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City in California, United States
Photo: Rennett Stowe from USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Coronado is a picturesque resort town in San Diego County in Southern California. It is on a peninsula just across the San Diego Bay from Downtown San Diego and offers quiet beaches, lovely bay scenery, and sights such as the historic Hotel del Coronado.
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The hotel's architecture is a must-see, with its brightly colored wooden Victorian style exterior and its slightly dated art deco interior. Built by hand in 1888 by two railroad engineers, it is today a National Historic Landmark and has been a favorite location for films (including classics like Some Like it Hot) and weddings. Many presidents and celebrities like Babe Ruth and Marilyn Monroe have stayed here. You can view it from the beach or Orange Avenue.
Coronado Historical Association
A small museum operated by the Coronado Historical Association, dedicated to preserving the art, history, and architecture of Coronado. The museum also holds walking tours of Coronado, which feature some of the island's historic buildings include the house where Frank Baum wrote The Wizard of Oz.
Where Coronado's community theater group plays.
Home to the region's third largest professional theater company. This ensemble based theater presents a wide variety of productions throughout the year in Coronado's historic Spreckel's Building.
An 8.48-mile bike path running from Coronado down to Imperial Beach. This is one of the area's most popular due to its scenery and the fact that the path does not run through any car traffic. The bike path ends at Pomona Avenue and Glorietta Boulevard and runs along the San Diego Bay. There are restrooms and a drinking fountain at Silver State Beach (see below).
Offers facilities for boaters on the San Diego Bay. There is a launching ramp and a small anchorage, where boats are allowed a maximum stay of up to 72 hours during a seven-day period.
Coronado has a splendid beach, made up of beautiful white sand and the crowd is mostly families enjoying the day. If you look closely you can read the name Coronado in the sand dunes close to the Hotel del Coronado. A small tidepool area in front of the Hotel Del gives you a chance to explore a bit. There's plenty of free parking along Ocean Blvd, but it fills up quickly during the summer. At the north end of the beach, up by Sunset Park, the beach is open to dogs as well as bonfire pits and surfing. Surfing is also allowed in-front of the "Shores" just south of the Hotel Del. Lifeguards on duty seasonally. Restrooms and showers available.
Visitors can walk several different paths with views of downtown San Diego. Bike rentals are also available, with a bike path that runs all the way to Imperial Beach. Boat rentals are also available for sailing around the bay.
Just south of the Hotel Del on the bayside of Coronado, this small park offers shady trees, big grassy lawns, and a small beach with views of the Coronado Bay Bridge.
This is an excellent beach to swim or surf at about 5 miles south of Coronado on the Silver Strand. RV camping and fishing are allowed here.
In the heart of Coronado, on Orange Avenue between 6th and 7th Streets, this shady park has a gazebo, a playground, and is the site of local events such as a summer concert series and other community events and shows.
Near the north end of Central Beach is this small park with an expansive lawn.
Just north of the Coronado Bay Bridge, this large park offers lovely views of the bridge (a bayside trail leads you right under the bridge), a large children's playground, a skate park, and big grassy lawns perfect for sports.
A former boathouse overlooking the southern San Diego bay.
Old style coffee shop, good food, mostly breakfast and lunch, very affordable -- around $8 per person.
Offers a Sunday Brunch, a steal at just under a hundred bucks per person; go for the atmosphere.
On the Silver Strand, also has a Sunday Brunch; go for the food.
Delicious, authentic, Mexican cuisine ranging from enchiladas to chimichangas to their rather unique fish taco. Seating is on a heated open-air patio.
A European style cafe open for breakfast lunch dinner and dessert. They have hose made ice-cream as well as a large assortment of European desserts.
A local favorite.
Small brewpub. Happy hour Tu-F 2PM-6PM.
A massive luxury hotel; the architecture is remarkable, the lodgings less so.
Ferry Landing Marketplace
A themed shopping area home to some lovely little shops, art galleries, and restaurants. The ferry to Downtown San Diego launches from here. In addition, a Farmers' Market takes place here every Tuesday from 2:30-6PM.
By boat
The Coronado Ferry, a pedestrian/bicycle ferry, launches from the Broadway Pier and the Convention Center in Downtown San Diego to the Ferry Landing Marketplace in Coronado.
By bus
The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) operates bus service throughout the San Diego area.
Coronado is small and dense enough that one can easily walk around and take in the sites the area has to offer.
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