Coronado Island
Ferry Building, Orange Avenue, Coronado Beach, The Del, Glorietta Bay, Imperial Beach
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Duration:
3 – 4 hrs or more if you stay on the beach Distance: Biking Coronado: min. 16 miles roundtrip (26 km) Driving Coronado: 24 miles (39 km) + Imperial Beach and I-5: 24 miles (39 km) Getting here
From Del Mar: Use Interstate 5 South and exit at Route 75 to enter Coronado Bay Bridge. Behind the bridge turn right at B Ave and follow the road until it ends at the Old Ferry Landing and its parking lot. Alternative parking is located along Marine Way. From Mission Bay: Take W Mission Bay Drive to get onto Interstate 8. Then change onto Interstate 5 South and exit at Route 75 to enter Coronado Bay Bridge. Behind the bridge turn right into B Ave and follow the road until it ends at the Old Ferry Landing and its parking lot. Alternative parking is located along Marine Way. |
From Downtown: Take I-5 North and exit at Old Town Ave.
Coming down the ramp make a right into Hortensia Street and an immediate left into San Diego Ave. You either can park along San Diego Ave or at the side streets or the public parking lots along Congress Street. From Point Loma: Either use Interstate 8 and change onto Interstate 5 South or follow Rosecrans Street until Harbor Drive. Make a right onto Harbor Drive and continue south until W Grape Street. Turn left into Grape and enter Interstate 5 South at the ramp. Exit at Route 75 to enter Coronado Bay Bridge and turn right into B Ave behind the bridge. Follow the road until it ends at the Old Ferry Landing and its parking lot. Alternative parking is located along Marine Way. From Coronado Island: Drive up Orange Avenue towards Centennial Park and turn right into 1st Ave. To your left behind B Avenue is the parking lot of the Old Ferry Landing. Alternative parking is located along Marine Way. |
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Coronado/Coronado Island - http://www.coronadovisitorcenter.com Coronado, Spanish for the ‘crowned one’ is a small beach community south of San Diego’s downtown. The city was founded in 1890 and is surrounded by the San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean. One of most popular sights in Coronado and listed as National Historic Landmark is Hotel Del Coronado. The wooden Victorian resort was opened in 1888 and made the community to a famous and major Californian beach resort. ‘The Del’ was used several times as shooting location for Hollywood movies, such as ‘Some like it hot’ or ‘Wicked’. It is located at Coronado Beach, one of the many beaches on the island. To explore Coronado you can either rent a bike or you do a combined walk and driving tour over the peninsula to explore the sights and scenic beaches. Bike rental in Coronado: Bikes & Beyond @ Coronado Ferry Building, 1201 1st St # 122, Coronado Fun Wheel Rentals, 2000 2nd Street, Coronado |
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1st stop: Coronado Ferry Building – http://www.coronadoferrylandingshops.com/
The first stop takes you to the Old Ferry Landing, a small shopping village with red roofs and a huge pond facing San Diego Bay. From the path that is located at the bay you have scenic views towards downtown San Diego and over the bay. Grab an ice cream or refreshment and walk along the shoreline. Start either to the left and towards Centennial Park or to the right along Bayshore Bikeway (Silver Strand Bikeway). If you walk both sides you will finally end up with a short hike of 1 mile (1,6 km).
Alternatively, you can do a short boat trip to the other side of the bay. The crossing takes about 20-minutes per direction and a roundtrip is less than $10.
If you are interested in biking the peninsula (16 miles/ 26km roundtrip) you will find one of the bike rentals at 1st Street next to the ferry landing parking lot.
Start your ride along the ‘Silver Strand Bikeway’ towards Coronado Municipal Golf Course and continue on Glorietta Boulevard until Glorietta Marina. Stay at the bayside and ride down to Crown Cove and Loews Resort. At Silver Strand Beach turn around and ride back to Hotel Del Coronado and the central area of Coronado Beach. Return to the bike rental by using Orange Ave but be aware of the traffic along Coronado’s main promenade and shopping street. Read more details about each stop in the following.
2nd stop: Orange Avenue
Driving along Orange Avenue down to Coronado’s oceanside you are passing the town’s city center (between 10th Avenue and Dana Place). Many shops, various restaurants and theatres are building the peninsulas artery without loosing a village-like character.
Don’t be upset if you are getting stuck at the long and winding street. This is normal for Coronado, so I recommend using the time to take a look at the old and quaint buildings and beautifully landscaped green median.
3rd stop: Coronado Beach and Hotel Del Coronado
At Rotary Park turn right into Isabella Avenue, which brings you directly to Coronado Beach. Park along Ocean Beach Blvd and walk down to the water and stroll along the shore towards Hotel Del Coronado.
If you are standing on the ocean you can see the northern limit of the beach: the North Island Naval Base but you cannot see the southern limit. Actually Coronado Beach ends at the Mexican border. The part with the Hotel Del Coronado in the background seems to be the most romantic section of the beach. This area is usually packed with sunbathers.
Further south is the section ‘The Shores with longboard and shortboard surf spots. This area is adjoined by Silver Strand Beach, which is less packed than the stretch around The Del. If you are planning to hit the water watch out for stingrays and if necessary get out of their way!
