Del Mar
Travel Guide

IA lived in Del Mar, California as a young professional. Much of what I love about it hasn’t changed as I still spend a good chunk of time there.

It’s only four square miles. A lot of our clients stay here for its central location and pretty beach either in the walkable Village area or east at Fairmont Grand Del Mar. We have tips for what to do, logistics, hotels, and more below.

Hi, I’m Katie and I help people upgrade their San Diego vacations through my hotel VIP perks, discounts, and content.

What you’ll find here

Del Mar Hotels

Things To Do

Where To Eat

Beaches

Family Fun

Resources

Getting To & Around

Travel Tips

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Get Our VIP Perks at These Del Mar Hotels

We book two hotels here quite a bit, Fairmont Grand Del Mar (in the east) and L’Auberge Del Mar (across from the beach). And, my contacts at both hotels will take VERY good care of you.

Fairmont Grand Del Mar

CARMEL VALLEY

My contacts here will take REALLY good care of you. It’s inland, quiet, with a Forbes Five-Star spa and three-Michelin-star restaurant. Read my review.

LJM Perks:

Upgrade at check-in subject to availability
$100 hotel credit
Daily breakfast for two at Amaya or room service
Extended check-in/out times if available

L’Auberge Del Mar

DEL MAR VILLAGE

A good choice if you want to be closer to the beach in Del Mar and walk to shopping and restaurants. Read my review.

LJM Perks:

Upgrade at check-in subject to availability
$100 hotel credit
Daily breakfast for two
Extended check-in/out times if available

best Del Mar Hotels

Research and Book Hotels on Your Own

We offer two tools if you’d like to research hotels with VIP programs on your own.

In both cases, you’ll need to understand the occupancy and bedding of the room or suite you’re booking. You can find this information on a hotel’s website directly.

If you choose Virtuoso.com, you’ll be asked to select an advisor before booking who will be responsible for servicing your reservation. If you choose me (Katie Dillon) we will receive your reservation within minutes and will follow up to make sure everything is correct.

Virtuoso

To see the most accurate rates, you must create a free account and log in.

Book with Virtuoso

TravelWits

This tool allows you to see other VIP rates, such as Four Seasons Preferred Partner and Hyatt Prive, in addition to Virtuoso.

Book with TravelWits

Fun Things to Do in Del Mar, California

The most popular thing to do in Del Mar is to go to the beach. The beach north and south of the pier is pretty awesome. There’s a beachfront road called The Strand that residents and visitors use for running, walking and bike rides (rentals are available near the pier).

The Most Popular Del Mar Activities

Going to the beach
Summer horse racing
San Diego County Fair (also in the summer)
Dog Beach
Beach volleyball
Powerhouse and Sea Grove Park playgrounds

Brunch at one of the downtown restaurants plus a walk along the beach and pier is a nice morning out with family and friends.

best things to do in Del Mar

Where and What to Eat

Finding a Del Mar restaurant to suit your mood is easy. Between the Village area, Fairmont Grand Del Mar, and a few spots like Flower Hill Mall east of I-5, you can find everything from casual eateries to Michelin-star dining.

We seek out (full dining guide coming soon):

Addison
Tamarindo
Board and Brew
Pacifica Del Mar
Jake’s Del Mar
Viewpoint Brewery
Sbicca
Poseidon
Cucina Enoteca
Market

Going to the Beach in Del Mar

Definitely one of our nicest beach areas.

I’ve been going to the beach in Del Mar for decades and have more to say than this space will allow. They’re great. The most popular place starts at the end of 15th Street at Sea Grove Park and Powerhouse Park. From there, anywhere north will give you a quintessential California beach experience.

15th street to Dog Beach in the north, where dogs go leash free and there are also quite a few volleyball nets, is lined by multimillion-dollar homes. It doesn’t feel as touristy as other beaches around town but rest assured it is busy here in the summer.

Don’t forget about Torrey Pines State Beach in the picture here. It’s pretty great whether you hike the reserve or not, just remember you pay for parking here.

best beaches in Del Mar

Visiting Del Mar with Kids

We place families at Del Mar hotels when they’re looking for things to do within walking distance of their hotels, including a really great beach.

For kids, the beach will be the focal point of the holidays. You can spend a day on it or maybe even learn how to surf (good for ages 5 and older). Younger kids will enjoy the playgrounds at Powerhouse and Sea Grove Park.

