Mission Possible at Mission Bay

Fun comes in many forms at Mission Bay, San Diego’s mega-marine playground: swimming, sailing, water-skiing and cycling.

The walking is good, too. One option leads through marshland preserves--an ideal opportunity to watch waterfowl. Southern California beach culture--to the max--can be observed from Bayside Walk on Mission Bay’s west side.

Mission Bay City Park is said to be the largest aquatic park in the world. About 25% of the 4,600-acre park, including the famed Sea World, is commercial. The balance, including more than 20 miles of beaches, is for public use.

My favorite Mission Bay walk begins at the Kendall-Frost Marsh Preserve, an environment of cordgrass and pickleweed that hints at how the whole bay may have appeared 100 years ago.

Directions to trail head: From Interstate 5 in San Diego, exit on Clairemont Drive. The Visitor Information Center is just west of the freeway. Follow East Mission Bay Drive, then Mission Bay Drive north to Grand Avenue, bearing left (west). Turn left onto Lamont Street and drive to the bay shore at Crown Point Drive.

Your walk begins at the far (east) end of the parking lot.

The hike: Enter the fenced Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve, sanctuary for the California least tern. Head southwest along the shell-strewn beach, passing water-ski takeoff and landing areas.

Your beach path passes below the Ingraham Street overpass leading to Vacation Island, and rounds Crown Point. On the far side of the point, stop to inspect the low eroded cliffs and the old (200,000 years by some estimates) sand dollars poking out of them.

Continue around horseshoe-shaped Sail Bay. The Bay Walk begins at Riviera Shores and offers a paved, parallel alternative to beach walking.

At Mission Bay Drive, visit the long-defunct Belmont Amusement Park, where a huge wooden roller-coaster, the Giant Dipper, still stands.

A good place to relax or unpack your picnic is atop the grassy hillside of Bonita Cove Park.

To extend your walk, continue a mile along Bayside Walk to the entrance channel to Mission Bay.

Mission Bay Trail

WHERE: Mission Bay City Park.

DISTANCE: 2.8 miles round trip.

TERRAIN: Developed, undeveloped bay shore.

HIGHLIGHTS: World’s largest aquatic park; good bird- and people-watching.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Easy.

PRECAUTIONS: On warm summer weekends, Mission Beach-area traffic can be horrendous.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact the Visitor Information Center, Mission Bay City Park, 2688 Mission Bay Drive, San Diego, (619) 276-8200.