Del Mar – Where Bing Crosby and Lucy Ball Used To Play

Imagine a vacation paradise in a lovely, relaxing and scenic little village nestled on the endless Pacific Ocean. Your paradise consists of boutique hotels and Inns, famous five star restaurants and mile after mile of gorgeous beaches. Those elements make up the paradise of Del Mar, California.

Del Mar is Spanish for “of the sea” because it is located right on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. It’s lauded by travel critics as one of the most beautiful and delicious resort beach towns in the world. Here you will find delightful lagoons, five-star restaurants, romantic bed and breakfast inns, scenic jogging trails, myriad vacation options, sandy beaches and a one-of-a-kind horse racing track

Del Mar has been home to Hollywood celebrities starting in the 1940’s. Bing Crosby and Jimmy Durante made the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club become one of the most famous and prestigious horse racing organizations in the entire world. Angie Dickenson and Burt Bacharach purchased residences in Del Mar. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez were regulars at the track and at Del Mar’s restaurants. Brad Pitt recently purchased a home here in Del Mar – an $18 million dollar beachfront home – so now Brad sightings are the new talk of the town.

Del Mar is a small town, only two square miles. It’s located on the Northern San Diego County coast between Torrey Pines State Reserve on the south and Solana Beach on the north. The Population of Del Mar is 4000 to 5000 (depending on who does the counting). Residents live among beautiful canyons and hillsides, other perched on bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, all of them enjoying phenomenal sunsets.

Del Mar is home to the endangered Torrey Pine, the rarest species of pine tree in the United States. Only two populations of this endangered species exist – one in Torrey Pines State Reserve the other in Del Mar proper.

Each summer Del Mar plays host to the San Diego County Fair at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The fair originally opened in 1936, the site selected because it was the perfect spot just off the main highways – while still being near the ocean’s cooling breezes on hot summer days. Selection of a fair queen – Fairest of the Fair – is still a fail highlight each summer.

Bing Crosby took a leading role in helping make the now-world-famous Del Mar Race Track a reality. On July 3, 1937, the Del Mar Race Track opened. Newspapers called the track “Bing’s Baby”. In 1938 Bing recorded a song that would open and close every day of racing since those early days – Where The Turf Meets the Surf.