A Day Trip to Coronado Island
Join me as I explore Coronado Island by bicycle on this short day trip, including a visit to the historic Hotel del Coronado.
Exploring Coronado
Because I live less than an hour from San Diego, I am blessed with many opportunities for short travel explorations. One recent trip I took was a day trip from the San Diego harbor to Coronado Island. While it is easy enough to drive from San Diego across the Coronado bridge, another option is to take the short 15 minute ferry crossing. The ferry departs from the Broadway Pier on the hour and the San Diego Convention Center on the half hour. Cost for the ferry is $9 one way. The ferry offers a relaxing ride across the San Diego harbor and gorgeous views of the San Diego skyline.
Upon landing on Coronado Island, you have an abundance of options for dining and shopping. In our case, we decided to rent bicycles and ride around the island to tour the historic Coronado Hotel. The bike ride itself is fairly easy and well paved, winding around the bay and by the golf course, and takes around 30 minutes to reach the hotel.
Hotel del Coronado
The historic Hotel del Coronado, built in 1888, has been an icon of the San Diego region for decades. The hotel has housed celebrities, U.S. Presidents and even royalty throughout its history. The hotel was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977 and continues to draw tourists by the thousands each year. https://hoteldel.com/
A member of the Hilton family of hotels, Curio Collection, a stay at the hotel does not come cheap! Stays in one of the five ‘Neighborhoods’ of the hotel range from the mid $600 for a base room to $1500 for suites and up to $2700 for lofts. If you are a Hilton Honors member, you are able to book a stay on points.
Holidays on Coronado Island
The Hotel del Coronado offers some fun holiday activities to participate in, whether you are a guest in the hotel or not. Typically starting just before Thanksgiving and running through the first part of January, the beachfront ice skating rink opens. The skating rink gets pretty crowded on the weekends. If you are able to squeeze in a visit on a weeknight, you can avoid some of the heavier crowds. https://hoteldel.com/events/skating-by-the-sea/
Beachside igloos can be rented during this same time period for those who desire the winter beach vibe. Again, these do not come cheap, but do guarantee privacy and heat. The igloos can accommodate up to eight between both inside and outdoor seating. https://hoteldel.com/events/beachside-igloos/
After enjoying our afternoon walking around the Hotel del Coronado, we hopped back on our bikes for a leisurely ride back to catch the ferry. We arrived to the ferry landing with plenty of time to return our bikes, walk through a few tourist shops, and grab a beer at the Village Pizzaria Bayside (https://villagepizzeriasd.com/), which looked delicious and was just starting to fill up for dinner. Although we weren’t quite ready for dinner, we would gladly come back to enjoy their pizza on another trip!
All-in-all, a great day trip to Coronado Island! Come check it out when you are in the San Diego area.
