Coronado residents Nick and Julie Hines celebrated Fat Tuesday in a truly memorable way. They unveiled their new golf cart rental business, Go Ranchero, with a lively ribbon-cutting ceremony. The grand opening was a perfect kickoff to their entrepreneurial journey and this new addition to town.
Go Ranchero officially launched in January of this year, but the couple honored their roots when choosing their grand opening date. “As former New Orleanians, or as we call ourselves, ‘forever New Orleanians,’ we selected Mardi Gras day as our official launch date on March 4 … It may have felt like an ordinary Tuesday in Coronado, but we knew better,” Julie told me. “Mardi Gras holds special meaning for us. It represents a day of joy, celebration, and community. We knew it would be a perfect day to officially kick off our business.”
Julie was born and raised in San Diego, where she has always felt a strong connection to Coronado. Her grandmother worked in the Hotel del Coronado art gallery, which led to Julie working there each summer when she returned home from college.
Nick also holds ties to town, as his sister and her husband, who is in the Navy, live on island with their children. Although Nick and Julie both enjoyed growing up in Southern California, they explored new locations like New York and New Orleans before considering a move back to this area. It was Nick’s sister and brother-in-law who initially planted the idea that Nick and Julie should move to town. “They encouraged us to consider moving to Coronado so our boys could grow up together. Having family only a few blocks away has been everything,” Nick explained. “In addition, Julie’s parents, brother, and sister-in-law are all here in San Diego, so coming home to family after 30 years away has been a wonderful move.”
Nick and Julie both have professional backgrounds in marketing and have spent over 20 years in the corporate sector. They previously worked together while living in New York City and felt that the time was right to leave the corporate world behind. This led them to start their own business venture and collaborate again. “We decided to follow the fun and launch our own business,” Nick began. “We were both looking for a chance to pivot to something we could get excited about every day…Our skills complement each other, and we’re having a lot of fun creating and strategizing exactly what we want this to be.”
This bold move led to the creation of Go Ranchero, which offers luxury street-legal golf cart rentals in Coronado and across San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles. “We specialize in fast delivery, ensuring your cart is ready when you need it, even on short notice. We provide the perfect transportation solution for sporting events, music festivals, weddings, production companies, as well as individuals or families who just want to cart around town for a day, week, or month at a time,” Nick explained. “We took great care in selecting our fleet. Our carts aren’t just functional; they are stylish, reliable, and built to impress. Our carts are classified as Low-Speed Vehicles, which means they come off the factory line with everything needed to be street legal.”
According to the couple, their “why” for taking the leap to start their own business is simple: they saw an opportunity to create something of their own from scratch, combine their professional experiences, and fill a void in Southern California’s golf cart rental business. Their previous work in the marketing world revealed a genuine gap that inspired the creation of Go Ranchero. “After producing high-profile events across the country, I saw the need for carts to support transportation needs on-site,” Nick noted. “Everything from artist and VIP transportation, security mobility, and sponsorship support. Southern California is a vibrant area, and there are always events going on, both for local residents and out-of-town visitors.”
When the couple moved to town, they were fascinated by the golf cart culture. Their interest only deepened once they purchased their own golf cart. “At first, we didn’t think we wanted or needed a cart for ourselves. We had our bikes and loved the idea of walking everywhere. But as summer neared, we decided it would be a great way to get ourselves and our things to the beach. We found a used cart for sale and gave it a try,” Julie started. “We love our cart now. We’re probably in it every day, riding to our son’s sports, loading up on groceries, or taking the puppy down to the bay. We have found it is the easiest way to get around town and parking a cart is so much easier than a car. During the summer months, especially.”
The ease and joy that their golf cart has brought to their lives is exactly what they want to provide to others through Go Ranchero. “There’s nothing like cruising around the island in a cart. You feel like you are part of it all—the beach, the blue sky, and the fresh, salty air. By getting others into the carts, they’ll be able to experience the island like we do,” Julie continued. “We’re excited about getting involved with all of the wonderful happenings in town, including the Art & Wine Festival in May, Concerts in the Park, and, of course, the 4th of July this summer.”
So, where does the name come from? With a unique name like Go Ranchero, this is a common question for the couple. “Once we decided to go all in on the business, it was time to get to work. We promised each other we’d have fun along the way, but we recognized that if we wanted to be a success, we’d need to give it all we got,” said Nick. “We wanted a name that was synonymous with a strong work ethic, someone dedicated to their craft. Part of Coronado’s rich history includes a time when rancheros (cowboys) worked the land. We also wanted to have movement in the name–both for us as a business and for the cart itself. With that, Go Ranchero was born.”
As Go Ranchero is still in its infancy here in town, the couple is excited about this business’s potential and the positive impact they hope to achieve. Both Nick and Julie are passionate about Coronado living and are looking forward to supporting other local businesses, including hotel properties, special events, nonprofit organizations, school sports, and visitors to the island. “We take great pride in being residents here, and we want to share our love for the community with others,” Julie noted.
They eagerly anticipate maintaining the Southern California fun and New Orleans funky vibe as a cornerstone of their business. At the same time, they are committed to deepening their understanding of the community and its needs.
While they expect to have a lot of fun in this new venture, they recognize that starting a business from scratch is no small feat. They are ready to hit the ground running, work hard, and enjoy this new chapter in their lives.
“We know what it means to work hard. We’re excited to give it everything we’ve got. We understand a successful business has to earn the community’s trust… We also believe it is important to infuse soul, joy, and good vibes into the business. Good vibes draw good people and good things. Something we experienced daily, living in New Orleans,” Nick added. “Jules and I were both raised in Southern California. We understand the culture. We know the pride we all feel in the great weather year-round, the beautiful beaches, the casual vibe, and the friendly, laid-back nature of this region. People work here, but playtime is an important pastime for everyone. And being in this resort town, we know people travel from all over the world to experience this.”
For more information on Go Ranchero, visit their website at goranchero.com or call 619-805-0044.
VOL. 115, NO. 14 - April 2, 2025
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