Belmont Park has been running rides on this stretch of Mission Beach since 1925, and the Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster is still the centerpiece, a National Historic Landmark that rattles you along the boardwalk with the ocean in full view the whole ride. It’s a short, easy outing that works for a wide age range: littler kids can stick to the carousel, mini golf and the arcade, while anyone tall enough for the coaster gets the real thing. There’s a pool, a laser maze and enough food stalls to turn it into a half day without much planning. Parking can be tight on summer weekends, so we usually tell guests to walk or bike the boardwalk down from Pacific Beach instead, it’s a flat, ten to fifteen minute ride along the water and skips the lot entirely. Go on a weekday morning if you want short lines, or save it for late afternoon when the heat breaks and the lights on the coaster start to show. Individual ride tickets and wristbands are both available, so you can test the water with one ride before committing to a full pass.
