of SeaWorld’s fireworks show across the bay. — Dave Rice

George’s

Cardiff State Beach, Highway 101

Pull up to the sand for a day at the beach at George’s surf break in Cardiff. Located on the Coast Highway, just south of Chesterfield Street, George’s is the perfect spot to park for a beach day. If surfing is your thing, then George’s offers some of Cardiff’s least crowded, but quality waves. If crowds don’t bother you, then Cardiff Reef is a five-minute walk to the north and Seaside Reef is a short jaunt to the south. For those who don’t care for sand between your toes, George’s is just a few feet away from some fine food spots and a dive bar or two. — Dorian Hargrove

North Sunset Cliffs Oceanfront Path

Between Newport Avenue and Orchard Avenue, Ocean Beach

Escape the beach crowds on this walk spanning about three quarters of a mile from the Ocean Beach Pier south along the rock outcroppings that rise to gradually become Sunset Cliffs. Start from the pier heading south or walk north from a staircase at the western edge of Orchard Avenue through tide pools and boulder piles dumped by the Army decades ago, along narrow ledges and past a secluded pocket beach (usually crowded during summer). Shorten the trip by taking a staircase up to Santa Cruz Avenue from the beach approximately halfway through the route. Caution: the trail is not regularly maintained or patrolled by the city; some areas may be difficult to navigate. — Dave Rice

Collier Park

Take a stroll through the Point Loma Native Plant Garden, home to rare and sometimes endangered native plant species such as the arroyo willow or lemonade berry. Signs are posted along the well-maintained (but sometimes steep) trails identifying the local flora and providing landscaping ideas for your home — native plants can survive on one-fourth of the water required of decorative landscaping from other regions. Access the garden at the back of Collier Park in Ocean Beach, found at the corner of Mendocino Boulevard and Greene Street. — Dave Rice