Coronado Sand Dune’s Secret Message
2 Reviews
Hello everyone! This is a friendly reminder that any of these fun places we may visit, we are a guest at. Please treat both businesses and trails with the utmost respect. We here at Hidden San Diego follow the 'Leave no Trace' mantra, meaning whatever you bring with you comes back with you. If you see trash on a trail, please do your part to help remove it. Remember, we are not picking up trash from another person but instead cleaning up for Mother Nature. Happy adventures!
Ocean Blvd (G Avenue)
Coronado, CA 92118
32.682292, -117.182197
Dog-Friendly: No  Kid-Friendly: Yes
About Coronado Sand Dune’s Secret Message
If you’ve ever visited the Hotel Del Coronado before and walked along the shoreline, you have probably noticed the immense sand dunes that reside just north of the hotel. These dunes are like their own little land when you’re inside.
Kids like to create mazes out of them and joggers use them for endurance. What you may not know is that they actually spell out a secret message!
Back in the 80’s there was a huge storm that created such a massive buildup of seaweed that the maintenance man in charge of cleaning up the mess didn’t know what to do with it all! He finally decided the best way to clear the mess was to hide it by piling sand on top, creating these large mounds.
While you’re in the area, make sure to do a Coronado Neighborhood Walk!
Being a creative type though, he went one step further and had them spell out the word “Coronado“. It was kind of his own personal joke for some time until Google Maps came around in which anyone can now search it for themselves! A bonus tip is that a whale is buried in the letter ‘R’!
From the ground it just looks like regular mounds of seaweed and sand:
Kristina
I beg to differ with the origin story . I am sitting in Coronado with my mother as I type this, and she she says that she remembers the berms/dunes from back in the 60’s when she was little. They used to have ice plants on tops of them.
March 19, 2016
Walter Wynnchok
I used to work for The City and we wore masks and got Hepatitis shots once a year to go in those tunnels. Wear a respirator and get Hepatitis shots before you go in there! Those places are full of rot.People go to the bathroom in there.?
December 3, 2018