Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Bike the bayshore on Coronado's Silver Strand

Experience an uncluttered view of the south end of San Diego Bay and the Coronado Bridge

See more of the south bay from this footbridge
See more of the south bay from this footbridge

The Bayshore Bikeway can be entered at the end of the parking lot at Glorietta Bay Park in Coronado. Pay attention for riders as you enter. This is the beginning of a nice 9-mile ride to the bottom of San Diego Bay. You’ll ride past the Naval Amphibious Base (Navy SEALs), at which point the ride opens up to reveal San Diego Bay on the left, if you’re heading south. You’ll notice a dirt walking path and a marked observation platform on the east side that provides a panoramic view of the Bay. Stop and take in the view. Upon reentering the trail, continue south and you’ll encounter Navy housing and an open space. This area, known as Fiddler’s Cove, is just to the north of Lowe’s Coronado. Continuing south, you’ll pass by Coronado Cays. At the entrance to the Cays, you can ride west underneath SR-75 into Silver Strand Beach, where you will face the broad ocean and can look at shore birds and possibly see some sand dollars. This area is normally quite busy on the weekend.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Crossing back under SR-75, turn right/south on the bike path. Continue south until the housing area stops and the real pay-off for this ride begins: an uncluttered view of the south end of San Diego Bay. Once past all the housing, pull off the bike path and look back north at Coronado, downtown San Diego, and the Coronado Bridge. There will be a parking area on the right with seats that overlook the Bay from west to east. Look closely a bit to the southeast and you’ll notice huge piles of white stuff. That’s salt harvested from the Bay at the South Bay Salt Works, the second-oldest continuously operating business in San Diego, begun in 1871. This is also where the National Wildlife Refuge begins. Looking east, look for great egrets, blue herons, and a myriad of shore birds. This area is a major nesting area for a variety of terns. It’s not uncommon to see more than 15,000 terns breeding and nesting in this area in the spring.

The bike path curves to the left/east though the old tidal pools. Your landmark will be a bench on the left at the end of a walking path at the bottom of the Bay. You have three options: 1) Turn around and return up the Strand to Glorietta Bay. This option results in about an 18-mile ride. 2) Turn right and follow the signs to the Imperial Beach Pier, about 1.2 miles. This is a great side trip because you can walk your bike out to the end of the pier and/or have coffee or ice cream at a quaint little shop at the beginning of the pier. Returning to Glorietta Bay will make this about a 22 mile round trip. 3) Continue on the bike bath for another 0.9 mile and stop at the newly constructed Bikeway Village commercial area on the right, where you’ll find a coffee shop, bike shop, and restrooms with a great viewing platform out front. This is where the City of Imperial Beach has created a beautiful series of native plant gardens. Take time to view the native plants found here.

Cyclists please note: The winds on the Strand are fickle. They normally increase in the late morning coming from the NNW. They are strong enough at times that if you stop peddling, you stop moving, making this a real slog riding back north.

SILVER STRAND BAYSHORE BIKE RIDE (Coronado)

Discover nature along the perimeter of San Diego Bay on the Bayshore Bikeway.

Silver Strand Bayshore Bikeway Map

Driving directions: (Coronado) From I-5 exit onto SR-75, which is landfall for the Coronado Bridge. Travel west into the village of Coronado and continue until it intersects with Orange Avenue. Turn left and drive through the heart of Coronado past the Hotel Del Coronado. The high-rise condominiums will be on the right. The second red light past Coronado City Hall is where you’ll turn left, and then immediately right onto an unnamed surface road. Drive past the Coronado Recreation Center and you’ll encounter Glorietta Bay Park with a picnic area, ample parking, and restrooms—consider having a picnic after the bike ride in the shaded area facing Glorietta Bay and the Coronado Bridge. (Imperial Beach) From I-5 South, exit onto Palm Avenue/SR-75, following it to SR-75 North into Coronado. Turn right into the Glorietta Bay Park. This is an out-and-back ride from Coronado to the commercial complex described below. (Imperial Beach Alternate) From I-5 exit onto Palm Avenue/SR-75 and drive west one mile. Turn left/north onto 13th Street. Go to the end and there’s a newly created commercial complex called Bikeway Village with a bike shop, coffee shop, restrooms, and ample parking. This is an out-and-back ride to Glorietta Bay Park beginning from this parking area. Biking length: 18-22 miles. Allow 3 hours biking time. Difficulty: Easy. Hiking/walking the Bayshore Bikeway is not recommended due to the heavy bicycle traffic and their speeds. It’s not uncommon to encounter bicycle pelotons of 10-15 riders whizzing by at 15-20 miles per hour. Always ride in the right lane, paying attention to riders passing behind and approaching.

