Is Coronado a good place to stay in San Diego?

Coronado is the place to stay if you want a calm, safe beach holiday with the city close by. Most hotels are around Orange Avenue near the beach and the Hotel del Coronado, and the ferry crosses to downtown in about 15 minutes. The airport is roughly 15 to 20 minutes away over the bridge.

The area is an upscale island town with wide streets, grand houses and a relaxed pace. Coronado Beach is wide, golden and sparkles with mica, the red-roofed Hotel del Coronado has stood on the sand since 1888, and Orange Avenue has shops, ice cream parlours and casual restaurants. Bike paths run along the bay with views of the San Diego skyline.

The downside is the cost. Hotels here are among the priciest in the city, there's almost no nightlife, and going into San Diego for sightseeing means a ferry, a bus or a drive each time.

What makes Coronado special is how easy and pleasant it is. Children can play on one of the best beaches in America, cycling around the island is safe and flat, and the evening ferry back from downtown gives you the skyline lit up across the water. For families, it's hard to beat.