Del Mar Beaches

Del Mar Beaches

It's remarkable indeed that Del Mar has managed to maintain its rural yet sophisticated feel even in the face of a burgeoning North County population boom. If you rise early in the morning you may still find trainers from the famous Del Mar racetrack exercising their horses on the beach by The River Mouth. Head inland on Via De La Valle and you'll find stately ranches and polo fields. But the beach is what started it all, and visitors keep coming year after year. There are three main beaches in Del Mar, all large and with lots of sand.

Across from the race track, where the San Dieguito River meets the sea and (as they say in Del Mar) the turf meets the surf, The River Mouth is a broad wedge of beach with lots of room for volleyball games and a gathering place for dogs. The swimming here isn't too good, due to the shallow sandbars and unpredictable currents, but it's well protected from wind and surf - a perfect spot to introduce small children to the sea or help them build their first sand castle.The northern half of Del Mar City Beach, from 15th Street to The Rivermouth, is arguably San Diego's finest. It's a fantasyland of architectural dream houses flying colorful flags fronting a wide sand beach with good swimming, intermediate surf and easy access at every block. If only there were more parking, there'd be no argument at all. The main impact zone for crowds and parking is at the south end near Powerhouse Park, and the 17th Street lifeguard tower is ground zero. Most of what little parking is available here is metered, and you may have better luck with the higher numbered streets to the north, or across the highway on the east side of Coast Boulevard. On special occasions like 4th of July and Labor Day, people start arriving at dawn to stake their claims.South of 15th Street, bluffs line Del Mar City Beach, though they are neither as high nor as steep as elsewhere in North County. At all but the highest tides, the beach is totally passable all the way to Torrey Pines, and there are a number of sketchy, unsanctioned trails down from the cliffs. A dirt path paralleling the train track on the bluff is a favorite of walkers and joggers, who can go for miles without encountering a car or crossing a road. There are some patchy reefs offshore along here, creating some fairly good surf breaks at 15th Street, 11th Street, 7th Street and south of 4th Street at a place called G-Spot (so named for the womblike storm drain pipe that disgorges surfers onto the beach from an unmarked dirt trail above). People other than surfers and joggers do use the beach here, but most prefer the northern zone.
DirectionsFrom the 5 FWY exit Del Mar Heights Road or Via De La Valle and head west. Del Mar Heights leads to the south end of Del Mar at PCH and 4th Street; Via De La Valle meets PCH on the extreme north end of Del Mar at the Rivermouth. To find the main beach area, follow the Coast Highway to the intersection of 15th Street and Coast Boulevard, midway between these two points. All of Del Mar's beaches are named after its numbered streets, so finding any specific spot referred to here is as simple as locating the same street.
OfferingsEverything you could ever hope for except adequate parking. Lifeguard towers every few blocks from 15th Street north to the Rivermouth; a grass park area with playground, bathrooms, showers and recycling bins; and nearby restaurants, shops and hotels. The fairgrounds and racetrack offer open-air concerts, the annual county fair, Fourth of July fireworks and horse racing throughout the summer. For beach info call 858-755-1556

Considerations

Traffic and parking are Del Mar's only drawback, especially at the height of the summer fair and racing seasons, but also on weekends and at workday rush-hour throughout the year. No helpful hints or sneaky shortcuts beside the obvious: come early; stay late. If it's any consolation, know that your patience will be well-rewarded as soon as you ditch the car and make it to the sand.

Warning

It is not advisable to use any of the cliff trails here. Also, Del Mar is one of those infamous San Diego beaches where the sand can take the skin off your feet on a hot summer day. Don't forget to bring shoes or sandals.