WavesMAKE SOME
Resor t OUR
Spend the day on pristine San Diego beaches then wind down with an awe-inspiring sunset on the rooftop deck. Located in the heart of Coronado’s picturesque downtown, Coronado Beach Resort offers a resort vacation with home-like amenities.
Let your worries melt away with a long soak in our rooftop hot tub with mesmerizing ocean views, stroll through the small shops on Orange Avenue with an iced coffee in hand, or meet fellow Guests and Owners at our welcome breakfast on Mondays. At Coronado Beach Resort, you are a part of our family, and we aim to make you feel right at home. Sit back, relax, and let us take care of the rest.
Need Something While You’re With Us?
Just a Text Away! (619) 202-0894
THINGS TO DO
ENJOY
Onsite Activites
AT CORONADO BEACH RESORT
With all the resort has to offer, there’s no need to leave. Take a day and have fun at Coronado Beach Resort with these on-site or near-site activities:
• Donut Dash
• Sangria Social
• Ice Cream Sandwich
• Mimosas
• Happy Hour
• Root Beer Floats
• Ice Cream Social
• Mai Tai
• Wine and Paint
• Kayaking/Paddle Board
• SoCal Food Tour
• Arnold Palmers!
For more on-site activities, make sure to check our weekly activities calendar.
Farmers MARKET FINDS
CORONADO CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKET
Open every Tuesday from 2:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Shop fresh-picked fruits and vegetables from local growers.
Take your farmers market finds back to your kitchen for delicious homemade meals. Pick up some local strawberries, sliced almonds, french vanilla ice cream, and top it off with organic mint for the perfect after dinner sweet treat!
Coronado RESTAURANT SCENE
For casual, family-friendly fun, check out these spots around the island: CLASSIC & FAMILY-FRIENDLY
Tent City Restaurant (0.3 mi)
Breakfasts, salads, and American entrees offered with wine and beer, in laid-back, airy quarters.
$11-40
Burger Lounge (0.4 mi)
Modern counter-serve burger spot serving grass-fed beef, freerange turkey, and quinoa varieties.
$11-30
Coronado Brewing Company (1.4 mi)
Kid-friendly brewpub with warm wood decor serving house beers and basic bar fare plus steaks and pasta.
$11-30
ROMANTIC GETAWAY
If you are looking for a romantic night for two in the city, try these favorites:
Stake Chophouse & Bar (0.1 mi)
An old school steakhouse with a contemporary ambiance known for its filets, chops, and seafood dishes.
Above $61
SWEET TREATS
Peohe’s (1.4 mi)
Island-inspired cuisine with spectacular waterfront views of the San Diego harbor and skyline.
$31-60
Top off the day with some sweet stuff right by the resort then walk it off on the beach:
Spreckels Sweets and Treats (0.2 mi)
A local favorite candy shop with treats ranging from specialty fudge to candies of all shapes and sizes.
$11-30
Nado Gelato Cafe (0.2 mi)
Unassuming cafe featuring a large selection of gelato flavors and Italian coffees.
Under $10
ShoppingCORONADO ISLAND
No San Diego vacation is complete without a little shopping. Whether you’re looking for seashells, sunglasses, or a new bathing suit, you’re sure to find just the thing in one of the stores in and around Coronado Island. Find local boutiques or your favorite name brands, most within walking distance of the resort!
Coronado Ferry Landing
Indulge your inner shopaholic while enjoying panoramic views of the San Diego skyline from across the bay. Buy your significant other a hand-rolled cigar from the Coronado Cigar Factory. Then browse the art galleries and boutiques until you find the perfect treat for yourself.
Hotel Del Coronado
Conveniently located right across the street from Coronado Beach Resort, the Hotel Del Coronado has something for every taste. Browse Californiainspired home decor at Babcock & Story Emporium while your kids play with the toys at the Blue Octopus.
Orange Avenue
Just exit our lobby and you’ll find yourself on bustling Orange Avenue. Coronado’s main street is lined with one-of-a-kind shops, art galleries, and casual eateries. It’s the perfect place to pick up an island souvenir or a few postcards.
