Coronado - North

Coronado - North

Coronado was named after the four Coronado Islands off the coast of San Diego. The islands were first sighted November 8, 1602 by Spanish navigator Sebastián Vizcaíno, who called them “Los Coronados” or “the crowned ones,” for four martyred saints of ancient Rome whose death had been on that day. Whether or not Coronado itself is an actual island has been the subject of some debate. The latest determination by local geologists is that Coronado is a “tied island" which is connected to the mainland by a “tombolo” (a sandy isthmus) called the Silver Strand. So Coronado is technically a type of island, but not one of the Coronado islands (now we’re confused again).

The North side of Coronado is home to the ferry landing, Tidelands Park, and the west end of the Coronado Bridge. The bridge opened on August 3, 1969, during the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the founding of San Diego. The 2.12-mile long bridge has a vertical clearance of approximately 200 feet, allowing the tallest ships (at the time) to pass beneath it under light load. In order to get to a height of 200 feet without making the incline too steep, the bridge had to be lengthened, which explains the long curve as you descend into Coronado.

Our walk starts in Ferry Landing Park with its shops and restaurants, takes you down a very walkable sidewalk next to the water with amazing views across the bay to downtown San Diego, to Tidelands Park at the base of the Coronado Bridge, and back again.