Del Mar

Beach time in Del Mar, San Diego, California... After lunch, my college classmate wanted to walk on the beach with me. I asked her if we can step into the water. She warned me that it will be cold. Okay... Yes... It's COLD! The breeze was so chilly that I got my jacket from the car. The water felt icy! The wind on my wet feet made me think that my feet were frozen! Haha! I appreciate that there's metered street parking and free parking in the residential area across the street. There's an outdoor shower near the Powerhouse Community Building. There was no shower by the steps that lead from the street at the "Access" sign to the beach. Overall, it was a fun adventure! My classmate said that it's more beautiful during sunset time!

My 2nd favorite beach in SD. Very crowded with limited parking but it's worth the trouble. Near many famous restaurants. Attended a sound bath hosted by Del Mar beach hotel and it was divine. This is probably one of the best San Diego beaches for family-style beach recreation. There is a lifeguard tower at 17th Street, as well as restrooms and showers there. If you were to stay at Fairmont Grand Del Mar, The Grand Beach Services brings hotel guests to this San Diego beach at 18th Street.

This beach is perfect for watching sunsets, picnics, grunion runs... pretty much anything. It's wide and long and usually not too crowded. The sand is soft but supportive enough for a beach run and has enough hold to bury your pup. My dog relaxes while buried because the sand probably feels like a weighted blanket. And with the sound of the waves, it feels like heaven on earth.

Beautiful beach that is within walking distance to many great restaurants and shops! The beach is more of a scenic location, for strolls along the sand and surfing, and not so much for swimming. We encountered a lot of people walking along the beach and surfers catching the big waves, but only saw a few swimmers scattered here and there.

Beautiful beach with a park and grassy areas to sit. All dogs must be on leash and other activities are determined by the weather/ current etc. yellow green and red flags are placed to let people know which activities are allowed and where.

I was pleasantly surprised to find this is a dog friendly beach! There were so many dogs! There weren't too many people on a Sunday which was awesome, and even with the people who were there, there is enough sand that every group was spaced out, not crowded next to each other. The beach was beautiful, the sand was clean and really had no sticks, rocks, or other dangerous things in it. Beautiful place!

PROS: nice view of the sunset and connected to the Torrey pines mountain. Water wasn't that rough either CONS: small amount of parking, small amount of sand making this beach tiny, baseball size rocks cover this beach too OVERALL: I wouldn't recommend coming to this beach, but if you're near here might as well come and see

Wanted to write one last review from our time in San Diego this past summer for Del Mar City Beach. Mark H's nephew's family lives in SD and goes to this beach often. There's a main park area, Powerhouse Park, that a lot of people go to but many locals head farther down where all the zillion dollar homes are and go to the beach down there instead. I think it was around 22nd or 23rd Street. There are public rights of ways that you can access the beach from. I'm a water baby, having grown up in the water catching waves, spearfishing, shore casting etc etc but have actually never been in the water outside the hawaiian island chain. What a treat it was to be able to borrow a body board and get into the water here to catch some waves. I LOVED IT! Most of the swimmers/surfers had wet suits on but to me the water was the perfect temp, I think high 60s low 70s maybe. I was just in board shorts and it was great. Cool, clear water that just felt refreshing and clean...and being able to ride some waves on top of that, I was in heaven.

Beautiful beach, very clean and lots of space to sit back and relax. Plenty of benches and tables if you want to picnic or even space on the sand. It was pretty crowded when we went (and it was after 6pm). I am not much of a beach runner so I wish there was a little more space to take a walk around the beach but still great place to hang out. We've been for the Rudolph 5k around Christmas time and you walk on the sand, lots of fun. Again very relaxing and actually quiet of you are looking for a place to just chill

This is a great beach and most importantly it sure is clean. I started my adventure on the north side of the beach next to the San Dieguito River. I favor this northern park of the beach given it's more picturess and it's near dog beach. Not to say the Powerhouse Park, on the other end, is not a nice place, because it is. It's good for families with its restrooms, picnic tables, water, and playground. There's a few for parking in the parking lots. The beach sand is nice and so is the view out to the Pacific Ocean.

