Coronado, California

The Hotel del Coronado is a world famous beach resort in Coronado, California, often referred to simply as "the Del." The dome and cupola above its oceanfront ballroom is its trademark. Built in 1888, it maintains the Victorian touches of that era in its furnishings and ambiance.
Coronado beach is a broad expanse of sand. My husband lived just 8 blocks from here as a child. His mother took him out to the beach in front of the Hotel Del to watch part of the filming of Some Like it Hot, with Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. Dave was only 7 or 8 at the time, and he was much more interested in playing in the ocean and on the beach than watching the filming of the movie.
My husband went to Coronado recently to speak at a conference, and this was the view from his room at the Del. The low buildings in front are the new Villa units that are part of the Hotel Del Coronado complex. This is a view down Coronado beach. Across the sea is Point Loma, and the entrance to San Diego harbor is between Pt. Loma and the end of Coronado.
Coronado has perfect weather, in the 70's (F) (21 - 25 C.) all year. This makes it a desirable place for people to live, and flowers and gardens bloom all year. Santa Barbara style architecture is popular. This house is a fine example.
There are also some Victorian homes remaining from the early days of Coronado. Because my husband was on a business trip, sadly he did not take his camera. He took these photos with his Blackberry after he finished his meetings and before leaving for the airport on his last day at his conference.
The main street of Coronado is Orange Avenue, shown here. When my husband lived in Coronado in 1957 - 1960, the bridge connecting Coronado to San Diego had not been built, and people would have to take ferry boats across the bay. Most of the people who lived in Coronado back then were retirees and Navy personnel stationed at North Island Naval Air Station, which occupies the northern part of Coronado. The first traffic light was installed on Coronado when Dave lived there during his 1st - 3rd grades, when his father was the Supply Officer of the Naval Air Station.
From the Hotel Del Coronado, looking south down a peninsula called the Silver Strand, which leads almost to Mexico, there are large condo buildings right on the beach. Condos in Coronado are popular with people who live in Arizona, as it is a short 1 hour flight or 6 hour drive to escape the hot desert summers and enjoy the perfect beach weather.
The pool and patio next to the ballroom at the Del is an ideal way to spend an afternoon. They often will have a band playing, so you can enjoy the music, sun, fresh ocean air, and the hotel staff will make sure you have enough food to drink. The hotel is regarded as having ghosts, and some people reserve the rooms where people have reported seeing the ghost of a woman. I don't know why a ghost would stay up in a room when she could hang out at the pool instead.