Ocean Beach Volleyball

Ocean Beach Volleyball Courts

Location, hours, rules and permit information for the public sand volleyball courts at Ocean Beach, San Diego.

The courts are officially the George Stepanof Volleyball Courts, at 5200 Voltaire St, San Diego, CA 92107.

There are 10 permanent volleyball pole areas near the beach restrooms. Eight are north of the restrooms and two are just east of them.

Orientation map of the Ocean Beach volleyball courtsSchematic looking east, with the Pacific Ocean on the left. Eight volleyball courts sit on the sand north of the beach restrooms, and two more sit just east of them. Nets run across the beach, so play is up and down the shore rather than facing the water. Dog Beach and the San Diego River mouth are further north. Parking is on Abbott Street and in the beach lots. Newport Avenue, where the restaurants are, is a short walk inland and south.PACIFIC OCEANN↑ DOG BEACH · RIVER MOUTH8 courts north of the restroomsRESTROOMS2 east of restroomsPABBOTT ST+ beach lotsRESTAURANTS →NEWPORT AVE · SHORT WALK53 places, mappedPUBLIC COURTSFree, 8am to dusk.Bring a net and attach itto an open pair of poles.
Schematic, not to scale.

Court Hours

The courts may be used from 8:00 a.m. to dusk. Portable lights are not permitted.

Public and permit areas

The City of San Diego numbers the volleyball areas #1 through #14. These numbers refer to designated volleyball spaces and should not be read as 14 permanent courts.

Spaces #1–#3 and #11–#14 are available for public use on a first-come, first-served basis.

Spaces #4–#10 may be reserved by permit for leagues, tournaments, clinics and other organized activities.

Required Equipment

The city provides the permanent poles. Players bring their own:

  • net
  • ball
  • boundary lines
  • shallow anchors or weights

Nets must attach to the existing poles. Freestanding net systems are not permitted in the permanent court area. Deep anchoring is prohibited; use weights or shallow anchors.

Equipment must be removed when you leave, and nothing may be left overnight.

Court rules

  • Keep the lifeguard lanes around the courts clear
  • Do not move the volleyball poles
  • Organized tournaments, clinics and practices require a city permit

City volleyball rules

Court numbering: The city's #1–#14 are numbered spaces, not built courts. There are 10 pole areas on the sand — eight north of the restrooms and two just east of them.

  • Spaces #1, #2, #3, #11, #12, #13 and #14 are open to the public, first-come first-served. Spaces #4–#10 may be booked by permit.
  • Balls, lines and nets are not provided. Bring your own.
  • All equipment must be removed after each use. Nothing may be left overnight.
  • Deep anchoring is prohibited.
  • Portable net systems are prohibited in the permanent court area.
  • Court hours are 8:00 am to dusk. Portable lights are prohibited.
  • The volleyball poles may not be moved.
  • A 20-foot-wide access lane must be kept clear around the perimeter at all times.
  • The open-to-public spaces may not be used for organized camps, clinics, practices or tournaments.

Source: City of San Diego sand volleyball rules (revised 20 November 2024). Permits: 619-235-1169 · PRPermitCenter@sandiego.gov. Shoreline park ranger duty line: 858-581-9982.

Beach rules

City rules for the beach itself, from the lifeguard regulations page:

  • No alcohol on the beach, walkways, park areas or adjacent parking lots
  • No glass containers
  • No smoking
  • Dogs are not allowed on the beach between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. from April 1 to October 31, or between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. from November 1 to March 31. At other hours they must be leashed. Dog Beach, at the north end, is off-leash at all hours.

Parking

Parking is available along Abbott Street and in the nearby beach lots. Parking can be difficult on summer weekends.

Court Permits and Reservations

Sand volleyball courts at Ocean Beach can be reserved through the City of San Diego. Permits are handled by the Parks and Recreation Permit Center.

What the city asks for, from the permit page:

  • Apply at least 10 days before the event
  • An SDRecConnect account, used for payment
  • For sand volleyball at Ocean Beach: the organized sport application, a liability certificate naming the City of San Diego as certificate holder, and a court layout diagram showing the number of courts and any extra equipment such as canopies or tables
  • Nonprofit tax-exempt documentation, if claiming the nonprofit rate
  • Fees are hourly and depend on group size and nonprofit status; see the fee schedule above. Events of 50 or more also pay a ground use fee

Parks and Recreation Permit Center 2125 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101 619-235-1169 · PRPermitCenter@sandiego.gov