Del Mar

 

The Plaza at Del Mar is the quintessential beach town center. This Plaza however, has a little more panache. Being in the center of Del Mar, its restaurants are exceptional and its shops, exquisite! Whether you are looking for Italian, Fine Mexican, innovative Californian or Sushi, you are sure to find what you are hungry for at the Plaza. Catch a sunset over the Pacific Ocean from one of the many outdoor dining options after a day of winning at the Horse Races! After shopping and dining, it’s a short walk down 15th Street to Powerhouse Park and the Beach.

 

Old Town

 

Old Town is the neighborhood around the The Plaza both up on the hill as well as toward the beach and as named, is the home to the oldest homes in Del Mar. There are some truly fantastic properties in this neighborhood with lots of history and character, conveniently close to everything downtown Del Mar has to offer.

 

The Del Mar Racetrack

 

“Where the Surf Meets the Turf,” is what you hear and read all summer long in Del Mar. The Del Mar racetrack season is when Del Mar comes alive. Thousands pour into the Del Mar Fairgrounds, located in the heart of Del Mar, to bet on their favorite horse and cheer it and its jockey to victory! Opening day is a classic event with elegant ladies and gentlemen dressed to the nines, hoping to be one of the lucky betters that day. There are free concerts after the races on Friday nights which bring quite an impressive list of famous bands. If one is to live in or even just visit Del Mar between July and September, the Race Track is not to be missed.

 

Powerhouse Park

 

Located at the West end of 15th Street, just down the street from The Plaza, Powerhouse Park is a hub for beach activities and dining experiences in Del Mar. Powerhouse Park has been a landmark in Del Mar since its being built as a power plant in the early 1900’s. It was then a nightclub in the 1950’s! Later, it was an experimental desalinization plant. The city of Del Mar purchased the Powerhouse and the surrounding park and lawn areas in 1983. It was refurbished and the Powerhouse Community Center became what it is today. It won the 2000 Orchid Award Winning Design for Historic Preservation. Having rolling lawn areas and a playground for the kids, it is a popular Del Mar spot for picnicking, relaxing and watching the surf. There are extremely popular surf spots right there at Powerhouse Park. 15th street is the spot right in front of the playground, etc. It’s a gentle wave often used as a surf school location. Tres Palms (Three Palms) is a slightly more aggressive wave just in front of the community Center. There are now six palms there, but the spot’s name has remained!

 

South of Powerhouse Park

 

To the South of Powerhouse Park there is an almost 2 mile strand of beautiful beach! These beaches are not crowded, even during prime summer months due to the fact that they are only accessible by “goat trails” that steeply meander down the cliff. There is, however, a very accessible and popular walking trail that begins at Powerhouse Park and follows the railroad tracks down along the seaside cliff to Torrey Pines Park to the South. There are several popular surf spots here including 7th Street, Little Velzy and 10th Street. The homes here are some of my favorite in the world! Residents here enjoy all the pleasures of living in one of the most prestigious beach towns in California, while being somewhat secluded from the hustle and bustle of downtown Del Mar. If you are one of the few who own a home here, you hear the sounds of waves crashing and little else!

 

Beach Colony

 

To the North of Powerhouse Park, you have a beach neighborhood consisting of small streets and alleys that end at “true” beach homes and is known as The Beach Colony. As the owner of one of these homes, you are either literally on the sand or only a few steps from it. And these beaches are breathtaking- clean white sand, warm and gentle waves most of the year, this is Del Mar at its best!