Getting to Garbage Beach and AB’s
Getting to Garbage Beach and Abalone is relatively easy, though there is some minor climbing involved. First, you need to get to Point Loma Nazarene University. There’s a public parking lot at the campus that can save you a lot of time.
To reach the university from I-5, take exit 20 on I-8 heading west. Follow the signs to Nimitz Boulevard going south. Stay on Nimitz for 1 mile, and then turn right onto Chatsworth Boulevard. Turn left when you reach Catalina Boulevard. After another mile, you will see Point Loma Nazarene University on your right-hand side. Turn right at Lomaland Drive and park in the free lot.
Parking at Garbage & AB’s
From here, you need to descend the sandstone bluffs below the parking lot. You’ll see a well-worn path leading down to the beach. Near the bottom, the cliffs get steeper, so visitors have to use a knotted rope to climb the rest of the way.
Another option for parking at Garbage Beach is near the north end of Sunset Cliffs Natural Park. To get there, take the same exit 20 to I-8, and then continue straight onto Sunset Cliffs Boulevard. Follow Sunset Cliffs Boulevard for about 3.5 miles until it curves into Ladera Street. There is a small parking lot near the corner of Ladera Street and Cornish Drive, with a stairwell going down to the shore. This option may require you to wade through some water to get to Garbage Beach.