Welcome to "Our Solana Beach"!
 (Everything about Solana Beach, From Someone That Lives There)



(See the latest changes in the box below - scroll down using the up/down arrows on the right)

Click here to see a custom map with all of the locations highlighted below.

Click on one of the following, or scroll down for:

> Gas, hotels, and beaches

> Restaurants & shopping within walking distance of the beach area (including two "hidden" restaurants, the art show at City Hall, the Cedros Design/Antique district, the Farmer's Market, and the train station). 

Note:  For restaurants, we aren't saying anything negative about any of them (and none of them are awful to our knowledge, or we won't even include them here), but take note of the ones where we say positive things. 

> Restaurants & shopping within a couple miles

> Secret real Mexican restaurants in Solana Beach

> Closest Golf Courses, Hot Air Balloon Rides, Surfing

> Sights (Del Mar Horse Races, Legoland, San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Wild Animal Park, Tijuana,  Disneyland, etc.)

> Ocean sights and strange phenomena

> Tips for living on the ocean

Note:  If we are missing something good that should be highlighted on our web site,  please let us know by e-mail by clicking here (or send to OurSolanaBeach@JumpingDolphins.com).

Cheapest Gas - Mobil station on Via De La Valle east of I-5 (on the left past Chevy's).. 

Hotels By The Beach:
> In Solana Beach, across from the condos (actually their fronts are on the Coast Highway, and their backs are on S. Sierra) - No ocean views but very convenient to the condos and the beaches - Holiday Inn Express (as high as $129 during the summer, as low as $89 in winter, 858-350-0111), and the Marriott Courtyard (858-792-8200, HotelGuide.net, may be $10 more than Holiday Inn Express).
> In Encinitas, exit I5 on Encinitas Blvd, go west.  Days Inn is on the left (long walk to beach, $90 during summer, 760-944-0260), then the Moonlight Beach Hotel is just past the Coast Highway up on the right (older but clean motel, some units with small kitchen, some with ocean view, $99 during summer, 760-753-0623).

Beaches

Solana Beach is on bluffs and has a somewhat narrow beach, much of which is unfortunately under water and not walkable during high tide, so it is best to check when low tide is and go during the couple hours before or after.

Dry sand beaches:

Fletcher Cove [Picture] [Picture], - The main beach for Solana Beach - At the end of Lomas Sante Fe Drive.  There is a beautiful park on the bluff that is popular for weddings.  Also, a Community Sing Along is held every Thursday from 7:30-9:00 PM at the Fletcher Cove Community Center, 133 Pacific Avenue (720-2454).

Dog Beach - On the south end of Solana Beach -  Parking is for a cost along the Coast Highway and up until the end of Via de la Valle Road (which is called Border Av) but, if you don't mind walking a few blocks, you can park for free along S. Sierra Av (and there is a parking lot down a couple blocks, next to an office building, almost to Del Mar Shores).  For a nice long walk along the beach, you can go from Dog Beach (click here for picture) to the south,  past the expensive Del Mar beach houses, and into Del Mar (if the river by Dog Beach is too deep, you may need to walk over the road bridge and across the trail on the other side of the river). 

There may also be narrow sand beaches at the foot of the two beach accesses noted below.

Beach Access & Parking - The beach accesses and parking lots are not easy to see, but there are two accesses and 5-6 parking lots along S. Sierra Ave. (look closely for blue signs).  Both beach accesses involve a walk of a couple of blocks to the bluff, and then down about 100 stairs/50 feet.  One beach access is on the right side of the circle at the end of Del Mar Shores Drive (you can park along the street or there are two "hidden" elevated city parking lots on the corners you drive into from S. Sierra Ave.), and one is across from the covered parking lot about half way between Del Mar Shores and Fletcher Cove.  

Restaurants in General:  "Best food in Solana Beach" (United States Restaurant Guide), Yelp

Within walking distance of the beach area:

Restaurants (going from North to South)

Roberto's (Yelp) - Good, inexpensive, Mexican fast food (outdoor seating only).  A favorite is the chicken tostadas.  Other people like the rolled tacos.  On the west side of the Coast Highway, north of the train station.

Pizza Port (Yelp) - Great pizza & local brew pub, noisy, popular with the locals - on the Coast Highway in old commercial row of buildings just north of Lomas Sante Fe.  The Java Depot, a relaxing place to have a coffee, is just south of here (Yelp, Sign On San Diego Review, SDInsider Review).   Also in this area is T's Cafe (yelp) and Tidewater Tavern (Yelp) - Good food and lots of TV's.  

