Led by Don Gaspar de Portola, the Spanish arrived in the area today called Solana Beach in 1769. Portola’s charge was to press north from San Diego to Monterey Bay where he was to establish a mission and a colony. In traveling between the San Diego and Monterey missions, the Portola party established a trail that was later known as “El Camino Real,” or “The Royal Highway.” In the Solana Beach area, the Spanish traveled inland to avoid the many marshes and inlets near the coast. The original road crossed at Conley’s corners on Via de la Valle which is now the east end of the Polo Field.

In 1986, the community was officially incorporated as the city of Solana Beach. While still a relatively tranquil coastal town, the city made national news in 2003 upon becoming the first city in the Continental United States to enact a smoking ban on its public beaches, a trend which has continued as many other coastal Californian towns have followed suit in banning smoking on their beaches.

Adjacent to Solana Beach, residents enjoy the 100-acre San Dieguito Park to the east, the San Elijo Lagoon and Nature Reserve to the north, the San Dieguito River Regional Park and Lagoon, the Fair Grounds, and Fairbanks Ranch Polo Fields (including the race track that was founded by Bing Crosby and his pals during the 1930’s) to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west.

In Spanish, Solana means “sunny,” and this city lives up to its name. Solana Beach is warm and sunny throughout most of the year, with temperatures averaging 62 degrees in the wintertime and 77 degrees in the summertime- and the average annual rainfall is a mere ten inches per year. Solana Beach offers well-supervised beaches for swimming and surfing, and a mile-long sandy beach with shallow water for wading in the surf. Fletcher Cove is one of the most popular beaches in the city, and has easy access, a fully staffed life guard station, restrooms, half-court basketball, and a sandy beach at the foot of the bluffs.

Because of these special qualities, you would expect Solana Beach real estate to move quickly. Charming first-time or senior homes, executive and luxury estates, recreational properties for active lives and special view properties of all styles and sizes can be found within or near this community.