Growing up in Coronado, I didn’t appreciated living so close to the beach.  Let’s just tell it how it is...I hated the sand, how it got into every nook and cranny of the body, that it somehow always made it into my bed, the cold Pacific water and the inability to see any creature that may be lurking in the waves.  Basically, I was a brat.

Ten years ago I removed myself from Coronado to explore other cities. Now that I have returned to live in this paradise, I have come to truly appreciate the Crown City.  But I've grown up, matured (still under debate) and spent time away from a place that I always took for granted.  I sincerely (appreciate) how the norm is to wake up and be happy that the sun is almost always shining.  In short, my way of thinking...

Need to know the time? I know this may seem old school but listen for the bells.  There are two beautiful churches in Coronado that chime on the hour, every hour of every day.  I know it’s rare to not have a watch or phone to give us the time but there may be an instance where your phone has died or you left your pocket watch at home.

For centuries, the world has used clocks and sundials to know the time of day.  And this ancient tradition continues to this day.  I’m sure it seems obvious but sometimes we get used to the sounds of our town and hearing the church bells may fall into that category.  

Each church plays a little intro, giving you time to listen (no pun intended).  Once the melody is over, there will be a single “dong”...

As Coronado is home to the U.S. Navy SEAL's and their training camp, I have always appreciated what these men put themselves through. Not that I can say I fully understand as I would barely last a day...if that even. Maybe an hour… But after having seen ‘Lone Survivor’ I have a newfound appreciation for these men.  And this movie is the type of film that sticks with you.  

The intro to the movie is old video footage and photos of the SEAL's in training.  Every single one of those shots takes place on Coronado’s very own beach.  Yes, this is where they go through months of gruelling camp. I know this, yet it’s crazy to see it!

While I watched these fighters battle for their lives, I couldn’t help but wonder about the families of...

This morning I woke up at 7:30 to a blue, cloudless sky with the sun on the rise.  I could tell it was going to be a beautiful, warm day - one of the perks of living in California in January. Itching for some exercise, I figured going for a stroll along the beach was the right thing to do.  The day was young and the sun was gearing up for some intense heat.  

The mornings can be a little chilly but I knew that wouldn’t last for long.  So I threw on my flip flops, some ¾ jogging pants, a short sleeve shirt, grabbed my mom and headed out.  We decided along the five minute walk to the beach that the plan of action was to walk one length of the beach in the soft sand and on the way back on the hard sand.  

Along the way we encountered all...

Standing on the beach looking out over the ocean at the Pacific horizon stans two islands.  These are the Coronado Islands.

Don’t be fooled, from afar, these islands look tempting as the surrounding water glistens brightly.  But the Coronado Islands are actually uninhabitable and are part of Mexican territory.  

Upon inspecting their shapes, it’s easy to see why people say they look like mummy tombs. As if the tombs were toe to toe and you are looking at the profile of an ancient artifact.  The islands can also be seen from the top of the bridge, getting a birdseye perspective of Coronado Island(s).

Because Coronado is right on the beach, the opportunity to surf the Pacific is possible, whether you have a surfboard or not.  Stop on by Emerald City and grab reasonably priced rentals. They have paddle boards, surf boards and wetsuits of all sizes.  

So, if you’re more experienced out in the ocean, you can rent shorter boards and if you’re a beginner that is eager to try, then a long board will be perfect for you.  The wetsuits may be a bit sandy, but what do you expect? The beach is sandy so it’s inevitable!  They do ask that you brush off the sand from the boards before returning (otherwise they charge a small fee). But it’s easy to clean off.

Bit of advice: put on the wetsuit before going on the ocean.  It’s damn near impossible...

If you happen to be researching the history and images of Coronado, you will find many photos dating back to the 1900s. Most of these pictures will show the Hotel Del Coronado, along with a little community lined by tents.  

Coronado was founded in 1885 with the intention of creating a resort town.  And in 1900, John D Spreckels (famous amongst Coronado residents), purchased a piece of land south of the Hotel Del.  The intention was to create a small touristic, vacation spot. This area was named Tent City.  

Nowadays, the streets are no longer lined with tents but you can see this fascinating piece of history by visiting the Coronado History Museum.  It’s located on Orange Ave, next to the  [appropriately named] restaurant, Tent City.

Some of us may feel like New Years Eve is one of those anticlimactic occasions.  Oh, what...that’s just me? Okay, fine. But you can’t deny that there is so much pressure and organization involved in planning your festive evening.

Well, whether or not you feel the same way I do about waiting for the stroke of midnight, there is at least one out of the box idea that can make for a fun filled, relaxing, stress free night.  And that would be camping at Coronado’s beach.  

Spend your New Years night on the beach instead of spending hundreds of dollars for a table at a bar that is so cramped you can’t even order a drink. I mean, why not take advantage of living near the ocean and use it to your benefit?

Located just before the Coronado Cays on the...