Coronado Beach

Consistently voted one of America’s finest beaches, Coronado Beach is a long sandy stretch on the outskirts of San Diego. The main Central Beach runs along Ocean Boulevard from the Hotel del Coronado to Sunset Park. An area near Sunset Park is set aside for dog owners to bring their dogs to play on what is known locally as Dog Run Beach. There is parking near the Coronado Hotel.

The beach is wide and long, and there is a lot of room to spread out and relax, build sandcastles, and go for a walk. It does get crowded during the peak season, but you will always find a spot away from the crowds as long as you are willing to walk. Creative sandcastle artists often build elaborate sand castles near the Coronado, which make for great photo ops.

Dominating the backdrop of the main beach is the Hotel del Coronado. Built in 1888, it has been in numerous movies over the years including Marilyn Monroe’s 1958 “Some Like it Hot”. Many famous celebrities have also been patrons of this hotel. It is only a 10-minute drive from downtown San Diego.

You will find the Coronado Shores Beach just south, and if you visit it in the winter at low tide, you might see the shipwreck of the SS Monte Carlo, an old casino ship that was blown onto the beach during a storm on New Year’s Day in 1937.