Water Shoes Near Me: San Diego
Are you looking for surf shoes or wetsuit booties in San Diego? Nearly every surf shop will carry some kind of surf bootie, but at Dragonskin we partner with five shops in San Diego that stock Dragonskin® Booties. At these shops, you can get help to pick your perfect size in-person, get helpful information from the shop's staff, and get insider tips to explore beautiful, sunny San Diego.
Surf Diva
Surf Diva is fully stocked with Dragonskin® Booties, and is located in beautiful La Jolla: https://maps.app.goo.gl/5dgWE9NnFEcafxWb7
There's great coffee, good food, and beaches just short walk from the stop. Tell them we sent you :)
La Jolla Swim and Sport
La Jolla Swim and Sport is run by Adriana Issakov, an expert in open water swimming who's deeply connected with the local community and tells it like it is! They carry Dragonskin® Booties in downtown La Jolla, a short stroll to shops, gelato, and art galleries: https://maps.app.goo.gl/3FNfH1qPv3FYk3zS9
La Jolla Surf Systems
La Jolla Surf Systems runs a tight ship, stocking Dragonskin® Booties right next to the waters edge at la jolla shores: https://maps.app.goo.gl/PvTgTiraLsJRPqWB7
La Jolla Shores is one of the most popular tourist beaches in San Diego, and for good reason! It's beautiful, and is surrounded by great restaurants, hotels, and beautiful scenery.
Bird Rock Surf Shop
Bird Rock Surf Shop carries Dragonskin® Booties at the southern end of La Jolla: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cfduj38hR6LssTuEA
It's next to beautiful rugged cliffs, and very close to Tourmaline, a welcoming beach for surfers of all levels.
Pacific Beach Surf Shop
PB Surf Shop carries Dragonskin® Booties, right on the water's edge in Pacific Beach: https://maps.app.goo.gl/xVUAEdxPATTRNy2F9
There is a wonderful paved walkway that follows the beach right here, so it's a wonderful place for a stroll.
Local Tips
Here's some of our local tips for the area!
Beaches
Personally, I think North County has the best surfing. I'm an intermediate surfer, and my favorites are:
- Grandview
- Beacons
- Pipes / San Elijo State Beach
- Stone Steps (in Solana Beach)
- Terramar
- Tourmaline.
If you're a pro, you likely will want to check out Swami's (which I've heard is slightly territorial), or Black's (generally the biggest waves in San Diego).
La Jolla Shores is a beautiful beach, and great for new learners, but personally I think it's overrated once you're catching open-face waves -- it's usually lots of close-outs, and it has a crowded lineup.
If you hate a lineup, I'd recommend Tamarack (tends to have a lot of shorebreak, but little competition!), or perhaps moonlight (also a shorebreak, but also little competition).
Unfortunately we don't have much advice for South County beaches -- we rarely surf down there, though I'm sure it's lovely!
Food
- Convoy Street has tons of great asian food! I really like Tasty Noodle House and Menya (generally has a long wait time), but Friend’s House Korean and Somi Somi (ice cream) are also very popular
- Hawaiian Fresh Seafood (in Miramar) is usually called the best poke place in San Diego. They have other food options, but pretty much everything is seafood.
You can also buy a bunch of fresh (sushi grade) fish. - Tacos El Gordo has amazing tacos, and there are multiple locations around Southern San Diego. It’s very popular and often crowded with long lines.
- Personally I think TJ Tacos has the best street tacos in San Diego. It's in Escondido, a bit out of the way (~40 minutes from San Diego proper), but if you’re already going to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (right next to Escondido) it’s right on the way.
- Fish101 is a casual restaurant with great seafood. There’s one location in North Encinitas, and another in South Encinitas
Other Things To Do
- Hiking -- There’s lots of hiking in San Diego, and a lot of the times you can just find a random trail that is cool. I really enjoy Ho Chi Minh Trail on Black's Beach (not for the faint of heart), Potato Chip Rock in Poway, Goat Peak in Poway, Torrey Pines in La Jolla, and Lake Calaveras in Carlsbad
- Encinitas -- Encinitas is a very “surfy” town a bit north of San Diego. It generally has a casual vibe, but still has some upscale food, fancy houses, etc. A beautiful place to walk around, and with some great food and coffee options. Checkout the Self-Realization Fellowship Meditation Gardens while you're here.
- La Jolla -- La Jolla is a really beautiful town in San Diego, with good restaurants, gelato, cafe’s, art galleries, hikes, etc. You can easily spend a full day or more without leaving La Jolla. La Jolla Shores is a beautiful beach you should check out. There are also a ton of seals you can checkout. From June to October, leopard sharks come close to the shore in La Jolla to mate. They’re about 3 feet long and don’t bite. They’re cool to see, and pretty easy to find if it’s the right season. You can probably see them if you go snorkel here. There's also bioluminescence at the right time!
- Downtown San Diego -- go see Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo, Old Town, or explore the campuses at UCSD or SDSU!
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