Four days at Del Mar and I’m officially a woman of leisure who smells faintly of sunscreen, horses, and (mostly) winning betting strategies. Friends, family, food, and placing deeply scientific bets on the fillies—plus the occasional handsome colt who caught my eye—made this the exact fall escape I didn’t know I needed.
Del Mar on the Cheap: How We Ate, Gambled, & Beach-Walked Without Maxing Out the AmEx
Staying at the Del Mar Fairgrounds Surf & Turf RV Park was the key to our “Boujie on a budget” lifestyle. Nothing says “high society on a middle-class paycheck” like taking a five-minute walk to the track in gently thrifted cowboy boots while sipping a margarita from a Solo cup. We love Del Mar, but the hotels and summer Airbnb prices are basically a hate crime. The Fall Bing Crosby Meet, though? Cooler temps, way cheaper, and just as magical—minus the crowds who think flip-flops count as proper footwear at the races.
4 days at Del Mar & I’ve decided I’m basically an expert in horse racing, margaritas &RV park etiquette
Del Mar in the fall is autumn done Southern California–style. Who needs aspens when the jockey silks are already a rainbow of pumpkin spice, marigold, and cranberry? And the track keeps things festive: college day with free parking and a $5 betting voucher, a winter clothing donation drive for all those backstretch workers (bring your gently-used coats!), and free Sunday admission if you download the Diamond Club app. There is always something happening, even in the fall at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.
Now, about the RV park. This little seaside gem used to be only for racetrack workers—until a few too many jockeys got drunk, rowdy, and ultimately evicted. This RV park changed ownership back in 2022 after Jockey Fight Club. The Del Mar Fairgrounds Surf and Turf RV Park is now open to the public! It’s a little pricier, a little upgraded and a whole of convenience for these degenerate gamblers (And one vacation dog If only the Del Mar Fairgrounds Surf and Turf RV Park would let me stay for more than 21 nights a season!
Now it’s open to the public, upgraded, and absolutely perfect for degenerate gamblers and one vacation dog. Back in 2017, we stayed here i
n our 34-foot motorhome with zero hookups and had to haul a tank of raw sewage through San Diego traffic to Mission Bay. Let me tell you: Mission Bay is fabulous for kayaking, not so fabulous when you’re driving a Big Brown Rolling Turd south towards Tijuana. Thankfully, the park has since improved dramatically, and my sanity and the motorhome’s sewer system thank them.
If you’re RVing in San Diego, you could stay at Pala or Pechanga, but unless you enjoy paying resort prices to be an hour from Del Mar, save yourself the headache. Sure, beach campgrounds like Carlsbad State Beach or San Elijo are iconic—but good luck beating the midnight bots and booking six months out. AI is great for asking why my feral kitten refuses to be potty trained—not so great when she beats me to a campsite.
The Del Mar fairgrounds Surf & Turf RV Park, though? Pure convenience. A short walk to the track, and only twenty twenty-minute stroll to the dog beach, where Luna—our sandy, sun-kissed, self-appointed beach influencer—lived her best life. Every morning at 7 a.m., she was ready for that stroll like she’d signed a contract with BarkBox.
How to Eat Well
, Bet Smart & Drink Cheap at Del Mar (Yes, It’s Possible)
Walking to the track was the only cardio I agreed to, aside from beach walks with the pup. Inside, the margaritas were delicious and outrageously priced—$25 for a drink that absolutely tasted like victory. Being frugal travelers (read: cheap), we perfected the art of smuggling in discreet, classy “walk-tails.” Del Mar allows food and drinks, but not beer, and absolutely not anything that looks like a Bloody Mary bar in a backpack. Pre-mix your margaritas into reusable bottles, pack good cups (no red Solo cups; have some self-respect), and give the booze bag to the girl in your group—we always look like angelic rule-followers. Look at this face; Do I look like I just smuggled in a margarita bar for three adults?
Because nothing ruins a racing budget faster than overpriced alcohol, I save all my cash for betting. This year we came up with a new superstition: sit in the grandstand seat that matches your horse’s number for good luck. Does it work? Sometimes. Do gamblers love rituals? Absolutely.
One of the best parts of this trip was the food. Whole Foods is conveniently across the street, perfect for spending your Pick 4 winnings on organic wine and artisan cheese. See’s Candy is right there too—ideal for when you peel off your skinny jeans and put on sweatpants for a post-track chocolate binge. For cheaper but still excellent groceries, Lazy Acres in Encinitas has great poke, salsas, and even elk steaks. Game meat in Southern California? Practically unheard of.
And if you want to thrift like a champion, the Encinitas Goodwill and a mysterious, unnamed thrift store nearby are full of treasures. For coffee or lunch, there’s Bird Rock Coffee; for French carbs, The French Corner in Leucadia has the best French crepes, pate-stuffed baguettes and French roasted cafe cremes this side of the Seine (Or at least San Elijo Lagoon); and if you’re willing to brave San Diego traffic, Glutinous Maximus in Vista has cronuts worthy of sainthood. Basically, a camping trip in Del Mar has everything you need for a degenerate gambler vaca.
10/10, I would happily lose more money here again next weekend.
By the end of four gloriously sandy, boozy, gamble-heavy days, I was already asking ChatGPT, “How do I justify another vacation immediately?” The Del Mar Fairgrounds Surf & Turf RV Park gave us everything we needed: friends, family, horse racing, and the delusion that this time the horses might agree with our handicapping.
We’ll be back next November—hopefully richer, my Jeep certainly sandier, and absolutely in the same RV spot if I can book it fast enough.
