The Ten Towers
Each tower has its own personality.
The towers were built one at a time over eight years, so each one is a little different. Some sit right on the sand, some are one row back. Here's a quick overview of all ten.
Cabrillo Tower
Ocean + Bay · Built 1970
Cabrillo holds a special place in Coronado Shores history — it was the very first tower built, completed in 1970, and the building that set the standard for everything that followed. It sits at the south end of the oceanfront row, positioned at a slight diagonal to the beach rather than perfectly parallel. That subtle architectural decision is the reason so many Cabrillo units enjoy dual sightlines: the Pacific stretching out to the west, and Glorietta Bay with the Coronado Bridge to the east. Floor plans run from one to three bedrooms, with most units in the 1,100 to 1,700 square foot range. The building has aged well thanks to consistent HOA reinvestment, and its lobby retains a warm, slightly retro Southern California feel. Renters who want a classic, well-rounded introduction to Coronado Shores almost always do well here. It's also one of the closer towers to the south Coronado Beach Club entrance and the southernmost of the four community pools.
- –Diagonal layout — captures two views
- –First tower at Coronado Shores
- –Close to the south Beach Club entrance
Floor plans1 – 3 BR
LocationSouth end
La Sierra Tower
Ocean + Hotel Del · Built 1972
La Sierra sits at the very north end of Coronado Shores, directly adjacent to the historic Hotel del Coronado, and the views are exactly what you'd hope for — the Del's red-shingled turrets framing your foreground and the wide Pacific stretching to the horizon beyond. Of all ten towers, La Sierra has the most diverse unit inventory: it's one of the few buildings with studios and smaller one-bedroom layouts, which makes it ideal for solo travelers, couples, and remote workers. Three-bedroom units exist here too, but the building's character leans toward smaller, more flexible stays. La Sierra is also the most walkable tower in the community — Orange Avenue's shops, restaurants, coffee houses, and the Coronado Ferry Landing are all reachable on foot, usually in under fifteen minutes. The building has been a long-time favorite of repeat renters who come back year after year specifically for this combination of view, walkability, and unit variety. Many corner units on the higher floors offer some of the most photographed sunset views in all of Coronado.
- –Adjacent to Hotel del Coronado
- –Most walkable to Coronado Village
- –Studios and smaller layouts available
Floor plansStudio – 3 BR
LocationNorth end
Las Palmas Tower
Open Pacific · Built 1972
Las Palmas occupies the geographic heart of the oceanfront row, and that central position gives it some of the most balanced, uninterrupted sightlines at Coronado Shores. Every unit faces directly west into the Pacific, with floor-to-ceiling glass that essentially makes the ocean part of the room. Looking down the beach from a Las Palmas balcony, you can see both the south sweep toward Imperial Beach and the north sweep toward the Hotel del — equal beauty in both directions. The building has a particularly active community of summer renters and families, partly because it sits closest to two of the four oceanfront pools and the largest of the community grass areas. Floor plans run from one to three bedrooms, with most units in the 1,200 to 1,800 square foot range and substantial west-facing balconies. The building completed in 1972 alongside La Sierra. If you want the quintessential, no-compromise oceanfront Coronado Shores experience — wide-open Pacific, easy pool access, family-friendly building energy — Las Palmas is a safe, strong choice.
- –Center of the oceanfront row
- –Closest to two oceanfront pools
- –Floor-to-ceiling Pacific views
Floor plans1 – 3 BR
LocationCenter oceanfront
Las Flores Tower
Bay + City Skyline · Built 1973
Las Flores was the first of the five bay-side towers and helped define the second row at Coronado Shores when it was completed in 1973. It faces east toward Glorietta Bay, the Coronado Bridge, and the downtown San Diego skyline — a view that genuinely changes throughout the day in ways the oceanfront towers don't experience. Morning brings paddleboarders and sailboats on the bay; afternoon brings sun glinting off the bridge's blue arches; evening turns the entire San Diego skyline into a wall of lights. Because Las Flores sits one row back from the sand, it rents at meaningfully lower rates than equivalent units in the oceanfront towers — typically 25 to 35% less for comparable square footage. Renters here still enjoy full access to all four oceanfront pools, the Beach Club, the tennis courts, and the private 1,800 feet of beach — the bay-side towers share every amenity with their oceanfront neighbors. Floor plans run one to three bedrooms. A smart pick for renters who want the Shores experience and an interesting view at a noticeably better price point.
- –East-facing bay and bridge views
- –City skyline visible at night
- –25–35% better value than oceanfront
Floor plans1 – 3 BR
LocationBayside
El Camino Tower
Wraparound corners · Built 1974
El Camino sits in the middle of the oceanfront row, just north of Las Palmas, and is best known for its highly sought-after corner units. From a corner balcony at El Camino, you get a true wraparound view — Pacific to the west, the silhouette of the Hotel del to the north, and Glorietta Bay glinting to the east. When people picture what living at Coronado Shores actually feels like, an El Camino corner unit is usually what they're imagining. Non-corner units still face the open Pacific with the typical floor-to-ceiling glass that runs through the oceanfront row. The building completed in 1974 and has a strong community of repeat seasonal renters, particularly summer families who book the same units year after year and rarely give them up. Floor plans run one to three bedrooms with most units in the 1,200 to 1,800 square foot range. Corner units especially can be hard to come by — they're typically committed eight to twelve months out — so renters with summer dates in mind should plan ahead.
