As Megan discussed in her earlier article, “Getting Active in Orange County“, finding ways to stay healthy during the cold weather months is extremely important. With the numerous holiday feasts and tempting Christmas cookies, it can be difficult to keep your calorie intake in check. This makes it all the more vital to get up and moving even when all you want to do is curl up under a blanket until spring. Lucky for you, the Southern California sunshine makes it easy to stay active throughout the year. Grab your kids, pets, friends, family, coworkers, or anyone else who is up for an adventure and check out these great parks in San Diego County:

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

Location: La Jolla

Website: https://torreypine.org/

Spanning 2,000 acres of coastal La Jolla, the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is one of San Diego’s wildest stretches of land. The reserve is home to amazing beaches, a lagoon, hiking trails, and habitats for the city’s native animal species. The park has eight trails ranging in difficulty and scenery, with certain paths offering panoramic views of the lagoon, the ocean, and even the world-renowned Torrey Pines Golf Course.

Due to the fact that the reserve is a protected area, Torrey Pines presents guests with more restrictions than other parks in the county. No pets are allowed and food is prohibited. Despite these rules, Torrey Pines is a must see for anyone looking to experience San Diego in its purest form.

Parks in San Diego - Torrey Pines

Wikipedia

Mission Trails Regional Park

Location: San Diego

Website: http://www.mtrp.org/

The largest municipally-owned park in California, Mission Trails spans 5,800-acres of land just east of the SDSU campus. The park covers a variety of terrain as it is home to the highest point in San Diego, Cowles Mountain, as well as the San Diego River and the Lake Murray Reservoir. There are over 60 miles of hiking and biking paths offered at Mission Trails. They lead to impressive landmarks like the Old Mission Dam and beautiful views of America’s Finest City.

Parks in San Diego - Mission Trails

Blog.San Diego

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park

Location: Point Loma

Website: https://oceanbeachsandiego.com/parks/sunset-cliffs-natural-park

Sunset Cliffs is the perfect embodiment of parks in San Diego. Taking up only 68 acres, the park is relatively small but more than makes up for it with its spectacular ocean views, impressive tide pools, dramatic cliffs, and picture-perfect sunsets.

This outstanding park combines the best of both worlds. The water below the cliffs is populated with surfers and unique marine life year round. In addition, locals and tourists alike flock to the area on clear evenings to take in the breathtaking sunsets from the trails above.

Parks in San Diego - Sunset Cliffs

Tours Departing Daily

Double Peak Park

Location: San Marcos

Website: http://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/doubl…

Double Peak Park is located in North County, and is one of the finest parks in San Diego. Home to the largest coastal peak in the area, this 200 acre park features 5-miles of hiking and biking trails leading to the 1,646 foot high summit. On a clear day, park-goers can expect to see as far as Mexico with outstanding views of Downtown San Diego, Catalina Island, the Santa Ana Mountains, and more.

Parks in San Diego - Double Peak

Road Trippers

Balboa Park

Location: San Diego (Between North Park & Downtown)

Website: http://www.balboapark.org/

If hiking trails and wildlife aren’t in your idea of a park, San Diego has plenty more to offer. Perhaps the most famous of all the parks in San Diego is Balboa Park, located just outside of downtown. The park is home to over a dozen museums, restaurants, botanical gardens, the San Diego Zoo, and so much more.

There is never a shortage of excitement at Balboa Park with events and holiday festivals happening year round. Even on quiet days, the park is an ideal place to take a walk and enjoy views of downtown San Diego, watch a show at the numerous performing arts centers, or learn about San Diego’s past at the Natural History Museum.

Parks in San Diego - Balboa

SDV Resort

Kevin Darchuk is a Real Estate Professional at Class Realty Group’s San Diego office. Reach him by email at kdarchuk@classrealtygroup.com or by phone at 408-483-6668.

About the Author:

Kevin is the Digital Marketing Coordinator at Class Realty Group.