We're going to be spending 4 days in San Diego and plan to spend a lot of time at the beach. We're a late-50s couple, flying from the East Coast, staying downtown, and will have a car.
While the forum has been extremely helpful with other information for our stay we haven't been able to find answers to the following questions, especially as they pertain to the beaches at Coronado, La Jolla and Pacific Beach.
1. Are there places to rent beach equipment like umbrellas, beach chairs, boogie(sp?) boards, etc, or will we have to buy them and just keep them in the car? If we have to buy them, any recommendation for the best place, keeping in mind that Coronado Beach will be the first one we hit.
2. Are there showers/restrooms/changing facilities at each beach?
3. Can you take coolers onto the beach (we know alcohol is not allowed)?
4. Are there eating places on or just off the beach? Best places to eat?
5. How difficult is it to find parking and how far is it from the beach?
Thanks for all your help and keep in mind we're also open to any suggestions/recommendations/hints about your beaches. We're counting the days to get there!

1- Pacific Beach has beach stuff rental places at the beach. I don't know about the other 2 beaches. I have found that if you are renting for several days, it is much cheaper to buy than rent. Walgreens, CVS, and Walmart all have inexpensive beach items. I just give them away after my last day on the beach. Your hotel front desk can tell you the closest store.

2- At La Jolla and Pacific, yes.

3- yes

4- Pacific Beach has eateries just off the beach

5-Parking lots are right at the beaches at La Jolla and Coronado. At Pacific you might have to park in the street. Before 11 am it's not too hard to find a spot. After noon, the lots will be full and you will have to wait until someone pulls out.

Have fun.

Montereybob's responses re La Jolla refer to La Jolla Shores beach, not La Jolla Cove.

3. Also, no glass.

5. There's a parking lot at Coronado beach? Is that the one beside the condos? As far as I know, other than that you park on the street, on Ocean Blvd or a side street.

You might also try Torrey Pines State Beach, a little north of La Jolla. There is plenty of parking in lots, but as it's a State Beach you have to pay to park. There are rest rooms and showers. No eating places within easy walking distance, although there's a very popular Roberto's on Carmel Valley Road which you can walk to from the north end of the beach. There are lifeguards at this beach, though not as many as there used to be.

Also consider Del Mar beach. There is a smallish pay parking lot across the road from the 15th Street entrance. It is also across the road from two restaurants, Jake's and Poseidon. The latter has an outdoor patio right on the beach, the former has better food, IMO. Both have valet parking. There is also street parking, but generally it is hard to find parking at Del Mar. Showers and rest rooms.

Lots of info including rules/regulations etc here:

www.beachcalifornia.com/sandiego.html

Coronado has street parking. Ocean Blvd may be full, but as cars come and go all the time, it is worth a drive along there first. The side streets that run off Ocean will have parking; the ones in the middle (G, F Avenue) have the best possibilities. You might also try the area around 10th and C. Most likely you can find something within a block or two. There are bathrooms and showers. There are lots of places within walking distance to have a great meal. These are close to beach near the Hotel del.

You can rent equipment on Orange Ave or at the Hotel del, but I think you'll come out ahead by making a quick trip to Kmart or Target before you get to Coronado..

There's some info here:
http://www.coronadovisitorcenter.com/CVC/Beaches.html

At all these beaches, parking will be your biggest issue.

Sorry about not clarifying. The parking lots at Coronado I was referring to are at Silver Strand State Beach, which is a few miles south of the town of Coronado. I don't know if this is still technically referred to as Coronado Beach.

No the Silver Strand is several miles south of Coronado and not the same. The Coronado Beach is in the City of Coronado and is much nicer (IMHO). Also the Silver Strand is in the middle of no where so you can't leave the beach and wander around town then easily walk back to the beach.

The beach at the La Jolla Shores is great too. It's not a beautiful as Coronado but it is a lot of fun. There are a number of surf and dive shops that you can take a kayak tour or diving tour of the ocean. The La Jolla Shores area is a nature preserve. Also the Shores has great restaurants within walking distance.

I recommend Jeff' Burgers at 2152 Avenida de la Playa (La Jolla)
and Piatti's 2182 Avenida de la Playa (for dinner)
There are however a ton of great restaurants.

In Coronado I recommend Holland Bicycle Shop to rent bikes (they are on Orange Ave near 10th), and Tent City and Miguels for restaurants.

Thanks everyone for the information, it is greatly appreciated! Things are less intimidating when you have good information.
Nanabee, how did you know I was wondering about bike rentals and just forgot to included it in my original post? You must be a mind-reader.
Wish the 18th would get here already!

Bikes are definitely the best way to get around in Coronado. Just make sure you have a lock if you park them at the beach.

I passed Silver Strand Beach State Beach last fall, driving from the town of Imperial Beach to Coronado and stopped just to see it and use the bathroom. It isn't quite as windy and desolate as I remembered; the bathrooms were clean and may even have a snack bar. That said, it is as nanabee mentioned, in the middle of nowhere. The beach is narrow and I had to pay for parking just to use the bathroom.

lcuy, but I'll bet it was worth it!

Oh, yesss! That strand is a lot longer than it looks!