Solana Beach lies within a few steps of San Diego in the most picturesque area of coastal southern California. This beach paradise offers the perfect vacation getaway for every member of the family. If you're looking for a fun downtown area and a boardwalk that winds along miles of pristine beach and exciting activities, Solana Beach is the perfect destination. Visit for a few days or a few weeks, and stay in your own private vacation rental. Wake up each morning and watch the sun rise from the balcony of your beach condo. Then head downtown and enjoy breakfast at a local cafe before exploring the museums, art galleries, and shopping districts. Later, pack a picnic lunch and hike the trails of San Diego's state and local parks. After the sun sets over the Pacific, experience the energetic nightlife, live music scene, and world-class seafood restaurants along the coast.

Here are a few specific suggestions that can help you make your plans:

• Visit Solana Beach art galleries: Art galleries are one of Solana Beach's primary attractions. Don't miss the Trios Gallery and Arica and Beyond.
• Take a biplane or balloon ride: Take an early morning ride with a champagne brunch or a twilight ride followed by a romantic dinner.
• Go antiques shopping: The Antiques Warehouse is a popular destination with beautiful pieces brought in from all from all over the country.
• Go snorkeling or diving: The reef and wreck ecosystems just off the coast of Solana Beach are teeming with colorful native fish and marine life.
• Take a surfing lesson: Enlist the help of a patient instructor and find out why those surfers are having so much fun. The truly adventurous may also decide to try hang gliding or kite surfing.
• Go on a whale watching tour: A charter boat tour may be the best way to see dolphins and humpback whales in their natural habitat.

No matter when you decide to visit Solana Beach, you'll never run out of fun things to do here, and you'll have no trouble finding an apartment or luxury vacation home that offers all the amenities you need to host your family and friends. While you're visiting Solana Beach, be sure to check out some popular destinations nearby like Vista and Pacific Beach.