Coronado’s Dog Beach is a famous paradise for pups, but did you know the whole island is wonderfully welcoming to your furry friends? Here we chat to a mix of locals and visitors about their favorite pit stops, with plenty of tips for human treats along the way!

PARAKEET CAFE is popular spot for fluffy friends offering either sociable sidewalk seating or a secluded back patio, for pups that need a quieter spot to relax. Maria and Olivia from Mexico (left) love the Chai Latte with organic spices and raw honey, while Rocky, Danielle and Puff (right) are a huge fans of the revitalizing smoothies, especially the Brazilian Boost and Tumeric Blast.

Brittani, Teddy and their Blue Merle Frenchie Patrick just arrived in from Washington DC for a dog-friendly stay at the HOTEL DEL CORONADO and especially love the BEACH & TACO SHACK where you can enjoy everything from Sunrise Breakfast Burritos to Sunset Beach Cocktails with your toes/paws in the sand. The couple are also big fans of Gray Malin’s photography and were thrilled to learn of his new series DOGS OF SAN DIEGO which you can see featured on our VISIT CORONADO home page!

If you’re visiting Coronado without a dog you can get your canine fix at SAND, BEACH & BIKINI – owner Sandy’s gorgeous German Shepherd Moonshine is popular with locals who come by with treats, or to tussle with a toy before shopping for beach/skate/surf apparel.

Coronado is blessed with a superb pet boutique in WAG’N TAILS with a caring, knowledgeable staff. You can shower your pup down after a sandy day at the beach or treat them to a pastel-frosted dog cookie that matches your outfit, like Olivia, Chasen and Kona.

Smiling siblings Max and Ava brought their 10 week old Golden Retriever puppy Lucy to WAG’N TAILS to find a cute collar. They chose the classic Coronado design with gilded crowns and the iconic Hotel Del turret as they have family on the island and it will make a lovely memento for when they return home to Arizona.

Anette treated her beloved Xoloitzcuintle (aka Mexican Hairless Dog) to a pale blue t-shirt from WAG’N TAILS – and yes, the coordination with her own beautiful dress was intentional! While 11-year-old Chikis watched the dogs parading down Orange Avenue, Anette enjoyed an Iced Cinnamon Honey Latte and a slice of Coconut Cream Pie at CLAYTON’S COFFEE SHOP. She is also a big fan of the Drunken Noodles and Thai Tea at SWADEE THAI, which has abundant dog-friendly outdoor seating.

We caught up with Adam and his Tijuana rescue pup Lady enjoying an Acai Bowl at PARAKEET JUICERY. Regular visitors from across the bridge in South Park, Adam also recommends THE ISLANDER and GARAGE BUONA FORCHETTA for their dog-friendliness and lip-smacking food and drinks. (Lady favors anything with that comes with fish, fries or cheese!)

ADORN is a great gift shop for dog-lovers with a sense of humor! Lauren and Phina display a selection of cool pet bandanas and, better yet, dispense free quality dog treats to their canine customers!

Across the avenue, CROWN MEETS SEA offer dog-themed photo frames, including one with the touching words: No longer by my side, always in my heart.

Jess and her 9 year-old Schnoodle Lucky find Coronado so dog-friendly they visit once a week! Here Jess enjoys an afternoon scoop of Biscottini from NADO GELATO, though when she shares licks with Lucky she opts for fresh berry. Their other favorite spot is MIGUEL’S COCINA, owned by family friends, where pups love to sprawl on the shady patio.

Luke and his Lab mix rescue Lily paused to accept some loving attention outside McP’s IRISH PUB – their dog-friendly patio has hosted many a Yappy Hour fundraiser for PAWS OF CORONADO over the years. Lily loves to do sidewalk clean up as she passes the restaurants along Orange Avenue en route to BRIGANTINE SEAFOOD & OYSTER BAR or MIGUEL’S COCINA where she (like Lucky above) is a big fan of the complimentary tortilla chips!

Karen and her giant Newfies Norm & Gus relish the rapturous welcome they get from little kids to uniformed Coronado Police. Even as we stopped to chat, endless passersby reach to rumple their velvetty fur! Karen names virtually every establishment on the island as being fantastically dog-friendly with a special shout out to the Poke Tacos and Mai Tais at THE ISLANDER and the Old Fashioned cocktails at DANNY’S PALM BAR & GRILL. The dogs particularly enjoy the dog treats and chew toys that greet them when they check-in to the CROWN CITY INN.

