San Diego's mild climate makes it a great place to walk or hike most of the year, and the options are diverse. Walking along the water is particularly rewarding. The best beaches for walking are Coronado, Mission Beach, La Jolla Shores, and Torrey Pines, but pretty much any shore is a good choice. You can also walk around most of Mission Bay on a series of connected footpaths. If a four-legged friend is your walking companion, head for Dog Beach in Ocean Beach or Fiesta Island in Mission Bay -- two of the few areas where dogs can legally go unleashed. The Coast Walk in La Jolla offers supreme surf-line views.
The Sierra Club sponsors regular hikes in the San Diego area, and nonmembers are welcome to participate. There's frequently a Wednesday mountain hike, usually in the Cuyamaca Mountains, sometimes in the Lagunas; there are evening and day hikes as well. Most are free of charge. Call the office at tel. 619/299-1743 weekdays from noon to 5pm, or consult the website, www.sandiego.sierraclub.org. Volunteers from the Natural History Museum (tel. 619/232-3821; www.sdnhm.org) also lead free nature walks throughout San Diego County.
Marian Bear Memorial Park, also known as San Clemente Canyon (tel. 858/581-9952 for park ranger), is a 7-mile, round-trip trail that runs directly underneath Highway 52. Most of the trail is flat, hard-packed dirt, but some areas are rocky. There are benches and places to sit and have a quiet picnic. From Highway 52 west, take the Genesee South exit; at the stoplight, make a U-turn and an immediate right into the parking lot. From Highway 52 east, exit at Genesee and make a right at the light, and then an immediate right into the parking lot.
Lake Miramar Reservoir has a 3.5-mile, paved trail with a wonderful view of the lake and mountains. Take I-15 north and exit on Mira Mesa Boulevard. Turn right on Scripps Ranch Boulevard, then left on Scripps Lake Drive, and make a left at the Lake Miramar sign. Hours are sunrise to sunset, 7 days a week; parking is free. There's also a pleasant path around Lake Murray. Take the Lake Murray Boulevard exit off I-8 and follow the signs.
Other places for scenic hikes include Torrey Pines State Reserve, Cabrillo National Monument, and Mission Trails Regional Park. Guided walks are also offered at each of these parks.
