Swami's Beach
During the winter when the swells are particularly good, surfers often put on quite a show at Swami’s Surf Beach, one of the area’s most popular and most famous beaches. The best spot to watch them is from the park on the cliff above the beach. This lovely park is the main entrance point for Swami Beach and has many benches in the shade, several picnic tables, and a well-tended shady lawn. From the park, a long and steep wooden staircase leads down to the beach, which has a lifeguard station. If the tide is not high, you can walk along the beach to San Elijo State Beach. If you are wondering what to do in Encinitas with kids, this is a great place to visit.
Lobster West
Lobster West is a must-visit for seafood fans. Fresh lobster is imported from friendly Maine fishermen and flown in each day, and the toasted and buttered fresh rolls are baked that morning. Each roll is made with generous chunks of lobster and accompanied by house-made coleslaw and Cape Cod chips. To make the meal perfect, try their lobster bisque or New England Clam Chowder. The restaurant is cozy, unpretentious, and friendly, with little sitting nooks for privacy, fun nautical décor, and plush cushions. It’s a little corner of Maine right in California.
Solterra Winery
A family-owned winery and kitchen, the Solterra Winery has been up and running for the past fourteen years. Solterra offers an educational and satiating experience; visitors can watch and learn about the wine making process with a tour of the winery and then enjoy a lovely meal accompanied by a glass of wine produced at the vineyard. Solterra currently offers fourteen different red varietals, three whites, port, rosé, and late harvest wines. Visitors can visualize dining along the Mediterranean Coast, as the kitchen produces bold and delicious dishes. Good food and fine wine make for a memorable day at the Solterra Winery and Kitchen.
Moonlight Beach
Moonlight Beach starts where Encinitas Boulevard turns into B Street, and is one of the most popular beaches in Encinitas, both among locals and tourists. It is sandy and wide, great for kids and adults, and perfect for picnics, playing volleyballs, making sand castles, and much more. Moonlight Beach is an excellent swimming, snorkeling, and surfing beach, but it is also popular for surf fishing. The area boasts tennis courts and kids’ playgrounds, a space to rent beach gear, and a nice snack bar. The beach used to be very popular among locals for midnight picnics in the 1900s, which is how it became known as Moonlight Beach. You can still see people lighting bonfires and having late parties in the moonlight.
Paddleboarding
The best way to experience San Diego’s coastal paradise is to get out in it. And stand up paddle boarding (SUP) is an easy and rewarding way to embrace the ocean like a local. If you’re new to the sport, it’s essentially a cross between surfing and kayaking…paddle boarders stand on their board and propel themselves with a paddle. SUPing is everyone’s favorite outdoor activity in coastal San Diego. In fact, there are 22 active meet-ups in the county! Beginners can join the fun without the worry of crashing waves at the Agua Hedionda Lagoon (just north of Encinitas) or Oceanside Harbor. (Oceanside makes a great weekend girls getaway, by the way.) Just paddle to the pier or sea lion buoy to skip the surf. If you’d like to SUP the open ocean in Encinitas, rent from Paddle Planet right on Highway 101. Or rent right at the lagoon with Carlsbad Lagoon.
Take a Surf
As mentioned earlier, Encinitas is legendary for surfing! Swami’s is a legendary break, which really rocks in winter. Grandview is good for longboards or shortboards. Cardiff is a great beach for families…you’ll see lots of kids out in the surf. So one way or another, this is the place to take a lesson! Eli Howard Surf School is a favorite for kids and has been around forever; my own kids took lessons here. In fact, they run wonderful weekly summer surf camps (but reserve many months ahead).