Discovering this sleepy little town doused with adorable boutiques and some spectacular
waves took me longer than I wish it had. After living in San Diego, only about 30 minutes south, I am kicking myself in the butt now for never venturing here before.
During the three days I’ve spent here, I have fallen absolutely in love with this town and have already done a couple house searches online, in hopes of finding anything even remotely close to my price range… not successful haha!
I decided to spend my time here in total relaxation mode; nine times out of ten, this is not the case for my travels. But, Solana Beach is the greatest town for just that! Although the trip was ephemeral, it was one for the books and I am already looking forward to my return.
Beach
With abnormally warm water temperatures (for Southern California) and next to nobody else around us, the beach did not disappoint one bit.
There were several surfers, of all levels, paddling out with out wetsuits, enjoying the everlasting waves rolling in. The scenery is nothing but stunning. There are long stretches of sand speckled with patches of citrine colored, washed-up, kelp that sits directly in front of the massive, earthy, cliffs that the comely California coasts are so well known for.
Food
Roberto’s Taco Shop was such a hit, that we managed to go back after our first night eating here. California burritos and fish tacos? Say no more. The guacamole was incredibly
killer and the rice and beans were next-level tasty! I do not want to flat out say that my Mexican food standards are pretty low, but I am an honest gal; pretty much all Mexican food makes me happy.
BUT! Despite my inability to be disappointed by any degree of Mexican food, this spot was exceptional. I most definitely recommend eating here at least once- twice, if you’re a true Mexican food addict. There are about twelve locations in Southern California, and I can honestly vouch positively for two of them.
Although, I hate to break it to ya, you couldn’t pay me to go back to the Roberto’s Taco Shop in Reno, Nevada. But, this is a story for another day. Basically, just stick to the California locations with this establishment.
Coffee
Solana Beach Coffee Company.
That is all you need to know about coffee in Solana Beach. I gamboled down the street to this flawless little coffee shop every morning, with the excitement for the coffee building more and more every day. I tested the iced and hot coffee, adding espresso to anything I ordered, of course.
Both were absolutely delightful and surely did the trick in waking me up. The variety of bagels was rather satisfying: plain, blueberry, jalepeno, as well as a handful of other ones. The cream cheese bagel and the bagel sandwich with eggs and cheese were both out of this bagel-loving world. The atmosphere is inviting and the crowd is always there. Each morning there were heaps of people piling in, but the crew working always managed to get the food/drinks out in a timely manner.
There is a lovely mural painted on the wall inside of the shop; it consists of a handful of dogs on Del Mar Dog Beach, which is located just a few miles down the road. I was chatting with one of the lively workers there about how vibrant the mural was.
“The bummer about that rad painting is that pretty much all those dogs are dead now. The owners of those pups come in, and some have even tried to write R.I.P. on the ones that have passed.”
Learning that most of the dogs painted on the wall had passed away was a total mood changer, but be sure to check out the beautiful art when you are waiting on your pipping hot coffee!
Music
Although my opinion may be slightly biased due to my boyfriend playing there, the Belly Up in Solana Beach is one super stellar music venue. My boyfriend’s band, The Marcus King Band, played a sold-out show for an eager, beach-town crowd.
The diaphanous venue was the epitome of a dream for someone picky, like myself. There were seats at tables, seats without tables, tall seats, short seats, areas without seats; all the options were available, and it was freaking awesome. Planted on the walls all over the venue were photos of various bands who had played there. The vibe was intimate, yet there was plenty of room for a semi-large audience.
The crowd was incredibly responsive and came to get down. The surfers, the hippies, and the old Dead heads all joined together to boogie to some good ole psychedelic Southern rock and roll. I was luckily enough to have shared the show with a decent bunch of my friends that are still living in San Diego; I couldn’t have pictured a more perfect way to spend my last night in Solana Beach.
From the quaint shops, to the dreamy waves, and all the tunes in between- Solana Beach is truly a hidden gem of Southern California. It is the most ideal getaway to relax and enjoy the simpler things in life. The city is quiet, but you won’t be bored. Don’t forget to bring your wallet, as you stroll down the street, passing all the bright boutiques. There will be more than enough stuff that you’ll want to spend every last penny to your name on.