Del Mar - God's Playground

By Carlos Hunnefeld

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 celebrities ever since the 1940's when Bing Crosby, Pat O'Brien and Jimmy Durante helped turn the Del Mar Race Track Thoroughbred Club into one of the most beautiful and prestigious organizations in the entire racing world. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez were regulars at the track in those days, and Burt Bacharach and Angie Dickenson also had residences in Del Mar. Brad Pitt purchased a home here recently - an $18 million dollar beachfront home - so now Brad Pitt sightings are the new sport in town.

Del Mar is a tiny community consisting of only two square miles along the Pacific Ocean in Northern San Diego County. Solana Beach is it's neighbor on the north, while Torrey Pines State Reserve and La Jolla border on the south. The population of Del Mar is somewhere between 4000 and 5000 residents (depending on who does the counting). "Del-Marians" live among beautiful sandstone canyons or on bluff tops overlooking the ocean - and they all enjoy gorgeous sunsets.

Del Mar is the only location in the world where the Torrey Pine tree grows. The Torrey Pine is the rarest pine tree in the United States. It's highly endangered and protected. There are two populations of native Torrey Pines, one at the Torrey Pines State Reserve and the other in the City of Del Mar.

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.

It was Bing Crosby who took a leading role to ensure that the now-world-famous Del Mar Race Track became reality. Del Mar Race Track opened in 1937 with newspapers dubbing the track "Bing's Baby." The next year Bing recorded a song that would eventually open each day of the racing season since those early days - Where The Turf Meets the Surf.

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