Del
Mar and Torrey Pines, California, USA (Our Home Town) -
We lived in Del Mar for 27 years. Del Mar is so wonderful that when we
travel to wonderful places in the world, we still love to get back to our
“reality”.
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View from Our Former Home
- Los Penaquitos Lagoon & Torrey Pines Beach |
It amazes us that people around the world know Del
Mar because it is so small with a population of only 4,500. Maybe we shouldn’t
- Del Mar is a very special place! It lives up to its slogan... Where the surf meets the turf.
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| Downtown Del Mar - Americana Restaurant |
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Del Mar Race Track -
Del Mar, California, USA |
Del
Mar is a charming,
laid back town known for its exceptional weather, quant village and homes, world
famous racetrack, the San Diego county fair, and fabulous beaches. Located 20
minutes north of downtown San Diego, Del Mar has a Bavarian-style village and
one of the prettiest beaches in California with views up the coast to Orange
County and down the coast to La Jolla. Del
Mar is well known for the Del Mar Race Track and thoroughbred horse racing
in July and August (see the interesting history of Del Mar and the race track
below).
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Seaside Concert at Seagrove Park
- Del Mar, California |
Famous for its weather, Del Mar's climate is considered
sub-tropical with warm dry summers and milder winters, and is considered one of
the most desirable in the United States. Del Mar rarely gets above 85 °F and
rarely below 60 degrees – most days year round are in the 70’s.
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Beautiful Del Mar Beach -
Del Mar, California |
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Young Surfers at Del Mar Beach -
Del Mar, California |
Del Mar Beach
with Seagrove Park is one our favorite beaches in San Diego. With 2 miles of
coastline with gentle waves, it is an ideal destination for beach lovers. I
love to beach comb picking up shells and beach glass and enjoying some of the
most beautiful people in San Diego. Surfers also love Del Mar for its good waves.
You can watch them almost every day. There is even a small dog beach. During
the summer, Del Mar runs its own world-class lifeguard programs making the Del
Mar Beach one of the safest in California. The Jake’s and Poseidon
restaurants right on the beach with valet parking offer very nice dining
watching the waves roll in.
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Downtown Del Mar -
Del Mar Flower Company |
The
historic downtown Del Mar village
dates back to 1880’s (see interesting history below) and has 22 restaurants,
some with sidewalk sitting and others providing outside patios overlooking the
ocean. The main part of Del Mar is at the corner of 15th Street and Camino Del
Mar. Park anywhere you can but keep in mind that they ticket right on time for
parking time limits. Paid parking is usually available under the Del Mar Plaza
at the northeast corner of the above-mentioned intersection.
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| Del Mar Plaza - Downtown Del Mar |
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| Restaurant Overlooking Del Mar Beach |
The Del Mar Plaza is unique and has more than 160,000 sq. ft. of public
space incorporated with comfortable seating and panoramic ocean views. With 22
distinctive stores and boutiques, you can shop for designer clothing and shoes,
fine jewelry, artwork, and home décor. The Del Mar Plaza has
several very good restaurants including some of our favorites: Il Fornaio, Pacifica Cafe, Pacific Breeze,
and Rendezvous. Eating at these
restaurants includes validation for parking fees. There is a Starbucks on that corner and the Americana restaurant across the street
is very nice for breakfast. We enjoy En
Fuego down the street for good Mexican food.
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Lovely Seagrove Park -
Del Mar, California, USA |
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Located above
Del Mar Beach with spectacular ocean views, Seagrove Park and adjoining Powerhouse Park are ideal grassy
locations for a picnic or a wedding, walking a dog, catching a romantic sunset,
or for simply gazing at the beautiful Pacific Ocean. Throughout the summer
there are free concerts in the park.
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| Torrey Pines Beach - California |
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| Torrey Pines Beach & State Park in Spring |
Just
south of the village of Del Mar is Torrey
Pines Beach and State Reserve where we live next to. This area is outstanding
and is one of San Diego’s best attractions! You can park at one of the two lots
at the beach or drive up the Torrey Pines hill and park in the parking lot in
the State Reserve. From these parking lots you can explore the beach and/or State Reserve.
