“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.
Reviews of Silver Strand State Beach
20 people have reviewed this location
Ratings Summary
Cell Coverage
Verizon 4G/5G
Confirmed by 10 users | Last reported on March 19, 2023AT&T 4G
Confirmed by 5 users | Last reported on May 01, 2021T-Mobile 4G
Confirmed by 2 users | Last reported on July 18, 2021Beautiful 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.
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!
Nightly Rate: -
Days Stayed: 8
Site Number: 233
Cell Coverage Rating
AT&T 4G
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!
Nightly Rate: $50.00
Days Stayed: 5
Site Number: 233
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
Yes we had a beach front spot however, that was the only plus thing about this "campground". There were numerous things that were minus in my opinion. #1--cost of site, $65/night (and b/c it was winter the sand berm was built up and we couldn't even see the water). #2--$15/night for extra car (has to be an attached "toad" or you're charged extra). #3--$8 for a friend to come visit a couple hrs. #4--$10 to dump you rig. #5--$8 reservation fee. Felt like they had a "fee" for everything and ended up costing almost $90/night!
Also, I'm 62 but forgot to get my discount when making resv so asked for it when we got there.....denied. Even Yosemite National Park credited my card immediately!! Adding insult to injury, the discount was only $2/night---shameful. We were not happy about all the rules and regulations (no dogs on beach, alcohol allowed in your rig only, bathrooms are for day-use only, gates closed @ 7 pm or you'd be locked out) yeah, we'll never go back. Don't need the headache to camp in a parking lot.
Nightly Rate: $65.00
Days Stayed: 2
Site Number: 126
So we are just finishing up our stay here and gotta admit this was our least favorite so far. The only Pro to this location is the beach access. Cons: Spots are so tight, I also didn’t want to be facing the neighbors. If you do come we recommend spots 100s & 400’s. There were way too many people just hanging out in the street area and when your driving pretty much ignore that a car is right behind you or trying to get through. They also lock up the gates at night so you have to be back by a specific time and the worse one of all Quiet time is not taken seriously. I mean we enjoy staying up and talking but it was so loud and people still playing at around 11:30pm no Host were going around to check. If I wasn’t pregnant and so tired definitely would have made my way to the camp host. 😕
Nightly Rate: -
Days Stayed: 3
Site Number: 223
Cell Coverage Rating
AT&T 4G
Ok so yes it’s a parking lot. But it’s right on the beach in San Diego. Don’t expect anything else and you will have a great time. The beach is amazing. Only place in SD to find sand dollars (local advice) .Do your best to avoid the middle rows as you will basically have 4 neighbors instead of 2. We had a beach front spot that they made us back in because “covid” they said,everyone backed it in. It was no big deal.
This is not really a campground but a destination. They lock the gates at night so no late night activities without a very long walk from the gate to the camp ground.
Surfboard, fishing pole and sunscreen and you should be enjoying yourself.
Nightly Rate: $65.00
Days Stayed: 5
Site Number: 120
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
We were unknowingly three minutes early to check in and treated like we were not welcome. Roger, one of the staff members, went on a power trip and treated us like kindergarteners. He tried to ruin our day just because he thought he could.
You are locked in and out after 8 PM which really limits you for going out in San Diego.
We were left with with a bad taste in our mouth.
Nightly Rate: -
Days Stayed: 5
Site Number: -
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
If you're into an hour wait to get registered and hooked up, tight parking lot spaces, loud neighbors, all night street noise, a strict no entry or exit after 8:00 pm policy, contaminated ocean water, $20.00 extra charge for off site tow vehicle parking, poor cell service (verizon), then this place is right up your alley. We cut a 2 night stay to 1, would have left earlier but were locked in
Nightly Rate: $70.00
Days Stayed: 1
Site Number: 416
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
From the moment we arrived we were disappointed, frustrated and understood the reviews below. We arrived at 1:45p and though there were two people in the office and our site was available, we were rudely told that we needed to leave the campground immediately and not return until 2p for check-in.
The sites are VERY small and cramped. The folks in the site next to us played music loudly on an outdoor speaker until quiet hours began. Our neighbor came and stood next to our rig and stared at us for several minutes. He then went back to his chair and sat watching us until we went in for the evening.
Dump station is $10 for registered campers.
Gates close at 8p so you will need to be in by that time.
Verizon was weak = 1.6 mbps download & 12.4 mbps upload (unable to hold a zoom meeting)
AT&T was slightly better WITH our mimo antenna = 4.30 mbps download & 6.16 mbps upload (able to hold a zoom meeting)
Would not recommend unless you have no other option. We won’t return.
Nightly rate was $50 with a $7.99 reservation fee.
Nightly Rate: $50.00
Days Stayed: 2
Site Number: 303
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
AT&T 4G
Came for 1 night after getting a spot that backs up to the beach. Place is full of zonies pulling 50ft toy haulers. Guy next to me came in with one and lined it right up to the white line. After getting all setup for an hour he runs his slides out 3 feet into my spot. Asks if this is OK.
Took an hour in line to check in and another hour to get from the checkin to my spot.
Nightly Rate: $75.00
Days Stayed: 1
Site Number: 119
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
T-Mobile 4G
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Silver Strand State Beach
Hours
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Parking
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Pets Allowed
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Restrooms
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Wifi
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
- Affiliation
- State park or forest
- Last Nightly Rate
- 85.0
- Longest Vehicle Length Reported
- 34.0
- Lowest Nightly Rate
- 50.0
- Max Length
- 40 ft
- Max Stay
- 14
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Paved Sites
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Fifty Amp
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Full Hookup
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Rec Facilities
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Pull Through
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Tent Sites
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Dump Station
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Big Rigs
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Open Seasonally
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Age Restricted
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Boondock
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Cabin Sites
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Dispersed Sites
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Firewood
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Fulltime Residents
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Group Tent Sites
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Laundry
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Mobile Homes
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Permit Required
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Potable Water
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Propane
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Public Water
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Pull Through RV Sites
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Reservations
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Sewer Hookup
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Showers
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Standard Tent Sites
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Water Hookup
Campground, Restrooms
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