The major events at the Del Mar Fairgrounds like the summer San Diego County Fair are family friendly and family days at the horse races on Sundays.

One hidden gem in Del Mar is Free Flight Sanctuary, a rescue center for exotic birds that you can visit. Check their calendar first!

Resources

Sometimes, there isn’t one clear way to buy. I’ll tell you where to crunch numbers.

Go City San Diego

Save up to 50% on over 50 attractions across the county. Use promo code GOSDO5LJM for 5%.

Use Go City

CityPASS

Includes San Diego Zoo, USS Midway, Seaworld, LEGOLAND and a few others people staying in Del Mar tend to see.

Use Citypass San Diego

Rent Beach Gear

Rusty Del Mar offers reasonable boogie board, wetsuits, surfboard and other rentals.

Get Beach Gear

Rent Kids Gear

If you need beach gear or baby gear there are local families who provide it through BabyQuip.

Use Babyquip

Getting To & Around Del Mar

You have some options and they’re all good.

Amtrak

You would get off the Pacific Surfliner or Coaster at Solana Beach train station, about a mile north of Del Mar.

Public Transportation

A couple of bus routes pass through Del Mar.

NCTD Breeze Bus
MTS Busses: Use the trip planner to find times and routes.
Pony Express: Take the MTS trolley to the Coaster. Exit at the Solana Beach train station and ride the free shuttle to the racetrack. Plus get a discounted admission to the races.

Uber/Lyft

As I’ve said before, both Uber and Lyft work really well in San Diego. A lot of visitors grab one at the airport.

Approximate Drive Times to Other Parts of San Diego County

Measured from L’Auberge Del Mar in Del Mar Village

San Diego Zoo

21 miles

~27 minutes

LEGOLAND California

15 miles

~20 minutes

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

28 miles

~33 minutes

Sesame Place San Diego

35 miles

~40 minutes

La Jolla Cove

14 miles

~25 minutes

Solana Beach Train Station

2 miles

~7 minutes

Downtown San Diego (Petco Park)

24 miles

~30 minutes

San Diego International Airport (SAN)

22 miles

~25 minutes

Old Town San Diego

20 miles

~23 minutes

Hotel del Coronado

28 miles

~35 minutes

Del Mar Travel Tips

It’s Walkable

Del Mar Village hotel guests can walk to restaurants, shops, and one of San Diego’s best beaches.

Rental Cars

I’d say half the people we work with who stay in Del Mar have rental cars and the other half rely on Uber. If you change your mind and need a rental car, there’s an Avis in Carmel Valley and an Enterprise in Solana Beach.

PARKING IN Del Mar

Residential streets near the main Village area have free street parking but be prepared to pay for parking meters and various lots.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Any time is good, however, we like shoulder seasons in Del Mar for pricing because people attending the summer racing season stay in the Village and nearby hotels (and therefore prices tend to rise).

Event Season Tips

The I-5 freeway corridor near Del Mar and basically all other access roads get congested during large events when people are trying to get to the race track during San Diego County Fair and summer horse racing season. Traffic is an issue for everyone passing through.

Dogs

Dog Beach is one of the only leash free beaches in San Diego but there are some limitations in the summer months. Read beach rules before you go. Most restaurants and hotels here are also dog-friendly.

Frequently Asked Questions About Del Mar

Here’s some of what people want to know about visiting Del Mar.

Yes, there is traffic roughly between 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. during the weekday on the I-5 freeway from North County San Diego (all the way up to Oceanside) to roughly Sorrento Valley just north of La Jolla exits. However if ca continue down to Mission Bay.

No. Fairmont Grand Del Mar is located inland, east of the I-5 freeway, in the Carmel Valley neighborhood. It’s a 10-minute drive to the beach. The hotel has a house car that can take you there with complimentary beach gear, subject to availability.

Technically, no. Carmel Valley is part of City of San Diego but many refer to it as East Del Mar.

Some hotels in Del Mar Village are located on Camino Del Mar which is the main street that runs through it. So, there can be some street noise. At L’Auberge Del Mar, we help people choose rooms to avoid it, if possible.

Like all San Diego beach towns, Del Mar is fairly casual. Nice jeans will do at the nicer restaurants. Even Addison doesn’t have a specific dress code, but you’ll want to look polished.

People do tend to dress up for the horse races if sitting in the premium sections or Turf Club.

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Del Mar
Travel Guide