San Diego Beach Bonfire Guides
Silver Strand State Beach, Coronado
Silver Strand State Beach is two and a half miles of open sand on the narrow strip between Coronado and Imperial Beach, with the ocean on one side of the highway and the bay on the other. This guide covers the 2026 hours and rules, directions, and what groups of any size can do here. Updated October 2026.
About Silver Strand State Beach
Silver Strand runs along the strip of land that connects Coronado to Imperial Beach, with the Pacific on one side of the highway and San Diego Bay on the other. The beach is long and open, with a low berm, a wide stretch of flat sand at low tide, and a clear view up the coast to Point Loma and out to the Coronado Islands. It is a state park with paved lots, ramadas and lifeguard towers, and in the evening it is often close to empty.
- Wide, gently sloping sand with lifeguards in season and far less foot traffic than Coronado's main beach
- Sunsets over open water, with the lights of Point Loma to the north once it gets dark
- Three paved lots, restrooms and cold showers between them, picnic ramadas, and an RV campground at the north end
- Calmer and warmer water for paddling and swimming at Crown Cove on the bay side, through the underpass
- Permitted group events can include catering and alcohol, which few beaches in the county allow
- 20 to 30 minutes from downtown and the Gaslamp, and about ten minutes from Orange Avenue
How Is Silver Strand Different From Other Beaches?
Silver Strand is a state beach, and most of the beaches people compare it to are run by the City of San Diego. State beaches have a day-use fee, paved parking lots, a gate that closes at a posted hour, and State Parks rangers and lifeguards, and this one also has an RV campground at the north end. Behind the sand there is only the highway and then the bay, so the beach is two and a half miles of open sand with water on both sides and the bay a short walk away through the underpass. Mission Beach and Pacific Beach have a boardwalk, bars and rental shops at the back of the beach, and Coronado's main beach has the Hotel del and houses along it.
Fewer people come out here than to Mission Beach, Pacific Beach or Coronado's main beach, because of the day-use fee and the extra miles past Coronado. There is room to spread out, the surf is usually gentler than on the north county beaches, and the sun sets over open water. The city beaches have concrete fire rings that are first come, first served and claimed by early afternoon on summer weekends. At Silver Strand you bring your own portable pit, and State Parks will permit a hosted beach bonfire with catering and alcohol, which the City of San Diego does not do on its beaches.
Beach Bonfires at Silver Strand State Beach
Silver Strand is one of the best places for a beach bonfire in San Diego. The beach faces open water, so the sun sets on the horizon, and the light stays on the sand well after it has gone from the city. The sand is deep and wide, the lots, restrooms and showers are a short walk away, and once the day-use crowd leaves, a group can sit around its own fire without another party within earshot. Fires here go in a portable pit you bring, so there is no fixed ring to claim and no reason to arrive early; any open stretch of sand works.
Beach Bonfires for Small Groups
For a group of 25 or fewer, a beach bonfire at Silver Strand is an ordinary visit. You pay the day-use fee at the entrance, walk out to the beach, pick a spot on the sand and set up your own fire pit. Most groups arrive an hour or so before sunset and stay until the restrooms close, an hour before the gate.
- No reservation or permit for 25 people or fewer
- A self-standing portable fire pit, or a propane or charcoal stove raised at least six inches off the sand
- Your own food; no alcohol and no glass on the beach
- Out by the posted closing time, about an hour after sunset in summer
Beach Bonfires for Large Groups
For more than 25 people, or for any group using an event service such as a caterer, a bar or a reserved area, California State Parks issues a special-event permit. The permit sets aside a stretch of sand for the group and can allow catering and bar service on the beach, and an evening that runs past closing with a State Parks peace officer on site. Permitted events here have run to about 225 guests, with the lots holding a group's worth of cars or a shuttle, and hotel accommodations such as Loews Coronado Bay across the road and the Hotel del Coronado ten minutes away.
- Permit required for more than 25 people, or for any event service such as catering, a bar or a reserved area
- Any caterer or bar on the beach must be covered by the permit
- Alcohol, where the permit includes it, stays within the designated event area
- Closing time for a permitted event is set in the permit, and with a State Parks peace officer on site the event can run past the posted park closing
- Fees and conditions, including staffing for alcohol, depend on the event
Permits and Bonfire Rental Services
Many companies rent fire pits and set up beach bonfires in San Diego, usually on city beaches. At Silver Strand, any vendor working on the sand has to be covered by a State Parks special-event permit, so if a beach bonfire rental service offers you seating, catering, a bar or a reserved stretch of beach here, ask whether the event will run under a permit. A setup without one counts as day use, and the park can end it, with any fee or citation going to the people on the beach rather than the company that set it up.
