Pepper Park
Boat launch, fishing pier, playground and picnic tables, with the port cranes working across the water. Free parking.
Today in the city
The bayfront
National City is one of the few places where you can watch a working port and a heron in the same five minutes. Here's how to use our stretch of San Diego Bay.
Sweetwater Marina
Slips, launch ramp and the calmest water in the South Bay early in the morning.
National City Aquatic Center
Kayak, paddleboard and rowing programs run out of the bayfront — lessons and rentals for all ages.
Bayshore Bikeway
The flat bay-level path that connects National City to Chula Vista and Imperial Beach.
Sweetwater Marsh
Protected wetland just south of the marina — herons, egrets and the quietest walk around.
Pier fishing
Bass, croaker, halibut and mackerel. A California fishing license is required for anyone 16 or older, except on free-fishing days.
Tides & conditions
NOAA's San Diego Bay station covers our shoreline — check it before you launch a kayak or plan a pier trip.
Today's tidesBest light for photos
The bayfront faces west, so sunset is the shot. We list the exact golden hour window every day.
Golden hour today