Fiesta Island

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About

Few places in San Diego carry as much recreational history as Fiesta Island, a nearly 500-acre peninsula at 1590 E Mission Bay Dr. in the 92109 zip code. The island is the birthplace of the modern triathlon—on September 25, 1974, Jack Johnstone and Don Shanahan of the San Diego Track Club organized a 46-person run-bike-swim event here that spawned a global sport and an Olympic discipline. Every July, the Old Mission Beach Athletic Club returns to the island for the Over-the-Line World Championship, a bat-and-ball beach tournament that has run since 1954 and now draws more than 1,200 teams and roughly 15,000 spectators across two weekends. Stocking up on groceries and drinks at Ralphs on Garnet Avenue is smart planning, since the island has no concessions or permanent restrooms. Dogs and horses are welcome on the entire island at any time, making it one of only two locations in the City of San Diego where dogs can be off-leash on a public beach. A fenced 90-acre off-leash dog park occupies the interior, and the island's perimeter road allows vehicle access to sandy pull-off areas along the shoreline. The northern and southern tips are fenced off seasonally to protect California Least Tern nesting sites, a federally protected species. A youth campground operated by the city serves nonprofit groups by permit only, and fire rings line the shore for evening bonfires. Charity walks, bicycle time trials, and model rocket launches round out the event calendar. Craft beer fans returning from a day on the island often settle in at SD TapRoom on Garnet Avenue for rotating taps and a laid-back patio. The park is open daily from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.