San Diego Bayfront Balboa Park running safety?

There are still plenty of homeless here in San Diego. But they usually don't bother people.

What exactly is the problem? Were you actually harassed by homeless people the last time you were in San Diego?

Yes, I actually did have a homeless man run at me and harass me the last time I was there.

I don't know what the bayfront is but was completely safe for me when I ran around the mission bay area and on the boardwalk even when sunset had passed. This was during the summer though. The high tide has been flooding the path at times also.

Run down Harbor Drive towards Point Loma.

I'm an old, ugly male who has been running the bay once or twice a week at lunchtime for 10+ years and have never had any issues. There are plenty of homeless that generally keep to themselves, but also plenty of other people around when I run midday. Your run time and gender if you are in fact female, is a little concerning; 0530 still dark (very dark right now, but will have more light when we set clocks back after Halloween) and regardless of where you are running, if you can wait for some light then do so. Homeless population definitely worse than 10 years ago, but the Bayfront is usually scattered with a one or two transients here and there as opposed to camps of hundred in east village and other downtown spots.

I would avoid Balboa Park that early. Too many drug using transient zombies who never sleep and too many secluded nooks and crannies in the park, especially on the trail that runs along the freeway. Same comments as above re: the park midday.

Thank you. This is helpful. Yes, I am in fact female, and yes, I will have to run that early due to meetings and post-meeting dinner obligations. I normally run at 5:30 or 6AM during the week starting with a headlamp. I appreciate the feedback. It sounds like I should probably plan on playing it safe and running on the hotel treadmill while there.

If those places make you nervous I have some alternative recommendations:

Mission Bay (multi-use path)

Tecolote Canyon (trail)

Los Penasquitos Canyon (trail, although it's a bit far)

I was just there last month for a conference at the Grand Hyatt right near the Embarcadero and ran the first two mornings around 5:30-5:45 until just realizing it was nicer to do the elliptical in the fitness room for the remainder of the week.

I had to be at business breakfasts at 7am so I wasn’t going to be driving to trail runs, etc.

I’m a guy in my 40s and never felt totally unsafe, but I had a few encounters that were less than ideal and gave me a sense of pause about running in the dark. One was a homeless guy screaming at me when I stopped to pee in a bathroom at that marina park, and another was having to literally jump and sidestep people’s sleeping (hopefully!) bodies laid out along the paved path that runs parallel to Harbor Drive heading north towards the airport.

Not terrifying, but also not ideal. YMMV.

Thanks! Like you I won't have a rental car to drive to somewhere to run and my business meetings start so early that driving somewhere to run wouldn't be an option even if I did have one. Not thrilled about a treadmill for 4 days but it's sounding better than the alternative!

Both of these places are relatively safe and both have a lot of homeless, some of who are crazy. If you ignore them they'll probably leave you alone. Mission Bay has a bit fewer homeless, but nowhere has zero in San Diego (well besides Coronado). Just be aware of your surroundings, don't run with headphones, etc. Oh and you don't want to use the public restrooms lol.

You don't need a car to get to mission bay! Take the blue line trolley north to Tecolote Road