Across the tracks and in the complex in the next block to the east after the train station:  

A little gelato and pasta restaurant in front.  Somewhat hidden behind the building:  Another popular local place, Chief's Burgers & Brew (Yelp) - A nice place for a burger, sandwich, or salad - suitable for families, contributes to youth baseball, lots of TV's to watch sports.

In the building above:
Solana Beach Fish House (Yelp) and a Chinese restaurant King's Garden (Yelp).  And, across the street on the south side of Lomas Santa Fe, a small fish-and-chips place called Sam's Ship A Hoy. 

At 132 S. Cedros is Cafe Zinc (Yelp, Sign On San Diego Review) and at 143 S. Cedros is the Wild Note Cafe (Yelp, Sign On San Diego Review & SDInsider Review say it is great for lunch), which is connected to the Belly Up Tavern, a popular night place with live music voted "San Diego's Best Live Music Venue" several times (Music Schedule from JamBase.com). 

On the way to Fletcher Cove:  Surf and Saddle (a "traditional" bar), and, just opposite of Fletcher Cove there is Naked Cafe (healthy, "naked from fat")(Yelp).

Note:  There are good sushi restaurants about every block along the Coast Highway.

Three "Hidden" Restaurants:

1.  Hideaway Cafe [Picture] - Great breakfast - Looks like an overgrown hut in the back corner of the large parking lot across S. Sierra Street from the Post Office, a little south of Fletcher Cove (Yelp,  San Diego Reader Review, SDInsider Review).

2.  The Beach Grass Cafe (159 S. Coast Hwy) is in Plaza 101 [Picture] on the Coast Highway (the back parking lot is next to the large parking lot with the Hideaway Cafe - see above - the place and sign are hard to see from the highway, but it is right there on the front right corner of the building).  (Yelp) Sign On San Diego Review, SDInsider Review).   Great for breakfasts, lunch, and dinner.  Try the "Calamari wraps" for lunch (even if you are not sure you like calamari)!

3.  Claire's On Cedros (up North Cedros, past train station and on the right).  Open for breakfast and lunch. (Yelp)

Continuing South on the Coast Highway:

Waters Fine Catering - You can also eat there.  (Yelp)

California Pizza Kitchen ("CPK"), Pacific Coast Grill, and Rubios [Picture] - All located in the same commercial complex ("The Beachwalk", 437 S. Coast Highway) between the Coast Highway & S. Sierra Avenue, about halfway between Del Mar Shores and Fletcher Cove.  Best place to park is "in the back" in the covered garage along S. Sierra Avenue across from the beach condos (there is a beach access walkway across from this garage).  You can get from the Coast Highway to S.Sierra via Dahlia Ave just North of the restaurants.

"CPK" has great pizza and pasta, including fantastic Barbeque Chicken Pizza (a California invention of Wolfgang Puck).  We like to split either a half Gorgonzola Salad or half a Chicken Barbeque Salad, and for pasta we split a Tequila Chicken Pasta (we usually have the pizza or the pasta with just two of us - or both with 3-4 people). (Yelp, San Diego Reader Review, Sign On San Diego Review)

The Pacific Coast Grill (858-794-4632) is a little pricey, but "one of the best and most popular places to eat in a relaxed grill atmosphere" (Yelp, SDInsider Review, Sign On San Diego Review).

Rubios - If you are in the San Diego area, you must try fish tacos, a San Diego invention.  Rubios is the most famous for these.  Come on - try them - they are really good!  Fried fish is most popular, but we like the grilled Mahi-Mahi fish tacos the best (and the Mahi-Mahi burritos).  They have "Health Mex" versions, but they are missing the super white sauce.

Blanca - Exclusive, high-end restaurant on the northeast side of The Beachwalk complex (Yelp).  

Cold Stone Creamery - Fantastic ice cream!  "Made fresh daily."  Specializes in hand mixing ice cream and speciality toppings (sprinkles, candy bars, sauces, etc.) on a cold stone to create truly scrumptious ice cream delights.

Cupcake Love (yelp)

Jer's Gourmet Chocolate (upstairs)

Nobu - One of San Diego's best Japanese restaurants (a little expensive but excellent, 858-755-7787, 315 S. Coast Hwy, in the same building as Long's Drug, Yelp, SDInsider Review).  

Next to the Marriott Courtyard (across from Del Mar Shores) is a good, reasonable Italian restaurant, Parioli's (Yelp, SDInsider Review, EnterSanDiego.com,  SanDiegoRestaurants.com) [Picture], and a small shopping mall with an excellent Thai restaurant called Bankok Bay (731 S. Coast Hwy, Yelp, SDInsider Review).

