As Coronado counts down to its big annual, star-spangled 4th of July bash, I thought I’d give you the lowdown on what’s hot and what’s new on the island, as well as some incredible lesser-known sights that are sure to delight visitors this summer.
I’m calling it the Essential Summer Guide to Coronado. Since there SO many cool things to see and do, I’ll present them a few at a time throughout the summer months.
These first ones just happen to be 3 for Free – as in there’s no cost to check them out!
- Flock to The Del… I thought the strangest thing I’d ever see at the Hotel del Coronado was an ice skating rink on the Windsor Lawn (every winter holiday season), out back by the beach (the #1 beach in America, BTW) Boy was I wrong! Now you can see about a half dozen falcons and hawks on perches eyeing the skies for pesky seagulls and doing a fantastic job of scaring them away from the resort! Visitors can enjoy thrilling up-close encounters with these majestic raptors, courtesy of X Falconry, every Thursday through Sunday.
- Lark in the park… My latest discovery on Coronado Island is a little slice of paradise that visitors can have all to themselves (shhh! Don’t tell anyone 😉 ) for picnics on the bay, panoramic backdrops to take family photos and even fishing! It’s called Shoreline Park, located on First St. at I Ave. I’d never been there until I bicycled out with a Coronado Biking Adventure Tour last week. In a word, “Wow!” You can see the sparkling bay, San Diego skyline and an aircraft carrier at NAS North Island next door. It’s an incredible pocket park – my new favorite spot!
- Tide you over… If I had to pick one place where you can do just about anything under the sun, it’d be Tidelands Park on the bayside of the island. On any given day, you’ll spot joggers, bicyclists, kayakers, sailboats, volleyball, soccer and frisbee games, swimmers, sunbathers, and families picnicking and just taking in the great outdoors. It’s a vast aquatic wonderland hugging San Diego Bay – the perfect setting for a summer outing in Coronado!
