Located along six miles of Pacific Ocean coastline, Encinitas is the perfect place for a memorable getaway.
It is an excellent spiritual destination and surfing paradise. It has that laid-back beach community vibe where you can’t help but feel relaxed immediately upon arriving.
There are several reasons why Encinitas should be on your travel wish list, and there are some beautiful ocean view vacation rentals where you can stay and enjoy all that the area has to offer.
1. It Offers Some of the Best Surf Spots
Encinitas provides almost year-round surfing; picking the right beach can offer you the most incredible surf experience whenever you choose to visit. Top surf beaches in the area:
• Cardiff Reef - a family-friendly beach where you often catch surfers of all ages in the water or relaxing back at shore. Here you’ll find that the waves roll at a slower cruising pace making longboards very popular on these waves.
The more experienced surfers can head 50 yards north from the main reef at Cardiff, where they can find a bunch of surfers out in the water, often quite close together. This area is known as Suckouts. Here, the slower tide produces tubes that will suck out fast, spitting the braver surfers and making them drop back into a small channel where they can paddle back through.
• Swami’s Beach - it is often used by local long-boarders and has a group of regulars who are familiar with the waters and often seem to get the best spot every time a good set of waves rolls in. Out of the water, the vibe is laid back and pretty standard for surfing in Encinitas.
• Grandview - a beach that is well suited to all surfing abilities. Here, you can enjoy the waves on both a longboard and a shortboard due to the slower waves. This is a trendy beach, especially on weekends, so if you want to catch a good spot, you must get in the water early.
• D Street - This beach breaks all year round and is best enjoyed when there is an SW/NW combo swell; this is most commonly found during the spring and fall months. Due to its high popularity, it gets packed with visitors during the summer months.
2. It Is a Powerful Spiritual Destination
Encinitas is known to be one of the places where U.S. yoga traditions emerged. It has a rich history and many yoga venues in the area. The idea of yoga was first introduced in the U.S. in 1893 by Swami Vivekananda, a chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. He was the guru of Paramahansa Yogananda, who, years later, founded the Self Realization Fellowship situated in Swami’s Beach in an effort to spread the universal teachings of Kriya Yoga - the sacred spiritual science he had learned from his mentor.
Today, Encinitas is still a solid spiritual place and is home to many different yoga places that each offer different teaching styles:
• Anahata Yoga Studio in Encinitas offers teachings in Anahata Yoga. This yoga style is meant to open the Heart Chakra, allowing a greater connection with our hearts. You can practice simple yoga postures in a beautiful, nourishing environment guided by experienced and friendly yoga teachers.
• Soul of Yoga in Encinitas offers a wide range of yoga classes and workshops. You can opt for Hatha, Kundalini, Vinyasa, Gentle, Restorative, Pre-natal, Meditation, Yoga Nidra, Sound Healing, and more. It is considered by many the best yoga studio in the San Diego area.
• Iyengar Yoga in Encinitas offers the experience of a full day of authentic teaching in the art and philosophy of yoga. They have asana and pranayama classes; it is recommended to participate in both classes for a complete yoga experience. During the summer, the studio offers intensive yoga workshops.
• SoCal Beach Yoga in Encinitas offers a unique beachside yoga experience. During an early morning yoga session, you’ll be able to reconnect with the peaceful serenity of your soul harmonized with the elements of nature. Sessions are being held at Swami’s, Grandview, and Moonlight beaches.
3. It is Home to the Stunning San Diego Botanic Garden
Located right in Encinitas, on Quail Gardens Dr., the San Diego Botanic Garden is a truly spectacular display of nature’s beauty. Here you can explore four miles of garden trails and enjoy restful vistas, flowering trees, majestic palms, and the most extensive bamboo collection in the U.S. Thanks to Encinitas' mild climate, there are plants from all over the world thriving here. The diversity of the arrangements provides a variety of microclimates.
The San Diego Botanic Garden features numerous exhibits, such as:
• rare bamboo groves
• desert gardens
• a tropical rainforest
• California native plants
• Mediterranean climate landscapes
• an herb garden
• fire safe landscaping
• a subtropical fruit garden
• native coastal sage natural areas
It is a fun place for adults and children alike as it is home to the Hamilton Children’s Garden, the largest interactive children’s garden on the West Coast.
4. The Perfect Place for a Little Adventure – Where You Can Enjoy Paragliding
Encinitas offers something for everyone. The more adventurous souls can opt to go paragliding in the skies of Encinitas. The weather in Encinitas is perfect for this. For those unfamiliar with this form of entertainment, paragliding implies descending from high altitudes, like mountains and cliffs, gliding through the air, only being attached to a parachute resembling a canopy.
You can find several paragliding offers in and around Encinitas and enjoy some impressive views of the coastal city and its surrounding natural beauty.
5. You Can Explore Tide Pools and Experience Nature’s Diversity
Swami’s Beach might be known as a prime surfing destination, but it is not only that; it is also a fantastic spot for exploring tide pools at low tide. In case you don’t know, tide pools are shallow pools that form in rocks along the shoreline where you can see all sorts of sea critters when the tide is out.
Mussels are everywhere and are very easy to observe, but with a keen eye, you can also see a variety of other sea creatures, such as:
• sea stars
• crabs
• octopuses
• sea anemones
Our advice to you is don’t waste another minute; pack your bags and go out there and explore everything the adventurous Encinitas offers.