The Coronado beach in front of the Hotel del Coronado is often cited by national publications as one of the best in America. It’s easy to see why.
With its soft break that’s perfect for boogie boarding kids, seemingly endless white sand complete with gold sparkles (a mineral called mica is the reason), little Coronado tide pools, and plenty of space, it’s one of the most popular in San Diego. The beach is another reason why guests choose the hotel, in addition to its Victorian elegance, of course.
Staying at Hotel del Coronado is a treat, and I say it with complete bias because I was married there. However, residents and nearby visitors also have the luxury of enjoying Del Beach for the day. Tack on a spa treatment, dinner, or even a s’more roasting and feel like you’re on vacation, even if you’re technically not.
Del Beach Rental Information
Use the Hotel del Coronado self-parking (fee applies) or take advantage of (limited) free street parking around this part of Coronado Island. I reserve spaces in nearby parking garages through the SpotHero app sometimes.
You’ll find the Del Beach information booth at the end of the walkway that runs between The Victorian Building and Beach Village. You’ll walk just past the chef’s herb garden and the historic Windsor Cottage which is now the Ocean Club.
Del Beach rentals are available to the public as well as hotel guests! Because the experience is popular, your best bet is to arrive early or reserve your spot in advance.
How to Reserve Del Beach
Beach attendants are on hand to guide guests to their Del Beach area. They will set up the lounge chairs, cabanettes, and daybeds. Here are your rental options:
Luxury Lounge Chairs
These are the iconic red-and-white striped wooden chaise lounges located in the “Del Beach Lounge” area. They fully recline, come with a cushion, and are quite comfortable for a full day of relaxing. A towel to cover the chair and another for general use are usually included in the rental. Note that these are heavier and typically stay in the designated lounge area rather than right at the water’s edge.
Sand Chairs
If you want to be right next to the surf, this is the option for you. Sand Chairs are lower-profile, portable beach chairs that can be set up close to the shoreline. They are perfect for parents who want to be right next to their kids playing in the waves.
Umbrellas
I highly recommend renting an umbrella with any setup unless you are comfortable with direct sun for long periods. The canopies on the daybeds are stationary, so the shade they provide moves as the sun moves across the sky. The rental umbrellas are big, sturdy, and now feature a stylish vintage-style fringe—definitely worth the extra spend for the shade and the photo op.
Daybeds
Located in the Del Beach Lounge, these queen-sized beds feature a “cabanette”—a retractable half-moon hood attached to the bed that provides adjustable shade and wind protection. This setup is fantastic for families because there is no gap between chairs, giving small kids a safe, contained space to crawl around or snuggle with parents.
They are slightly elevated compared to the sand chairs, and because they are often positioned in the front row of the Lounge area, you get unobstructed views of the beach.
What to Bring to Del Beach
Unless you plan to rent a boogie board—which is up the walkway on the other side of the main pool, not near the lounging area—bring your own, plus sand toys for the kids.
Del Beach supplies towels and a nice towel cover for the luxury lounge chairs or daybeds. You’ll need your basic beach accessories like sunscreen, hats, and kids’ gear. Speaking of kids, if they are in tow, I suggest snacks and drinks if the servers are busy. Some beach games help, too, though they sell plenty of these in Shops at The Del.
Food Service on Del Beach
We arrived around lunchtime, when lunch and margaritas were in full swing. Within about five minutes of arrival to our cabanette, I was able to flag down a server and request a menu. He returned within a few minutes to take our order.
We are now used to luxury hotel pricing, which is how Del Beach is priced. Most of the items are preassembled so that the servers can deliver them to you. The food comes mostly from Beach + Taco Shack but do understand that it takes a little longer than it would in a restaurant because the attendants are walking through sand to get it to you.
Snacks for kids at the time of our visit included popsicles and ice cream, an ants-on-a-log kit, pita chips and dip, chips and guacamole, and fruit sticks.
The cocktail menu is quite extensive, and I overheard plenty of guests place custom orders that the servers accommodated with ease. Remember that alcohol on the beach is otherwise not allowed on other San Diego beaches. Del Beach is an exception.
Note that the only water option is bottled water, so bring your own you like. You can also pick up grab-and-go from the hotel’s ENO market.
Break up the Day With a Spa Treatment
Your lounging space a Del Beach is yours until you tell them it’s no longer needed. Should you want to break for a bicycle ride down the boardwalk, some ice cream or a spa treatment, that’s totally fine.
Or, finish your beach day at the spa. My daughter and I enjoyed mother-daughter mani/pedis after the beach, but a break for alone time in the spa lounging facilities seems heavenly. I have a lot of advice for how to spend a day at Hotel del Coronado, if you are not an overnight guest.
Good to Know
The Coronado beach is huge, which means that since the Del Beach lounge area is set back against the hotel, you can’t exactly eyeball the kids at the water’s edge. You can take sand chair and umbrella rentals down to the shoreline.
Appropriate attire is required in the hotel’s public areas which means bathing suit cover-ups and shoes. Little foot washers are available to wash off sandy feet.
Unless you are headed in for a spa treatment (kids aren’t allowed in the spa changing areas), there isn’t a place at the hotel to shower off and change if you want to stay for dinner. You could do your best to de-sand and slip on some hotel attire to eat at the casual dining spots like Sun Deck by the pool (the pool is for hotel guests only) or even the patio at ENO Wine Bar and Pizzeria. If you’re carrying a ton of gear, take it back to the car, however.
This is a great way for guests of nearby Coronado Island hotels, such as the Coronado Beach Resort, to enjoy the beach. But, if you want to stay overnight, you should definitely use my Virtuoso benefits (to access online rates and booking, you’ll need to be on the desktop version of the site which you can enable from a mobile browser).
SALE: 3rd Night Free on select dates: The promotional rate appears as a 33% discount when booking a three-night stay. You must be logged into Virtuoso.com to view the Exclusive Sale pricing. Blackout dates apply. Book by January 30, 2026.
Sign in or create a free Virtuoso account to see the discounted rate! When booking on Virtuoso.com use the number of adults traveling to get the correct rates. Kids may otherwise be priced as adults. We will add them after we follow up to collect your arrival details. If you see multiple rates for the same room type, choose the lowest rate. Check the status of ocean swimming in front of Coronado Lifeguard Tower as it changes. This is the testing station in front of Hotel del Coronado.
Hotel del Coronado
1500 Orange Ave
Coronado, CA 92118
619-522-8100
(Hotel del Coronado made my lists of best family hotels in San Diego and best San Diego beach hotels. Check them out!)
Katie Dillon
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