When is the best time to visit San Diego, CA?

San Diego is most affordable and least crowded in the shoulder seasons, late spring (April-May) and early fall (September-October). Summer is peak for beach activity but rates are 30-60% higher. Off-season (November-March) offers the quietest stays and sometimes the most character.

How are the waterfront rentals in San Diego chosen?

Each property in San Diego is hand-picked for genuine waterfront access, not water view, not a short walk from the beach, but doors-to-water. Listings are selected from public booking platforms (Vrbo, Airbnb, Booking.com, Whimstay) for genuine waterfront access and accurate location. Rates are set by the host and visible at the booking link.

Are the properties on SleepByTheBeach available on Vrbo or Airbnb?

Yes, each property links directly to its listing on Vrbo, Airbnb, Booking.com, Whimstay, or the host's own booking system. We curate from public listings; we don't own or manage these properties. We may earn a small commission when you book through our affiliate links at no cost to you.

What makes San Diego different from other beach towns?

Seventy miles of Pacific beach from Imperial Beach to Oceanside, with a boardwalk in the middle of it.. It has the character of a small coastal town without the density of major resort destinations. Our curation focuses on quiet, authentic stays within walking distance of the water.

San Diego

Seventy miles of Pacific beach from Imperial Beach to Oceanside, with a boardwalk in the middle of it.

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5418 waterfront rentals·26 shores·Every listing on the water·Updated 2026-11-12

San Diego County has 70 miles of coast, and the rentals sit right on it. Mission Beach and Pacific Beach share a three mile boardwalk with houses that open onto the sand. La Jolla is cliffs, coves and sea lions. Coronado has the wide flat beach in front of the Hotel del Coronado. North of the city, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Carlsbad and Oceanside are surf towns strung along the old coast highway, each with its own stretch of sand and a train station a short walk from the water.

StateCA

Peak seasonJune to September

Best forWaterfront stays

Featured7 rentals

The curated list · 7 rentals

Where we would stay in San Diego.

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Sleeps

Shore

Nightly rates are the ones each partner listed when we last read them. The partner gives the final price for your dates. A rental with no rate shown is left out of the price filters.

No. 01

Ocean View Patios and Heated Pools - Stunning Beachfront Escape

Condo

3 bedroom sleeps 8 private pool about $275 a night

Enjoy an amazing vacation on the beach. This lovely 3 bedroom apartment, has 2 patios with ocean views, cable TV, lots of beach toys and chairs, and everything you need. The complex is on the beach, has 2 heated pools, a hot tub, and gym. Wake up in the morning to the sound of the ocean. Eat breakfast on the huge terrace overlooking the pool and beach. Spend the morning on the sand and maybe enjoy a bit of surfing. Explore the dozens of local restaurants for lunch. Take a stroll around the lush gardens filled with streams and ponds (complete with fish). Swim in one of the two huge pools, or relax in the oversized hot tubs. Head to Disneyland, Legoland, SeaWorld, or the San Diego Zoo.

Check rates on Whimstay →

No. 02

Private Pool and Jacuzzi - Elegant Oceanfront Sanctuary

Apartment

2 bedroom sleeps 8 private pool about $502 a night

TWO BEDROOM NORTH CORNER CONDO 812 Exterior Features: City of San Diego’s only Oceanfront Highrise, Built 1972, Privately Owned Condominiums. 24 hr Security, Interior Elevators, HOA Professionally maintained Private Pool, Jacuzzi solar heated all year. Exterior Showers at building’s parking garage off the beach and pool area, Paved Parking upper garage 1 secured space, Lounging on the South and North Roof top Terraces, Gas barbecues on the North Roof top Terrace, Laundry Facilities on the South End of every floor. No Pets Allowed, No Smoking Permitted. Interior Features: 1150 sq. ft.

