San Diego Climbing Gym Guide
With its terrific weather and many opportunities for outdoor activities, San Diego attracts active people, so it’s no surprise the area would boast a robust collection of indoor climbing gyms. Here’s a rundown of climbing facilities in San Diego County.
Grotto Climbing and Yoga
Grotto Climbing and Yoga is an indoor climbing gym that has two bouldering and exercise facilities in San Diego, one in Mission Valley and one in the Miramar area. These are bouldering-only facilities – no rope climbing.
Grotto Mission Valley
The Mission Valley facility, which opened in 2015, is a 7,000 square-foot bouldering gym located in Mission Valley.
| Address | 4460 Alvarado Canyon Road San Diego, CA 92120 |
| Phone | (619) 856-1030 |
| info@grottoclimbing.com | |
| Website | https://www.grottoclimbing.com/ |
Grotto Miramar
The Miramar facility, which opened in 2021, is a 9,000-square foot bouldering facility. Both gyms have exercise areas with workout machines, weights, and other equipment.
| Address | 9282 Miramar Road San Diego CA 92126 |
| Phone | (858) 368-9826 |
| info@grottoclimbing.com | |
| Website | https://www.grottoclimbing.com/ |
Mesa Rim Climbing Centers
Mesa Rim Climbing Centers manages the largest climbing gyms in San Diego, with their two flagship gyms offering tall roped climbs, extensive bouldering walls, and well-equipped workout areas and yoga rooms. Mesa Rim has three gyms in San Diego, two in north county, and one in Mission Valley.
Mesa Rim Mira Mesa
The Mira Mesa center was the first to open, in 2010, and at the time was the largest and tallest climbing gym in San Diego. The facility is located in an office park near Sorrento Valley.
| Address | 10110 Mesa Rim Rd, San Diego, CA 92121 |
| Phone | (858) 201-4411 |
| hellomiramesa@mesarim.com | |
| Website | https://mesarim.com/miramesa/ |
Mesa Rim Mission Valley
The Mission Valley climbing center opened in 2015. It features the tallest rock climbing walls of any climbing gym in San Diego, with the highest wall reaching 55 feet.
| Address | 405 Camino del Rio South, San Diego, CA 92108 |
| Phone | (619) 908-1611 |
| hellomissionvalley@mesarim.com | |
| Website | https://mesarim.com/miramesa/ |
Mesa Rim San Marcos
Mesa Rim’s North City center, in San Marcos, CA, opened in October 2020. The 28,000-square-foot indoor gym has rock climbing walls as tall as 52 feet and around 7,000 square feet of bouldering walls. Like the other facilities, it includes a traditional exercise gym area and yoga rooms.
| Address | 405 Camino del Rio South, San Diego, CA 92108 |
| Phone | (619) 908-1611 |
| hellomissionvalley@mesarim.com | |
| Website | https://mesarim.com/northcity/ |
Vertical Hold Rock Climbing Gyms
Vertical Hold runs three San Diego Climbing Gyms in Old Town San Diego, Poway, and San Marcos. These gyms all offer bouldering and rope climbing walls as well as workout areas and yoga facilities. Vertical Hold offers climbing clinics, yoga classes, and a youth team.
Vertical Hold Old Town/San Diego
The most centrally located of Vertical Hold’s gyms, this climbing center on Hancock Street is just off Interstate 5, between Old Town San Diego and the airport.
| Address | 2074 Hancock Street, San Diego, CA 92110 |
| Phone | (619) 299-1124 |
| Website | https://www.verticalhold.com/san-diego |
Vertical Hold Poway
This Vertical Hold location is located in Poway, California, at the intersection of Stowe Drive and Community Road next to the Sportsplex baseball and soccer complex.
| Address | 13026 Stowe Drive, Poway, CA 92064 |
| Phone | (858) 748-9011 |
| Website | https://verticalhold.com/poway |
Vertical Hold San Marcos
Vertical Hold’s location in San Marcos is the company’s North County gym, situated off Highway 78 between Rancheros Drive and East Mission Road.
| Address | 992 Rancheros Drive, San Marcos, CA, 92069 |
| Phone | (760) 480-1429 |
| Website | https://www.verticalhold.com/san-marcos |
Vital Climbing Gyms
Vital Climbing Gyms offer three indoor climbing facilities in San Diego located in Carlsbad, Oceanside, and Murrieta (technically in Riverside County, but close enough). These are bouldering-only facilities – no roped climbs.
Each climbing center also has a workout area with exercise equipment and offers yoga other climbing fitness classes. Vital’s facilities are also set up for aerial gymnastics, including silks and lyra, and offer classes in both. The climbing gyms also offer youth programs, including youth teams and camps.
The gyms are open 24 hours a day for members, in case you need a midnight crack…
Vital Carlsbad
Vital’s Carlsbad, California, climbing gym is located on the west side of Interstate 5, about a quarter-mile from the beach.
| Address | 6102 Avenida Encinas, Suite L, Carlsbad, CA 92011 |
| Phone | (760) 480-1429 |
| Website | https://www.vitalclimbinggym.com/carlsbad |
Vital Oceanside
Vital’s Oceanside climbing gym is located just south of downtown on South Coast Highway.
| Address | 525 S Coast Highway, Oceanside, CA 92054 |
| Phone | (760) 453-7444 |
| Website | https://www.verticalhold.com/san-marcos |
Vital Murrieta
While Murrieta is technically in Riverside County, it’s just on the border with San Diego County. This indoor rock climbing gym is located in an industrial/office park near Winchester Road just south of French Valley Airport.
| Address | 29990 Technology Drive #22, Murrieta, CA 92563 |
| Phone | (951) 251-4814 |
| Website | https://www.vitalclimbinggym.com/murrieta |
The Wall Climbing Gym
Rounding out North County’s robust climbing gym offerings, The Wall Climbing Gym is a bouldering facility in Vista, California. The gym has a fitness center and yoga studio. It offers yoga classes and youth programs.
| Address | 1210 Keystone Way, Suite C Vista, CA 92081 |
| Phone | (951) 251-4814 |
| Website | https://www.vitalclimbinggym.com/murrieta |
