Entertainment & Arts
Surf lessons at Del Mar Beach, the Del Mar Racetrack, and gallery openings at Del Mar Plaza — 22 entertainment venues span 12 tours and attractions, 14 event venues, and 7 galleries in 92014.
Surf lessons at Del Mar Beach, the Del Mar Racetrack, and gallery openings at Del Mar Plaza — 22 entertainment venues span 12 tours and attractions, 14 event venues, and 7 galleries in 92014.
Del Mar Surf School, which holds a five-star Google rating, teaches all levels on Del Mar Beach. Del Mar Country Club, which carries a 4.9-star Google rating, offers golf on a private course along the San Dieguito River valley. San Dieguito River Park provides hiking and nature trails through the San Dieguito River Park watershed. The Del Mar Racetrack on Jimmy Durante Boulevard hosts thoroughbred racing from July through September, the San Diego County Fair each June, and year-round concerts and events at the Fairgrounds.
Gabrielle Benot Art Gallery, which holds a five-star Google rating, displays contemporary works in the village. Fourteen event venues serve weddings, corporate retreats, and private parties, including facilities at L'Auberge Del Mar and the Del Mar Fairgrounds. One live music venue rounds out the nightlife.
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The 2026 Del Mar race track opening day is Friday, July 17, and the 87th summer season of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club carries 89 years of history with it. From Bing Crosby greeting fans at the gate in 1937, to the legendary 1938 Seabiscuit match race, to Jimmy Durante, Lucille Ball, and Desi Arnaz in the Hollywood era, to modern Pacific Classic record-breakers like Candy Ride and Flightline, Del Mar is where the turf meets the surf and where San Diego families have been making summer memories for nearly a century. This is the full historic story of California's only seaside racetrack in Del Mar, from 1937 to Opening Day 2026.
Del Mar Racing opens its 87th season on July 17, 2026, running 32 days through Labor Day at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The $1 million Pacific Classic headlines a 37-race stakes schedule worth $7.775 million, with six Grade I stakes across the eight-week meet. Opening Day is Del Mar's signature social event, drawing thousands for racing, fashion, and post-race celebrations that spill into Del Mar Village. Tickets go on sale May 8 — race season transforms Del Mar's hotels, restaurants, and bars from mid-July through September.
The San Diego County Fair returns to the Del Mar Fairgrounds from June 10 through July 5, 2026, with the theme Once Upon A Fair — a celebration of storytelling, books, and imagination. The fair runs Wednesdays through Sundays with Grandstand concerts, more than 70 rides, and signature fair food that draws over a million visitors. It is the largest annual event in San Diego County and transforms Del Mar for nearly a month. Plan for packed hotels and busy restaurants along Camino Del Mar, especially as the fair overlaps with the start of racing season.