Check rates on Whimstay →

No. 03

Private Pool and Jacuzzi - Exquisite Oceanfront Haven

Apartment

2 bedroom sleeps 8 private pool about $506 a night

TWO BEDROOM CONDO 610 Exterior Features: City of San Diego’s only Oceanfront Highrise, Built 1972, Privately Owned Condominiums. 24 hr Security, Interior Elevators, HOA Professionally maintained Private Pool, Jacuzzi solar heated all year. Exterior Showers at building’s parking garage off the beach and pool area, Paved Parking upper garage 1 secured space, Lounging on the South and North Roof top Terraces, Gas barbecues on the North Roof top Terrace, Laundry Facilities on the South End of every floor. No Pets Allowed, No Smoking Permitted. Interior Features: 1150 sq. ft.

Check rates on Whimstay →

No. 04

Private Pool and Luxurious Jacuzzi - Stunning Oceanfront Haven

Apartment

2 bedroom sleeps 8 private pool about $514 a night

TWO BEDROOM CONDO 205 Exterior Features: City of San Diego’s only Oceanfront Highrise, Built 1972, Privately Owned Condominiums. 24 hr Security, Interior Elevators, HOA Professionally maintained Private Pool, Jacuzzi solar heated all year. Exterior Showers at building’s parking garage off the beach and pool area, Paved Parking upper garage 1 secured space, Lounging on the South and North Roof top Terraces, Gas barbecues on the North Roof top Terrace, Laundry Facilities on the South End of every floor. No Pets Allowed, No Smoking Permitted. Interior Features: 1150 sq. ft.

Check rates on Whimstay →

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See San Diego stays on Booking.com.

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Affiliate link.

No. 05

3BR Bayfront Retreat in Mission Bay

Townhouse

3 bedroom sleeps 11 Beachfront private pool

Beachfront Location: 3BR Bayfront Retreat in Mission Bay offers direct beachfront access and stunning sea views.

Check rates on Booking.com →

No. 06

Oceanfront Highrise and Private Pool - Stunning Coastal Retreat

Apartment

2 bedroom sleeps 8 private pool about $521 a night

TWO BEDROOM CONDO 508 Exterior Features: City of San Diego’s only Oceanfront Highrise, Built 1972, Privately Owned Condominiums. 24 hr Security, Interior Elevators, HOA Professionally maintained Private Pool, Jacuzzi solar heated all year. Exterior Showers at building’s parking garage off the beach and pool area, Paved Parking upper garage 1 secured space, Lounging on the South and North Roof top Terraces, Gas barbecues on the North Roof top Terrace, Laundry Facilities on the South End of every floor. No Pets Allowed, No Smoking Permitted. Interior Features: 1150 sq. ft.

Check rates on Whimstay →

No. 07

Celebrity Oceanfront Escape with Pool and Pickleball - Stunning Luxury Retreat

House

8 bedroom sleeps 18 private pool about $4585 a night

Where La Jolla Living Meets Oceanfront Fantasy Perched above the Pacific in La Jolla's prestigious Bird Rock neighborhood, Celebrity Oceanfront Estate is not just a vacation home, it's a 9,100-square-foot private resort experience that redefines coastal luxury. Recently featured on Staycation San Diego and famously filmed for MTV's The Real World, this show-stopping estate invites you to live like a celebrity with panoramic views, high-end amenities, and unforgettable indoor-outdoor spaces. Eight bedrooms. Seven and a half bathrooms. Two fully equipped kitchens. A rooftop pickleball court. Life-size chess. A golf cart to cruise to nearby Tourmaline Beach.

Check rates on Whimstay →

Search every stay in San Diego on Booking.com

Hotels, beach houses, apartments, and resorts. Free cancellation on most rooms. Then add a flight in or a rental car for dune drives.

Search stays → Flights to San Diego Car rental

Or browse the same coast on Vrbo: Browse Vrbo →

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Curated luxury alternative

Prefer a boutique hotel or villa?

If a hand-picked, design-led hotel sounds better than a vacation rental, Skylark Travel Group covers the same destinations with curated boutique stays, Mr & Mrs Smith, exclusive deals, real human concierge.