Encinitas has about six miles of coastline between Batiquitos Lagoon and San Elijo Lagoon, with beaches ranging from busy, family-friendly Moonlight State Beach to narrow, cliff-backed strands in Leucadia reached by steep stairways.[1][2] Some beaches are run by the city and some by California State Parks, with different rules and hours.
Beach list
| Beach | Community | Operator | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grandview | Leucadia | City | Leucadia beach access[1] |
| Beacon's (Leucadia State Beach) | Leucadia | City, under 20-year state agreement | 10.6 acres; est. 1949; swimming, surfing, fishing[3] |
| Moonlight State Beach | Old Encinitas | City | Volleyball, bonfires, lifeguards; parking lot[4] |
| Swami's | Old Encinitas | City Parks and Recreation | World-class point break; park and staircase[5] |
| San Elijo State Beach | Cardiff | California State Parks | Bluff-top campground; reef for snorkelling[6] |
| Cardiff State Beach | Cardiff | California State Parks | Swimming, surfing, beachcombing; tide pools[7] |
Moonlight State Beach
Moonlight Beach is about a fifth of a mile from Coast Highway 101, where Encinitas Boulevard becomes B Street. It is one of the most visited beaches in the city, used for surfing, swimming, surf fishing, volleyball and bonfires.[4] Two-player volleyball has been played there since the early 1950s, and a mixed-doubles tournament has been held every October since 1964.[4] The beach is open except between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., the parking lot is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., and lifeguard towers are staffed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in summer.[4] An ultraviolet treatment facility at B Street and Second Street cleans runoff from Cottonwood Creek, which once gave the beach poor water-quality grades.[4]
Swami's
Swami's beach is reached through the small cliff-top Swami's park, which has restrooms, picnic tables and a staircase to the sand. The beach is open from 4 a.m. to 2 a.m., with lifeguards from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from late June to Labor Day, and parking from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.[5] The sand stretches south to the San Elijo campground access, an area surfers call "Pipes".[5]
State beaches in Cardiff
San Elijo State Beach offers swimming, surfing, boogie-boarding, showers, picnicking and camping on a bluff above the sand. A nearby reef is popular with snorkellers and divers, and campsites, reserved through ReserveAmerica, book up to six months ahead.[6] Next door, Cardiff State Beach, established in 1949, is popular for swimming, surfing and beachcombing.[7] At low tide the reef at Cardiff exposes tide pools.[8]
Rules
Encinitas city beaches, including Swami's, prohibit dogs, portable barbecues, glass, smoking and alcohol.[5] Moonlight Beach also bans dogs, alcohol and glass.[4] State-run beaches follow California State Parks rules, which differ for camping and fires. Check posted signs before you go.
Safety
The bluffs in northern Encinitas are unstable and can collapse onto the narrow beaches, so beachgoers are advised not to sit directly beneath cliffs.[1] Many beaches nearly disappear at high tide. Swim near staffed lifeguard towers, and check water-quality advisories after heavy rain, when urban runoff reaches the ocean.[4]
Camping
The only beach camping in Encinitas is at San Elijo State Beach in Cardiff, where the state-run campground sits on a bluff above the sand, with sunset views and a tide pool reachable at low tide. Reservations go through ReserveAmerica and sites book up to six months in advance.[6]
Common questions
- What is the best beach in Encinitas?
- It depends on the activity. Moonlight State Beach is best for families, volleyball and facilities; Swami's for experienced surfers; Beacon's for a quieter Leucadia beach; and San Elijo State Beach for camping.
- Are dogs allowed on Encinitas beaches?
- Not on city beaches such as Swami's and Moonlight Beach, where dogs are prohibited.
- Can you have a bonfire at Moonlight Beach?
- Bonfires are among the activities Moonlight State Beach is known for; check current city rules and fire-ring locations before you go.
See also
Notes and sources
- Encinitas, California. Wikipedia.
- Leucadia, Encinitas, California. Wikipedia.
- Leucadia State Beach. Wikipedia.
- Moonlight State Beach. Wikipedia.
- Swami's. Wikipedia.
- San Elijo State Beach. Wikipedia.
- Cardiff State Beach. Wikipedia.
- Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Encinitas, California. Wikipedia.