Coronado is a peninsula, and how you get on and off it shapes daily life. Most residents love that it feels like a small town apart from the city, and it helps to know the options before you buy. Here they are, with where to check the current details.
By car
- The Coronado Bridge (State Route 75) connects the island to downtown San Diego and the freeways. It is the main route to Interstate 5 and the rest of the city.
- The Silver Strand (State Route 75 south) runs along a narrow strip of land past the Naval Amphibious Base to Imperial Beach and on to the South Bay.
- Traffic: rush hour, events and military gate traffic can slow the bridge and the main streets. Try your own route with the Commute Check at the hours you would travel.
By ferry
A passenger ferry crosses San Diego Bay between downtown and the Coronado Ferry Landing, a popular way to commute or visit without a car. Current times and fares are on the operator's page: Flagship Cruises: Coronado Ferry.
By bus and shuttle
- San Diego's Metropolitan Transit System runs buses to Coronado, including Route 901, which links the island with downtown and Imperial Beach.
- In recent summers the city has offered a free shuttle on MTS Route 904, with season dates and frequency that change from year to year. Check the city and MTS for this year's schedule.
By bike and on foot
Coronado is flat and bike-friendly, with paths along the bay and the beach, and many errands within a short ride. A ferry-and-bike commute is popular, and the operator's page has the current rules for bicycles.
What this means when you buy
- Ask how you will get to work, school and the airport, and test it at the real hours.
- Think about guests and deliveries: the bridge and ferry are your options.
- Look at where the home sits: near the ferry and Orange Avenue, in the Cays, or by the base each have a different feel.
- See our other pages for moving to Coronado and where to live.
General information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Rules, schedules and programs change, so confirm current details with the official source.
More guides
- Owning a Historic Home in Coronado: Designation and the Mills Act — What a historic designation can mean for a Coronado home, and how the Mills Act property tax program works.
- The Best Time to Buy or Sell in San Diego, Month by Month — Charts and numbers show which months San Diego homes sell most, when prices peak and when buyers have the most room to negotiate.
- Printable Neighborhood Sheets by ZIP Code — A one-page, printable snapshot of any San Diego County ZIP code: typical values, rent, days to sell, income and the age of homes.
- Questions to Ask a Mortgage Lender Before You Choose One — A printable list of questions that help you compare lenders on equal footing, and what to look for on the Loan Estimate.