Famed for its summer horse races, Del Mar is a coastal town that lies between the Pacific Ocean and Los Peñasquitos Lagoon. It was established as a seaside resort in 1885 by Colonel Jacob Taylor and was the site of a United States Navy blimp air facility during World War II.
Things to do in Del Mar
Overlooking Del Mar’s wide sandy beach is Powerhouse Park, where you’ll find a children’s playground and picnic tables framed by towering palms. If you want to surf, there are several shops nearby offering board rentals to get you out on the water. At the Stafford Surf School, you can learn to paddle and stand up with the help of a professional teacher.
Backing Del Mar is Crest Canyon Park, a tract of chaparral scrubland that can be explored along a loop trail. It accesses several viewpoints overlooking Crest Canyon and the San Dieguito Lagoon State Marine Conservation Area. A highlight of the park is its rare Torrey pines, a critically endangered tree that only grows along the coast of San Diego County.
Want to see more? Head to Torrey Pines State Reserve, which protects a wild beach, a bird-filled lagoon and rugged cliffs that provide habitat for native wildlife. Spot humpback and grey whales migrating along the coastline and marvel at aptly-named Flat Rock, which protrudes into the Pacific Ocean at the southern end of the beach. Adjacent to Torrey Pines State Reserve is a 36-hole municipal golf course that opened to players in 1957.
Getting around Del Mar
Del Mar is around 30 minutes’ drive from San Diego and San Diego International Airport, which has flights to destinations across North America. Long-distance Amtrak trains connect to the nearby Solana Beach railway station and North County buses travel through Del Mar.