The Brigantine Seafood Restaurant (858-481-1166, Yelp)  is at the corner of Via de la Valle and the Coast Highway.  It is very nice (and has great fish tacos in the bar).  It has a nice view of the Del Mar Race Track.

Shopping & Sights

There is always an art show at the Solana Beach City Hall Gallery (in City Hall, 635 South Highway 101, just south of the Holiday Inn Express on the Coast Highway).  For more info, call (858) 720-2454.  City Hall is open 7:30AM-5:30PM Monday-Thursday (and 8-5 every other Friday).

The "Cedros District" [Picture] [Picture] is a great home interior design and antique area, located along Cedros Avenue, running parallel and just East of the railroad tracks (starts at Lomas Santa Fe).  Article in LA Times.  Antique Warehouse.

A nice Farmer's Market [Picture] is towards the south end of Cedros every Sunday from 2-5 PM.

A CVS (drug store and groceries) is next to Nobu's Japanese restaurant on the Coast Highway south of the Beachwalk shopping center/CPK (see above).  Also, a small market in the small complex just south of the Marriott Courtyard.

Large grocery stores are on the other (east) side of I5 on Lomas Santa Fe Drive (Von's) or Via de la Valle Dr.  (Albertson's - turn right at McDonald's).


The Coaster (train station just North of Cedros District) [Picture] 

This train goes from Oceanside in the North to San Diego downtown in the South (which connects to The Trolley, which you can take down to the Tijuana border).  This is the best way to go to Old Town (an interesting shopping and Mexican restaurant area down in San Diego in the Southeast corner formed by I5 & I8), because the parking is so difficult.  Only $3.75 one way to Old Town or San Diego (purchase tickets from a fare machine at least 10-15 minutes before departure).  Also, this is an Amtrak station, and the bus is nearby.

Next to the train station is a Visitors Information Center (you can get good information, souvenirs, and "Beautiful Solana Beach" license plate holders here).

Within a couple miles:

North -
> Right on the beach along the Coast Highway on the north side of Solana Beach are 3-4 restaurants.  The Chart House (760-36-4044, Yelp) is the best.  Schedule dinner to include the sunset.  Across from The Chart House is an interesting and popular Mexican restaurant called Las Olas (760-942-1860, Yelp).

> In the little town of Cardiff By The Sea (just north of Solana Beach, turn right across the railroad tracks) - Two blocks north is a great, inexpensive breakfast restaurant called Pipes (local surfer place, Yelp, SDInsider Review). 

East & Close - On Via de la Valle

(Before I5 - a short car trip or a little bit of a long walk)

> The Fish Market (858-755-2277) at the corner of Via de la Valle and Jimmy Durante is relaxed, good, reasonable, & a little noisy (the indoor patio is quiet).  Our favorites are the fish & chips (with different choices of fish, done with the light, Asian, panko flour) and the combination skewer.  (Yelp, San Diego Reader Review, Sign On San Diego Review).

> Also, going West towards the ocean from The Fish Market, are Red Tracton's (expensive, great steaks, huge portions, 858-755-6600, Yelp, Sign-On San Diego Review, SDInsider Review) and Pamplemousse Grill (country French, very nice, very popular, expensive, 858-792-9090, Yelp, SDInsider Review).

East On Via de la Valle, Across I-5

> On the left (North) side is a Movie Theater, a sandwich place called Morton's, a China Stix, a Chevy's (our favorite California Mexican food - the fresh, light tortilla chips are a killer, and two can share the sampler platter for a light dinner), and, in back of that, Taste of Thai.  These are all good and reasonable.

> On the right (South) side is McDonalds and an Albertson's Food Store.

East, on Lomas Santa Fe, Before I5 (turn right just before the bank, or right at the stop light after the bank, and the first right) -

> On the right, or West, is a Henry's Grocery Store, Dixieline Hardware Store, a CVS Drug Store, a Subway, and Panera's.

> On the east, or freeway side, of this shopping area are a Jack-In-The-Box, a photo shop, a Round Table Pizza (with our favorite pizza in the world - The Gourmet Veggie), a flower shop, a cleaners, a Marshall's, a Staples, etc.

East, on Lomas Santa Fe, After I5 (turn at the first right after the freeway) - Lomas Santa Fe Plaza

> Von's Food Store, Pizza Nova (good pasta & salads, nice also for lunch), Starbucks, Ross clothing store, and the Samurai Japanese Restaurant (we've heard it's good, Sign On San Diego Review - continue past the bank to the back left part of the mall - also, the Reparatory Theater is back there).

