The city of Coronado is found in San Diego County, and can easily be reached from the mainland by crossing the impressive Coronado Bridge. You can also get to the island, which is actually a peninsula, by driving along the Silver Strand, which is a ten-mile stretch of land that connects Coronado with Imperial Beach to the south. Coronado Island is famous for its beaches and for the Hotel Del Coronado, which was built in 1888. The hotel is a National Historic Landmark, and is still in operation today. There are few, if any, resorts in the United States that can rival the history and overall presence of the Hotel Del Coronado, and it is also the ideal base from which to enjoy Coronado Beach vacations.

The top beaches on Coronado Island are the main Coronado Beach, the Glorietta Bay Beach, and the Silver Strand State Beach. Coronado Beach California starts just south of the island’s Naval Air Station, and stretches past the Hotel Del Coronado on the Pacific Ocean side. It is the widest beach in San Diego County, and is roomy enough for all kinds of activities, even on the most crowded of days. While enjoying Coronado Beach vacations, you can engage in a number of recreational pursuits, including surfing, swimming, sunbathing, fishing, sailing, and more. There are beach volleyball courts on Coronado Beach California, and the bike path that starts just south of the Hotel Del Coronado extends along the Silver Strand and onward to Imperial Beach. As for the Coronado Beach California facilities, there are restrooms, showers, and fire rings. Coronado Beach is especially crowded in the summer months, and if you want to enjoy the free parking on Ocean Boulevard in the summertime, it’s a good idea to arrive as early as possible. There are other free parking areas that can be found on Avenida de las Arenas and Avenida Lunar. Some folks who visit the island come by way of ferry, so it’s not necessary to bring the car if you don’t want to worry about parking. Of course, should you book a room at the island’s historic hotel when enjoying Coronado Beach vacations, you can park there and all but forget the car until you decide to head over to San Diego to enjoy its attractions.

Located on Coronado Island’s inland side, and not too far from Coronado Beach, is Glorietta Bay Beach, which is part of the beautiful Glorietta Bay Park. While Coronado Beach features fire rings, Glorietta Bay Beach offers public bonfire pits, which are free for public use. If you make a bonfire in one of these pits, just be sure to extinguish it by 11 p.m., which is when Glorietta Bay Beach closes. The bonfire pits here are relatively safe because of the fact that Glorietta Bay Beach is less windy than other parts of the island. When day begins to give way to night, Glorietta Bay Beach is one of the best spots to relax in San Diego County, as it offers sweeping views of the Coronado Bridge and of the San Diego skyline. The beach at Glorietta Bay Park is relatively small, especially when compared to the larger Coronado Beach, and there is free parking available here as well. Jet-skiing, sailing, and other water activities is popular at Glorietta Bay Beach. In addition to the launch ramps here, there are nice public restrooms, playgrounds for kids, and picnic tables.

San Diego Map

Because the Silver Strand that connects Coronado Island with Imperial Beach is such a thin strip of land, the Silver Strand State Beach offers beaches that front both the San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean. For those who are not staying at the Hotel Del Coronado or the other hotels in San Diego, camping at the Silver Strand is possible, and when enjoying the long stretch of beaches here, you can surf, play some beach volleyball, engage in some water-skiing, or cruise the area waters by boat. For those who like to fish, the Silver Strand State Beach is an excellent place to cast a line. Among the fish that you can expect to catch when fishing here are yellow-fin croakers, corbina, perch, and grunion. The Silver Strand State Beach is often less crowded that Coronado Beach and Glorietta Bay Beach, which makes it ideal for those seeking a bit more solitude. The Silver Strand gets its name from the ocean-side beaches that feature numerous silver shells. When looking to go swimming on Silver Strand State Beach, you might stick to the bay side, as the water here is warmer and calmer than it is on the ocean side.

Coronado Beach vacations have something for everyone to enjoy, and in addition to the aforementioned beaches, there is a fun and challenging 18-hole golf course to take advantage of, as well as 19 tennis courts, some neat shops, and a couple theaters where you can catch the latest flicks.