San Diego Strolls: Follow The ‘Sighs’ To Bessemer Park

Open up your San Diego deck and pull out the Shelter Island card. As you'll read, a peaceful path lies across the water from this Polynesian escape. Read on to learn more about Bessemer Path.

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Sometimes the chaos of our world requires a slow, contemplative stroll to quiet the mind. Finding a tranquil spot near downtown can be challenging. Fortunately, there’s a hidden gem in Point Loma that feels worlds away: Bessemer Path.

Situated across from Shelter Island’s yacht-dotted shoreline, Bessemer Path is a half-mile (one-way) sandy path that stretches from Talbot Street at Anchorage Lane to San Antonio Avenue and Kellogg Beach. The residential landscaping that lines the path is kaleidoscopic, attracting bees, birds and other pollinators. And some locals have even placed benches in their gardens, allowing for visitors to sit and savor the surroundings.

Bessemer Path's History

Bessemer Path is located in the La Playa neighborhood of Point Loma. La Playa means “the beach” in Spanish. The earliest notes of this path are found in the journal of maritime explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, who noted that the Kumeyaay Indians used this trail. The Spanish also later used it to unload their ships and gave it the name “La Playa Trail.” By the late 1700s, the trail stretched to Mission de Alcala, making it the oldest commercial trail west of the Mississippi.

The Sights Along Bessemer Path

I don’t consider this a fitness-oriented trail. I think it’s best enjoyed at what I call a meandering pace. This allows you to take in the beauty that abounds with nearly every step. 

The colorful blooms on one side of the trail, with the sparkling water on the other, provide multiple reasons to peruse, pause and repeat. Add in stunning waterfront homes – some historic – and little touches like a tree swing and book-sharing box, and the time will fly by as you move along at a snail’s pace soaking it all in.

An Escape from the Daily Madness

On the sandy shoreline, I saw several sunbathers and a few folks reading books (yes, books, those paper things we used to carry around with us to pass the time before smartphones). There were also some paddleboarders cruising along, taking advantage of the calm waters. 

If you’re seeking an escape from the daily madness, Bessemer Path delivers. 

This article originally appeared in the San Diego Sun as part of the "Walking In The City" column. Read the original version here.