Just 15 minutes from both downtown San Diego and San Diego International Airport, yet seemingly a world away as it’s surrounded by water, Coronado Island provides meetings and events properties ranging from the luxe, recently renovated Victorian-era Hotel del Coronado to meetings/resort hotels from Marriott and Loews.
While it has the meeting properties and space to satisfy most any group, it’s the myriad activity options—both water and land based—that further sets Coronado apart from competitors.
[Related: San Diego's Best Kept Secret: Coronado Island!]
The challenge for meeting planners then becomes which of the many offsite options to choose. Coronado Island offers five beaches, two bays, a waterfront municipal golf course, tours through historic neighborhoods and boutique shopping experiences, among other pursuits.
Regardless of the final choice, offsite activities on Coronado can suit whatever objective planners have, from relaxing, individual-focused programs to outings that get the whole team connected, engaged and even competing.
Top Coronado Water Activities for Group and Event Attendees
“Coronado is surrounded by water, so there are endless team activities in or near water,” said Shari Stauder, destination sales director at Discover Coronado. Stauder is the destination’s key point of contact when researching offsite options by land or sea.
“The currents are calmer in San Diego Bay, so you can enjoy so many things, such as a harbor cruise or kayaking around the Bay," she said. "Your team can also take surf lessons with Coronado Surf Academy. There's stand-up paddleboarding and yoga on paddleboards. There's also yoga on yachts, and small groups can even take a nice, relaxing gondola ride through Coronado Cays, which has canals flowing by really high-end, beautiful homes.
“And groups from 20 to 100 can experience a sailing regatta with five to six people per sailing boat, with a captain, to learn how to sail before starting the race,” she added. “Attendees can get as into it and competitive as they want, or they may just want to sit back, have a drink, and not do much, and have the captain can take over.”
Here are four “can’t miss” water-based activity options for groups visiting Coronado.
Surfing Lessons With Coronado Surf Academy
Locally owned and operated, Coronado Surf Academy has been “sharing the stoke” for more than 20 years. Groups with participants from all skill levels are guided from suit-up to catching their very first wave. The 90-minute lessons operate every day of the week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting. Coronado Surf Academy also rents out surfboards and wetsuits by the day or week.
Glow-in the Dark Paddleboarding or SUP Yoga
Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) is one of those easy-to-learn activities that is relatively comfortable for any attendee, and Coronado is primed to take SUPing to the next level via glow-in-the-dark paddleboarding. SUP Coronado offers 90-minute guided tours for groups, featuring underwater LED lights to view nocturnal marine life.
Gondola Cruises Through Coronado Cays
The upscale Coronado Cays canals, located near Loews Coronado Bay Resort, about four miles from Coronado’s main village, is a conglomeration of 10 distinct residential neighborhoods with more than 1,000 homes. Meeting attendees love to rent electric bicycles for leisurely rides through this premier boating community, which boasts a dedicated yacht club, private slips and direct access to San Diego Bay. Better yet, groups can take to the water via 50-minute gondola cruises via Gondola Company, which offers six-person boats with wine, non-alcoholic beverages and chocolates available for purchase.
Yoga on a Yacht
Take your wellness offering to a luxe level via yoga on a yacht from Bowtie Adventures, which operates a premier three-hour yoga experience on San Diego Bay for groups of up to 12 on an 80-foot yacht that sails past Coronado and downtown San Diego on San Diego Bay. For those preferring to stick closer to land, Loews Coronado Bay Resort also offers yoga on its dock and Hotel del Coronado features yoga and spin classes on its beach.
Sailing Regatta on San Diego Bay
If your group is up for the challenge, they can safely learn to sail firsthand from an experienced captain. Groups gather at the private Coronado Yacht Club for basic instructions on sailing terms and navigation and then divide into groups of four to six people to race. Participants can get very involved and competitive or can kick back and relax with a beverage and let the captain of each sailboat do the work!
Top Coronado Land Activities for Group and Event Attendees
While being surrounded by water naturally lends itself to Bay-based activities, Coronado has no shortage of off-session options for the land lovers in the group.
“There's a variety of fun walking tours all around Coronado with a lot of rich history, and there's bike paths for bikes and golf carts—and the golf carts can go on the streets,” Stauder said. “And there's also golf along the Bay. We have a Coronado Golf Course that’s gorgeous—you're on the water, you see the Coronado Bridge, you see the downtown skyline; it's wonderful place for a round of golf or group tournament.”
Here are two land-based offsite activity options on the island.
Coronado Golf Course
Golf enthusiasts in the group can play one of the most beautiful courses in Southern California, boasting sweeping downtown and harbor views from every hole. Ranked No. 1 nationally by Golfer’s Choice and No. 5 nationally by Golf Digest for delivering the best golf value, the par-72 Coronado Golf Course is a municipal offering that can arrange tournaments, with full-course events requiring a minimum of 120 paid players. All of the most popular group golf formats are available and the clubhouse is available for F&B and event services provided by Feast & Fairway Coronado for turnkey packages.
Navy SEALS Training
Groups can catch a glimpse of Navy SEALS in training on the Bay or along the Navy’s designated portion of Silver Strand beach, where the elite warriors engage in an intense, six-month Basic Underwater/Demolition program. Want to kick it up a notch? Take it a step further via group boot camp events with actual SEALS that include beach training, teambuilding exercises and, in some cases, even have a Navy admiral speak at your conference.
Getting your group outside—whether by land or sea—is a must in Coronado, given the destination is blessed with an outsized amount of outdoor activity options.
“That’s what we always focus on and capitalize on,” Stauder said. “Why do you want to be in a ballroom or in a lobby when you can be outside? And by that, I mean groups can basically do everything outside—even breakouts.
“For me, it's more than just vitamin D from sunshine,” she added. “It's the bonding, but it’s also the fresh air and really making the most of the surroundings.”