North county beaches including Del Mar are all in all some of San Diego's best. each city has a different character. Our family had a fun time at Del Mar with the exception of the below incidents. Del Mar's character is a pleasant sandy beach with a not relaxing not pleasant very strict and expensive parking and beach rules culture . By design Del Mar keeps out the commoners with high priced parking. The semi official city employees patrol parking and beaches every 15 minutes. Expect a $200 ticket for any parking or beach violation. That's why we won't frequent Del Mar , including the fair, racetrack and restaurants.

A great city beach!!!! This is one of the nicest beaches I have been to and I'm from LA! It was very clean and beauo!! There were a lot of people at the beach when I went on a Monday afternoon, but it didn't feel crowded. It was a beautiful place to watch the sunset! The most difficult part was the parking but I was able to find some street parking a few blocks away. Then I was able to walk the adjoining park and down to the beach. The beach is dog friendly and a must see on a visit to San Diego!

I have had a long time love affair with Del Mar's city beaches. The first house that I moved into on my own dime was right up the hill within walking distance and I took full advantage. I had no idea how fortunate I was until years later when I moved up the coast and had to try and park my car to enjoy this fine beach. A sandy coastline makes walking enjoyable, however the ocean harbors reefs that help build up great waves for surfing. This is a beach lover's paradise with easy access from the street. It can get a bit crowded, especially during peak season or Santa Ana wind conditions. People know a good thing and they love the place where the turf meets the surf in Del Mar.

POPULAR BEACH ! I was cruising past here earlier today while out doing a couple of things. I'm not a swimmer or even a person who likes to sit on the beach but the ocean is always beautiful to admire !

Beautiful beach. Dog friendly and not too crowded. But it will be crowded on pony race days.

I'm not a beach person mainly because I find most beaches (on the East Coast at least) jam-packed, rowdy, and extremely unsanitary. However, I loved this beach because it was the cleanest I had ever seen! Very well-kept. We did a coastal drive in a convertible from Gaslamp and ended up here. The drive itself was very scenic. Even though it was overcast, this place still took my breath away. If only I could visit more often!

My favorite beach in the San Diego area. It's very pretty here, there's a grassy park here with no sand so if I'm not feeling like getting sandy, I don't have to :) and if I want to I can just go down to the sand. Best of both worlds! So the parking could potentially be a problem. If you go during peak hours, you might not be able to find free parking. Also, there are some spots that have a time limit (usually 2 hours) so gotta keep that in mind. Other than that, it's the perfect beach and I enjoy going here. :)

Love Del Mar beach. It is dog friendly in certain spots they have to be on a leash. It does get crowded so it's been to claim a spot early.

Del Mar is a really nice "under the radar" beach, which makes it somewhat of a locals spot. Just park your car in the neighborhoods somewhere, find an opening at the end of one of the cul-de-sacs, and voila, you're on the sand. Unless you hang out by the main lifeguard tower, there aren't amenities really to speak of, but sometimes, that's kind of the point. You can watch the locals walk their dogs up and down the sand (not sure if it's legal, but it appears to be tolerated) while you enjoy the sun, surf, and sand, and not much else is needed. Oh, and ogling the eight figure homes... or perhaps I should say third or fourth homes... Is also entertaining. I hope the owners truly appreciate the beautiful setting, since they pay so much for it. As for me, I'm satisfied with a few hours now and then for the bargain price of nothing.

Del Mar City Beach is a clean beach that is picturesque.~ -perfect for those "long walks on the beach". -watch the amazing sunset with great views -fine dining nearby -perfect for surfers, swimmers, or those who prefer to just layout -escape the real world for a moment, and take it all in here! A while back I parked by "Seagrove Park" and came in the early summer evening.. went towards this beach and decided to be creative.. climbed up an empty lifeguard tower and posted up with a little sunset picnic. Beautiful Del Mar!!