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Use San Diego crosswalks at your own peril

But new state law clearing nearby parking might backfire
See more of the south bay from this footbridge
See more of the south bay from this footbridge

The Bayshore Bikeway can be entered at the end of the parking lot at Glorietta Bay Park in Coronado. Pay attention for riders as you enter. This is the beginning of a nice 9-mile ride to the bottom of San Diego Bay. You’ll ride past the Naval Amphibious Base (Navy SEALs), at which point the ride opens up to reveal San Diego Bay on the left, if you’re heading south. You’ll notice a dirt walking path and a marked observation platform on the east side that provides a panoramic view of the Bay. Stop and take in the view. Upon reentering the trail, continue south and you’ll encounter Navy housing and an open space. This area, known as Fiddler’s Cove, is just to the north of Lowe’s Coronado. Continuing south, you’ll pass by Coronado Cays. At the entrance to the Cays, you can ride west underneath SR-75 into Silver Strand Beach, where you will face the broad ocean and can look at shore birds and possibly see some sand dollars. This area is normally quite busy on the weekend.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Crossing back under SR-75, turn right/south on the bike path. Continue south until the housing area stops and the real pay-off for this ride begins: an uncluttered view of the south end of San Diego Bay. Once past all the housing, pull off the bike path and look back north at Coronado, downtown San Diego, and the Coronado Bridge. There will be a parking area on the right with seats that overlook the Bay from west to east. Look closely a bit to the southeast and you’ll notice huge piles of white stuff. That’s salt harvested from the Bay at the South Bay Salt Works, the second-oldest continuously operating business in San Diego, begun in 1871. This is also where the National Wildlife Refuge begins. Looking east, look for great egrets, blue herons, and a myriad of shore birds. This area is a major nesting area for a variety of terns. It’s not uncommon to see more than 15,000 terns breeding and nesting in this area in the spring.

The bike path curves to the left/east though the old tidal pools. Your landmark will be a bench on the left at the end of a walking path at the bottom of the Bay. You have three options: 1) Turn around and return up the Strand to Glorietta Bay. This option results in about an 18-mile ride. 2) Turn right and follow the signs to the Imperial Beach Pier, about 1.2 miles. This is a great side trip because you can walk your bike out to the end of the pier and/or have coffee or ice cream at a quaint little shop at the beginning of the pier. Returning to Glorietta Bay will make this about a 22 mile round trip. 3) Continue on the bike bath for another 0.9 mile and stop at the newly constructed Bikeway Village commercial area on the right, where you’ll find a coffee shop, bike shop, and restrooms with a great viewing platform out front. This is where the City of Imperial Beach has created a beautiful series of native plant gardens. Take time to view the native plants found here.

Cyclists please note: The winds on the Strand are fickle. They normally increase in the late morning coming from the NNW. They are strong enough at times that if you stop peddling, you stop moving, making this a real slog riding back north.

SILVER STRAND BAYSHORE BIKE RIDE (Coronado)

Discover nature along the perimeter of San Diego Bay on the Bayshore Bikeway.

Silver Strand Bayshore Bikeway Map

Driving directions: (Coronado) From I-5 exit onto SR-75, which is landfall for the Coronado Bridge. Travel west into the village of Coronado and continue until it intersects with Orange Avenue. Turn left and drive through the heart of Coronado past the Hotel Del Coronado. The high-rise condominiums will be on the right. The second red light past Coronado City Hall is where you’ll turn left, and then immediately right onto an unnamed surface road. Drive past the Coronado Recreation Center and you’ll encounter Glorietta Bay Park with a picnic area, ample parking, and restrooms—consider having a picnic after the bike ride in the shaded area facing Glorietta Bay and the Coronado Bridge. (Imperial Beach) From I-5 South, exit onto Palm Avenue/SR-75, following it to SR-75 North into Coronado. Turn right into the Glorietta Bay Park. This is an out-and-back ride from Coronado to the commercial complex described below. (Imperial Beach Alternate) From I-5 exit onto Palm Avenue/SR-75 and drive west one mile. Turn left/north onto 13th Street. Go to the end and there’s a newly created commercial complex called Bikeway Village with a bike shop, coffee shop, restrooms, and ample parking. This is an out-and-back ride to Glorietta Bay Park beginning from this parking area. Biking length: 18-22 miles. Allow 3 hours biking time. Difficulty: Easy. Hiking/walking the Bayshore Bikeway is not recommended due to the heavy bicycle traffic and their speeds. It’s not uncommon to encounter bicycle pelotons of 10-15 riders whizzing by at 15-20 miles per hour. Always ride in the right lane, paying attention to riders passing behind and approaching.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

At Comedor Nishi a world of cuisines meet for brunch

A Mexican eatery with Japanese and French influences
Next Article

Mary Catherine Swanson wants every San Diego student going to college

Where busing from Southeast San Diego to University City has led
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader