Coronado Island, best known for its distinctive bridge, historic hotels, yacht clubs and views of the San Diego skyline, has one public camping area for visitors with recreational vehicles. The campground in Silver Strand State Beach, which is part of the California State Parks system, offers more than 100 RV campsites, as well as a variety of day-use recreation facilities.
Background
Coronado Island's location 2 miles from San Diego has made it a popular vacation and weekend destination for decades. The island has flat white-sand beaches, 17 hotels, and dozens of restaurants, spas, art galleries and boutiques.
More than two million people visit the island each year, according to the Coronado Visitor Center, but relatively few people camp, because of the park's limited facilities. Silver Strand prohibits tent camping and limits RV camping to those with contained water systems. The town allows RV parking on its streets, but not for overnight occupancy.
Features
Coronado's best-known features are its beach and the Hotel del Coronado, a National Historic Landmark built in 1888. Restored or preserved Victorian mansions and Spanish-style villas line the town's residential streets.
The island also supports the large Naval Air Station North Island, which has occupied the north half of Coronado since 1923. The Naval Amphibious Base at the southern end houses the elite Navy SEALs.
Silver Strand State Beach
Silver Strand State Beach includes shoreline fronting both the San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The area's recreational opportunities, including swimming, surfing, water-skiing, boating, running, walking, playing beach volleyball or just picnicking, attract day-use visitors from around Southern California as well as tourists from around the world.
The beach park is 4.5 miles south of the town of Coronado. Highway 75 runs through the middle, splitting the park in two; the oceanside beach stretches for 2.5 miles, while the bayside beach is a half-mile long.
Camping
The park restricts camping to self-contained recreational vehicles with built-in water storage and use systems, including flush toilets and sewage storage. The 136 RV spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis for single nights, but the park's website posts information about availability for coming weekends. Campsites must be vacated by 9 am.
Campers as well as day visitors can use the covered picnic tables, barbecue pits and fire rings on the southern end of the bayside beach.
Activities
In addition to outdoor recreation opportunities, Silver Strand State Beach offers a variety of weekly and seasonal programs for adults and children, including a junior rangers program on Saturdays, summer evening campfire programs that focus on history and the environment, nature walks on Sundays, beach-preservation programs on weekends, kayak tours, bird tours and junior lifeguard training.
Considerations
California budget cuts led to reduced services at state parks in late 2009, including closing restrooms on Silver Strand Beach's bay side on weekdays and eliminating lifeguards at some beach areas. Check the park's website for updates.
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