Guidebook for Encinitas
Food Scene
Very local and friendly hang out. Great coffee and frozen coffee drinks, etc... One of my favorite places for a custom bagel or pre-made sandwich after the walk from Cardiff to Encinitas. Grab a bite and hang out there in the cute backyard, or on the benches at Swami's (1/4 mile south) for a beautiful view of one of the best surf breaks anywhere!
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Surfdog's Java Hut
1126 S Coast Hwy 101Very local and friendly hang out. Great coffee and frozen coffee drinks, etc... One of my favorite places for a custom bagel or pre-made sandwich after the walk from Cardiff to Encinitas. Grab a bite and hang out there in the cute backyard, or on the benches at Swami's (1/4 mile south) for a beautiful view of one of the best surf breaks anywhere!
THE best coffee. Walk straight down the hill and grab a cup (YUM)! Check out the waves across the street! Perfect morning.
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Zumbar Coffee & Tea
111 Chesterfield DrTHE best coffee. Walk straight down the hill and grab a cup (YUM)! Check out the waves across the street! Perfect morning.
Everything you need is here. It's somewhat pricey, except for some good deals in the deli. The portions are large, so I usually get two meals out of one. Always delicious! Perfect place to put together a gourmet picnic for the beach.
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Cardiff Seaside Market
2087 San Elijo AveEverything you need is here. It's somewhat pricey, except for some good deals in the deli. The portions are large, so I usually get two meals out of one. Always delicious! Perfect place to put together a gourmet picnic for the beach.
The best pizza around. And you can get it by the slice and take it into the Lost Abbey Tasting Room. Enjoy your pizza with excellent micro brews! Our favorite is the artichoke special. Yum!
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East Coast Pizza
2015 San Elijo AveThe best pizza around. And you can get it by the slice and take it into the Lost Abbey Tasting Room. Enjoy your pizza with excellent micro brews! Our favorite is the artichoke special. Yum!
Lots of delectable hot pot style dishes. Kimchi, etc... This is my go-to place for spicy peanut noodles with broccoli. If you like broccoli, ask for more because they're stingy with it. Excellent cold beers on tap and wine, too. Walk over to the La Paloma Historic Movie Theater for a $10 flick.
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East Village Asian Diner
628 S Coast Hwy 101Lots of delectable hot pot style dishes. Kimchi, etc... This is my go-to place for spicy peanut noodles with broccoli. If you like broccoli, ask for more because they're stingy with it. Excellent cold beers on tap and wine, too. Walk over to the La Paloma Historic Movie Theater for a $10 flick.
This is a nice Italian restaurant with great service, friendly vibe, and good food. A local favorite. You can enjoy a nice evening sunset on the outdoor patio by the fire pit.
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Cicciotti's Trattoria Italiana & Seafood
1933 San Elijo AveThis is a nice Italian restaurant with great service, friendly vibe, and good food. A local favorite. You can enjoy a nice evening sunset on the outdoor patio by the fire pit.
Drinks & Nightlife
Very friendly and social vibe with lots of locals. Excellent brews! Bring food in from wherever you want - like East Coast Pizza next door or the famous and delicious deli at Seaside Market.
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The Confessional by The Lost Abbey
2007 San Elijo AveVery friendly and social vibe with lots of locals. Excellent brews! Bring food in from wherever you want - like East Coast Pizza next door or the famous and delicious deli at Seaside Market.
Enjoy a great wine selection and beer, too. Pizza by the slice and salads. Nice place to socialize. Mellow, live music some nights.
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Wine Steals
1953 San Elijo AvenueEnjoy a great wine selection and beer, too. Pizza by the slice and salads. Nice place to socialize. Mellow, live music some nights.
The best venue in San Diego for great music! Check out their calendar online. I've seen Lucinda Williams, Sharon Jones, Jimmy Cliff and many more... always great sound! You can have dinner or a drink next door at the Wild Note Cafe before the show and enter the venue directly from there.
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Belly Up
143 S Cedros AveThe best venue in San Diego for great music! Check out their calendar online. I've seen Lucinda Williams, Sharon Jones, Jimmy Cliff and many more... always great sound! You can have dinner or a drink next door at the Wild Note Cafe before the show and enter the venue directly from there.
Parks & Nature
One of the best surf breaks anywhere. Great for longboarding most days unless it's big. Intermediate and advanced surfers will love Cardiff Reef. If the waves at Cardiff Reef are good you might have to compete with the pros. If you're learning, just head over to the campground nearby for more chill vibe and less competition.
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Cardiff State Beach
One of the best surf breaks anywhere. Great for longboarding most days unless it's big. Intermediate and advanced surfers will love Cardiff Reef. If the waves at Cardiff Reef are good you might have to compete with the pros. If you're learning, just head over to the campground nearby for more chill vibe and less competition.
Stunning views as you hike along the beach or up into the hills overlooking the ocean. Even the drive along the Coast Highway from Cardiff to the park in Del Mar has breathtaking views. There's a nice loop that takes about 2 hours from beach to hills and back down .
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Torrey Pines State Reserve
12600 North Torrey Pines RoadStunning views as you hike along the beach or up into the hills overlooking the ocean. Even the drive along the Coast Highway from Cardiff to the park in Del Mar has breathtaking views. There's a nice loop that takes about 2 hours from beach to hills and back down .
Gorgeous, peaceful, lagoon hiking trails! You can hike on the North side of the lagoon in Cardiff, or drive over to the South side (Solana Beach) and hike through the slot canyon trail that just opened up to a beautiful lookout point (see photos).
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San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center
2710 Manchester AveGorgeous, peaceful, lagoon hiking trails! You can hike on the North side of the lagoon in Cardiff, or drive over to the South side (Solana Beach) and hike through the slot canyon trail that just opened up to a beautiful lookout point (see photos).
Getting Around
Get the train (either Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner or NCTD's Coaster) to points South (Solana Beach, Old Town, Downtown San Diego's Santa Fe Station) or North (Carlsbad, Oceanside, Los Angeles Union Station) There's a rapid bus from Union Station to LAX (Los Angeles Airport). http://www.gonctd.com/coaster/ https://www.amtrak.com/pacific-surfliner-train
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Encinitas Station
25 E D StGet the train (either Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner or NCTD's Coaster) to points South (Solana Beach, Old Town, Downtown San Diego's Santa Fe Station) or North (Carlsbad, Oceanside, Los Angeles Union Station) There's a rapid bus from Union Station to LAX (Los Angeles Airport). http://www.gonctd.com/coaster/ https://www.amtrak.com/pacific-surfliner-train
Get the train (either Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner or NCTD's Coaster) to points South (Old Town, Downtown San Diego's Santa Fe Station) or North (Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Los Angeles Union Station) There's a rapid bus from Union Station to LAX (Los Angeles Airport). http://www.gonctd.com/coaster/ https://www.amtrak.com/pacific-surfliner-train
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Solana Beach Station
105 N Cedros AveGet the train (either Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner or NCTD's Coaster) to points South (Old Town, