I feel so very blessed to be able to come to the City of Solana Beach each Monday for run club…read more Run North County hosts run clubs in North County all thru the week and Monday runs are here. I keep coming back because the running routes are breathtakingly gorgeous. So while you torture yourself running, you at least get distracted my mindblowing views. I would have to agree with others that the City of Solana Beach is super chill and not too crowded. The older I get, the more I appreciate peace, space and calm. I really love this place and so glad I'm not too far away and can enjoy this beach weekly!

This cute little town south of Encinitas and north of San Diego is a nice place to stroll around…read moreand go shopping for house decor items (lots of interior design businesses here), gifts for the ones you love, or just to grab a coffee or a bite to eat. The area on Cedros Avenue is like a walkable business district that has lots of free parking and many varied stores to shop. That business district has about 85 merchants, artisans, one-of-a-kind curators and collectors. Fashion boutiques, fine jewelry, art galleries, outdoor cafes and more, all clustered along a peaceful 2 1/2 blocks in North County's nearby Solana Beach. We loved spending time in this part of San Diego county. Relaxing and cute.

One of our long-time local favorites. In warm weather, we enjoy the patio and watching the…read moreever-changing array of characters ambling along South Cedros, some destined for shows at The Belly Up. The inside dining room and bar is cozy and decorated with posters from musical acts. Tavern is popular before shows and we go early on weeknights to beat the crowds and enjoy the food. The menu is reasonably priced. The tasty pan seared lemon and butter scallops on linguine was $29. The lobster tacos are $28, with the lobster chunks in a bowl with a subtle tomato sauce, and choice of torillas, with Spanish rice and black beans. Tavern has a full bar and a short but excellent wine list, reasonably priced, and mostly from California. Wines by the glass start at $11 and go to $14. A bottle of William Hill, Central Coast, Chardonnay, wsa $42 and the Rombauer Carneos, $65. Corkage is $25. Most cocktails are $15. It has local beers on draft and in the cans. Service is always fast and friendly. They check regularly for water refills, and any thoughts on the meal. We enjoy the casual, neighborly feel to the Tavern. A California beach town classic.

Best place to eat before a show at the Belly Up!…read more My go-to has been the filet medallions. Always great! Perfectly cooked each time. Cocktails are on point. Old fashioned was excellent. Wine list is what you need. Not huge, but full of solid wines. Review for the attached restaurant: Kind and efficient service. Joy was stellar!!! Nice welcome upon coming in. Server had it all nailed down. Look forward to coming again! 5/20/26 visit

Sightseeing in San Diego, California…read more.. I don't remember why I had this place on my List of Things To See, but we stumbled across the Historic Alvarado House when we visited the San Diego County Fair on 6-25-23. The person who actually spotted this exhibit is Emmett T. I thought that the house was a functional structure in a residential area, but no... Not now. It used to be - in 1885 when it was sold for $600 to Don Diego de Jesus. Currently, the house is located near the Garden/landscaping contest displays, the Historic Alvarado House was on the edge of the "Blue Zone" of the Fair. The most recent owner of house donated it to the Del Mar Historical Society. Plans are in the works to move the house somewhere else and present it as a museum. We arrived at the San Diego County Fair around 6pm and the house was closed for tours. Maybe if we return and get there earlier, we would be able to walk through the house and observe the contents? Thanks to Emmett (again) for being a great tour guide!

An open space park just steps from the water…read more Lots of room to exercise or relax and even have a picnic. A great spot to start or finish your day. Paid parking is close by and it's reasonably priced. Be sure to bring sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat plus something to drink.

We love going to this park and love that it's dog friendly depending on the time of year. Always…read morecheck beforehand. That being said the park and the beach are always very clean and I've never found them too crowded, even on the weekend. The only downside is parking. We've had to drive around for quite a bit to find free parking in the neighborhoods but they do have some paid parking lots that are closer.

So glad we checked this off the bucket list. We had a great experience. Despite the morning being…read morevery foggy from having warm weather the day before, the company did a great job of finding clear skies to take off from. Pilot Denni (the owner of the company with almost 40 years of pilot experience) was great and landed in the same place we took off, which is likened to a hole in one in golf. The whole experience was less than 3hrs. The ride itself lasted about an hour. We were transported to and from the launch and landing sites. They took some pictures for us and provided a balloon ride certificate at the end with discounts for local wineries and businesses. Mimosas and a bag of snacks were provided at the end. It was a great experience and would recommend to anyone willing to wake up before sunrise.