How could anyone not love this beach!? It's beautiful and so relaxing even on a busy weekend. I love the ease of parking which is reasonably priced and the distance to get to the beach from wherever you end up parking is very short. Lifeguards are present and I feel safe whenever I'm here, compared to other beaches that I've visited in San Diego. The homes are amazing too! I love seeing new ones being built or older ones getting renovated. Always good times and fun under the sun here at the Del Mar City Beach. Can't wait for winter to be over...

Visiting from Virginia I had the pleasure getting to know Del Mar beach extensively. It was late July when I came here with the fam bam. The water was cool, the sun was warm and plenty of beach goers were doing salt life things. I was about waste deep wading in the water when I felt a slippery serpent slithering across my legs. Not knowing what the foreign object was I made a hastily retreat back to the shoreline. After about two minutes I decided to go back in the water unaware of the danger that lurked within. Walking just passed the first break of waves, it was then I realized I made a terrible mistake. The next step I took was the one I'll remember for life. Bang! I felt a sudden sharp piercing impact in my foot. Confusion quickly turned to panic and fear as I ran to sore on one leg toward my mates. I got there and took a first glance at my foot. To my dismay, a gushing stream of blood came pouring out of my inside foot. My family quickly ran for help (the younger ones grabbed their phones to take pictures smh). The first life guard on site bent over with eyes wide open and said "gnarly, were going to get you help" to which I replied, I thought you were the help! A second lifeguard quickly arrived on a 4x4 with medic kit. He to was impressed with the amount of bleeding. Almost too impressed to the point I was losing confidence...and consciousness, mostly from the pain. At this point the venom had completely made its way through my leg and I was feeling a tremendous amount of intense pain. A sharp, fiery, deeply intense pain. The lifeguards wheeled me in their quarters where I spent 2 hours on baywatch while the pain subsided. If you want a beach with high energy, great waves, amazing sunsets, and lifeguards that will take care of you if you get stung by a stingray, there's no better beach than Del Mar.

We are here for a concert on the beach. Every inch of space is covered in blankets marking territory. The man on the mic, the MC was a bit about himself and bossy and annoying. This is Yelp where I can say this. . Get here early if you want to hear the music. This is a beautiful California beach with horizon vista as far as the eye can see. Gorgeous sunset and beautiful people all around. Choose this beach to see an iconic Cali beach.

There is a lot to like about Del Mar, shopping, dining and spectacular views. This just isn't a beach I go to very often! This beach has limited parking (so arrive early) and parking in lots can be very expensive. If you can snag street parking remember to bring enough change for the meter. This beach is insanely crowded. There are tons of people and I just don't find it very relaxing. It has some great amenities like a restroom and a playground for the kiddos so there are some perks. I feel like I've been in San Diego too long if I'm giving a beach three stars, but if you want something more low key with better parking and less people check out Pacific Beach or even pop up to Oceanside! If you want some hustle and bustle than this is the beach for you!

What a glorious beach! There are beautiful places to sit and relax. There are places to hike up above and look out. There is even a section in Del Mar that qualifies as a dog beach for furry friends.

HaPpY FiRsT DaY Of SpRiNg! I gotta write a review to add to my Holidaze list. I'll make this short & simple-- one of the many nice beaches in SD, we're blessed to live in America's Finest City! I still think Torrey Pines is the best, but this is still pretty close to us. Dining options close by (Jakes and Poseidon are right on the beach). Free street parking is available, as well as a paid parking lot across the street from Jake's/Poseidon. Hubby has gotten in some good runs here. He said that spring time is good time to run because the sand is impacted. He runs to Solana Beach, down to Torrey Pines and back up to Del Mar. He said "it's a nice one. One of my favorite spots to run." Oh honey, write your own Yelp review! Nice photo ops. as well. My lash lady is moving to a salon closeby so I'll be up here more frequently. Bottom line, you really can't go wrong with any NoCoSD beaches.

