Coronado Beach, San Diego, California is located on Coronado Island, which can be reached by ferry from the downtown Broadway Pier or by car driving from downtown over the San Diego Bay Bridge. Although it is named an "Island'' it is actually a peninsula. It can also be reached by Amtrak train as there is a station in the downtown area near the ferry landing.
This beach has the largest stretch of sand of all of the San Diego County beaches. From the street, visitors must negotiate several sand dunes prior to reaching the flat stretch that reaches the ocean. The beach runs along Ocean Boulevard starting in the south at Avenida Lunar and ending in the north at the Naval Air Station North Island Gate 5.
The beach is on the Ocean side of the island. There are accommodations available right on the beach and nearby. There is also camping just to the south of the beach.
One of the hotels located right on the beach, the Hotel del Coronado, is a National Historic Landmark. This building, found right on the beach edge is more than 120 years old and as a seaside resort it has hosted many celebrities and dignitaries when they have visited Coronado Beach.
Billy Wilder's 1959 classic comedy "Some Like it Hot,'' starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe, was filmed at the Hotel del Coronado and on this beach.
During the winter months of January through March, whale sightings are fairly common from this beach.
There is free parking available on the street and in several parking lots. Parking fills up quickly on the weekends in the summer and on holidays so it is best to arrive early if traveling by car.
Coronado Beach, San Diego, California has lifeguards on duty year round during daylight hours. There are public restrooms and showers here as well as designated public fire rings. Many dining options are available in the downtown section of Coronado Island which is right near the beach.
At the north end of the beach there is a section where dogs are allowed off their leashes.
No alcohol or glass containers of any sort are allowed on this beach.
Beachcombers and swimmers should be cautions of stingrays nestled in the sand here. Surfing is popular on the generally low surf that is found here. Surfing is kept to the northern end of the beach.
Coronado Beach, San Diego, California can be affected by red tides in the summer months.
Several volleyball nets are located along the 1.5 miles of beach here.
In order to keep the beach accessible the lifeguards are equipped with 2 seats with inflated tires that resemble balloons making them easy to push over the beach sand.
More than 2 million people visit Coronado Island and Coronado Beach every year.
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