Hotel del Coronado Family Activities

Beach
Grab towels and complimentary beach chairs for a day at Coronado's vast, beautiful beach. Fog may roll overnight, but the haze usually burns off by mid-morning. Water temperatures are warmest in the summer months, but may still require a wet suit for surfing or paddleboarding. Guests can rent wetsuits, surf and boogie boards, paddleboards and beach umbrellas near the pool and whirlpool.

Guests age 6 and older can take group or private lessons catching waves in the Pacific or paddleboarding in the calmer water of Coronado Bay ($90 per person). Summer guests, ages 9 to 16, can really hone their skills with four-hour Surf Camps. Wetsuits and equipment provided.

Kids' Club
Kidtopia is the Del's three-hour day camps near the main pool give parents a break and kids ages 4 to 12 the chance to play games, make beach bags and tie-dye shirts and get to know other guests their age The program costs $50 for the first child and $45 per additional child. There also are one-hour craft programs for $20 and seasonal Kids Night Outs from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. with special themes such as pirate maps and lost treasures and Hawaiian luaus ($70).

Together, families can grab an innertube for Tuesday dive-in movies in the pool during the summer.

Downtown Coronado
The hotel is an easy stroll to downtown for candy shops, ice cream, restaurants, cafes and boutiques. They are usually more affordable than the ones at the hotel -- especially if you're looking for MooTime Creamery's ice cream. Downtown has fast-food tacos (99 cents if you hit the right night), festively lit patios, pub fare, pasta places, sandwich shops, and elegant seafood restaurants. It's also good to stock up on in-room or beach snacks. A beachside hot dog and chips will cost about $11. The downtown is just as charming as the resort with its retro blue neon and chrome.

Old Town Trolley
The resort sits about two blocks from the Old Town Trolley, which does 90-minute narrated tours of San Diego and its top attractions. The jokes and sound bites can be schmaltzy, but it's a good overview and easy way to hit the highlights and catch another trolley at Balboa Park and the zoo, Old Town San Diego, the harbor and USS Midway.

The company also runs San Diego SEAL tours using amphibious vehicles for trips through downtown and into the harbor. Tickets run $16-$19 for kids ages 4 to 12 or $32-$34 per adult.

Biking
Seven-speed bikes, cruisers, tandems, kids' bikes, trailers and surreys can be rented through PeDels for exploring downtown or the island's 15-mile trail. Rentals include helmets and locks. Guided bike tours are optional.

Skateboard Park
While the resort does not allow skateboards or rollerblades, but there is a world-class 16,000-square-foot skateboard park on the island with ramps, bowls, grinds and jumps.

Fitness areas
The hotel's fitness area includes weight and cardio equipment, along with aerobics, spin, zumba and Pilates classes. Guests who crave a more one-of-a-kind experiences can join a yoga or meditation class on the beach, with occasional options for kids' yoga (6 to 15 years old) along the Pacific.

Area Attractions
The Del does offer some bundled attraction and lodging packages that may include admission to Sea World, the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park. Extras are also available, such as a surrey bike rental, beach umbrella and private s'mores campfire on the beach.

Adjacent to the hotel, Coronado Boathouse rents sailboats, speedboats, water skis, jet skis, paddleboats and kayaks or offers guided sailboat trips.

Shopping
There are several shops right at Hotel del Coronado, including women's boutiques, a jewelry store, men's clothing and sportswear, and The Toy Castle with night goggles, LEGOs, puppets, water toys, craft kids, travel games and other fun stuff for kids. More shops are within a few blocks of the hotel on Orange Avenue.