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4.0
328 votes

Silver Strand State Beach

5000 Highway 75, Coronado, California 92118 USA

  • Independent
  • Pet Friendly
  • Wheelchair
    Accessible
  • Public
    Restrooms
  • No Wifi
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“popular California beach”

A great place for family biking along a narrow spit connecting Coronado to Imperial Beach. Silver Strand State Beach features extensive beaches on both the Pacific Ocean and San Diego Bay. Combined with the area’s mild climate, the beaches make Silver Strand one of the area’s finest recreation destinations. Camping, swimming, surfing, boating, water-skiing, volleyball, and picnicking are popular activities. Anglers can fish for perch, corbina, grunion and yellow-fin croaker. Park facilities include four large parking lots, which can accommodate up to 1,000 vehicles.  Restroom and cold showers are available on each side of the park.  Beach restrooms are for Day-Use visitors.  Per Coastal Commission regulations, campers must be in fully self-contained vehicles.  Fire rings for cookouts are available on the beach during summer.  It is always a good idea to call ahead regarding operating hours, fees, and conditions, which can change. The bay side of the park offers views of San Diego Bay. Three pedestrian tunnels lead from the parking lots under the highway to the bay side of the park. (The bay side of the park is restricted to pedestrian traffic only. No vehicles are allowed in the tunnels or on the bay side.) The water in the bay area is usually warmer and calmer, perfect for swimming and sailing. Ramadas, tables, barbecue pits, and fire rings are available in the area. South of the developed area, there are one and a half miles of ocean and natural preserve. Strolling along the beach, visitors may see moon snail shells, cockle shells, and an occasional sand dollar in the sand.   ~ Dogs are not allowed on the beach, in the tunnels, or on the bay side.   ~ Dogs are allowed only in the day use and camping area parking lots.   ~ All dogs must remain on a leash no longer than six feet in length. The Silver Strand Beach Café operates Memorial Day through Labor Day weekends for the busy summer season and offers a variety of ice cream sundaes, sandwiches, and bar-be-que.  Some beach amenities such as boogie boards for rent and sunscreen, sunglasses, ice, firewood, and hats are for sale. Coronado Surfing Academy provides surfing lessons year round. Our instructors are certified & all equipment is provided.  For more information please contacthttp://www.coronadosurfing.com/contact.php or telephone (619) 293-3883.   Through a unique collaboration with CA State Parks and the CA Department of Boating & Waterways, Southwestern College operates the Crown Cove Aquatic Center at Silver Strand State Beach.  To learn more about CCAC programs and activities available to the general public and guests of SSSB, including courses and rentals, CLICK HERE. Service Reductions California State Parks is implementing service reductions in order to meet Department budget cuts this fiscal year.  Service reductions include closing all bayside restrooms except the fully accessible restroom at the Aquatic Center and 1/2 of the beach-side restrooms on weekdays.  All beach-side restrooms are open during weekends.  Please be aware that some areas of the beach are posted  "No Lifeguard on Duty"; swim where lifeguards are present.  Service reductions do not pertain to park concessions. Due to the natural sandy conditions, wind, and limited staffing, campers are encouraged to assist in moving sand and maintaining their campsites. A limited number of shovels and brooms are available for borrowing at the campground kiosk or campers may bring their own.

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Reviews of Silver Strand State Beach

20 people have reviewed this location

Ratings Summary

3.2 Access
4.1 Location
3.7 Cleanliness
2.7 Site Quality
2.4 Noise

Cell Coverage

Verizon 4G/5G

Confirmed by 10 users | Last reported on March 19, 2023

AT&T 4G

Confirmed by 5 users | Last reported on May 01, 2021

T-Mobile 4G

Confirmed by 2 users | Last reported on July 18, 2021
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Reviewed by
Amanda Barlow

  • 6 Reviews
  • 1 Helpful
June 19, 2019
Rated 4.0

Beautiful beach area. Expensive to have to day park for $30 to wait until 2pm for check in to see if we can get a place for that night (for a 30 foot rv and a minivan) and then paid $65 more for overnight with electric and water. There were no showers and no laundry. Dump station was available for a fee. It was a quiet and peaceful night of sleep though.

