http://www.mantawatersports.com/

If you have been to Mission Bay or Pacific Beach here in San Diego, you have probably seen the colorful, large kites attached to people on surfboards skating effortlessly across the water. Kiteboarding is an up-and-coming outdoor activity that is taking California coasts by storm! Kiteboarders wear a harness that is attached to an oversized, inflatable kite and hold onto a steel bar that controls that kite. By harnessing the wind’s energy, kiteboarders are able to leap high into the air, riding waves as well as flat surfaces of water strapped to a short, double-ended board.

Whether you are visiting San Diego and staying in one of Luv San Diego Surf’s boutique vacation rentals or you are a native San Diegan looking for a new water sport, here are five things you need to know about kiteboarding before getting started.

1. Cost of equipment

Kiteboarding definitely requires a decent amount of equipment, but the good news is that until you become an avid kiteboarder, you can take lessons and use their gear. Lessons run from $199 for a group lesson to $299 for a private lesson with lessons usually being 2-3 hours. Without getting into the multitude of types of kites you could buy, generally for a beginner’s inflatable kite it will cost between $700-$1200. You will also need a bar with lines to match the kite ($350), a board with straps, fins and pads ($500-$600) and a harness ($150-$170). All of that will set you back $1600-$2500 but if you fall in love with the sport after taking lessons, it’s not a bad investment for such a fun and exciting hobby.

http://sandydan.com/

2. Get a good instructor

This is the most important thing you need to know about kiteboarding. It’s not a do-it-yourself sport because it can be incredibly dangerous to you and people around you if you put a giant kite up in the sky without proper training. In fact, unless you are an expert kiteboarder you need a second person to spot you getting into the water and help get the kite off the ground as well as landing the kite at the end of your session. They say it takes anywhere from 6-9 hours for people to learn to kiteboard, and a lot of that time is spend on land, learning how to control the kite. Luckily, you don’t have to have previous experience surfing and as long as you are an experienced swimmer, you are good to go. 

3. Kiteboarding vs. Kitesurfing vs. Windsurfing

http://xtremesport4u.com/

Windsurfing is definitely the “grandfather” of kiteboarding.  People often say that kiteboarding is easier than windsurfing, but this is deceptive. There tends to be a steeper learning curve with kiteboarding while windsurfers get out in the water faster and are on their own sooner. But you get better at kiteboarding faster after spending more hours on the ground learning how to control the kite in different wind conditions. With kiteboarding jumps are bigger and you can go much faster too. Kitesurfing is a subset of kiteboarding where instead of going on calm, flat waters (bays, lakes, rivers and even snow and sand, with the proper equipment), people take them out to the waves and use the kites to mimic tow-in surfing, allowing them to catch much larger waves.

5. Where to go kiteboarding in San Diego

Kiteboarders are still a burgeoning group of athletes and there has been some discord between traditional surfers and kiteboarders. Surfers are territorial by nature and often wait a long time queuing for the perfect waves. Kiteboarders can come in at much higher speeds and so if they aren’t careful or cognizant of the rules of the surf, it can leave a lot of unhappy surfers. Luckily, most of the time surfers and kiteboarders aren’t out in the water in the same conditions. This is because kiteboarders love the blown-out, stormy winds that most surfers tend to avoid. Here in San Diego, the best places for beginners to kiteboard is Fiesta Island because of the protected waters of the bay. You will often see kiteboarders and kitesurfers off the beaches of Pacific Beach  and the Silver Strand, in Coronado, during the winter months when the beaches are traditionally less busy.

So now that you know all about kiteboarding all you need to do is book your first lessons and get started in this exhilarating sport. Here are couple of companies to contact to get started:

Manta Wind and Water Sports - http://www.mantawatersports.com/

Mission Beach Surfing School - http://www.missionbeachsurfingschool.com/

Many people will tell you that San Diego is a “car city”, meaning you can’t easily get around the area without a car. This may be somewhat true for residents who live and commute here, though San Diego has a huge biking population that may take umbrage with that idea, but what does this mean for the millions of travelers who visit this beautiful city every year? Although renting a car is a viable option, San Diego also has a multitude of other options if you don’t want the hassle or cost of renting a car for your entire trip. From public transportation to ride-share options, San Diego has easy and affordable ways to get around our city, sans rental car.

San Diego Trolley

San Diego’s Trolley is a straightforward and inexpensive way to get around San Diego County. With three lines stretching from the Mexican/American boarder up through the Downtown area to Mission Valley and all the way out to East County, this trolley system not only can get you around, but also connects to all other types of transit to make travling around San Diego easy.  

Cost to Ride:

One way- $2.25

All Day Pass- $5.00

http://www.sdmts.com/Trolley/Trolley.asp

http://commons.wikimedia.org/

City Buses

San Diego also boasts an extensive bus network. Basically, if you can’t get where you need to go by trolley, you can definitely get there by bus. From downtown, to the beaches, to La Jolla and over to SDSU, the bus system is known for being punctual and economical. Buses are scheduled at stops every 12 minutes during peak hours and no more than 30 minutes during off peak hours. The great things about San Diego’s pubic transportation system is that it’s integrated so you can use the same pass that you use for the bus as you do for the trolley. So get the daily pass. It’s the best deal and will allow you to transfer seamlessly between modes of transport.

