{"id":403106,"date":"2026-07-18T03:46:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T03:46:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/403106\/"},"modified":"2026-07-18T03:46:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T03:46:10","slug":"explore-coronado-app-puts-events-dining-and-hidden-gems-in-one-place","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/403106\/","title":{"rendered":"Explore Coronado app puts events, dining, and hidden gems in one place"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u201cCoronado has no shortage of engaged organizations doing great work \u2014 it\u2019s that nobody had pulled it into one place.\u201d <\/p>\n

When Clay Shinn moved back to Coronado five years ago, he quickly realized there wasn\u2019t an easy way to know what was happening on the island. While Coronado has plenty of sources for local information, Shinn says it was fragmented. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d have to check five or ten different sites and follow a handful of social media accounts to get the full picture,\u201d said Shinn.<\/p>\n

That frustration led him to create the Explore Coronado app. <\/p>\n

\u201cI already had a travel app business, so I had the platform and technical foundation in place; what took the real time was building out the content, which took several months of research and outreach to get right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s a Chamber of Commerce event, a PAWS adoption day, a historical walking tour, or happy hours, the Explore Coronado app brings it all together in one easy-to-use place.\u00a0Users will find local events, activities, restaurants, bars, hidden gems, and community happenings, along with a calendar, business spotlights, and practical information.<\/p>\n

Explore Coronado is for both residents and visitors. \u201cWhether you\u2019ve lived here 20 years or you\u2019re on the island for a weekend, the goal is the same: open the app and immediately see something worth doing, without having to dig for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLocals get an easy way to stay in the loop on their own community: knowing what\u2019s happening this weekend, which restaurant just opened, when the next beach cleanup is,\u201d Shinn elaborates. \u201cVisitors get something closer to a local\u2019s-eye view instead of a generic tourist listing. We\u2019ve got over 500 things to do listed on the app, \u2026 there\u2019s almost always something new to discover.\u201d<\/p>\n

Features of Explore Coronado<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of my favorite features is the happy hour list, tucked under the \u2018More\u2019 menu. It pulls together every happy hour on the island in one place, organized by day of the week,\u201d said Shinn.<\/p>\n

The app even highlights deals like IB Pet Coronado\u2019s 10% discount on frozen bones each Friday.<\/p>\n

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Make use of the search function! Type in whatever you\u2019re in the mood for, whether it be coffee, live music, or a dog-friendly patio, and you\u2019ll see multiple options. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a good reminder of how much is actually happening on this small island at any given time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keeping Explore Coronado up to date<\/p>\n

While the idea of one place to find everything is appealing, it\u2019s the legwork that may have prevented someone from undertaking this project in the past.<\/p>\n

The work isn\u2019t automated. Shinn manually reviews websites and updates the app regularly; and partnerships with local organizations help ensure listings stay current.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a mix of routine and manual review. I keep two running lists of sites \u2014 about 20 I check at least once a week for anything time-sensitive, and another 20 to 30 I check monthly, since that content tends to be more static.\u201d<\/p>\n

Partnerships<\/p>\n

It was important for Shinn to partner with local organizations like the Chamber of Commerce, PAWS, the Eagle & Journal, and the Coronado Historical Association. \u201cI wanted to partner with these organizations so the app reflects the island accurately \u2014 not just what one person thinks is interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Explore Coronado app is such a fantastic resource for locals to stay connected with what is happening around town,\u201d said Christine Stokes, Executive Director of the Coronado Historical Association (CHA). \u201cWe are particularly excited to see the platform beautifully infused with our rich local history alongside all the latest exhibits and events at the Coronado Historical Association\u2019s museum. It is a wonderful way to bridge Coronado\u2019s unique past with the vibrant community life happening on the island today.\u201d<\/p>\n

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For Shinn personally, he\u2019s really proud of his partnership with PAWS. \u201cIt\u2019s less about information and more about visibility \u2014 making sure pets available for adoption actually get seen \u2026 If the app can help even a few animals find homes faster, that\u2019s a partnership I\u2019m proud of regardless of anything else it does.\u201d<\/p>\n

Get involved<\/p>\n

For businesses or organizations that have information for the app, reach out to Shinn using the \u201cFeedback\u201d option in the app.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

\u201cIf a business or group has something coming up, I\u2019d genuinely love to hear from them. Every business and \u2018Things to do\u2019 page also has an \u2018Improve This Listing\u2019 option built right in, which businesses can use to send me updates, corrections, or new information anytime.\u201d He continues, \u201cDown the road, as we build a larger base of users, businesses will have more ways to promote themselves directly \u2014 through the app itself, not just event listings. So getting involved now, even in a small way, sets them up to take advantage of those opportunities as the platform grows.\u201d<\/p>\n

Learn something new<\/p>\n

The app also includes facts that many people may not know. \u201dCoronado actually has 19 different beaches around the island \u2014 not just \u2018the beach,\u2019 but 19 distinct stretches and mini beaches, each with its own character. There are also around 50 art installations scattered throughout the island, both outdoors and tucked inside public buildings. Even people who\u2019ve lived here for years are probably walking past pieces they\u2019ve never noticed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clay\u2019s favorite hidden gem is along the Nature\u2019s Bridge to Discovery trail on the Silver Strand. \u201cThere\u2019s a circle of benches built along the trail that actually functions as a solstice clock \u2014 twice a year, during the summer and winter solstices, the sunlight lines up with the benches in a way that marks the moment. It\u2019s the kind of thing you could walk past a hundred times and never know it\u2019s there unless someone points it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Community response<\/p>\n

The community response has been really encouraging. \u201cThe feedback I hear most often is relief \u2014 people are glad to finally have everything consolidated in one place instead of having to piece it together themselves. A lot of people also comment on how easy it is to search and actually find something to do, whether that\u2019s browsing by category or just typing in what they\u2019re in the mood for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most rewarding for Clay has been hearing from longtime residents who say they\u2019ve discovered something new about their own island through the app. \u201cThat\u2019s exactly the reaction I was hoping for when I started building it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Planning a day with Explore Coronado<\/p>\n

Each person will have a different perfect day in Coronado. For Clay, he\u2019d start with coffee (and check the app for where to get some), then he\u2019d stroll around the Hotel del Coronado. \u201cEven if you\u2019ve seen it before, it\u2019s worth slowing down and taking in the architecture and the beach in front of it \u2014 it\u2019s still the heart of the island for a reason.\u201d<\/p>\n

From there, he\u2019d rent a bike and cruise. \u201cCoronado is small enough that you can cover most of it in a few hours, but there\u2019s enough variety that it never feels repetitive.\u201d<\/p>\n

For lunch, he\u2019d dine on Orange Avenue. \u201cGood food, local shops, and a good sense of the community.\u201d He\u2019d end the day back at the beach for sunset. \u201cIdeally with a stop for a drink somewhere with a bay or ocean view.\u201d<\/p>\n

He caveats, \u201cBut really, the beauty of Coronado is that there\u2019s no single \u2018right\u2019 itinerary. That\u2019s part of why we built the app the way we did \u2014 so people can build a day that\u2019s right for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Explore Coronado is available through TripBucket. Learn more or download the app at tripbucket.com\/coronado<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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