Nestled just south of famous San Diego is the enchanting island of Coronado. Our humble home is the perfect venue for families, couples, and snowbirds alike. In fact, we think everyone should spend a little time in what we believe is paradise. We have perfect weather year-round, gorgeous beaches, friendly locals, the safest neighborhood in the San Diego county, and you can walk anywhere on the island.
We’ll admit that rather than a day, we recommend a week or even a month for visitors. We understand that not everyone has that length of time to enjoy our charming retreat. If you find yourself with only one day to spend with the family in Coronado, here is our recommended schedule.
Island By Bike
It’s always great to get your bearings in a new place once you land. That’s why we think you should start with exploring the island by bike. With only a day to see everything, you’ll be able to see the sights and enjoy our fresh ocean breeze all at once.
Start near Ferry Landing on the northeast side of the island. There you’ll capture the sweeping views of the Coronado Bridge and the San Diego skyline. Continue southeast to the Tidelands park area. Following the bike path, you will bike under the bridge and then you can see the golf course and take in the renowned Coronado architecture along Glorietta Boulevard. Head northwest toward Orange Avenue and the corner of 10th Street for Coronado Village and phase two of your day.
*If your family is a clan of serious bikers or perhaps a serious morning biker is among you, the best bike workout is extending the trip down to Silver Stand beach and then circling back up. While this isn’t a typical leisure family ride, it’s great exercise for family members who want to kick start their vacation by getting their heart rate up.
Lunching at the Park
Once in the heart of the Coronado Village, you will have several options to pick up a picnic lunch. Here are a few local favorites to grab sandwiches to go:
- Park Place Liquor & Deli, 1000 Park Place
- Clayton’s Mexican Take Out, 1107 10th Street
- Panera Bread, 980 Orange Avenue
From any of these lunch spots, head northeast on Orange Avenue to hit Spreckels Park. Our most charming park on the island provides ample shade, a playground, and lots of room to allow your kids to explore.
*If picnicking at the park isn’t your idea of a midday meal, you’ll also find countless restaurants happy to delight you and your family for lunch in the Village area.
Exploring the Beach
No matter your age, spending a day at the beach is simultaneously magical, exhilarating, and relaxing. It might turn out that you find it exciting where your little ones fall into the magical or exhilarating category. Any way you spin it, hitting the beach is just plain awesome.
We saved this activity for after lunch mainly because sand seems to infiltrate everything. It’s a small price to pay for enjoying paradise, but we’ll admit that sometimes we are all left scratching our head at sand’s ability to get just about everywhere. This phenomenon becomes an even greater mystery once you add kids to the mix.
Thus the beach is a perfect after lunch activity. We will note, though, that many families who stay with us spend an entire day at the beach and enjoy every minute of it. If you only have a day in our area of paradise, an afternoon is a good way to go. From Spreckels Park head back southwest toward Coronado Village. Continuing southwest past the roundabout will place you right along our golden shore.
Ice Cream
Few things compare to an after beach treat like a trip to Moo Time Creamery for ice cream. A 10-minute walk from the beach, or 5-minute ride if you’re still traveling via bike, this favorite Coronado shop has treated locals and tourists alike for almost three decades. With their scrumptious, freshly made waffle cones and handcrafted ice cream, we imagine they will continue to be the local favorite for decades to come as well.
Pool Time
If your kiddos are anything like most of the children who stay with us, they can’t get enough of the water! Wrap up a splendid day on the island at our Coronado Inn pool. A complimentary amenity for guests, you and your family can splash away the later afternoon. Don’t forget to take advantage of our poolside Wi-Fi if you need to catch up on updates from the day or download a new audio book.
A Good Night Sleep on the Island
After a long day of playing, you and your family need a place that feels like home to retreat to. At Coronado Inn we offer the best budget accommodations on the island with a continental breakfast, free Wi-Fi, and community BBQs. If you are only able to join us for a night, we will help to make sure that your Coronado getaway is what memories are made of. Hopefully by now we’ve convinced you that you need several nights in paradise to take advantage of everything we have to offer.
Book your stay today! If you’re looking to steal away to our island over the summer, we invite you to book early. Summer season tends to book up quickly.