Because permits can be difficult to get and require advance notice, it is recommended that you book through an event organizer. Event organizers like BluLite can assist with permitting and setup for hosted events at Silver Strand. To learn more about booking your own beach bonfire at Silver Strand, see the beach bonfire packages page.
Silver Strand State Beach Hours, Parking Fees and Rules (2026-2027)
Day-use rules from the San Diego Coast District's posted order of January 13, 2026. A permitted group event follows the conditions of its own permit.
| Address | 5000 Highway 75, Coronado, CA 92118 Across from Loews Coronado Bay |
| Park hours | Opens 7 AM year-round Closes 9 PM Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day Closes 8 PM in spring and fall Closes 7 PM November through February Restrooms close an hour before the gate |
| Parking | Three paved lots, first come, first served Day-use fee about $12 to $20 per vehicle, demand-priced, paid at the entrance Oversize vehicles need a pass |
| Sunset | Approximate mid-month times Jan5:05 PMFeb5:35 PMMar6:55 PMApr7:20 PMMay7:40 PMJun8:00 PMJul7:55 PMAug7:35 PMSep6:55 PMOct6:15 PMNov4:50 PMDec4:45 PM In summer, sunset is about an hour before closing; in winter, more than two hours before |
| Fires | No wood fires on the sand No pallets or treated wood in any fire Portable fire pits, and propane or charcoal stoves raised at least six inches off the sand, are allowed Coals go in a hot-coals container or leave the park with you |
| Alcohol | Not allowed on the beach for day use Allowed in a registered campsite Allowed within the designated event area under a special-event permit that includes it |
| Glass | Campsites only |
| Dogs | Not on the beach Leashed in the day-use lots and the campground |
| Drones | Permit required |
| Camping | RV campground at the north end (Lot 4) Self-contained vehicles only Reserved through California State Parks No tent camping |
Directions, Parking and Shuttles to Silver Strand State Beach
- From downtown, cross the Coronado Bridge, head south on Orange Avenue past the Hotel del Coronado and onto Highway 75 with the bay on your left; turn in at the light across from Loews Coronado Bay
- From the south, take Highway 75 north from Imperial Beach past the Coronado Cays; the entrance is on the ocean side
- At the gate, pay the day-use fee at the kiosk and follow the park road to the lots
- Loews Coronado Bay guests can walk across the highway; Hotel del Coronado and Orange Avenue hotels are a ten-minute drive
- Shuttles are recommended for parties of 25 or more departing from a single location, and tend to offer lower rates than rideshares
Silver Strand State Beach FAQ
Can you have a beach bonfire at Silver Strand State Beach?
Yes. Day-use visitors can use a self-standing portable fire pit or a propane or charcoal stove raised at least six inches off the sand. State Parks prohibits wood fires on the sand. A hosted group beach bonfire with built seating, catering or alcohol runs on a State Parks special-event permit.
Do I need a permit for a group at Silver Strand?
Not for 25 people or fewer using the beach as ordinary day-use visitors. More than 25 people, or any group with a vendor, catering, alcohol or a reserved area, needs a State Parks special-event permit.
Is alcohol allowed at Silver Strand State Beach?
Not for day use. State Parks allows alcohol in a registered campsite and, in a designated area, under a special-event permit that includes it.
What time does Silver Strand State Beach close?
The park opens at 7 AM and closes at 9 PM in summer, 8 PM in spring and fall, and 7 PM from November through February. Restrooms close an hour before the gate.
How much is parking at Silver Strand State Beach?
The park prices day-use parking by demand, at about $12 to $20 per vehicle, paid at the entrance. The three paved lots are first come, first served.
Are dogs allowed at Silver Strand State Beach?
Not on the sand. Leashed dogs are allowed in the day-use lots, the campground, and the bayside trails and concrete picnic areas.
What is the largest group Silver Strand can take?
Permitted events at Silver Strand have hosted groups of up to about 225 people. The permit sets the approved guest count for each event.
What is the weather like at Silver Strand in the evening?
Evenings cool fast after sunset, and onshore wind is common in the afternoon. The beach is exposed, with no shelter beyond the picnic ramadas, so bring a warm layer year-round.
Planning a group event at Silver Strand?
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Call or text (619) 567-9233 · info@blulitebonfires.com