Seaport Village
Located just across the San Diego Bay, Seaport Village offers spectacular views and even better shopping. You can easily spend a full day exploring the 50-plus shops! Pick up irreverent gifts and fair-trade accessories at Urban Girl or splurge on super-soft bamboo tees at Cariloha. You’re sure to find something for everyone on your souvenir list.
WHERE TO PLAY
AttractionsNEARBY
If you want to visit the surrounding area and get the most out of San Diego, consider some of these fun day trip spots to elevate your stay in Coronado:
Hotel Del Coronado
Sea World
San Diego Zoo
Balboa Park
Gaslamp Quarter
Old Town San Diego
La Jolla Cove
For more inspiration, visit our destination page.
From Tent City to Timeshare Accommodations:
History OF CORONADO
Strolling down Orange Avenue today, it’s hard to imagine a time when Coronado wasn’t a popular resort town. No matter what time of year you visit, the Crown City is always humming with life, its pristine beaches and island vibe making it one of San Diego’s can’t-miss attractions.
But less than 150 years ago, the peninsula was an unoccupied Spanish hacienda, covered with nothing but coastal scrub. It wasn’t until the late 19th century that Coronado caught the attention of wealthy investors, and it was only about 25 years ago that Coronado Beach Resort became an important part of the resort community.
Indigenous Beginnings in Coronado
We don’t know much about Coronado’s earliest inhabitants. Archaeological excavations around the peninsula uncovered mounds of seashells buried 15 feet under the sand and scattered residential sites. These findings suggest that the La Jolla tribe visited the peninsula seasonally in search of fish, game, berries, and other food approximately 7,000 years ago.
Spanish Settlement & Mexican Independence
In 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo claimed the port of San Miguel for the Spanish crown. Sixty years later, Sebastian Vizcaino renamed the site San Diego. His crude map of the area included the Coronado peninsula, which means “Crowned One” in Spanish. Vizcaino was the last European to visit the area for 167 years.
In 1769, Russia began settling western North America. Concerned about his rival’s encroaching presence, King Carlos III of Spain sent missionaries and soldiers to establish a presidio and mission at San Diego, the first official city in Alta California. (San Diego is often referred to as the “Plymouth Rock of the West.”)
In 1821, Mexico gained its independence from Spain, and the newly-formed government began issuing land grants to prominent citizens and loyal Mexican military officers. In 1846, Governor Pio Pico gave Coronado to Don Pedro Carillo, who began using the land to raise cattle. Five months later, Carillo sold the land to an American captain for $1,000.
The Hotel del Coronado & Tent City
Over the next 39 years, Coronado changed hands several more times. No one saw much commercial potential in the peninsula until 1885 when a group of investors known as the Coronado Beach Company purchased the land for $110,000 and announced their plans to build a beachfront hotel.
News of the hotel sparked new interest in the peninsula. The Coronado Beach Company began selling land parcels at auction and created the San Diego and Coronado Ferry Company, which made its first run in 1886.
On February 19, 1888, the newly-built Hotel del Coronado opened its doors to the public and began attracting travelers from around the country who flocked to the peninsula for its sunny climate, island feel, and picturesque beaches. Postcards from the era show dozens of guests wading in the waves in front of the Hotel del Coronado. Other daily activities at the hotel included hunting parties, archery, tennis, and fishing expeditions into the bay.
The Coronado Water Company also promoted the health benefits of the natural springs near the hotel, and many travelers came from back East after their doctors told them to move to San Diego’s temperate climate. The railroads went so far as to say in their advertisements that “People are so healthy in San Diego that no doctors will find employment there.”
In 1889, John Spreckels (of Spreckels Sugar and Balboa Park’s Spreckels Organ fame) purchased the then-bankrupt Coronado Beach Company holdings for $500,000—an incredibly low sum considering that in 2014, the Hotel del Coronado sold for more than $500 million! Eleven years later, he set up several hundred tents and thatched roof cottages south of the Hotel del Coronado.
Tent City, as it became known, offered rustic lodging for tourists who could not afford the opulence of the Hotel del Coronado. For $4.50 a week, visitors could rent a canvas tent furnished with a bed, wash bowl, dresser, and chair. The accommodations may not have been glamorous, but you certainly couldn’t beat the location. Tent City remained an extremely popular summer destination for more than 40 years until it was closed to make room for the Silver Strand Highway.
