Beaches in Encinitas
3 places · Tide pools, surf breaks & sandy shores
Encinitas, CA
Swami's Beach
A reef break beach below the golden domes of the Self-Realization Fellowship Temple, accessed by a long staircase down the bluff. The beach is known for its consistent surf breaks and the distinctive temple towers visible from the sand. The rocky reef formations at low tide create interesting foreground elements.
Encinitas, CA
Moonlight State Beach
A wide sandy beach flanked by low bluffs in downtown Encinitas with reliable surf and a westward-facing orientation ideal for sunset photography. The beach sits below the historic Encinitas downtown area and near the Self-Realization Fellowship gardens. Lifeguard towers and surfers provide strong foreground subjects.
Encinitas, CA
San Elijo State Beach Bluffs
Coastal bluffs rising above a narrow beach with exposed reef formations and the San Elijo State Beach campground perched at the cliff's edge. The eroded bluffs display layered sandstone strata, and the reef below creates textured foreground during low tides. The southward-facing view stretches toward the distinctive profile of Torrey Pines.