San Diego has MANY MANY beaches, each with their own character.
Blacks Beach is due west of campus, down the cliffs. It's sometimes a nude beach (formerly officially) and a lot of people surf here. It's a very short walk from AP&M, although the walk back up is steep.
La Jolla Shores is also quite close to campus. It tends to be a lot more crowded, particularly during summer. It starts at Scripps and heads south. It's well maintained with good facilities.
Other beaches of note:
- La Jolla Cove
- Windansea
- Pacific Beach
- Mission Beach
- Ocean Beach
- Coronado
- Solana Beach
- Del Mar
- Torrey Pines