San Diego residents Eliseo Rivas, 18, left, Alyx Balter, 18, Sewit Berhane, 18, and Alexis Najera, 17, celebrate Berhane’s birthday at Mission Beach. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Visitors play a game of Hacky Sack at Mission Beach. Hotel owners and merchants say tourists are looking for discounts and cutting back on buying souvenirs. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
A surfer tackles simulated waves at Wave House in the Belmont Park amusement park. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Skyler McManus, manager of Hamel’s souvenir shop in Mission Beach, offers a $5 discount on T-shirts that normally sell for $20. Things I wouldnt do normally, I will do now, he says. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Danielle Bates, a henna tattoo artist in Mission Beach, has seen a decline in customers and their spending. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
A couple enjoys lunch at Mission Beach. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
A visitor to Mission Beach takes in the sunset. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
