Del Mar is one of the few beach resorts where the pleasure-seeker can
divide his time among the whole range of out-door amusements. The long
pleasure wharf and the miles of just that character of beach where the
whiting, the croaker, the chub mackerel and the young sea bass love to
feed, offer the finest of still fishing. If he is ambitious for a
contest with the big fighting fishes of the deeper waters, he can take
a boat and soon be floating over the haunts of the yellow-tail, the
albacore and the bonito. If he prefers the report of the gun to the
music of the reel, a short walk back from the hotel brings him into
the country of the game little quail.
Again, he can, by a short ride to the ponds and lagoons, change from
upland to waterfowl shooting.
But the gamut is not yet run; for within easy reach are several
mountain streams where he can cast his flies on their waters with good
returns. And, if he seeks to pit his cunning and his skill against the
watchful deer, a pleasant and interesting ride over a good motor road,
takes him into the wilds of the Cuyamaca mountains.
But the sportsman in his outings will always think of his comforts as
well as his sports, and for those Del Mar has planned with a lavish
hand.
It is not all of the enjoyment of a good meal to have a choice
selection of viands, admirably cooked by an experienced chef, and
served in the most approved manner. It is not all of a good night's
rest, after the fatigue of a day's sport, to have lain on a downy bed
in a richly appointed room. Agreeable service; the affability of the
management; the pervading air of welcome; the society of congenial
companions; the beauty of the situation; the inspiring views; the
charm of the many scenes that each day photographs upon the memory,
adds a relish to the menu which no chef can compound, and a
restfulness to one's slumber that the ingenuity of no upholsterer can
supply. For a part of these delightful adjuncts to one's enjoyment, I
am willing to give credit to the excellent taste of the founders of
Del Mar. But the beauty of its surroundings, the possibility of its
charming individuality, must be credited to those exclusive gifts
which nature first bestowed upon it.
Del Mar is twenty-two miles from San Diego and 111 from Los Angeles,
and can be reached from either of these cities by the Santa Fe
railroad, or by a good motor road, distinguished for its many
interesting views.
[Illustration: AQUARIUM, VENICE]