Del Mar, Calif., about 30 minutes north of San Diego, contains an interestingly rich history. In 1882, the first California Southern Railroad train was engineered and built by Theodore M. Loop. Loop was so impressed with the area that he called it, the most attractive place on the entire coast. In that same year, Jacob Taylor bought 338 acres of land for $1,000 on the northern edge of what would later become Del Mar. Both men were visionaries and they both pictured the city becoming very powerful with much wealth and industry. One other interesting history story evolves around the Del Mar Racetrack. In 1933, Ed Fletcher was assigned to find a suitable location for the San Diego County Fair. An area was soon decided for the fair that also included a mile-long oval racetrack. In 1937 the now infamous Del Mar racetrack was established and began holding races. Places of accommodation in Del Mar are geared towards anyone who wants to stay or visit the city. The original Del Mar Inn now called the Clarion Carriage House Del Mar Inn along with the Hilton Del Mar North and the Lauberge Del Mar Resort & Spa are just a few of many places to choose from. Balloon flights are also very popular in and around the city. Balloon Flights LLC and Panorama Balloon Tours both offer services in this area. The Del Mar Fairgrounds and Del Mar Thoroughbred Club are also popular places to visit. Dining places in Del Mar offer a wide variety of food types along with service. Pacifica Del Mar, China Caf, Papachinos, Sushi Dokoro Shirahama and Barones are just a few of many dining selections. Surrounding tourist destinations are in the hundreds. San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, Sea World of California, Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Old Town San Diego, Historic Balboa Park, Universtiy of San Diego, Gaslamp Quarter, Convention Center, Qualcomm Stadium home of the San Diego Chargers, Petco Park home of the San Diego Padres, San Diego State University home of the Aztec and Holiday Bowl are but a small glimpse of the many options that await any visitor to Del Mar. Real estate in Del Mar varies greatly depending on the location. For example, a four bed, three bath house on the coast can cost upwards of $7 million. The same house farther inland would cost around $1 million. The main reason for the big price difference is because of the proximity to the coast. The first example sits right on the beach, while the second example is about three miles from the coast. Homes that are even farther inland continue to drop in price as the view of the surrounding area slowly diminishes. Del Mar is a quant city that sits on only two square miles and only has a population of around 4,500. If you are looking for something with the small town atmosphere, but enjoyable at the same time, Del Mar is the place. |