I love this beach! The sand is so bright and clean! If you want California style photo shoot with beach and gorgeous view of coastline - this is a great spot! Be careful with a railroad, trains are so fast and silent sometimes :)

THANK YOU Del Mar for allowing dogs on the beach. Our dog had such a blast walking the entire beach and meeting people and other dogs along the way. He was beyond happy. The shallow water makes it fun for him to play in the water and jump into the waves. Thank you for allowing fun at the beach! We appreciate you!!

Great spot for morning walks or taking the kids to boogie board. Family friendly and fun!

Lovely beach with ample space... However I had a hard time finding free parking. Everything that appeared free was taken (Tuesday afternoon). There were tons of metered spaces however they weren't cheap. There was a public parking lot nearby inside a housing complex (follow the signs) that was $2.00/hour and I thought that was too much so I drove closer to the beach. Those meters asked for $3.00/hour but I just gave in. I still prefer Solana Beach as it has more sand space and more free parking options (at least that's how it seemed when I came).

Is anyone else upset about the dog beach rules and stipulations during the summer? Tell me why our Del Mar dogs should have to be on a leash during the summer time while the San Diego dogs at OB/Coronado/Mission beach can run free?

I was staying at a hotel nearby and decided to walk here to see the sunset. It ended up being quite a treacherous walk down a steep slope but was well worth it! I got to see a spectacular sunset, the colors were amazing!

What a jewel this beach is! I was invited by a local Del Mar friend to meet up here for a fun day with the kids. Parking can be challenging, but totally worth it. There are restrooms and life guards with in walking distance. The views are breath taking Parking ok Surfing Zone Good waves Friendly people Family Friendly

First time to this specific beach. We walked down to the beach near the playground and discovered that swimming wasn't allowed in that area, so we had to hoof it over to the lifeguard tower. The sandy area seemed small and it was a little strange setting up right in front of a restaurant with people looking over you. The bathrooms were clean and nice. I liked that there was a boogie board rental and snack shop - that would've been fun when I was a kid/teen. Overall, it's a nice, relatively quiet area, but not my favorite beach.

I enjoyed people watching. Nice friendly beach, very kind people. Many older couples taking walks along the waves. Even got a chance to see an older cute couple take the cutest coolest selfie

Such a beautiful beach! We were in town with family and this was the closest beach to their hotel so we spent the afternoon here and had a wonderful time. White sandy beach, not too busy either, plenty of room to spread out. Easy and free parking if you take the time to look and be patient a bit. The views here are amazing, close to the downtown area of Del Mar and they have public bathrooms as well. Very well maintained and a great stop while passing through the area!

Our family likes this beach mainly because of the kids play area adjoining to the beach. The play area itself is padded with rubber and a great place for parents to watch the sunset while their kids play for a while. Kids also love the trains passing and watch out and wave to the Coaster. The sandy part of the beach itself is a tad narrow. Beware, the tide comes in fairly quickly and can ruin a good picnic and freak out your small kids. This is what happened to us! We really thought we had a few minutes to grab our stuff and head back , but the sea got our flip flops and created havoc in our little family beach picnic. Parking is tricky but manageable in the by lanes around the area. Food options around Del Mar are plentiful as well and you can usually find the cuisine of your choice without wandering very far.

Del Mar beach is a great place. It's where the city meets the beach and the two join together in perfect unison. Here you can walk the paved paths while enjoying the beach from the cliffs while surrounded by the beauty of nature all around. Then you can go down to the beach where the sand is ok, but can be a little rocky. The water each time I've visited has been too cold to get into, but I come more for the scenery and relaxation than to swim.

