Silver Strand State Beach has been mentioned a lot lately as one of the last spots in San Diego County where people can legally drink on the beach.

It seems Fourth of July revelers took note.

Silver Strand's parking lots were full as of 7:40 a.m. Friday, said the California Highway Patrol, which issued a traffic alert for the area at the request of the Coronado Police Department.

Izell Gunner, supervisor of the rangers patrolling Silver Strand, said that's a record for parking lot closures. He estimated the crowd at 10,000 to 15,000.

The skies were overcast and the temperatures low, but he said the crowds likely turned out because of Silver Strand's allowance of alcohol and rising gasoline prices.

Some of the revelers probably would have gone elsewhere for the three-day weekend, but it's just so expensive that they're going to the beach instead, Gunner said.

The CHP says motorists can expect long delays and heavy traffic in Coronado until about 10 p.m.

Silver Strand was a hot spot, but it wasn't the only holiday destination. Parades, festivals and parties were in full swing by midday across the county.

In Julian, residents and visitors lined both sides of the North County community's Main Street by morning to celebrate with military plane flyovers, Dixieland music and historic reenactments of gunbattles.

Supervisor Dianne Jacob was on hand to kick off the town's 15th annual Independence Day parade, as were several combat veterans who were honored on the main stage.

Among the revelers were Dale Watterson of Julian and his 3-year-old son Samuel, who watched it all from a patch of shade provided by a nearby bank.

“It's just a great old-fashioned Fourth of July parade,” Watterson said. “It's a draw every year.”

The biggest draw as usual were the beaches.

The San Diego Police Department was advising that all parking lots and spaces around Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach and La Jolla were at capacity. Traffic was expected to remain heavy through the day and into the night for fireworks displays.

San Diego-area transit officials stepped up bus and trolley service on the coast to help celebrants get around.

The transit system also offers a special promotion for the holiday. Riders who pay a regular fare or use a pass can bring along a friend at no extra charge.

Five bus routes operated by the Metropolitan Transit System – 8, 9, 27, 30 and 901 – are including more frequent runs as they pass through Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, La Jolla and Coronado. Other bus routes will operate for the holiday on a Sunday schedule.

The San Diego Trolley will also run on a less-frequent Sunday schedule, although MTS will add extra trips late in the evening for those watching fireworks. More information is available at www.sdmts.com.