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Guy Fleming Trail -
Torrey Pines State Park |
At Torrey Pines, 2000 acres of land
are as they were before San Diego was developed with the chaparral plants, the
rare and elegant Torrey pine trees, miles of unspoiled beaches, and a lagoon
that is vital to migrating seabirds. The walking trails up in Torrey Pines
State Natural Reserve are wonderful. We especially like Guy Fleming trail that takes you through pine trees to an overlook
for breathtaking ocean views.
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Torrey Pines Tree -
Torrey Pines State Park |
The endangered Torrey Pine tree is the rarest pine tree in North America growing
naturally only in Torrey Pines State Reserve and one island off the coast from
Santa Barbara. Exposed trees battered by coastal winds are often twisted into
beautiful sculptural shapes resembling large bonsai and rarely exceed 40 tall.
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| Torrey Pines State Beach - California |
Torrey Pines is famous for the
beautiful Torrey Pines Golf Course,
home of the 2008 U.S. Open. Situated atop cliffs towering above the Pacific
Ocean, golfers can marvel at the views of the coastline, deep ravines, and
classic championship golf holes.
We believe nearby San Diego is one of the best cities in
the world – OK, we are a bit prejudiced. San Diego is home of the world famous
San Diego Zoo (it is wonderful), Safari Park, Sea World, Legoland, art and
anthropology museums in Balboa Park, beautiful La Jolla, downtown Gaslamp
Quarter, many great beaches, Padres baseball, amazingly diverse dining and
shopping, and much more.
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Old Town Trolley in Gaslamp Quarter
- San Diego, California, USA |
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San Diego’s Old Town Trolley, a hop
on / hop off small bus-like vehicle, goes to many of San Diego's attractions
where you can get on and off and visit a number of fun and interesting places
(i.e. Hotel Del Coronado, downtown Gaslamp Quarter, Embarcadero (Star of India
& USS Midway Museum), Seaport Village, Balboa Park, Old Town, Little
Italy). It is fun just to ride it because the drivers give a fun history of San
Diego.
Some other San Diego favorites of
ours are: La Jolla is beautiful. Mission Beach is a popular beach with a
boardwalk and s mall amusement park and rollercoaster (Belmont Park) – great
for the whole family. As far as eating, San Diego is a complete yum! We do
fish, Mexican, and Asian well here and have every kind of food you can think
of. Try fish tacos.
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Los Penaquitos Lagoon
& Torrey Pines State Park |
Some Del Mar history... (Note: If you are interested in seeing
interesting original photos of the history of Del Mar and the celebrities that
made it home, check out the historical hallway that can be accessed at the back
of the Americana restaurant
at the corner of 15th Street and Camino Del Mar.)
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Moon Over Donut Hole -
Torrey Pines State Park |
In 1882, Theodore
Loop came to southern California to build a railroad connecting Los Angeles and
San Diego. He liked the area so much he told people that he had “found the most
attractive place on the entire coast”. Del Mar was named by Loop’s wife, Ella, from
a popular poem titled The Fight of Paseo
Del Mar. Jacob Taylor purchased 338 acres in 1885 and began building a new
resort town. To entertain visitors, Taylor built
a dance pavilion on the beach and a large swimming pool that went out into the
ocean called a Natatorium. Del Mar became a popular vacation destination.
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Sunset Over Torrey Pines Beach
& Los Penaquitos Lagoon |
In 1900 the
South Coast Land Company purchased a large part of Del Mar. Their first project
was the grand resort hotel called the Stratford
Inn built on the hill overlooking the beach. This is where L’Auberge Hotel is today. When the
beautiful Stratford Inn opened for business, it was a world-class hotel built
on 10 acres and quickly became the desired destination for Hollywood’s silent
film stars. The now revered Stratford
Square was built at this time.
The Del Mar
Fair opened to great fanfare in 1936, a yearly tradition that continues. The
mile-long oval thoroughbred racetrack was completed a year after the fair opened.
One of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s prominent founders, singer Bing Crosby,
became the President of the Turf Club and movie star friend Pat O’Brien became
the Vice President. Crosby coined the famous lyrics, which live on today, “Where the surf meets the turf, down in old
Del Mar”.
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| Multi-Million Homes on Del Mar Beach |
For decades the summer racing season has brought crowds to
Del Mar along with many Hollywood celebrities such as Pat O’Brien, Jimmy and
Marge Durante, Lucy and Desi Arnez, Burt Bacharach, and Angie Dickenson. All
made Del Mar their second home and it continues to remain a favorite of many celebrities
today.
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