You can reach Coronado three easy ways — drive over the San Diego–Coronado Bridge (SR-75), take the Coronado Ferry a few minutes across the bay from downtown, or ride the scenic Silver Strand route from the south. Once you're on the island, it's wonderfully walkable and bike-friendly, so you can park the car and leave it. Here's the full guide.
Coronado feels like a world away, but it's remarkably easy to reach from downtown San Diego and the airport. Here's how to get there — and the best ways to get around once you arrive.
By car: the San Diego–Coronado Bridge
The most direct route is the iconic San Diego–Coronado Bridge (SR-75), which sweeps 2.12 miles across the bay and delivers you right into the village. From downtown San Diego or the airport, it's a quick drive. If you're staying on the island, you likely won't need the car again until you leave — Coronado is compact and walkable.
By ferry: the scenic way across the bay
For the most memorable arrival, take the Coronado Ferry. It crosses the bay in just a few minutes between downtown San Diego's waterfront (Broadway Pier and the Convention Center area) and the Coronado Ferry Landing, with skyline and bay-bridge views the whole way. It's part transportation, part mini-cruise — and a lovely, car-free way to hop between the island and the city.
By the Silver Strand: the coastal route from the south
Coming from the south (Imperial Beach or the Silver Strand area), you can reach Coronado via the scenic Silver Strand — a narrow ribbon of land with the ocean on one side and the bay on the other. It's a beautiful drive or bike ride into the village.
From the airport
San Diego International Airport is only a short trip from Coronado — a quick drive over the bridge by car, rideshare, or taxi. It's one of the easiest island getaways you'll ever reach from a major airport.
Getting around Coronado once you're there
This is the island's superpower: you really don't need a car. Options include:
- On foot: the beach, Orange Avenue shops, the Hotel del Coronado, and the Ferry Landing are all within an easy walk of a central hotel.
- By bike: Coronado's flat, scenic bike paths make cruising the easiest way to explore — rent beach cruisers and ride the bay.
- Rideshare and local shuttles: available for longer hops, like out to Silver Strand.
- The ferry: your quick, car-free link to downtown for a night out or day trip.
Where to stay for easy, car-free exploring
A central location turns Coronado into a stroll-everywhere town. The Bower sits at 1417 Orange Avenue — directly across from the Hotel del Coronado and steps from the beach, the shops, and the ferry to downtown. From here you can walk to almost everything, bike the bay, and ferry into the city, all without touching your car. It's a 39-room boutique hotel with rooftop dining at DIVE, membership in Small Luxury Hotels of the World (bookable with Hilton Honors), and dog-friendly ground-floor rooms.