Cost to Ride:

One Way- $2.25

All Day Pass- $5.00

http://www.sdmts.com/home1.asp

DecoBikes

The newest thing in San Diego public transportation is the bike-sharing program, DecoBike. Decobike is a green and health conscious alternative to driving or taking another form of public transit and it’s also totally fun! San Diego has beautiful weather most of the year and what better way to enjoy it and take in the sights of the city, than to do it on a bike? The great thing about this bike-sharing program is that you don’t need to commit to it beyond the ride. Pick-up and drop-off bikes from any of their hundred-plus stations and pedal your way around San Diego!

Cost to Ride:

1 Hour- $7

1 Day- $15

1 Week- $35

1 Month- $50

http://www.decobike.com/sandiego/

decobike.com

Coaster

One of the most beautiful ways to see San Diego is on the Coaster, a commuter train that runs along the coastline giving breathtaking views of the Pacific ocean. Stretching south/north along San Diego County, this train is an ideal way to take your bike to different biking areas and trails like Torrey Pines State Park, or to just enjoy a glass of wine while taking in the coastal scenery. It’s also the easiest and fastest way to get to North County, so if you want to see all of San Diego while you are here, then you should definitely build a Coaster ride into your travel.

Cost to Ride:

Cost to ride is broken down into 3 zones, but round trip tickets range from $8-$11 for adults, with children under 6 riding for free.

Day Pass: $12 (includes travel on Trolley and Buses)

http://www.gonctd.com/coaster

nycsubway.org

Uber/Lyft

These ride-sharing programs have risen in popularity in most major cities. This is because they are cheap, clean and fast. With the app for each company, you only have to wait 4-5 minutes for pick up, and the cost is less than traditional taxis. In fact, San Diego is a great city for Uber because the cost per trip is nearly half the cost of a cab! If you want to reduce your cost even further, you can UberPool where you share the cost of the ride with someone going along the same route.

Cost to Ride:

It’s tough to say exactly because it depends on where you need to go and what availability of cars there are but here is a table showing the cost of Uber vs. Taxi that gives a general idea. All you really need to know is it’s always going to be cheaper to Uber than cab-it in San Diego.

So for your next visit to San Diego, don’t worry about booking a car rental along with your accommodations. Instead, use Luv San Diego Surf’s handy list of San Diego transportation to get you around our city; fast, easily and affordably!

Here at Luv Surf we understand and share the affinity you have for your canine friends. When bringing them on vacation, you want them to experience the fun of digging in the sand and dipping their paws in the salty ocean. Luckily, San Diego has some amazing beaches for you and your pooch where they can get a chance to enjoy the beach experience, just like we do. There are three dog beaches located near Mission Beach.

Fiesta Island

Location: Fiesta Island Road, San Diego, CA 92123

Pros: Calm bay waters lap at the edges of long, sandy stretches on this island. Lots of open space for dogs to run and play. Free parking lots are located on the West end of the island.

Cons: No poop bag stations or running water, though there are porta-potties. Make sure to bring water for your pooch.

Ocean Beach Dog Beach

Location: The end of Voltaire St, Ocean Beach, CA 92107

Pros: People come here for the laid back, free-spirited vibe that is Ocean Beach. Big and small dogs alike frolic in the waves while surfers catch some waves. In fact, you can almost always see dogs surfing too. There is also tons of free public parking.

Cons: Poop bags can be scarce here on weekends so pack some just in case. 

Coronado Dog Beach

Location: 100 Ocean Blvd, Coronado, CA 92118

Pros: People describe the dogs and owners here as “friendly” and “well behaved.” This gorgeous spot at the end of the public beaches here in Coronado is clean, there are plenty of poop bags and there is even a spot to wash off your dogs after they play. 

Cons: Parking is tough here since there is no designated public parking, but you can often find free parking along Ocean Blvd with a small walk to the dog area of the beach. 

Make sure you check out our local dog beach scene the next time you are staying with us at Luv Surf. Your pooch will thank you. 

Right now one of the biggest songs on the radio is Australian indie artist Vance Joy’s, Riptide. Riptide’s honest lyrics about love, accompanied by an insanely catchy tune, have caught the ears and hearts of San Diegans and you can hear people singing along anytime it’s played on the radio. As lovely as Vance Joy’s ditty is, “rip tides”, or more accurately “rip currents”, can be a serious issue here at San Diego beaches. 

This is especially true after Hurricane Marie spun off of Mexico’s Pacific coast earlier this week. San Diego beaches are bracing themselves for up to 30 foot swells along with dangerous rip currents, today through the end of the week. Although big waves are exciting news for local surfers, rip currents keep lifeguards on their toes concerning beach goers. 

Rip currents are strong and narrow currents of water that move directly away from the shore. The reason why rip currents can be dangerous for swimmers is because people might not be aware of the current in the first place, or how to swim out of one. Rip currents are hard to identify if you are not an experienced beach goer and aren’t immediately obvious. When people get stuck in rip currents, it’s because they exhaust themselves by trying to swim straight back in, only to be pulled farther out through the bottle neck of the current. In fact, getting stuck in rip currents is the leading cause of water rescues at beaches in the U.S. 

Lifeguards at San Diego beaches are always on top of it when it comes to warning beach-goers about rip currents and this week they will be on high alert due to Hurricane Marie. Even as experienced surfers are suiting up to hit the huge swells that are supposed to be coming in, lifeguards will be ramping up their efforts to warn beach goers about the extreme rip currents, even keeping people out of water at the most dangerous spots. 

Whether you are in San Diego to enjoy our beaches this fall or to see Vance Joy at the House of Blues on November 25th, keep an eye out for “riptides”.