OK, business travelers. This is one of the best convention center/airport runs you’ll find. The San Diego Convention Center is only a couple of miles south of the airport, and is also very near the downtown/Gaslight Quarter area. Several miles of scenic paths run along North San Diego Bay, paralleling N Harbor Dr. There are great water views the whole way. We’ve mapped a route that starts at the Convention Center and goes for up to 7 miles north to Liberty Station Park, with an optional 3-mile loop around Harbor Island.Note:also good access to these paths from downtown: use W Broadway or W Ash.
Google Street View
Start in the Convention Center area on the Embarcadero Path with a loop around Embarcadero Marina South Park, and then head north to Embarcadero Marina North Park and Seaport Village. It’s 3 miles to Waterfront Park and 5 miles to the Airport/Harbor Island area. From there, you can continue for ~1 mile through Spanish Landing Park, ending at Bay Park or continuing for another ~1 mile to Liberty Station Park using a pedestrian-friendly bridge on Halsey Rd.
Optional Add-On: Harbor Island Loop. Adjacent to the airport and right off the Embacadero path, there’s an optional ~3 mile loop of Harbor Island. Take Harbor Island Dr., for 0.3 miles to the water, and then enjoy 1.7 miles of waterfront path through Harbor Island Park. Green and lovely, with nice views.
STAY: Hotels Near Convention Center, or on Harbor Island. Also good access from downtown hotels.
OK, business travelers. This is one of the best convention center/airport runs you’ll find. The San Diego Convention Center is only a couple of miles south of the airport, and is also very near the downtown/Gaslight Quarter area. Several miles of scenic paths run along North San Diego Bay, paralleling N Harbor Dr. There are great water views the whole way. We’ve mapped a route that starts at the Convention Center and goes for up to 7 miles north to Liberty Station Park, with an optional 3-mile loop around Harbor Island.Note:also good access to these paths from downtown: use W Broadway or W Ash.
Google Street View
Start in the Convention Center area on the Embarcadero Path with a loop around Embarcadero Marina South Park, and then head north to Embarcadero Marina North Park and Seaport Village. It’s 3 miles to Waterfront Park and 5 miles to the Airport/Harbor Island area. From there, you can continue for ~1 mile through Spanish Landing Park, ending at Bay Park or continuing for another ~1 mile to Liberty Station Park using a pedestrian-friendly bridge on Halsey Rd.
Optional Add-On: Harbor Island Loop. Adjacent to the airport and right off the Embacadero path, there’s an optional ~3 mile loop of Harbor Island. Take Harbor Island Dr., for 0.3 miles to the water, and then enjoy 1.7 miles of waterfront path through Harbor Island Park. Green and lovely, with nice views.
STAY: Hotels Near Convention Center, or on Harbor Island. Also good access from downtown hotels.
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Essentials
Up to 7 miles (11 km) one-way; Harbor Island loop is 3.25 miles (5.2 km)
Flat
Convention Center or anywhere along the path
Good access from downtown: use W Broadway or W Ash.
Another great running option in the airport/convention center/downtown area. Harbor Island, Seaport Village, waterfront park. All along the water, numerous distance options.
One of the great urban parks of America, featuring 65 miles of trails through gardens, groves, and important sights such as the Zoo and several museums. Many options for running, good variety of terrain and challenge.
A 46,000 acre aquatic playground. We’ve mapped a well-known 12-mile loop, almost all of it on well-marked off-road paths, with water views, lovely parks, beaches, bridges, and an island.
Classic beach boardwalk run on a 3.2 mile multi-use path between North Pacific Beach and South Mission Beach. A festive scene, with water views and lots of shops, bars & restaurants. Beach also runnable. Combine w/best sections of Mission Bay route.
A good option for runners who want a long, flat, off-road trail in the Mission Bay/Mission Valley area. We've mapped a 7.5 mile one-way route from Ocean Beach to I-805 in Mission Valley. The westernmost 3 miles is the prettiest section.
At the tip of Point Loma, with fantastic views of the water, San Diego downtown & harbor, and Coronado Island. Also includes the 2.2-mile RT Bayside Trail, down to the water.
A good running option just inland from Mission Bay. Pleasant campus for running, then 6+ miles of trails in Tecolote Canyon Nature Park. Can be combined with paths along Tecolote Shores, Fiesta Island, and Southern Shores Park.
A destination in San Diego since the Hotel Del Coronado was built in 1900. Numerous running options, much of it on off-road paths, all open and with great ocean views.
Some nice running in south San Diego near the Mexico border. Enjoy miles of trails around wetlands in the Tijuana Slough/River estuary area. There's also some good beach running in the area.
Sunset Cliffs in Ocean Beach is a great place to run in San Diego, staying high on windy cliffs with great views. A real treat at sunset. At the end of the road, hike down the cliffs onto the beach.
A beautiful and affluent seaside community 13 miles north of San Diego. Wonderful oceanside roads and trails, and a hilly residential community with gorgeous homes and views.
A beautiful State Preserve of 2,000 acres, 5 miles north of San Diego, incorporating the rare Torrey pine. Run-nable hillside hiking trails with great ocean views. Also great running on the beach here.
The 5 miles from La Jolla Shores to Torrey Pines is one of the ultimate beach runs. Big wide beach, towering cliffs overhead, crashing waves, seamless firm sand, sunsets….it doesn’t get better than this.
Pleasant campus situated between La Jolla Shores and Torrey Pines, just west of I-5. Nice paths and a shaded canopy make for a nice standalone run or as an add-on to nearby routes.
Some scenic, gentle trail running in the Sorrento Hills/Mira Mesa area! Nice variety of canyon/ranch type terrain, gorgeous live oaks and sycamores. Easiest is the 5+ mile Los Peñasquitos Canyon Trail. There are also more challenging options.
A unique running opportunity. Take the Coaster train north from Solana Beach and then run back on the Coast Highway. One can go as far as Oceanside, which is 16 miles. Bike lane along the road, ocean views the whole way.
5,800-acre regional park located in La Mesa. The 3-mile path along Lake Murray is popular with runners. There are also 30+ miles of trail running, ranging from the easy Grassland Loop to a 3 mile climb to the top of Cowles Mountain.
A 5-mile loop trail around a reservoir in the Scripps Ranch area, northeast of downtown. Popular spot for running, bicycling, and other activities. Paved park service road is relatively traffic free. Nice views to water and valleys.
Best running options in Encinitas include ~6 miles of continuous beach from Swami's Beach to Grandview Beach, a 1.6 mile bike path along San Elijo State Beach, and 7 miles of easy trails at the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve.
Great running options in this coastal town include ~6 miles of coastal road/path between Ponto State Beach and Carlsbad Village with unobstructed water views, the Batiquitos Lagoon Trail, some nice beach running, and trail running at Lake Calavera.
There's a nice variety of running options in Oceanside, including the Strand Path along the beach, a scenic loop around the Marina, the 9-mile San Luis Rey River Multi-Use Path, and lovely trails in Guajome Regional Park.
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Essentials
Up to 7 miles (11 km) one-way; Harbor Island loop is 3.25 miles (5.2 km)
Flat
Convention Center or anywhere along the path
Good access from downtown: use W Broadway or W Ash.
Review or Comment on This Route/Share a Photo!
Share your feedback on this route and see that of other Great Runs users. Click on the image icon to upload a photo. And please let us know if there are notes or changes we should incorporate!