History
 

Called Lockwood Mesa prior to 1923, Solana Beach was founded as a subdivision plan for the community. The name Solana Beach is derived from the Spanish word for “sunny”, translating literally into Sunny Beach. Featuring a slow and steady growth in population, Solana Beach experienced booms in growth post World War II and the latter quarter of the 20th century.

It was during the post-war boom that Solana Beach truly began its growth. The Chamber of Commerce was formed during this time. A sanitation district and a fire district were also formed. Eden Gardens, one of the oldest communities in Solana Beach, was also formed during this era of expansion by a group of Mexican Farmers hired by ranches in Rancho Santa Fe, and originally called it La Colonia (which many residents still do to this day).

Solana Beach was officially incorporated as a city in 1986. Solana Beach, in 2003, became the first city in the Continental United States that banned smoking on its beaches. For more information on Solana Beach’s history, one should definitely check out “The Stevens House”, also known as the Solana Beach Heritage Museum.

Schools

High Schools

• Torrey Pines High School – tp.sduhsd.cnet
   
• Canyon Crest Academy
   
• San Dieguito Academy

Middle Schools

• Earl Warren Middle School

Elementary Schools

• Solana Vista (K-3)
   
• Skyline (4-6)
   
• Solana Santa Fe (K-6)
   
• Solana Highlands (K-4)
   
• Carmel Creek (K-4)
   
• Solana Pacific (5-6)
   

Private

• Winston School of San Diego (4-12) – thewinstonschool.com
   
• Santa Fe Christian Schools (K-12) – sfcs.net
   
• St. James Academy (K-8) – saintjamesacademy.com
   
• Santa Fe Montessori School (K-6) – santafemontessori.com
   
• Fusion Learning Academy (6-12) – fusionlearningcenter.com
   
• Cal Coast Academy (6-12) – calcoastacademy.com

Restaurants

Fine Dining

Sbicca – sbiccabistro.com – While it’s called a bistro, Sbicca’s food is anything but simple and moderate. There is a large variety of food available, from scrumptious southern cuisine to surf-and-turf favorites; even Mediterranean style cuisine is available. A busy and bustling environment, do not go here for a quiet dinner. On the contrary, Sbicca’s loud and boisterous atmosphere only adds to its lively and upbeat environment. Also, consider heading here for its nightly happy hour, the savings are quite considerable. Many appetizers are at or under just six dollars, and sandwiches fall into the seven-dollar range as well. If you’re looking for a hearty dinner, however, the maple roasted pork prime rib is definitely hard to beat, served with delicious sweet potatoes, a Creole-pecan butter, and bourbon Chantilly sauce.

The Beach House – thebeachhouse.com – If you’re looking for a slightly different experience, The Beach House in Cardiff is a great place to experience. The menu is a flat rate, and features a standard 3-course menu. You get to choose one of three appetizers, one of three entrees, and one of three desserts to finish off your meal. You also get a wide selection of drinks (not included) to go along with your meal.

Blanca – dineblanca.com – While this place is definitely not on the cheap side, you are getting some of the best service and food in San Diego. The seafood is flown in fresh daily, and the chef will personally oversee every item himself. Featuring a nightly five-course Chef’s Tasting Menu at $75, its definitely on the pricier side of things, but a traditional menu features better pricing, but entrees can still reach into the $40 range. Be forewarned, always overflowing with people and leaving your wallet a little thinner than before, reservations are highly recommended.

Casual Dining

Station Sushi – myspace.com/stationsushi – Conveniently located just across the street from the train station; this sushi spot has earned its reputation as one of the premiere sushi restaurants in the San Diego area. Featuring a wide variety of standard sushi rolls, in addition to its very delicious rolls (such as the Protein roll served with crab instead of rice). Be forewarned, however, this is not a place to go to if you are searching for a quiet dining experience, the music can be a bit on the loud side, and the lines can be rather long. But just remember, long lines usually have great food waiting, and Station Sushi is no exception!

Beach Grass Café – beachgrasscafe.com – This delightful little café is located just two blocks east of the beach, so expect a cool and calming sea breeze while dining here, especially on the outside! Featuring a very creative breakfast (try the Beach Benedict – two griddled crab cakes, poached eggs, and a home-made hollandaise sauce), it is definitely recommended that you go to the Beach Grass Café is you want to start your day off with a bang. For lunch and dinner, the Café features a startling variety of food, including an outstanding selection of seafood. Also, the decadent desserts are all available for a reasonable six dollars apiece.

Wild Note Café – bellyupcantina.com – Featuring an environment that is at once both classy and casual, the Wild Note Café features a burgundy wood décor accompanied with fantastic artwork, while dining on the sidewalk can only be described as intimate and peaceful. Some of the favorites at the Wild Note include the Grilled Prawn Salad, Vegetarian Garden Burger, and the Salmon Dill Cakes served over baby greens. They also have meatier dishes, such as the Grilled Filet Medallions and the Brie Burger. Featuring reasonable prices and delightful service; you will not be disappointed with the Wild Note Café.
 

Beaches

Featuring 1.7 miles of beach front for swimming and surfing, Solana Beach’s very mild climate (averages of 77 degrees in the summertime and 62 in the winter), Solana Beach definitely lives up to its Spanish name of sunny. Most days, you can catch locals watching the sunset at Fletcher Cove, Tide Beach Park, or Seascape Surf. All of Solana’s beaches are at the base of a bluff, and are very secluded.
 

Fletcher Cove – Commonly known as Pillbox because of the WWII Gunnery that was installed here, Fletcher Cove is the main beach park of Solana Beach. With plenty of parking for visitors, and only a few hundred yards away from the train station, Fletcher Cove is a popular destination year around. There is plenty to do at the beach itself; surfing, surf-fishing, body-boarding, boogie-boarding, and swimming, as well as jogging and walking.

Tide Beach Park – Just north of Fletcher Cove, the park has free street parking, but no public restrooms. It is renowned for the large reef, a.k.a. “Table Tops”, and the tide pools on the northern end of the park. Some popular activities that Tide Park provides opportunity for include scuba diving and snorkeling, in addition to surfing, swimming, boogie-boarding, etc.

Seascape Surf – Known to surfers as Cherry Hill, Seascape is located just south of Fletcher Cove. Much like the rest of Solana Beach, Seascape is very friendly to many different activities, including surfing and boogie-boarding, surf-fishing, body-boarding, swimming, etc.
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