1 person found this review helpful
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Reviewed by
Campendium

February 23, 2015
Rated

If you can afford to get an ocean front spot you will not be disappointed. During the winter months they build a sand barrier which can hinder the view a little bit but it's great for sunset viewing! We did some ocean fishing, had a little rain and some wind but the sound of the ocean was fantastic! The spots are tight. Too close for comfort for me! The bathrooms (no indoor showers) were always cleaned and lit until 10:00pm. The entrance and exit gates are open from 7am to 7pm. We would stay here again but not during the summer months AND no Wi-Fi :(

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This reviewer would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $65.00

Days Stayed: 5

Site Number: 108

4 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
4 Site Quality
4 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

Verizon 4G

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Reviewed by
Campendium

January 08, 2016
Rated

The park website mentions the gate being locked from 7pm - 7am. However, unlike every other state park or campground we've ever camped at, campers do not get a code or combination to get through the gate! You are quite literally locked into the campground (or if you return later than 7pm, locked out of the campground). So if you're looking to explore San Diego at all, it's daytime activities only. There's not even any parking available on the outside of the gate!

Aside from that, you are located right on the beach. Of course, there's a huge pile of sand blocking any direct view of the water from your rig. But if you're looking to beach bum it, this is a good spot for that.

The barebones cinderblock bathrooms continue their prison theme, with only outdoor showers.

No laundry facilities. No dogs on the beach (and yet no dog run area). No wifi. No sewer hookups. All pavement. Spots are tight (about 20' wide total) and shallow (about 35') so you'll be parking in tight next to your rig. Big overhead lights are on overnight. Basically it's a large beachfront parking lot with electric and water hookups.

Overall, if you're not just looking to plant yourself at the beach for a few days, we suggest that you splurge a few extra $ and pick someplace else.

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Nightly Rate: $65.00

Days Stayed: 6

Site Number: 136

1 Access
4 Location
3 Cleanliness
3 Site Quality
2 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

AT&T 4G

  • 47 Reviews
  • 0 Helpful
February 24, 2016
Rated

Hereforthebeer's review below sums up a lot of our experience. The staff seemed to be overzealous and itching to slap a pink violation sticker on anything and everything. Arrive 15 minutes before check in? Please pay the day use fee. Spill any fresh water while hooking up? Get accused of leaking sewage (we compost!). We had an adjoining reservation for the same spot due to limited availability when we booked. At precisely check-out time, a faceless hand slapped a citation sticker on our window for being there "past check out". Admittedly, my fault for not getting our new sticker for the new reservation earlier, but the lack of any leeway for campers makes this whole park feel like a prison. At $65 a night for no hookups, we definitely won't be back.

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Nightly Rate: $65.00

Days Stayed: 3

Site Number: -

5 Access
5 Location
4 Cleanliness
3 Site Quality
5 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

Verizon 4G

AT&T 4G

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Reviewed by
Campendium

April 29, 2017
Rated

I would not come back unless I could't find a spot in north San Diego county. It is not a peaceful place to camp. The Navy was doing non stop drills and training; there was machine gun fire in morning, non stop fly overs all night, along with a busy highway that never seems to sleep, all of which made for a not very relaxing time. Also the beach is not dog friendly, but there is a very nice dog beach down the road in Coronado. If you have kids it is very kid friendly and most everyone we met was really friendly. We also enjoyed checking out all the different rigs, even though they stack people on top of one another.

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Nightly Rate: $65.00

Days Stayed: 2

Site Number: 46

4 Access
1 Location
4 Cleanliness
2 Site Quality
1 Noise
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Reviewed by
Campendium

November 11, 2018
Rated

The DW loves her some beach, so this is the second time we've come here. As others have said, this CG is basically a parking lot with water and electric. On the beach. Were not for that, no one would stay here for $50-65 a night. We chose Tues, Wed, and Thurs nights this time, and it was not very crowded. But, it's never quiet, what with the highway on one side, the ocean on the other, and Navy choppers flying around. On the good side, there is great wind for kite flying, and a nice 10 miles of clean, flat bike path, right outside the gate.
Given the not-so-stellar accommodations, the horrendous traffic getting in and out, and the cost, I think we'll find a different destination for our next beach trip!

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Nightly Rate: $50.00

Days Stayed: 3

Site Number: 228

4 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
4 Site Quality
1 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

Verizon 4G

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Reviewed by
Campendium

December 31, 2018
Rated

Great location right on the beach and with bay access. Close to Coronado, military bases, and San Diego. Each site has electric and water hookups. Other than location though there were issues.

