You already know (most likely) that San Diego enjoys one of the world’s most beautiful coastlines and some of its most legendary surfing meccas.

But the joys of the San Diego seaboard extend beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean. If you’re curious about seeing a whole other side of the region, consider giving SCUBA diving a try in our local waters!

A Submarine World of Delights

Diving off the San Diego coastline introduces you to one of North America’s richest underwater worlds: the Southern Californian Pacific marine ecoregion. Here, where the cold, south-flowing California Current merges with warmer subtropical waters, coastal upwellings create nutrient-rich conditions that foster diverse ecosystems.

The most impressive of these is the kelp forest, where enormous seaweeds—including the mighty giant kelp, which can grow 30 inches a day and reach lengths of more than 150 feet—create structurally complex communities that support many fish, crustaceans and other marine organisms.

From kelp crabs and blaze-orange garibaldi to bat rays, moray eels, giant sea bass, and California sea lions, you have the opportunity to see some of the coastal Pacific’s most amazing critters in and around kelp forests.

San Diego Diving

If you’re new to SCUBA, there are plenty of dive shops in the region that offer instructional classes and beginners outings. The great thing about San Diego’s varied nearshore waters is that there are diving sites to accommodate all abilities.

One of the very best spots for ultra-convenient shore diving is La Jolla Cove, less than a half-hour’s drive from the Sofia Hotel. Off this compact little beach lies the 6,000-acre San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park Ecological Reserve, a wildlife-rich paradise with artificial reefs, thick kelp forests, and often topnotch visibility.

For those interested in chartering a boat, farther offshore lies famous Wreck Alley, where a number of ships—most notably the 366-foot-long Yukon—were intentionally sunk to serve as manmade reefs.

At the Sofia, you’re never far from San Diego’s coastal delights. Whether you’re just learning to dive or you’re a SCUBA veteran, come on down, slip on a wetsuit, and explore a glorious Pacific Ocean wonderland!