Things to Do in Coronado

Perhaps with the exception of a high-school prom, The Gondola Company can put almost any romantic event on the water. Its vessels ferry passengers across the canals of the Coronado Cays on several types of cruises, all of which spark a romantic ambiance with Italian music and BYOB amenities. The classic 50-minute Pasaporto jaunts depart for relaxing voyages day and night. As an optional add-on, a live mandolin or violin player can tag along to strum charming, traditional melodies.

The gondoliers do not exclusively transport small groups; they also pilot Venetian caorlinas, larger boats that can accommodate up to 14 people during family-style celebrations. For even grander gatherings, a fleet cruise dispatches as many as six separate gondolas, which can smoothly support entire wedding parties atop the water. Other specialized cruises treat passengers to more than scenic views and the melancholy mating croons of wild sturgeons. On a wine-tasting cruise, a sommelier lectures on a flight of six libations. Alternatively, a Voga massage cruise lays two beds inside the boat, permitting massage therapists to coax tension from couples' torsos and limbs as they skim along the canal surface.

Creative clients brush layers of vibrant, nontoxic paint onto a wide selection of pieces at Daydreams Ceramic Café. The wood- and earth-tone-accented shop, with a feel akin to a rustic winery, lines shelves with blank bowls, vases, mugs, and figurines. After a creative slathering, staff members glaze each piece and fire it in in the café's 2,000-degree kiln for up to two days, rendering it glossy and safe for food, microwaves, dishwashers, and teething pets. The café charges no studio fee for its visiting artists and allows them to return as many times as necessary to complete their masterworks—features which may have helped it to snag a 2011 Best Arts & Crafts award from CityVoter.

An all-too-common misconception is that hunger is to blame when your belly rumbles, when in fact, a rumbling belly signifies a belly that just wants to dance. Today's side deal gets you four belly-dancing classes and a dancing hip scarf from The Shimmy Sisters for $28. Award-winning talents and excellent instruction make the real-life sisters able gatekeepers into the world of rhythmic abdominal expression that will instill brand new communicative skills into your torso through a fun and rewarding workout.

From his comprehensive dive shop, NAUI-certified scuba instructor Michael Simpson leads basic and advanced scuba courses as well as excursions into the deep unknown around the San Diego area. With the help of Simpson and his staff, Poseidon's Divers also organizes scuba-diving and snorkeling excursions that explore local aquatic gems such as caves, La Jolla Cove, wrecks, and beaches where groups may encounter playful seals, wildlife, and meditating octopi. Michael also gives surf lessons and cleans up the beach with the 1302 Dive Frogs, the dive club at Poseidon's Divers.

In the cerulean blue waters around Mission Beach, jet-powered craft cut through the waves. Affordable Jet Ski's staff members set customers loose at the helm of a three-seat, 1,100cc Yamaha VX 110, a four-seat, 1,200cc Yamaha SUV, or a Sea Doo jet ski—which enables its pilot to ride standing for higher visibility or sitting to dodge low-flying UFOs. They also supply jet boats, whose 270-horsepower twin engines propel drivers and six passengers through the water. Staffers ensure that all their customers can reach the water by providing a tow vehicle with each rental, and can also lead tours of the area for those unfamiliar with its waters.

Though most art studios operate in a set brick-and-mortar locale, Paint and Palate floats to a rotating cache of locations, celebrating creative ingenuity with cuisine and libations available for purchase. Each painting session pivots on a different theme, whether participants invent their own take on a Picasso classic while snacking on bruschetta, perfect soft, Monet-like brush strokes next to a glass of wine, or stack up thick layers in the style of Van Gogh as they listen to constructive criticism from the voices in their heads. Paint and Palate also sets itself apart by donating 10 percent of its proceeds to local charities that address the needs of children and the elderly.