Solana Beach is an upscale oceanfront town about 20 miles north of downtown San Diego. Largely residential, this community affords a tranquil lifestyle away from city crowds, with just enough commercial presence to stand on its own. Downtown Solana Beach includes a variety of eclectic shops and fine dining spots catering to many different tastes. Several beautiful golf courses and country clubs are also located in the hills just east of the community. Residents of Solana Beach enjoy quick access throughout Southern California and San Diego County along the Interstate 5 at the city's eastern edge.

Solana Beach was originally known as Lockwood Mesa, but the name was changed following a comprehensive development plan for the area released in 1923. The city grew slowly according to careful development plans, booming slightly after World War II and during the 1980s and 1990s. Solana Beach was incorporated as a city in 1986. The city's reputation for natural preservation and strong community planning went national in 2003, when it became the first city in Continental United States to enact a smoking ban on public beaches, a trend which quickly spread to other towns and cities on the California coast.

One of the oldest and most beautifully developed neighborhoods in Solana Beach is Eden Gardens, formed in the 1920s by Mexican farmers. The community is now home to high profile residents like rapper Lil Rob and comedian Rene Sandoval, but it retains its Mexican working class heritage in much of the local architecture, and is occasionally referred to as La Colonia.

Solana Beach real estate listings start in the semi-luxury price range for condos and townhouses, and extend well into the millions for large custom estates overlooking the Pacific ocean.