Coronado Island is located directly across the bay from downtown San Diego.  It was once a great place to go catch jackrabbits until Elisha S. Babcock and Hampton L. Storey rowed over from the mainland and decided to invest in a hotel on the ocean side of the island. The Hotel del Coronado opened in 1888 and became a major draw for U.S. Presidents and high-class tourists. Eventually, the jackrabbits got supplanted by residents and naval operations. The U.S. Government purchased much of the island during World War I for its Signal Air Corp and naval operations. Rockwell Field was established on the northern end of the island and is where Charles A. Lindbergh took off for his trip to Paris in 1927. Much of the island is off-limits to most of us, but the other part of the island has a nice shopping strip and a good beach area for everyone. The beach is considered to be one of the best in the San Diego area. 

A great view of the island can be had by traveling to Cabrillo National Monument which over looks the field from its perch on Point Loma, but for now, let’s visit the island on a sunny afternoon.