The Coronado Bridge is one of the more striking pieces of infrastructure in California. Opened in 1969, it arcs 2.1 miles across San Diego Bay on a graceful curve — the curve was an engineering necessity to fit within the available land at each end, but it produces a structure that looks designed rather than merely built. The roadway rises to 200 feet at its highest point, giving drivers a sweeping view of downtown San Diego to the north and the open bay to the south.
You cannot walk or cycle across the bridge, so the best view is from the water. The Coronado Ferry passes underneath it on every crossing, giving a strong sense of the scale. From Coronado's Ferry Landing on a clear day, the bridge frames the downtown skyline in a way that makes for an obvious photograph.