If you’ve come to Southern California in an RV or camper van, Silver Strand State Beach may be the place for you. Silver Strand offers overnight camping in a relatively remote section of San Diego, right on a small strip of land flanked by the Pacific Ocean and San Diego Bay.
You don’t have to be an overnight camper to enjoy the natural beauty of Silver Strand State Beach, as day trips are just as common. Visitors come looking for a place to escape the commotion of the city, where they can swim, sunbathe, and comb the beach for the silvery oyster shells that earned this beach its name.
Activities
Swimming, sunbathing, fishing, boating, surfing, kayaking, paddle boarding, bodyboarding, kiteboarding, biking, running, and camping.
The campground is basically a big parking lot and is ONLY open to self-contained (meaning they have toilets) campers. There is no tent camping here. There are nicer campsites (open to tents and RVs) in the San Diego area, such as San Elijo in Encinitas and Carlsbad, both state beaches.
You can rent kayaks, boats, and stand-up paddleboards across the street at Crown Cove Beach.
There’s a ten-mile bike path beginning at Imperial Beach and ending in Coronado which runs through Silver Strand State Beach.
Dogs are allowed in the parking lot and campgrounds provided they are leashed, but they are not allowed on the beach.
Amenities
Restrooms, showers, lifeguards, picnic tables, bike paths, campgrounds, fire pits.
Parking and camping are available for a fee.
Nearby Attractions
Crown Cove Beach, across highway 75 on the San Diego Bay side of the strand, is another part of Silver Strand State Beach. The Crown Cove Aquatic Center, which offers boating lessons, can be found there. There are also hiking trails, boat rentals, and volleyball nets.
If you don’t have an RV or camper van, but you’d still like to spend the night, Loews Coronado Bay Resort is two minutes away from Silver Strand State Beach.
Located across the bay from Silver Strand State Beach is the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge offers hiking trails and guided tours and is home to multiple species of endangered birds.
Fun Facts
The beach earned its name “Silver Strand” because of the abundance of silvery oyster shells that can be found on the ocean side of the isthmus.
Silver Strand State Beach is sandwiched between a Navy base, Amphibious Base Coronado, and a Navy training area, Silver Strand Training Complex. The beaches are a common area for the training of Navy SEALs.
Details
Location: 5000 Highway 75, Coronado, CA 92118
Phone: 619-435-5184
Season: Year-round
Pets: Yes, on-leash in campgrounds and parking lot, not permitted on the beach.
Website: parks.ca.gov…
Mission Beach – San Diego, California