- –Famous wraparound corner units
- –Mid-row oceanfront position
- –Strong repeat-renter community
Floor plans1 – 3 BR
LocationOceanfront
La Playa Tower
Bay + Glorietta · Built 1976
La Playa is one of the calmest and most genuinely residential-feeling buildings in the entire Coronado Shores community. It sits on the bay row with strong views of Glorietta Bay and a high proportion of long-term residents and seasonal renters who treat it like a true second home. The lobby has lower foot traffic than most of the towers, the elevators are quieter, and the overall pace is unhurried — qualities that matter more than people expect during a longer stay. Completed in 1976, La Playa has been carefully maintained and its three-bedroom units in particular are well-regarded for their layouts and natural light. The building is a favorite among snowbirds wintering for three or more months, as well as remote professionals taking extended working stays. Renters still enjoy full community amenity access — all four oceanfront pools, the Beach Club, tennis and pickleball courts, the spa, and the private beach. If you're planning a stay of three months or longer and quiet residential character matters to you, La Playa is one of the strongest fits at Coronado Shores.
- –Quiet, residential character
- –Best fit for stays of 3+ months
- –Strong Glorietta Bay views
Floor plans1 – 3 BR
LocationBayside
La Perla Tower
Pacific · Built 1976
La Perla holds a unique distinction at Coronado Shores: it's the only tower in the community with true four-bedroom floor plans, which makes it the natural choice for large families, multi-generational trips, and group getaways. The four-bedroom units here typically include two ensuite primary bedrooms, two additional bedrooms, a substantial living and dining area large enough to seat ten, and a wide ocean-facing balcony with room for multiple seating arrangements. Many of the four-bedrooms have been thoughtfully renovated over the past decade. La Perla also offers one, two, and three-bedroom options for smaller stays, but the four-bedroom inventory is genuinely what sets the building apart. Completed in 1976 on the oceanfront row, it faces directly west with floor-to-ceiling glass throughout. When extended families want to gather under one roof for a Coronado beach reunion — Thanksgiving, summer holidays, milestone birthdays, anniversaries — La Perla is almost always the answer. These four-bedroom units typically book six to twelve months in advance, particularly for summer and holiday weeks.
- –Only tower with true 4-bedroom layouts
- –Two ensuite primary bedrooms
- –First choice for large groups & reunions
Floor plans1 – 4 BR
LocationOceanfront
El Encanto Tower
Bay + Bridge · Built 1977
El Encanto is an east-facing bay tower with one of the most beautiful morning light situations in the entire community. The rising sun comes up over the San Diego skyline and pours directly into the units, which makes for stunning sunrises from the balcony and naturally bright living spaces throughout the day. The building is especially popular with snowbirds, retirees, and longer-stay winter renters who treasure that east-facing morning warmth during the cooler months. The lobby has a genuinely neighborhood feel — lower turnover, friendlier hallway encounters, and a sense that the people there have been coming for years and know each other. Completed in 1977, El Encanto offers one, two, and three-bedroom floor plans with most units in the 1,000 to 1,700 square foot range. Coffee shops and breakfast spots along Orange Avenue are an easy walk, and the building tends to rent at attractive shoulder-season and winter rates. For renters who want a calm building, gentle morning light, and a neighborhood atmosphere rather than vacation-rental energy, El Encanto is a standout.
- –Beautiful east-facing morning light
- –Popular with snowbirds & winter renters
- –Quiet neighborhood feel
Floor plans1 – 3 BR
LocationBayside
El Mirador Tower
Bay + Skyline + Ocean glimpses · Built 1977
El Mirador's slightly elevated position on the bay row gives its upper-floor units something genuinely special — you get the full panoramic sweep of Glorietta Bay and the downtown San Diego skyline, plus distinct slivers of Pacific peeking through the gaps between the oceanfront towers in front. It's effectively a two-for-one view at a bay-side price point, and savvy renters increasingly seek El Mirador out for exactly that reason. Completed in 1977 alongside El Encanto, El Mirador offers one to three-bedroom floor plans with substantial balconies oriented to maximize both the bay and the ocean glimpses. Mid- and upper-floor units (floors 9 through 15) deliver the strongest version of this combined view. Rates here typically sit 20 to 30% below comparable oceanfront units, while still offering full access to every Coronado Shores amenity — the pools, beach, tennis courts, pickleball, spa, and Beach Club. For value-conscious renters who don't want to completely give up the ocean, El Mirador is one of the smartest plays at Coronado Shores.
- –Upper floors get ocean glimpses
- –Strong bay & San Diego skyline views
- –20–30% better value than oceanfront
Floor plans1 – 3 BR
LocationBayside
La Princesa Tower
Bay + Modern interiors · Built 1978
La Princesa was the tenth and final tower built at Coronado Shores, completed in 1978, and being the youngest sibling has worked to its advantage. Because the building was constructed last, it benefited from incorporating refinements learned across the previous nine towers — slightly more modern floor plan layouts, better natural light placement, and a more contemporary feel from the start. Many of the units have since been further renovated with current finishes, updated kitchens, and refreshed bathrooms, giving La Princesa one of the most modern interior inventories in the entire community. The building sits on the bay row with views east toward Glorietta Bay and the city skyline, and offers one to three-bedroom floor plans. La Princesa renters tend to be design-minded people who want the irreplaceable Coronado Shores location and amenities but prefer the unit itself to feel current rather than period. It's an especially good fit for renters coming from Los Angeles, the Bay Area, or East Coast cities who want a more contemporary aesthetic. Full access to all community amenities included.
- –Newest tower at Coronado Shores
- –Most modern interiors & renovations
- –Great for design-minded renters
Floor plans1 – 3 BR
LocationNewest tower