Diving and Snorkeling

The kelp forests and protected marine areas off the San Diego coast are easily accessible and offer divers ample opportunities to explore. Classes are available for beginners, while experienced divers will appreciate the challenges of local wreck and canyon dives. Water temperatures can be chilly, so check with a local outfitter for the appropriate gear before setting out.

San Diego City Lifeguard Service. Call this hotline for prerecorded, up-to-date diving information and conditions. 619/221–8824; www.sandiego.gov/lifeguards.

Dive Sites

Dive Tours and Outfitters

Scuba San Diego. This center is well regarded for its top-notch instruction and certification programs, as well as for guided dive tours. Scuba Adventure classes for noncertified divers are held daily in Mission Bay, meeting near Mission Point. Trips for certified divers depart from La Jolla and include dives to kelp reefs in La Jolla Cove, and night diving at La Jolla Canyon. They also have snorkeling tours to La Jolla's Sea Caves. 8008 Girard St., La Jolla, California, 92037. 619/260–1880; www.scubasandiego.com . From $70.