From its earliest years, The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe attracted luminaries from the

entertainment and sports worlds. Among the most prominent was Bing Crosby, who kept a sprawling home in the community. It was an ideal spot for the showman to put down roots and enjoy a quieter change of life, coupled with golf and serenity. Decades after he first settled there, Bing Crosby’s name is still embedded throughout the village.

 

The Early Days

By the mid-1930s, Crosby had discovered Rancho Santa Fe as something of a liberation from Hollywood. Unlike celebrities who visited briefly, Crosby took an interest in the region’s development and was socially engaged in its betterment. His presence solidified the area’s reputation as a connected enclave where more known-figures could gather with little fanfare.

 

Other Hollywood legends, including Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford, were also known to visit The Inn. Their stays contributed to the property’s standing during the Golden Age of film, when Southern California’s coastal communities became extensions of the studio era’s social circuit.

 

Racing Toward Del Mar

Crosby’s most visible regional contribution came in 1937 with the founding of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Conceived as a sporting venture with opportunities for socialization, the racetrack quickly became home to one of the state’s premier seasonal events. On opening day, Crosby personally welcomed early attendees at the gate.

 

The track drew large crowds who gathered for the exciting races. In 1938, a widely publicized match race between the celebrated Seabiscuit and Ligaroti, a horse owned by Crosby through his Binglin Stable, drew national attention. Seabiscuit prevailed, and the event further elevated the club’s presence. Notably, The Inn, situated nearby, naturally became a convenient gathering place for visitors attending races and related social events.

 

The Crosby Clambake

In 1937, Crosby organized an invitational golf tournament at the Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club, pairing professional golfers with friends of his from the entertainment industry. The event concluded with a lively seaside clambake.

 

The event proved an immediate success. While it was initially modest in scale, the tournament, then known as the Crosby Clambake, expanded considerably over the following decade. Sam Snead won the first professional competition, taking home $500 in prize money. Between 1937 and 1947, the gathering established a blueprint for what the region meant to Crosby. It was a harmonious medley that brought together competitive golf and celebrity participation in a relaxed setting. The event evolved into what is now known as the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, a PGA TOUR Signature Event.

 

His Continued Presence

Bing Crosby undeniably left his mark on the region, and his influence remains prominent even today. The Crosby, a 722-acre gated community located just minutes from Rancho Santa Fe, is a namesake community that reflects the appeal of country club living tied to golf culture. The grounds feature a championship course, a nod to the lifestyle he loved.

 

Within The Inn itself, Bing’s Bar also nods to that history. The space channels a soothing, club-like atmosphere associated with Crosby’s era. It’s warm and tasteful, with a deep color palette, floor-to-ceiling windows shining sunlight over wood-paneled walls and plush emerald-toned bar stools lining the marble bar. It’s all punctuated with a modern twist, evidenced in the refined light menu options and impressive selection of spirits and wines.

 

The Crosby Legacy

Rancho Santa Fe is as much a reflection of Bing Crosby’s enduring legacy as it is a famed community known for its quiet charm and exclusive feel. Crosby’s involvement only further solidified that sterling reputation.