Silver Strand (San Diego) facts for kids
Silver Strand, also known as The Strand, is a cool, narrow strip of sandy land in San Diego County, California. It's like a natural bridge, about 7 miles (11 km) long. This sandy strip connects Coronado Island to Imperial Beach.
Imagine a giant arm protecting a bay! Silver Strand, along with the Point Loma peninsula, helps to shelter and shape San Diego Bay. A road called State Route 75 (SR 75) runs right along the Strand. It's a super popular spot for people who love to jog or ride their bikes. Every November, there's even a big race called the Silver Strand Half Marathon held here!
Part of this amazing sandy strip is a special place called Silver Strand State Beach. This beach is a bit quieter than some of the really busy beaches in Ocean Beach and Mission Beach. It's a great choice if you want to relax away from huge crowds. The side of the Strand facing the Pacific Ocean has about 2.5 miles (4 km) of coastline. It's famous for its shiny silver shells, which is how it got its name!
Fun at Silver Strand State Beach
Silver Strand State Beach is located just 4.5 miles (7 km) south of Coronado on SR 75. This beach is packed with exciting things to do! You can go camping right by the ocean, try surfing the waves, or enjoy a swim. Bodyboarding, jet skiing, and sailing are also popular activities here.
If you love sports, you can play beach volleyball. For those who enjoy fishing, the waters are full of fish like perch, corbina, grunion, and yellow-fin croaker. The park has about 130 campsites that are available first-come, first-served. There are also four big parking lots, so plenty of space for visitors!
The areas of the beach just north and south of the state park belong to the United States Department of Defense. North of the state beach is the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. South of it, you'll find the Silver Strand Training Complex. A lot of the training for the Navy SEALs happens right on these beaches. It's where they practice important skills for their missions.
