OB Pier and Tidepools

While the pier is closed, the tidepools below are open to the public and teeming with sea life due to all the pelicans and seagulls that have taken up residence on the pier. You can still get a good view from the entrance of the pier by walking up the stairs from the seawall off of Newport Avenue or from Niagara Avenue, where you can walk to the gate that reads "Ocean Beach Fishing Pier". This is also a great opportunity to capture photos of the pelicans.

Pier Closure as of 1/5/2023: The OB pier sustained significant damage from a large swell. Damage begins at light post 6 and extends to the cafe. The pier will remain closed until further notice.

Click "OB Pier News" to read updates, local news articles, and events from a variety of publications.

OB Pier News

Interesting Facts...

Originally Named the San Diego Fishing Pier. The original plaque is still there.
Over 500,000 Visitors Per Year.
At 1971 Feet It Is the Longest Concrete Pier on the West Coast. The Pier at Santa Cruz is 2745 Feet, Making it the Longest in the State.
The 1st Fish Caught on the Pier was an 8-inch Perch. The 2nd and 3rd Fish Caught was a Gray Shark and a Crab.
Often Called the "Queen Fish", Herring is the Most Common Fish Caught on the Pier. There is NO LIMIT!
Then CA Governor Edmund G. Brown Made the First Cast Off the OB Pier and Reportedly Fished for 5 minutes. Brown caught nothing and was defeated in November. (Coincidence?)
Currently, No Fishing License is Required on the Pier.
In 1991 over $2 Million was Spent on the Pier to Repair Damages Caused by Winter Storms.

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More about the OB Pier

The Ocean Beach Municipal Pier, one of the most visited landmarks in San Diego County, was officially christened and introduced to eager San Diegans on July 2, 1966. Over 7,000 of San Diego's then 600,000 residents showed up to celebrate the opening, including local politicians Mayor Frank Curran and California Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown who had the honor of cutting the ribbon.

Although the pier quickly became a popular destination for locals and tourists, its original purpose was for fishing. Local Ocean Beach fishermen needed a way to prevent their fishing lines and lures from getting tangled in the vast kelp and rock beds that lie near the surface of the water near the shores. With the construction of the OB Pier, anglers can fish in 25-30 feet of water, avoiding most of the shoreline kelp and enabling them to catch species of fish that live in deeper waters. The pier extends 1971 feet into the ocean and is purported to be the longest concrete fishing pier on the West Coast. Its unique T-shape at the end of the pier adds 360 feet to the south and 193 feet to the north.

The OB Pier was not the first attempt at providing OB residents a place to fish. Before the completion of the pier, a bridge had been constructed in 1915 across the mouth of Mission Bay, which extended from the north end of Bacon Street to what is now the dunes of Mission Bay. This bridge, which was 1,500 feet long, was mainly built so residents could travel from Voltaire to Mission Beach. Soon after its construction, local fishermen thought they had finally found a place to fish. Though the bridge served its primary purpose as a means of transportation for residents, it proved to be a poor solution for the town's fishermen. When safety concerns and issues with flood control eventually resulted in the bridge becoming derelict and ultimately demolished., San Diegans were promised a replacement for the tourists and fishermen who enjoyed it. Construction began on another fishing option – a steel pier at the foot of Del Monte Avenue – in the early 1940s. Due to World War II steel shortages, construction was halted, and the pier was never completed. In 1966, the city finally came through on its promise and opened what is now the OB Pier at the foot of Niagara, a location that proved better suited for tourists and anglers alike.