Coronado is a small, affluent city on a peninsula across the bay from downtown San Diego, connected by the sweeping Coronado Bridge or, more enjoyably, by the ferry from the Embarcadero. The town has a distinct resort-village feel, with tree-lined streets, well-kept bungalows, and a walkable main drag along Orange Avenue lined with boutiques, restaurants, and ice cream shops.
The centrepiece is the Hotel del Coronado, a sprawling Victorian beach resort built in 1888 and instantly recognisable from its role as the film location for Some Like It Hot. Even if you are not staying there, the building is worth seeing and the beach in front of it is open to everyone. Coronado Beach itself consistently ranks among the best in the country — wide, flat, and backed by soft dunes, with fine golden sand that sparkles faintly in the sun due to its mica content.
The north end of the island (technically a tied island, or tombolo) is home to Naval Air Station North Island, one of the largest military installations on the West Coast. The military presence is part of Coronado's identity and history. For visitors, the best use of time is a day of beach-going, a walk or bike ride along the Silver Strand, and dinner on Orange Avenue before catching the ferry back to San Diego as the sun sets over the Pacific.