Coronado Beach Resort
After Tent City closed, more hotels began popping up around the island, including a motel on the half-acre lot across the street from the Hotel del Coronado. In the late 1980s, two local developers made plans to tear down the motel and build a 75-unit hotel there to be operated as an annex to the Hotel del Coronado. The developers planned on obtaining financing from a Japanese bank, but when the Japanese banking crisis hit in 1989, they found themselves with approved permits and plans but no construction funds.
At that point, Grand Pacific Resorts stepped in with alternative financing. Co-Owners Tim Stripe and David Brown wanted to avoid the costly and time-consuming process of reapplying for permits, so they kept the exterior architecture plans intact and reconfigured the interior to include 53 timeshare units.
When the resort opened for pre-sales in 1991, demand was overwhelming even though the economy was in the depths of a recession. In fact, intervals at Coronado Beach Resort were selling so quickly that David Brown personally “typed up” contracts alongside the contract processors for the first couple of weeks.
Part of the draw of Coronado Beach Resort was that this was truly the public’s only opportunity to buy a fractional piece of real estate in Coronado. Shortly after construction began, the City of Coronado placed a ban on new timeshare projects, which is still in effect today. Even the most run down homes on Coronado sold for upwards of one million dollars, so a timeshare week at $15,000 to $25,000 was a steal! In the end, the resort sold out an entire year sooner than predicted.
Today, Coronado Beach Resort continues the Coronado tradition of hospitality. Every year, thousands of Owners and Guests visit Coronado Beach Resort to make memories with friends and family while enjoying the scenic environment.
Coronado's
TOP PHOTO SPOTS
There are so many places on and off-site to take photos and make great memories that your family can share and cherish for a lifetime. Here are just a few of our favorite picturesque destinations:
• Centennial Park
• Bayview Park
• Hotel del Coronado
• Sunset Cliffs
• Coronado Beach
For some quick tips on taking the best photos check out this video of our friends, Jim and Shelly!
Centennial Park
Sunset Cliffs
Bayview Park
Hotel Del Coronado
Coronado Beach
Events LOCAL
Check out some of Coronado’s favorite events throughout the year!
January
Art in the Park
March
Beer by the Bay
April
Coronado Flower Show
July
San Diego Comic-Con
August
Concerts in the Park
September
San Diego Restaurant Week
November
Skating by the Sea
December
San Diego Bay
Parade of Lights
Check Out More Coronado Events Here
Our Family of Resorts
If you enjoy vacationing at Coronado Beach Resort, please check out our family of resorts located throughout California, Hawaii, Utah and Oregon.
HILTON GRAND VACATIONS CLUB AT MARBRISA
GRAND PACIFIC PALISADES RESORT
CORONADO BEACH RESORT
INDIAN PALMS VACATION CLUB
HANALEI BAY RESORT
MAKAI CLUB RESORT
OLYMPIC VILLAGE INN
RIVERPOINTE NAPA VALLEY
RED WOLF LAKESIDE LODGE
SAN CLEMENTE COVE
RED WOLF LODGE AT OLYMPIC VALLEY
SAN CLEMENTE INN
WAVE CREST RESORT
TAHOE SANDS RESORT
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BEACH CLUB
VILLA L’AUBERGE
VISTA MIRAGE RESORT
SAN DIEGO COUNTRY ESTATES
CIRCLE J CLUB AT JEREMY RANCH
CAPISTRANO SURFSIDE INN
CARLSBAD INN BEACH RESORT
CARLSBAD SEAPOINTE RESORT
CHANNEL ISLAND SHORES
CANYON RIM AT EAGLE CREST
Spotlight on
Whether you dream of the beach, the mountains, or the desert, you have the option to purchase more weeks to take more vacations at your home resort or become an Owner at a sister property managed by Grand Pacific Resorts.
We love having you as an Owner with Grand Pacific Resorts and hope that you will enjoy Ownership for many years. However, if the time comes, this team of licensed real estate agents is also available to assist with every aspect of your resale.
Legacy Resort Group is here to ensure you receive the most value from your vacation ownership while making the experience simple and transparent.
Legacy Resort Group (800) 940-0068
Learn more about the Legacy Resort Group