As mentioned before, Hotel Del Coronado caused the first tourist flow to Coronado. The luxurious vacation resort was the first hotel on the peninsula and is nowadays the largest and oldest all-wooden building in the state. When it opened it was the largest hotel in world and the only one having electrical light.
Eversince it attracted the rich and famous, such as Charlie Chaplin, Mohammed Ali and Charles Lindbergh, and several presidents, like Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Reagan and even Obama.
Moreover the hotel has its own ghost story. In 1892 a female guest committed suicide in room 3327. Until today it still happens that guests feel her presence by reporting flickering light or floating objects in this room. More info about the hotel is available under: http://www.hoteldel.com/
If you cannot afford the incredibly high rates, don’t worry: just enjoy the afternoon, sunset or evening in one of the hotel bars or restaurants.
4th stop: Glorietta Bay Marina and Park
Glorietta Marina is the yacht and sportboat harbor in Coronado. If you have a sailing licence, you are allowed to rent boats here. http://www.seaforthboatrental.com/
South of the marina is Glorietta Park, a mixture between beach, park and playground and popular picnic and BBQ spot in the area. From the bay you have a nice view towards San Diego and the Coronado Bay Bridge.
Glorietta Marina is the yacht and sportboat harbor in Coronado. If you have a sailing licence, you are allowed to rent boats here. http://www.seaforthboatrental.com/
South of the marina is Glorietta Park, a mixture between beach, park and playground and popular picnic and BBQ spot in the area. From the bay you have a nice view towards San Diego and the Coronado Bay Bridge.
5th stop: Silver State Beach and Crown Cove
Further south along Silver Strand Boulevard you are approaching Silver Strand Beach. One side of the beach faces Crown Cove and the San Diego Bay the other the ocean. While you run into crowds in front of Hotel Coronado, Silver Strand Beach is always empty. If you are hungry there is a small shack next to the lifeguard tower selling hot dogs and sodas.
Next to the beach is another big resort named Loews Coronado Bay Resort. It is less classy than the Del but also less pricey and modern. It offers stunning bay and bridge views and comes with a Californian beach décor, several pools and a beautiful landscape. Adjacent to the resort is a residential area with nice homes that all have a private boat landing. The streets around the Cove are named after Caribean islands.
Driving dowen here you should decide whether you want to continue the drive down to Imperial Beach and to return to San Diego by using Interstate 5 or if you want to stay on Coronado. For the latter turn around and go back to your favorite spot on the peninsula.
Further south along Silver Strand Boulevard you are approaching Silver Strand Beach. One side of the beach faces Crown Cove and the San Diego Bay the other the ocean. While you run into crowds in front of Hotel Coronado, Silver Strand Beach is always empty. If you are hungry there is a small shack next to the lifeguard tower selling hot dogs and sodas.
Next to the beach is another big resort named Loews Coronado Bay Resort. It is less classy than the Del but also less pricey and modern. It offers stunning bay and bridge views and comes with a Californian beach décor, several pools and a beautiful landscape. Adjacent to the resort is a residential area with nice homes that all have a private boat landing. The streets around the Cove are named after Caribean islands.
Driving dowen here you should decide whether you want to continue the drive down to Imperial Beach and to return to San Diego by using Interstate 5 or if you want to stay on Coronado. For the latter turn around and go back to your favorite spot on the peninsula.
6th stop: Imperial Beach - http://www.ci.imperial-beach.ca.us/
Imperial Beach is the most southern beach city in California. The Tijuana River and the National Estuarine Research Reserve separate it from the Mexian border. Standing at the southern part of the beach you can see the Mexican shoreline. The rotunda in the far end is the Tijuana Plaza Monumental, also known as “Bullring by the sea”, a bullfighting area.
Imperial Beach was founded in 1887 and many of the first settlers were laborers that were building Hotel Del Coronado.
One of the best surfspots in the county is located at Imperial Beach: the Boca Rio break. From the late 30s to 50s surfing was big in the city and its influence is still visible in the form of surfboard benches along Imperial Beach Pier.
If you are doing your Coronado trip on a Friday you might hit the farmers market at Imperial Beach. The market goes along the Pier Plaza and takes place in the afternoon.
To return to San Diego: take Palm Avenue to the East and enter the ramp of Interstate 5 North.
Imperial Beach is the most southern beach city in California. The Tijuana River and the National Estuarine Research Reserve separate it from the Mexian border. Standing at the southern part of the beach you can see the Mexican shoreline. The rotunda in the far end is the Tijuana Plaza Monumental, also known as “Bullring by the sea”, a bullfighting area.
Imperial Beach was founded in 1887 and many of the first settlers were laborers that were building Hotel Del Coronado.
One of the best surfspots in the county is located at Imperial Beach: the Boca Rio break. From the late 30s to 50s surfing was big in the city and its influence is still visible in the form of surfboard benches along Imperial Beach Pier.
If you are doing your Coronado trip on a Friday you might hit the farmers market at Imperial Beach. The market goes along the Pier Plaza and takes place in the afternoon.
To return to San Diego: take Palm Avenue to the East and enter the ramp of Interstate 5 North.