Wendy and her 3lb Teacup Yorkie Roxi are the embodiment of these LE MER BOUTIQUE sweaters – we caught up with them on their weekend coffee run from the Coronado Shores. The pair flew in from Colorado Springs and were delighted to discover BETTER BUZZ COFFEE had opened since their last visit. Wendy raves about the “Best Drink Ever” – classic Americano with signature creamy vanilla…

Meanwhile, dogs like stylish senior Marley are a big fan of the BETTER BUZZ Pup Cups!

Locals Jamie and Kim take their English Cream Dachshund Hunter with them everywhere on Coronado! Their favorite treat is THE HENRY, for the outstanding service and inventive cuisine, though they confess Hunter may give CENTRAL LIQUOR & DELI the edge as he gets spoiled with slices of turkey! As you can tell from the pic, this pup adores all manner of attention and was once featured on The Dogist Instagram account netting 77,000 likes! He has also starred in Coronado’s EAGLE & JOURNAL newspaper advertising their Pet Photo Contest which is open for submissions right now!

Lissa & Irish Setter Mini Doodle Koa relax on the Adirondack chairs outside FRANCAISE, which sells Woof! dog food mats and cute china Teckel cups, as modeled by Paulina. Aptly, Lissa’s favorite dog-friendly dining spot also has a Gallic theme – LITTLE FRENCHIE – serving classic fare from Duck L’Orange to Moules Frites! For dessert she takes Koa to MOO TIME CREAMERY which offers dogs little cups of whipped cream!

Other dog-themed gifts around town include the dog bow-ties and hand-knit dog scarves at EARTH, WIND & SEA, dog mugs, sandstone sculptures and tea towels at FAIR TRADE DECOR and embroidered California chew toys at SPRECKELS SWEETS & TREATS at the Hotel Del.

CLAYTON’S BAKERY & BISTRO offer two sizes of Pup Cakes – the mini is topped with bacon, the larger features a bone-shaped biscuit. As you can see from Frenchie puppy Lulu’s face, the peanut butter topping is delicious! Dog Mom Mariana’s best friend works here, which is how she discovered these gourmet treats! She and boyfriend Ruben also love the human food and recommend the Bistro Burger with wagyu beef patty and the Matcha Lattes.

TARTINE‘s ever-shady patio is a dog Mecca in Coronado – possibly because one bite of their home-baked dog biscuits guarantees a return visit! Kristin, Matt and Goldendoodle Lulu stop by every time they visit from Los Angeles, and enjoy the easy stroll from the CORONADO ISLAND MARRIOTT RESORT, which they compliment for their dedicated dog play area.

These retro pink pup keychains are brand new at CORONADO VINTAGE and come in a variety of breeds, including this Yorkie and a floppy-eared Spaniel. You may also like the range of amusing dog-themed tin signs!

Anita, Kevin and 12 year-old Shiba Inu Bogii came to Coronado to celebrate Anita’s birthday with a stay at the dog-friendly CORONADO ISLAND MARRIOTT RESORT. Bogii (who Anita brought to the US from Taiwan) especially loves the room’s bay breeze balcony and leisurely strolls along the waterfront. The couple cooled off with iced lemonade from PARFAIT PARIS and then enjoyed a birthday dinner at IL FORNAIO.

PARFAIT PARIS’ owner Ludi named her sweet’n’shy San Diego rescue pup Leia after the Star Wars icon, which is apt as you can see the Comicon convention center across the bay from her chic patisserie! This idyllic Ferry Landing location also offers gourmet sandwiches to take away, if you’d like to take your pup to Tidelands Park or the adjacent beach for a picnic.

Here’s Jaren from CORONADO MERCANTILE showcasing the latest trend in trucker hats for dogs, available in a range of sizes and colors (including pink!). Pup Lids originated with a dog who loves the beach but has sun sensitive eyes and happens to have a veterinarian mom and an engineer dad! They even come with a Coronado logo so make a great memento of your trip!

IT REALLY IS A DOG’S LIFE!

We’d love to see your Coronado canine pics- please tag us on IG at @coronadovisitorcenter