Coronado Island Beaches

With wide, sandy beaches and calm waters perfect for relaxing swimming, the Coronado Island Beaches are as enjoyable for humans as they are for pets.

By Todd Sarouhan

Last Updated on
Apr 28, 2021

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Relax and Swim at the Coronado Island Beaches

If you’re looking for a beachside vacation, Coronado Island is a great place to visit. You can lounge on sandy shores, enjoy some fun aquatic activities, and make memories to last a lifetime with the whole family.

Many of the beaches in the area are known for their excellent swimming conditions, with small waves and little undertow. There’s also a popular dog beach, so you can enjoy your vacation with your pet.

The beaches are typically sandy and flat with few rocks both along the shore and in the ocean. This limits the number of turbulent waves that reach the beach and makes for a relaxing beach day.

Coronado Island also has a beachfront boardwalk that spans almost the entirety of the oceanside of Coronado.

Go Historic with Go Pass!

Historic Whaley House Museum

The Whaley House Museum is located in historic Old Town San Diego. With your Go Pass, take in one of the most visited attractions in the area. The complex is made up of multiple houses and museums that offer something fun for the whole family.

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What are the best Go City San Diego pass deals?

Some of the best deals with the Go City San Diego pass include access to San Diego’s most popular attractions.

Discount admission is offered to the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari, SeaWorld, LEGOLAND California, USS Midway Museum, Belmont Park rides and more!

Want to save more? Use our exclusive discount code GVSD5OFF to save an extra 5%!

Explore Coronado Island

The Coronado Island neighborhood is about an eight-mile drive south of the San Diego International Airport. It’s also close to Downtown San Diego, which is just seven miles away. It’s easy to go back and forth between the two to visit different attractions or spend a day at the beach.

If you’re planning on checking out different local tours and museums like the Coronado Museum of History & Art or the Coronado Bay & the Beach Walking Tour, the Go San Diego Pass is a must. You can save when you bundle admission for different attractions together, and take an additional discount off with our link.

Stay nearby the beach at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort, which is a pet-friendly hotel with a health club and fitness center with free WiFi provided in the lobby and rooms. The Hotel del Coronado, Curio Collection by Hilton is another great choice that also allows pets and includes amenities such as a fitness center and WiFi.

If you’re interested in a more complete list of the hotels in San Diego that are most welcoming to pets, check out our article on the ‘Best Pet Friendly Hotels in San Diego’.

Popular Activities

San Diego Harbor Cruise

$36 per person

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The World Famous San Diego Zoo

Discounts Available

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USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum

Discounts Available

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Coronado: GPS Scooter Tour & Ferry

$129 per person

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Swimming and Dog Friendly Shores at the Coronado Island Beaches

Beach Volleyball

Bikes Allowed

Camping

Kayaking

Paddle Boarding

Running

Sunbathing

Surfing

Swimming

The calm shores and protected bays of the Coronado Island Beaches make them great for swimming, as you won’t have to struggle to stay afloat against strong tides. The flat, sandy geography is perfect whether you want to lounge on the beach to soak up some sun or let your dog run around freely on a pet-friendly beach.

Dog Park

North Beach (Dog Run Beach)

North Beach, also called Dog Run Beach for its pet-friendly reputation, allows you to let your dog off the leash so they can run around in the sand and waves. The wide, flat beach with golden sand is perfect for canines. There are restrooms and lifeguards.

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Swimming

Breakers Beach at Naval Air Station North Island

Breakers Beach at Naval Air Station North Island is only accessible to those in the military or in military families. If you can access it, it’s an excellent place to swim or play beach volleyball with restrooms and fire pits for your convenience. It’s also a popular wedding venue.

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Amazing Sand Castel in Front Hotel Del Coronado

Coronado Central Beach

Coronado Central Beach has a laid-back feel, which makes it the perfect spot to sunbathe and head to the water to swim in the gentle waves. There are lifeguards to ensure safety, and conveniently located restrooms. When you’re done, walk along the boardwalk or try the Bayshore Bikeway.

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Relaxing at Coronado Shores Beach or South Beach

Coronado Shores Beach (South Beach)

Coronado Shores Beach, also called South Beach, is a large white-sand shore with excellent swimming and good winds for flying kites. It has a nearby boardwalk and lifeguards, but the most unique feature of the beach is the shipwreck off the shore. It is most visible during low tide in the winter months.

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Looking Towards Downtown San Diego at Glorietta Bay Park and Beach

Glorietta Bay Park & Beach

Glorietta Bay Park and Beach faces San Diego Bay, and the combination of the two shores creates a protective barrier against ocean waves. It’s a serene beach with calm waves perfect for relaxing swimming, paddle boarding, and kayaking under the eye of lifeguards. There are picnic tables, bathrooms and a boardwalk.

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Silver Strand State Beach

The Silver Strand State Beach connects Imperial Beach to Coronado. It’s a thin stretch of shore that spans the entire strand, so it’s surrounded by calm, clear waters on either side. Younger and less experienced swimmers won’t be overwhelmed by the waves. Amenities include lifeguards, beachside picnic tables, restrooms, and fire pits.

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Featured Activity

Gray Whale during Whale Watching Tour in San Diego

Half Day Whale Watching Tour

Enjoy a 3.5 to 4-hour expert led tour departing from beautiful San Diego Bay on a two-story whale watching yacht. Take in the views, enjoy the marine life, dolphin & marvel at the majestic gray whales as they migrate along the coast.

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Coronado Island Beaches

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