Last week I had some friends visiting from New York.  They are a couple friend of mine, both amazing people and my BFFs from NYC.  Years before they met and before I moved to NYC, one of them made a trip to Coronado with some of our other friends for the Holidays.  The majority of them were living in New York so they figured getting out of the cold east coast for a trip to Cali was a great idea.  And let me tell you, it was a fantastic idea.

These two were living in the midst of a cruel New York winter and needed to get out ASAP. This has been one of the toughest winters in decades for East Coasters, with non-stop snow, bone chilling temperatures and winds that make you weak in the knees.  The only parts of your body that are exposed is your face...which you can...

Coronado dunes are special because they spell out Coronado.  But that’s not the only reason why the dunes are rare.  They have several functions.

The beach dunes can be great for a challenging jog.  I would go barefoot unless you have multiple pairs of running shoes - one in which you can designate for running on the beach.  Because I don’t know about you but having sand in my shoes drives me mad.  Work out those calves and shape those strong legs all while obtaining a natural tan.  

OR, if you are like me, and love the feeling of being solo, then use the dunes for that sole purpose.  Going to the beach is great in itself but the feeling that you’re on a deserted island can be even better.  Uh, yes, a deserted island that...

Coronado is home to the United States Navy Seals - and also their training camp.  Every three months a new group begins the intense, exhausting, exhilirating training course.  The toughest of men endure this epic challenge...and I don’t mean actual strength. The biggest challenge is having the mental capacity (aka courage) to survive the course.  You must be in a focused and strong mindset in order to accomplish this feat.

Day in and day out, the trainees are pushed to the limit, some tasks include: obstacle courses, skydiving and swimming.  Sure, that seems pretty straight forward and manageable.  No, wrong! They aren’t your typical swim courses or jogs along the beach.  The young Seal pups [in training] are expected to jump from helicopters...

Located at the north west end of Coronado lies Sunset Park.  It is one of the busiest parks in the Crown City - constantly filled with athletes, picnickers and children running around.  The playground is tucked away in the corner of the park, bringing distance and protection from a stray ball or frisbee.

Sunset Park is heaven on earth if you want to spend the whole day outside.  The beach is right across the street as well as Dog Beach.  There are bathrooms, drinking fountains and there is plenty of space to make your own playing field.  You can pretty much participate in any sort of outdoor sport except for one: flying kites. Visit Sunset park and you'll understand why.    

Spend all day at the park taking breaks for dips in the ocean. After the...

For a day of sporty leisure, head on over to Coronado.  Whether you arrive by car or ferry, you can easily rent bikes from one of the several rental shops on the island - Holland's Bicycles, Bikes & Beyond or Wheel Fun Rentals.

If your arrival point is the Ferry Landing, you can start your circumnavigation here.  Grab rentals from Bikes & Beyond and head out.  If your navigation starts in the southern direction, you will find yourself riding along a path, right next to the bay.  As you cruise on, downtown San Diego sparkles across the bay and sailboats float on by.  The path will bring you by Tidelands Park and heads under the bridge.  As you ride under the massive structure, the Coronado Golf Course pops up just on the other side.  Continuing...

Driving over the Coronado bridge will give you a 360 view of San Diego and a spectacular lookout point at sunset. But that only lasts a few seconds. Plus, it is challenging to drive and look at the scenery at the same time. So instead, plan ahead and get to Coronado early enough to see the sun descend. Winter is the best time to watch a sunset from the Crown City because it sets over the water.

The Crown City has several locations to offer for sunset gazers.  If you feel like treating yourself to a fancy somewhat pricey drink then head over to The Hotel Del Coronado.  Not to worry, they have beer too.  The Del has a huge deck built right on the edge of the beach - the patio includes comfy couches and fire pits.  It's no doubt a luxurious way to watch the sun set.