Whether you’re a tourist or a fairly new resident of Coronado, chances are you’ve been confused on more than one occasion because you’re unfamiliar with all the nicknames, abbreviations, and acronyms associated with “island” life. Even the reference to Coronado as an island often bewilders newcomers because a simple glance at a map is all the evidence one needs to verify that Coronado isn’t technically an island; it’s actually a tied-island connected to the Silver Strand by a tombolo. (Don’t tell that to the students at Coronado High School though! Being known as the “Tied-Islanders” wouldn’t sound nearly as cool as being the Islanders, now would it?)

For those of you who want to try to fit in with the locals, which is a discussion in and of itself as to what truly gives a Coronado resident the “right” to claim the title of local, here’s a brief guide of lingo regularly used here “on island”:

Coronado Nicknames:

• 

  The Crown City

Coronado is a Spanish word that literally translates to “crowned” in English. Hence, Coronado is known as the Crown City. Be on the lookout for crown decor all over town, especially at the Hotel Del Coronado’s Crown Room, where Sunday Brunch guests can admire the gorgeous crown chandeliers.

• Nado

Four syllables sometimes can be too wordy so Coronado is often shortened to two with Nado. Don’t confuse Nado with nada, a Spanish word that translates to “nothing” in English. As they play opposing teams from other towns, girls who play for Coronado Youth Softball are often heard chanting, “Nado, you know!” Many people have stickers and/or personalized license plates on their cars expressing their affinity for Nado.

• The Emerald City

When it comes to Coronado, there’s no place like home! Chances are, you’ve seen the 1939 classic film The Wizard of Oz a few hundred times, but did you know that the author, L. Frank Baum, visited Coronado regularly between 1904-1910, and wrote several of the sequels to his original novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, at the Hotel Del Coronado? One of the titles of the thirteen books that followed his beloved tale included The Emerald City of Oz, published in 1910. Go to the children’s section of the Coronado Public Library to admire the beautiful entrance, inspired by the well known characters of L. Frank Baum’s famous series.

Social Media:

• OTB

Ask someone where to go to find a certain retail chain, and the response, short and brief, might leave you befuddled . . . “OTB.” Excuse me? Where is OTB? What is OTB? The San Diego-Coronado Bridge, usually referred to as the Coronado Bridge, separates Coronado from San Diego. Some locals drive over the bridge daily as they commute to work while others only venture over the bridge when it’s “bridgeworthy” or absolutely necessary. OTB is short for “Over the Bridge.” For those who don’t like to trek across the bridge, think of Naughty by Nature’s hit song from the early ’90s, O.P.P., as you sing, “You down with OTB? No, you know me!”

• Happenings

Whether you’re interested in reading locals’ opinions about their dining experiences, need help finding your lost pet, or want to vent about a situation in town that’s causing you concern, Coronado Happenings, a Facebook group run by lone administrator Charles Crehore, is the social media site utilized by over 13,000 people. In conversation, people often shorten Coronado Happenings to “Happenings” instead; you may hear people say, “I read that on Happenings.” New in town and have questions? Ask the folks on Happenings, who are usually eager to share their opinions, both good and bad, about anything and everything related to Coronado.

Areas of Coronado:

• The Village

There’s no sign in Coronado that says, “Welcome to the Village,” yet many of Coronado’s establishments, including Village Elementary, Village Theatre, and Village Pizzeria, use the term “village” in their names. Generally speaking, the area of Coronado that’s considered to be “The Village” is the landmass that starts southeast of Naval Air Station North Island and extends just past the Hotel Del Coronado, stopping right before the Coronado Shores (see below). On the southwest side of the Village is the Pacific Ocean while the area on the northeast side faces the San Diego Bay. The majority of Coronado’s businesses, including eateries and grocery stores, are located in the Village.

• The Shores

Continuing south from the Hotel Del Coronado, are ten high-rise, residential towers, each consisting of fifteen stories of condominiums. Officially called the Coronado Shores, they’re unofficially referred to as the Shores.