Secret, Real Mexican Restaurants in Solana Beach -

> There is a cluster of good Mexican restaurants in the "Eden Gardens" area.  Go up (East) on Lomas Santa Fe, and turn right at the stop light on Stevens Avenue (before the Bank and the shopping area on the right).  Go down a few blocks and turn left on Genevieve St, then turn right on Valley Avenue (it all looks like a neighborhood and not a commercial area).   You will see Fidel's at 607 Valley Ave (858-755-5292), Don Chuy at 650 Valley Ave (858-794-0535, SDInsider Review).  Both are very good.  Probably don't need reservations.  Also, there is Tony's Jacal restaurant at  621 Valley Ave for southern-California-style Mexican food (Yelp, Sign On San Diego Review, SDInsider Review).

Close by the above on Stevens Avenue:  Bongiorno's New York Pizzeria (Yelp) and Rudy's Taco Shop (Yelp)

Also, there is the Solana Beach Heritage Museum at La Colonia Park, 715 Valley Avenue (760-755-2937, open Fridays noon-3PM or by appointment).  The historic 1890 Stevens Ranch House is the oldest building in Solana Beach.  Included in the collection is period furniture, photographs, antiquities & writings circa 1890.  Of particular note are the 1880 Reed Organ and the Wood-Burning Kitchen Stove.  Most visitors are fascinated by the collection of period photographs, along with some newer aerial shots of the area.

South, in Del Mar (long walk down the beach, or drive down the Coast Highway) -

> On the beach is a good, expensive restaurant, called Jake's (858-755-2002, click here to see picture), and one next to it called the Posieden.

> In the multi-story mall on the first, left (East) corner, are 3-4 restaurants, a little expensive (Epazotes is probably the best, 858-259-9966, San Diego Reader Review,  but Il Fornaio is also good, 858-755-8876, San Diego Reader Review, as well as Pacifica Del Mar, 858-792-0476, and Kitima Thai food, 858-792-7000).

> On the West side of the street, in the middle of the long first block diagonal from the above mall, is Bully's - very good, reasonable to expensive hamburgers and steaks (San Diego Reader Review).

> Going past Bully's, turning right (West) at the end of the long block, and about a half block down, is our favorite lunch place Stratford Court Cafe  (you sit outdoors on a deck).

Closest Golf Courses

> Lomas Santa Fe Executive Course (just up at the top of the hill going East on Lomas Santa Fe, turn left on Highland Road, and then the club house is on the next left corner).  More Info at teetimessandiego.com.

> Encinitas Ranch (can only make tee times 7 days or less in advance) - North on I5 a few miles to Leucadia Boulevard, go right/East and up hill to Quail Gardens Road, turn left and club house is next right).  More Info at golfsd.com.  More Info at bickler.com.  More Info at teetimessandiego.com.

Hot Air Balloon Rides

> This is very popular towards Sunset.  Call Skysurfer Balloon at 858-481-6800 or California Dreamin at 760-438-9550. 

Surfing

> Call 755-2971 for Solana Beach surf conditions.  Beacon's Beach web site has everything about surfing, the beach, & the ocean (based in Leucadia, just north of Solana Beach, Cardiff, and Encinitas).  Check out web cam & conditions at Del Mar Beach and Cardiff State Beach (just North of Solana Beach, stretches for a couple of miles along the park and campground).

Sights
> Legoland - About 10 miles north of Solana Beach (Cannon Road exit).
> Sea World - About 15 miles south of Solana Beach (Sea World Drive exit).
> San Diego Zoo - About 20 miles south of Solana Beach (Balboa Park exit).
> Wild Animal Park - Near Escondido , about 30 miles north and east of Solana Beach.
> Tijuana - About 40 miles south of Solana Beach - Not worth visiting, but if you must -  to say you've been there, buy some cheap prescription drugs or liquor, or do some shopping along the main avenue - the best way is to park on this side of the border and walk over - take the last I5 exit before the border, turn right, park anywhere (there is an outlet mall to the right) - then walk over the border (follow the crowds).  You only need a U.S. drivers license or a passport.
> Disneyland - About 60 miles north of Solana Beach on I5. 
> Los Angeles, Hollywood/Mann's Theater, & Universal City are about 90 minutes north.

Emergency and Helpful Phone Numbers

Please e-mail us by clicking here with any comments or ideas for this web site.

   Our Solana Beach Map With Locations Links to Local Interest Web Sites Del Mar Shores Condo Web Site