Del Mar, United States: Self-Guided Walking Tour

The best things to do in Del Mar include exploring coastal parks, discovering its historic homes, and seeing the fairgrounds and racetrack that shape the city’s identity. With the Pacific Ocean nearby, Del Mar combines open landscapes, beaches, and long-standing local traditions. Neywo has a free audio guide for Del Mar with 8 narrated places, available in 11 languages.

What to see in Del Mar

Del Mar Fairgrounds

The Del Mar Fairgrounds, also known as the San Diego County Fairgrounds, is an event venue on a 370-acre site owned by the State of California. The sea lies nearby to the west, while the broad, flat surroundings give the complex an open coastal setting.

The fairgrounds are best known for hosting the San Diego County Fair, described in the source as the largest event of its kind in America. They also include a racing track, connecting the venue to Del Mar’s long equestrian tradition.

North Bluff Preserve

North Bluff Preserve sits about 27 metres above sea level in San Diego County. Its mostly flat setting contrasts with the nearby beaches and the higher ground farther inland.

Black Mountain is the highest point in the surrounding area, at about 475 metres above sea level and 14.4 kilometres east of the preserve. The location offers a clear sense of the changing landscape around Del Mar, from level coastal parkland to distant inland heights.

Seagrove Park

Seagrove Park is a coastal park in Del Mar, near the sea. Its surroundings are shaped by beaches, valleys, and coves, creating an open place to experience the city’s relationship with the Pacific coastline.

The park is one of the stops that makes a walk through Del Mar feel less like a visit to a single attraction and more like an exploration of a varied coastal landscape.

San Diego County Fair

The San Diego County Fair is an annual summer event held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Established in 1880, it is the longest-running event in San Diego County.

Its history adds another layer to the fairgrounds: the site is not only a venue for contemporary events, but also the home of one of the county’s longest-standing gatherings.

Del Mar Racetrack

Del Mar Racetrack forms part of the Del Mar Fairgrounds and is one of the area’s major venues for live horse racing. The track was built in 1936 by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, whose founding members included Bing Crosby.

Races were first held here in 1937. The venue can accommodate up to 44,000 people, making it the second-largest horse-racing venue in the western United States, after nearby Santa Anita Park.

The racetrack is best understood as part of the larger fairgrounds complex rather than as an isolated attraction. Racing is one of several major activities held at the site throughout the year.

Canfield-Wright House

The Canfield-Wright House is one of Del Mar’s historic homes. Also known as Wrightland and the Pink Lady, it is a private residence overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Its bright pink exterior makes it especially memorable when seen from outside.

Built in 1910 as a second home for Charles A. Canfield, the house reflects the ambitions of one of California’s early oil tycoons. Canfield and his business partner, Edward L. Doheny, became prominent after drilling the first successful oil well in Los Angeles in 1892. Canfield later invested in real estate and helped establish Beverly Hills and Del Mar.

Architect John C. Austin designed the house in the Mission and Spanish Revival styles, with influences from an Italian villa. Austin also designed the Southern Land Company’s Hotel Del Mar and later created Los Angeles City Hall and the Griffith Observatory.

After Canfield died in 1913, the property remained with his family until it was sold to the Wright family in 1923. The structure changed very little, apart from small additions to the main house and outbuildings.

Secret Frisbee Beach

Secret Frisbee Beach is a shoreline in San Diego County, in the southwestern part of the United States. It lies beside Los Peñasquitos Lagoon and adds another coastal stop to a visit focused on Del Mar’s beaches and open landscapes.

Exploring California beyond Del Mar

Del Mar is part of California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. If you are continuing through the region, nearby destinations include Encinitas, Coronado, and Escondido.

Explore Del Mar with Neywo

Neywo’s free Del Mar audio guide includes 8 narrated places. Each story plays as you reach the place, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Narration is available in 11 languages.

Download Neywo and explore Del Mar while the app tells the story of each place as you arrive. It is a simple way to turn a walk through the fairgrounds, parks, beaches, and historic sites into a self-guided experience.