San Diego's Belmont Park - Fun For All

Bored of spending a relaxing day at the beach, basking in the brilliant sunshine, frolicking in the tumbling waves? If you are, we think you're crazy... but we do have an idea for you if you're in the need for a little change. There are plenty of fun things to do off the sand in San Diego, you just have to try and ignore that ever so appealing ocean.

We suggest checking out Belmont Park, just seconds from the shore, so you can have a taste of both worlds, land and sea. Belmont Park is a beachfront amusement park on the boardwalk, nestled in Mission Beach. Perfect for all ages, this park offers a wide variety of attractions which will guarantee a great day. The main attraction is the historic Giant Dipper roller coaster, which has been entertaining kids and adults alike since its opening in 1925.

Visitors can enjoy traditional and contemporary amusement park rides such as The Liberty Carousel, The Vertical Plunge, Tilt-a-Whirl, Thunder Boats, Krazy Kars and Speedway Bumper Cars. Ride the man-made waves at Wave House, play mini golf in a glow in the dark course, take a dip in the pool, get lost in the mirror or laser maze, climb your way up a mountain, and win big at the arcade center or game stations. You can even shop and enjoy a wide array of cuisine throughout the Park which includes beachfront restaurants as well as food court style dining.

If you just did a double take on "ride the man-made waves" well then yes, you read correctly. While wave machines, wave pools and surf machines date as far back as the 1920s, it wasn't until the late 1980s that anything came close to re-creating the thrills and challenge of the ocean. That's when Wave Loch founder Tom Lochtefeld developed 'sheet wave' technology, which he later used to create the sheet wave attractions known as the FlowRider® and FlowBarrel®, two of Belmont Park's most popular attractions.

The FlowRider® is a low profile sheet wave resembling the thrill of an ocean wave that is perfect for novices and intermediates. Its large open face allows riders to creatively express themselves with a variety of moves. The FlowBarrel® incorporates a hollow tube, curl, or barrel, along with a nice steep face, which resembles the type of hardcore waves that surfers travel the world looking for. Flowboarding (surfing the FlowRider® and FlowBarrel®) is 1/3 surfing, 1/3 snowboarding, with a mix of skateboarding and wakeboarding for fun! You may fall down, but the FlowBarrel® and FlowRiders®' padded surface will leave you springing back up and eager for another try! Come and enjoy the sun and endless waves - no experience required!

Parking and Admission to Belmont Park is FREE! You might as well just check it out, even if you just want to come take a stroll along the boardwalk and have a look around. If you decide to try out some rides, wave rides or other attractions, you can purchase tickets when you arrive. Remember, Belmont Park is right in Mission Beach, so you always have that boring old option to lean back on...