Solana Beach is a small coastal town near San Diego, home to many art installations and galleries, laid back atmosphere, great beaches, and craft beer. Like many other San Diego towns and neighbourhoods, Solana Beach relates to excellent train connection, so you can hop to this picturesque place with Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner and Coaster railway.
For all those who visit south California for SeaWorld, La Jolla and other San Diego attractions, nearby Solana Beach is definitely worth coming. Foreign visitors should ask for ESTA Visa application before planning the trip. The travel approval application is an online process that has multiple questions and a small fee. Depending on your answers, the administration will grant you permission for entering the US. The ESTA approval is valid for two years.
If you come by train, there is an excellent neighborhood in downtown called The Cedros Design District. It is unique because it has art installations in exterior spaces. It is also three blocks of exceptional shopping offerings with numerous shops, art galleries and services.
You can find the art in most unusual places like streetlamps, walls, road crossings and other. Leaping Lotus and SoLo are among most popular shops in the area, while the Belly Up is the perfect club for great nightlife.
Solana Beach town center
Solana Beach beaches
The whole town is elevated above sea level, and most beaches have a staircase. That means you will have exceptional views on the ocean and the cliffs above the scenic 1,7 miles of sandy beaches.
The main town beach is Fletcher Cove, which is also the only one you can access without stairs. The beach has all amenities like playgrounds, sports courts, picnic areas and viewpoints. In low tide conditions, you can take a long hike to the south and north.
South of the Fletcher Cove is Seascape Surf Park you can access from the cliffs, and it is most suitable for surfers. Tide Beach Park is on the opposite side of the town, and you can get there through Fletcher Cove or from top of the cliff.
Solana Beach has a great variety of restaurants for almost every well-established cuisine. Seafood is one of the favorites, and Blue Ocean Robata is considered a top sushi place in Solana Beach. Crush is a popular Italian restaurant, and the California Pizza Kitchen and Pizza Port will get you a quick pizza bite.
If you are looking for a meal from fresh local ingredients, Pamplemousse Grille offers French-New American cuisine.
Solana Beach restaurants
Yoga Solana Beach
A laid-back atmosphere of the town is a perfect spot for a couple of yoga classes. While broader San Diego area has a multitude of exceptional yoga studios, Solana Beach also brings a couple of great places. YogaSix has six classes for all levels of yoga, starting from Y6 101 to more advanced Y6 Power and Sculpt & Flow classes.
Foundation Yoga & Wellness Center covers many varieties of Levels and Styles. Some of the programs include Slow Flow, Mat Pilates, Foundation Flow and Viniyoga breath & movement.
The whole broader Sand Diego area gets a lot of visitors, and beach town like Solano Beach is no exception. That is why accommodation offers are great. Best rated hotels include Courtyard Marriot with pool, fitness center, Starbucks coffee and free wi-fi.
Holiday Inn Express has 80 large rooms, and besides the pool, you can enjoy jacuzzi on a great location. Other notable hotels include Hilton San Diego and Cardiff by the Sea Lodge in nearby San Elijo State Beach.
Before you make your hotel, reservation make sure you already have ESTA Visa America. The whole process usually lasts for 72 hours. Still, the advice is to apply even before you make your final travelling preparations. Once you get ESTA approval, you can visit the US for up to 90 days.
The whole San Diego metropolitan area is known as one of the beer capitals of the entire country. Solana Beach also has its brewery and Culture Brewing is a great place to start exploring rich craft beer offering in south California.
Although most vineyards in the state are in the northern part, you can find vintage vine cellars like Carruth that offers a wide selection of wines, tasting rooms and cozy atmosphere. They get their grapes from own vineyard and produce high-quality products.
Bottom line
Solana Beach is often overlooked gem in San Diego tourist offer. With almost two miles of coastline with beautiful beaches and cliffs, it is perfect for a beach vacation. The town has varied architecture from old Spanish colonial style to more modern houses, beach variants and many others. Solana Beach also has a vibrant town center with plenty of shopping options, art galleries, bars, and clubs.