• The Strand

Driving down Orange Avenue in the Village, the speed limit is 30 miles per hour. After passing the Hotel Del Coronado, Orange Avenue turns into Silver Strand Boulevard, where the speed limit climbs. The Silver Strand, known locally as The Strand, is a seven mile stretch that starts around the Coronado Shores, extending to Imperial Beach, the city located south of Coronado. The Silver Strand State Beach is located on the Pacific side. While older students who live in the Strand attend Coronado Middle School and Coronado High School, elementary age students attend Silver Strand Elementary.

• The Cays

The Coronado Cays, located on the bay side of the Silver Strand, are a collection of homes located four miles south of The Village. Known simply as the Cays, many of this area’s homes have private docks and gorgeous waterfront vistas. Within the Cays, the Coronado Cays Yacht Club is located as well as the Gondola Company, which offers gondola rides through the Cays’ canals.

Naval Base Coronado:

• NASNI and NAB

Frequently in the news there are references to the two Naval Base Coronado (NBC) installations that are located here in Coronado. Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI), which has been here since 1917, is home to San Diego based aircraft carriers, and serves as a master helicopter base for the United States Navy. In addition to people calling it NASNI (pronounced naz-knee), sometimes you’ll hear it referred to as North Island. NASNI is, in fact, not an island, but rather the northern tip of Coronado, directly across from Point Loma.

Naval Amphibious Base Coronado (NAB), formally established in 1944, houses special operations and expeditionary warfare units. It is located along both sides of the Silver Strand. Most notably, NAB is home to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S), a six month SEAL training course held at the Naval Special Warfare Center (NSWC).

Places in Town:

• The Del

The iconic Hotel Del Coronado was established in 1888. Locals refer to the beach resort and spa as the Del. Longtime residents and fresh faces alike are always entranced by the Del’s numerous charms, especially its breathtaking views of the ocean. For tourists who fall in love with the Del while they’re visiting, the Hotel Del Coronado offers a live web cam so everyone can continue to enjoy the beautiful sunsets once they return home “off island.”

• BBMAC

Brian Bent Memorial Aquatic Complex, located at 818 6th Street in the Village, is, according to its website, a “world class pool in paradise.” Named after the late Brian Bent, a water polo player who graduated from Coronado High School, BBMAC (pronounced beebee-mac), as its known, offers a large pool which can be set up as a long course of 8 lanes of 50 meters or a short course of 19 lanes of 25 yards and a smaller, instructional pool that is 25 yards long.

• CBC

Coronado Brewing Company, located at 170 Orange Avenue, is a brewery and restaurant that locals often call CBC. In operation since 1996, CBC is the place to go to grab a bite to eat with friends as well as refill growlers of freshly brewed beer. They offer an extensive menu, which includes burgers and sandwiches, salads, tacos, pizzas, and pub favorites.

• MTO

If you haven’t tried Clayton’s Mexican Take Out yet, you don’t know what you’re missing! Located at 1107 10th Street, Clayton’s Mexican Take Out is the place to go to pick up MTO (Mexican Take Out). While there is frequently a line out the door, it is most certainly worth the wait.

People:

• Zonies

During the summer months when it’s brutally hot in Arizona, many Arizonans come to Coronado to escape the heat and enjoy the cool summer breezes here. Locals often refer to visitors from Arizona as Zonies, which, unfortunately, sounds an awful lot like Zombies. As summer begins, so does the Zonie invasion. The term has become so popular that it’s earned a place in UrbanDictionary.com.

Feedback:

While we most certainly tried to highlight as much of the local vernacular as we could, we would love your feedback. Is there any “island” lingo that we missed? If you’re a new resident of Coronado or a Zonie, welcome to the Crown/Emerald City! Have fun exploring the Village, the Shores, the Strand, and the Cays, and, if you have time, visit the Del and BBMAC before swinging by CBC or getting some MTO. If you have any questions or need suggestions, check out Happenings, and don’t forget that you need a military ID or a military escort to be granted access onto NASNI and NAB. Before going OTB, enjoy all that Nado has to offer!