What a magically dreamy adventure! Can't believe it's taken me (a thrill seeker) so long to go on a…read morehot air balloon, but better late than never! It was actually a lot more calm and peaceful than I thought it would be! Even my friend, who's afraid of heights, did it! Sure, she was pretty scared at first and stayed close to the center of the basket, avoiding to look out and down, but she started feeling more comfortable the longer we were in the sky. We booked on their website and used the promo code "Groupon" for a discounted price of about $180 per person. The meeting point was in the parking lot of a shopping center in Temecula at 5:30am. There, they went over some rules, info about hot air ballooning and there was a photographer/videographer, Wesly Cajuste, selling packages for stills and a video. He has a drone that follows the balloon. My friends and I decided to go for it since it was our first time and it was a special occasion (friend's birthday). We were very happy with the way the video and the photos came out. Then, a couple shuttle vans took us to where they were setting up the hot air balloons, which varies depending on the wind. Before getting in the basket, we got to go in the balloon while they were inflating it. It was chilly in the morning, but it gets pretty warm being under the propane tank, so hats and layers are suggested. We were 4 groups of 4 and were assigned to a huge balloon with 4 separate compartments we were snug in. The knowledgeable and experienced pilot, Brian, was in the middle. I read that the baskets have doors but we had to climb in ours. The ride was about an hour long and we had a spectacular view of Temecula valley. I was a little nervous about the landing, but Brian is clearly a pro and did a magnificent job with a smooth landing on an open field. No mimosas in the air since there are no restrooms, but they busted out the Crooks when we got out! The website said breakfast, but they actually just give out ziplocked bags of snacks. Lol! Totally not necessary. The balloon ride was the ultimate highlight! They also give a certificate, which includes a list of wineries you can get discounts at for having done the hot air experience.

Nice small park with killer ocean views…read more Parking lot is tiny but you might get lucky and get a spot on the street. There is a bathroom And drinking fountain. There are tables to eat on. And some benches to see the ocean views. There is a wooden staircase to walk down to the beach as well. Definitely a good little park to visit if you are looking for a great views of the ocean and in the area. But it is very crowded most of the time.

I stumbled upon this park as I was one a morning walk. I stopped here to rest for a while. I…read morequickly realized that Smami's Seaside Park is a small little treasure in Encinitas. It is a great place to go surfing or to watch surfers. There is parking on the street, in the park, and the park also has public bathrooms. There are a couple of wooden decks, one with steps that lead down to the beach. The deck provides a great view of the beach and surrounding cliffs. This is a great place to hang out for an afternoon, and it is an excellent place to watch the sun set. It is not a very large park, but it has great appeal.

THE KRAKEN @ CARDIFF…read more Parking is available right out front, but you can also walk here if you're nearby. My friends and I tried walking from State Beach in Encinitas, it was about a 13-minute walk, but I wouldn't recommend it. The path smelled pretty bad, likely because of the seals and trash in the area. Once we arrived, we were quickly settled in. The restroom was clean and decent, and we loved how spacious the place felt. There's a nice outdoor area where people can hang out and drink, as well as an indoor section with a pool table. We tried some of their margaritas, which were absolutely delicious, and really enjoyed the ambiance. The staff was friendly, the service was great, and the overall vibe made it a fun spot to visit. Once inside, you don't notice the outdoor smell, so that's a plus. I'd definitely stop by again.

Good: It's a decent bar during the day time: You can actually talk to people and easily get a…read moredrink. You can see the ocean and the vibe is chill. Bad: It's a terrible bar on the weekends. Sure, sometimes there is good live music, but it's hard to get a drink, it's packed full of a-holes, the staff is also overwhelmed a-holes, and there's no view. But it's sometimes full of cougars though for the Marines, good luck boys.

We had a very strange and hostile interaction with a bartender there. I'm not sure what was going…read moreon with him but I wouldn't recommend this place.

Not quite the same vibe as the old Surf n Saddle Bar but still a decent watering hole / dive bar…read more. they have all the popular beers in draft. Usually there's some good music playing, sometimes live...

such a fun time and great customer service!!! they have the cutest shop dog as well :)…read more we called and they said even though they had a three hour minimum price, they let us have a discount since we went two hours before close- such beautiful ocean view paths to bike around the shop too

Elias is amazing at Coastal e-Bikes! We live in Colorado and rent our bikes from him at least twice…read morea year. His inventory is top-notch, he patiently teaches riders about their specific bikes, and offers very fair rental rates. I highly recommend renting here!