Rancho Santa Fe has strict design restrictions. Many streets outside of the downtown area are lined with landscaping; on side streets the landscaping of individual properties provides ambient decor. Very few homes are visible from the road.

The downtown is centered around the intersection of Linea del Cielo/Paseo Delicias and La Granada/Via de Santa Fe. It is the site of offices of financial firms, restaurants, and small stores. A library and a school are also located here. Outside of this area, Rancho Santa Fe is exclusively residential except for a number of golf courses and country clubs.

The Covenant refers to the original planned community of Rancho Santa Fe. It includes the downtown area (see above), as planned by Lillian Rice, who also designed the library, civic center, elementary school, numerous private homes, and the only hotel within the Covenant, The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. Two large Spanish-style condominium complexes are also located in the Covenant's central area. The area offers some 45 miles of riding trails, available for use by Covenant residents, who take full advantage of these facilities as well as those availed of them by the Rancho Santa Fe Riding Club and Saddle Club. Aesthetics and architecture within the Covenant are protected by an Art Jury, a non-governmental organization which must approve any exterior alteration to any building, fence, sidewalk (although no sidewalks exist outside of the downtown area), or other structure.