What a fantastic beach and coastline! Can't put the beauty into words. You must come by and see for yourself. What doesn't suck, is all the cute surfers too!! :)

This is my hometown and the only complaint I've got is the fact that many years ago from 1970s to about 1990 the city of Del Mar use to clean the beach with a big tractor every morning 7 days a week ....now, NOTHING! That has all stopped. Why ? I have no idea, but Del Mar Prides itself on Bing Crosby's song "where the turf meets the surf " yet our surf / beach can be pretty messy . Del Mar use to look as good as the beach in Coronado not now, actually that is the best beach in all of San Diego in my opinion. Clean ! Del Mar beach is a great place to surf and relax at the beach. Back in my day it was a simple town that has now gone out of control , but it will always be my hometown. Powerhouse Park is a great place to find a bench have a seat and watch the waves. Still I wish they would bring back the beach clean up tractor .

We love going to Del Mar beach and bringing our dog. After Labor day to Memorial day all of Del Mar beaches dogs are ok on a leash. Like talking long walks.

This beach encompasses the area from 15th st. near Seagrove Park and Powerhouse park, all the way to the north towards Del Mar Dog beach. We parked the car at nearby Jake's Del Mar restaurant and took a romantic walk cliff side over looking the ocean. The bonus is a walking path which leads to a small garden and then onto the (unfenced!!) train tracks. The bf and I had fun walking along the tracks, but watch your kids closely: that Amtrak train barreling at you with speeds greater than 35mph will definitely ruin your day. (and the rest of your days after that ...) What I love most about this beach is the expensive homes that line the bluffs. Beautiful to look at and made me jealous that I'll never be able to afford one. Thank you for making me feel poor, Del Mar.

What can I say?? It was an awesome day on the beach at Del Mar. All the summer crowds were gone, 90 degrees out and not a cloud in the sky! I spend the afternoon strolling with my girlfriend and watching the surfers catching some pretty nice waves. No better place to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Beautiful place to watch a sunset The beach is always clean, no piles of seaweed Sand is soft, no rocks or pebbles (not like in Torrey Pines) You are most likely to find parking near 24th or 25th streets, there is also a small paid lot but its always full. Its a very family oriented beach, lots of kids The Del Mar beach is connected to the dog beach Grassy area in front of the beach is great for a day picnic and strolls

Gorgeous! Tranquil beautiful ocean not too crowded. The water is at perfect temperature to go swim. Could never get tired of Del Mar beach & beautiful surroundings.

I come here anytime my wife has appointments in the area. The sand is compacted, which is great for running. Anything that involves exercise, being outside, and sunshine will get 5 stars from me. There's street parking available or a paid lot close by. I usually come on a weekday, off-peak hours, so I've never had trouble parking. Or I'll park at Del Mar Plaza since my wife does her beauty stuff there, and start my workout there, and run to the beach. But I usually start out here, run to Torrey Pines, then go up the hill/trail then run back through Del Mar beach and continue running up to Solana Beach then back. I always get a great run in the area. There are port-o-potties by Poseidon and Jake's restaurants.

This place sure is beautiful. I love coming here at night (it's pretty quiet, with the occasional walkers/joggers), there are plenty of benches so when the tide is high you don't actually have to go down to the beach itself but still get the beautiful view. Parking (during the day) can be a bit of a hassle, but are any beaches actually easy to park at? There are plenty of restaurants within walking distance, and the beach is pretty nicely maintained--not a ton of garbage everywhere. Del Mar really is a gem, by far one of the best beaches in the San Diego area.

i love this beach...why don't i come here more? i know parking isn't easy...but now we have uber (and we can get sand in someone else's car instead of our own!) so enjoy a day at the beach and head on over to a good selection of HH spots within walking distance. or stay a bit later and enjoy the sunset with your toes in the sand. remember no drinking on the beach! at least don't be obvious about it =)

Been a Florida beach family our entire lives. Del Mar is a cool beach. Waves provide opportunity to surf and boogie board. Beach area is relatively narrow so prime time feels packed. Parking is a challenge but even with no prior experience it is manageable. Be patient and flexible on arrival time. Services on site feel disjointed and signage could be better to guide beach goers to amenities on site. Curious to explore more of the beach next visit.

We made it to Del Mar beach just in time for sunset. One of my favorite places of all time. Beautiful, clean and so relaxing.