- No showers
- No Wi-Fi
- No Hot water in outdoor sinks
- Sites very close together, with out slide extended there was no room to walk on the left side of our trailer.
- Narrow road and sites makes parking difficult
- No dogs allowed on the beach or the bay side. If you bring your dog, you can have them in the parking lot, that's about it.
- No sewer hook-ups. $10 dump station in the park but difficulty in hooking up, going to dump and then parking again made that a tough option.
- Check in time is at 3 and they mean business. Do not show up at 2:51 like we did. You'll be told to go to the next parking lot over and wait.
- Park gate closes at 7pm and if you aren't in, you're screwed. I have no idea where to park if you miss the gate but it will definitely involve walking.
- We paid extra money for the beach side parking only to find there was a large sand berm that prevents you from seeing the ocean from your site. Had we known, we'd have saved our money.

Aside from the location, I find it very hard to recommend this park.

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Nightly Rate: $65.00

Days Stayed: 3

Site Number: 134

3 Access
5 Location
3 Cleanliness
3 Site Quality
4 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

T-Mobile 4G

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Reviewed by
Campendium

February 09, 2019
Rated

Typical coastal California campground. Parking lots that cost in excess of $60. No privacy. No sewer hookup. People partying inches away from your door. No thanks. But hey! You're on the beach...sort of.

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Nightly Rate: -

Days Stayed: 7

Site Number: -

4 Access
3 Location
1 Cleanliness
1 Site Quality
1 Noise

Reviewed by
mphene

  • 32 Reviews
  • 0 Helpful
February 14, 2019
Rated

If you like the beach, then this is a prime spot!

Pros:
Beachfront access to a beautiful state park beach!
Not far from downtown San Diego
Close to lots of restaurants, shopping, etc.
Beautiful sunsets
Water and electric
easy access

Cons:
Right off the highway, so highway noise combined with aircraft noise
basically a big parking lot, so you're nice and cozy with your neighbors
$10 fee to dump
They close the gates at night, as early as 7pm in the winter. This means you either have to be back by then (especially if you're in a class c!) or catch a cab ride and walk about 15 mins back to the campground from the gate. Not very conducive to being in a big city.

I use AT&T and my hotspot worked well enough for me to do my work and use video chats

I will definitely be back here!

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mphene would stay here again

Nightly Rate: -

Days Stayed: 8

Site Number: 233

4 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
5 Site Quality
2 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

AT&T 4G

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Reviewed by
Campendium

April 11, 2019
Rated

We enjoyed staying so close to the beach with easy access to downtown San Diego being just a few minute drive. Campsites we are clearly marked on the pavement with easy access to restrooms(very clean), dump station and trash. Electric and water was available on site. Campsite was well lit until quiet hours. Family-friendly. Keep in mind, park gates close early pending which season, you will not have a key to open gates. So plan to be back at your campsite prior to park closing. Some military helicopter noise throughout the evening as well as during the day. Overall we had a great stay and would recommend to anyone looking to be close to the beach!

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This reviewer would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $50.00

Days Stayed: 5

Site Number: 233

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
4 Site Quality
3 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

Verizon 4G

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Silver Strand State Beach

5000 Highway 75
Coronado, California
92118 USA
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  • Unavailable
    Parking
  • Check
    Pets Allowed
  • Check
    Restrooms
  • Unavailable
    Wifi
  • Check
    Wheelchair Accessible
  • Unknown
    Credit Cards Accepted
Affiliation
State park or forest
Last Nightly Rate
65.0
Longest Vehicle Length Reported
34.0
Lowest Nightly Rate
50.0
Max Length
40 ft
Max Stay
14
  • Check
    Paved Sites
  • Unavailable
    Fifty Amp
  • Unavailable
    Full Hookup
  • Check
    Rec Facilities
  • Unavailable
    Pull Through
  • Unavailable
    Tent Sites
  • Check
    Dump Station
  • Check
    Big Rigs
  • Unavailable
    Open Seasonally
  • Unavailable
    Age Restricted
  • Unavailable
    Boondock
  • Unavailable
    Cabin Sites
  • Unavailable
    Dispersed Sites
  • Unavailable
    Firewood
  • Unavailable
    Fulltime Residents
  • Unavailable
    Group Tent Sites
  • Unavailable
    Laundry
  • Unavailable
    Mobile Homes
  • Unavailable
    Permit Required
  • Check
    Potable Water
  • Unavailable
    Propane
  • Check
    Public Water
  • Unavailable
    Pull Through RV Sites
  • Check
    Reservations
  • Unavailable
    Sewer Hookup
  • Check
    Showers
  • Unavailable
    Standard Tent Sites
  • Check
    Water Hookup
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