Coastal Rail Trail

Short trial along Hwy 101 at Solana Beach, about 1.7 miles. At plaza Dr. you can cut out to the beach for a beautiful view and little park. Very nice stop on way to Sab Diego and the public art is cool – hopefully they will continue to add installations.

This weekend, Mrs. Picante del Monte and I left our kids at their grandparents for a few days of unadulterated spoiling, sugar, and screen time to enjoy each other’s company for our annual celebration of wedded bliss. Planned activities included two bike rides from south Carlsbad; one north to Oceanside pier, and the second south to Torrey Pines.
On both rides, we traveled portions of the 44 mile long Coastal Rail Trail, a series of class 1 bike paths (that means they are separate from vehicular traffic) connected by marked bike lanes along Pacific Coast Highway.
The Oceanside section from approximately Vista Way to Morse St. (Where it runs into Pacific) is well marked but not entirely necessary– the remainder of the trip is essentially marked bike lanes along PCH and Pacific up to the pier, and cars seem to share the road with bikes.
Heading south, it’s the same deal– a few small stretches of improved bike path, but mostly painted bike lane or signs indicating that bikes can use the whole right lane.
That said, it’s a nice ride with pretty views of the ocean, some decent coastal hills up and down along the bluffs, and a great way to experience the charm of cities like Encinitas and Leucadia. State beaches and city parks along the way are bike and restroom-​break friendly, and most drivers behave themselves. Respect between cyclists and motorists is a two way street, and you reap what you sow.
For the timid, there can be a lot of car traffic, and it takes a bit of getting used to… As San Diego continues to develop this trail, more casual riders, kids, and families will no doubt enjoy this fantastic way to see the north county coast.

It’s clean and well paved, great for a morning walk or jog.

Awesome! My husband and I really enjoyed this trail on our vacation. It is kept so clean and well-​manicured. Are you sure it’s 1 ½ miles? It feels shorter than that.

A pristinely-​designed paved walking trail in one of the better San Diego neighborhoods, the Coastal Rail Trail is a truly wonderful experience. Immaculately clean and well-​maintained, and peppered throughout with colorful displays of art, it’s a great place to go for a leisurely walk. The highlight of the trail is the masterful archway entrance at the intersection of Via De La Valle and 101.
The round-​trip out and back distance will be 3.0 miles, meaning that you may need add some extra legs if you’re looking for a longer workout. But if you’re short on time, the trail might just fit the bill.

The 1.5 mile Linear Park along Coast Highway that runs alongside the Coast Highway is a fantastic addition to the community commons area of Solana Beach. While recently up in North County, I actually got out of my car and stared in amazement at how awesome it was to have a multi-​use linear park abutting the busy Highway.
It is utterly cutting-​edge in it’s captivating charm and was designed to «metaphorically celebrate the edge between land and sea. There are crescent moon-​shaped decks, sculptural seating walls, poetry corners, grouped plantings, paving patterns, and organic artistry representing and celebrating this concept. of public art amid the delights of nature. I adore the Amber Irwin designed– Sunburst sculpture which to me, screams of the joy of the outdoors experience. The designers were smart to feature drought tolerant and native vegetation throughout as both a practical matter and a good example of how southern Californians can utilize attractive but hardy plants in a beautiful manner.
The Coastal Rail Trail (Linear Park) runs along Highway 101 from the Del Mar border of Via de la Valle north to Cardiff-​at the City’s northern boundary,. Love all the different types that can be found here such as: Stroller moms, joggers, roller-blader’s, cyclists, and dog walkers. What is so cool is that this is all part of a 40-​mile Coastal Trail-​eventually to extend all the way from
dowrown San Diego.
The City of Solana Beach should be very proud of all the many awards for this public amenity, including most recently the Landscape Design Council of California Award of Merit. Don’t forget the prestigious designation from the American Concrete Institute and recognition from the Rails-​to-​Trails Conservancy. When the Linear Park was initially completed in 2005, it immediately won Project of the Year from the American Public Works-​San Diego chapter! But the best award of all is the steady utilization by the citizens and people of the area who make good usage of the meandering pathways amid artwork, sculptures, native gardens and graceful arching gateways overlooking the Pacific Ocean.