San Diego County - Coronado - Coronado Island
5 mi 
Suitable for
Touring *
Beginner *
Historic *
Slalom *
Directions
Take Interstate 5 south past downtown San Diego and follow the signs to Highway 75 leading to the Coronado Bridge (currently toll-free). Turn left on Orange Avenue and park downtown on a side street, or turn right at Orange and park near the little mall on 1st Street on the east shore of the island. Bike path routes on the island are posted on a sign at the mall's entrance.
A trail map for the entire San Diego northern and southern region is available at http://www.icommutesd.com/Bike/BikeMap.aspx.
A trail map for the entire San Diego northern and southern region is available at http://www.icommutesd.com/Bike/BikeMap.aspx.
Notes
It is easy to get a very civilized (okay, make that pampered) start for a day's tour on Coronado Island. Arrive early enough to park downtown, where you can skate to one of the many sidewalk cafes to have espresso and a croissant for breakfast.
Warm up in the residential areas just northwest of downtown by exploring the extremely fine pavement on wide, sloped streets with little traffic. It would be easy to spend an hour on this part of the island. As you skate the roads that gently descend toward the east, don't get too caught up in your speed skating or slaloms, because there are stop signs at some intersections. At the bottom of the hill (and the eastern edge of the island), turn right onto 1st Street, which leads to the little shopping mall with a nautical theme mentioned in the directions above.
Follow the bike path that continues south from the mall. The trail passes through a bayfront park on its way to a golf course at the southern tip of the island. This section of the path is flat and bordered by lawn, making it an ideal spot for first-time skaters to get a feel for their wheels. The concrete is in excellent condition, and a water fountain and rest rooms are located nearby. The view across the San Diego Bay is pretty spectacular from here, too.
Continue skating west around the perimeter of the island and the golf course. Glorietta Boulevard takes you to the intersection with Highway 75. Turn left and skate south on the left (inland) side of Highway 75 to reach small Glorietta Bay Park next to the Coronado Plunge. Here is another good beginners' practice area with a view, and you can have it pretty much all to yourself. This location also marks the north end of the Silver Strand Bikeway (see the next listing).
When you've exhausted the possibilities at Glorietta Bay, skate north up Highway 75 to the entrance to the Hotel del Coronado, a local landmark. The hotel grounds and parking lot are fun to explore on skates, although some places are off-limits. At the nearby beachfront sidewalk, you can sit on the wall and check out the action down on the sand.
Since downtown Coronado is just three blocks away, it must be time for a very civilized lunch.
Follow the bike path that continues south from the mall. The trail passes through a bayfront park on its way to a golf course at the southern tip of the island. This section of the path is flat and bordered by lawn, making it an ideal spot for first-time skaters to get a feel for their wheels. The concrete is in excellent condition, and a water fountain and rest rooms are located nearby. The view across the San Diego Bay is pretty spectacular from here, too.
Continue skating west around the perimeter of the island and the golf course. Glorietta Boulevard takes you to the intersection with Highway 75. Turn left and skate south on the left (inland) side of Highway 75 to reach small Glorietta Bay Park next to the Coronado Plunge. Here is another good beginners' practice area with a view, and you can have it pretty much all to yourself. This location also marks the north end of the Silver Strand Bikeway (see the next listing).
When you've exhausted the possibilities at Glorietta Bay, skate north up Highway 75 to the entrance to the Hotel del Coronado, a local landmark. The hotel grounds and parking lot are fun to explore on skates, although some places are off-limits. At the nearby beachfront sidewalk, you can sit on the wall and check out the action down on the sand.
Since downtown Coronado is just three blocks away, it must be time for a very civilized lunch.
Links
- San Diego Region Bicycle Map - PDF maps of Northern and Southern San Diego Region
| Last Skated
Aug 1, 1995
|
Updated
Nov 17, 2009
|