Cielo, Spanish for sky, is a guard gated community in Rancho Santa Fe sitting at elevations close to 1,500 feet, some of the highest in coastal San Diego County. The community spans around 1,500 acres with 375 custom homesites and 50 percent open space. So not only do Cielo residents experience views of the Pacific Coast and the mountains inland, but they have a sense of living away from it all, up in the “Cielo.” The beach towns of Encinitas, Solana Beach, and Del Mar are all a short drive away.
The architecture throughout draws from Tuscan influences, with cobblestone and warm tones carried through the community. At its inception, Cielo was named Community of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders.
THE CLUB
Club Cielo is an 8,000 square foot clubhouse with an events lounge, catering kitchen, conference room, fitness center, aerobic studio, and tennis and pickleball courts. Aquatic facilities include a competition sized swimming pool, a kids pool, and a spa with locker rooms. There is also a rose garden on the grounds.
OUTDOOR RECREATION
Cielo Park is a 1.5 acre park within the community with basketball and sand volleyball courts, a rock climbing wall, a sports field, and a picnic pavilion with a BBQ grill. Larger natural spaces nearby include Black Mountain Open Space Park at 2,300 acres, San Elijo Lagoon, Lake Hodges, and Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve, all with trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Nearby resorts include Rancho Valencia, The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, and Morgan Run Club and Resort, which has a 27 hole golf course.
DINING
Cielo Village sits within the community and has shops and outdoor dining arranged around a European style piazza and fountain. Nearby in Rancho Santa Fe, dining options include Lillian's at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, Mille Fleurs, Thyme in the Ranch, Caffe Positano, and Paseo RSF. Del Mar and Solana Beach are also within a short drive with a wider range of options.
SCHOOLS
Public school options include Roger Rowe Elementary and Middle School, Bernardo Elementary, Bear Valley Middle, Torrey Pines High, and San Pasqual High. Private school options include Happy Time Nursery School, The Village Church Preschool, The Nativity School, Cal Coast Academy, Horizon Prep, Santa Fe Christian, San Diego Jewish Academy, The Grauer School, La Jolla Country Day School, Cathedral Catholic High, and Diegueno Country School.
For more on the public and private schools serving Rancho Santa Fe, see my full guide to Rancho Santa Fe area schools.
