My spouse and I traversed the San Diego Bay from the Gaslamp
District to Coronado Island on the ferry on a Thursday afternoon in early July
2018. Because we were staying in the Gaslamp District at the Hilton, we took
the ferry from the Convention Center (5th Avenue) location; however,
another ferry route runs to Broadway Pier in the Seaport/Embarcadero area (near
the USS Midway). Check the ferry’s website for operating hours; in general, the
tourist ferry operates from approximately 9:00 am until 9:00 pm daily (with
extended closing hours on weekends), departing every half-hour or hour,
depending on your origin/destination on the mainland. (The ferry also runs for
commuters in the early morning hours.) Although only service animals are
permitted on the ferry, you are allowed to bring your bike or Segway. You can
purchase tickets at an automated machine at any pier; some routes allow you to
purchase tickets onboard from the captain. Arriving on Coronado Island, the
ferry docks on First Street, where you have access to shops and restaurants. In
the summertime (Memorial Day to Labor Day), you can hop aboard a free bus that
will shuttle you to various locations around the island, including to the Hotel
Del Coronado. (A public bus runs during the regular year.) Even though we could
have reached Coronado by bridge (which is also a great scenic experience), we
preferred the novelty of arriving by ferry.
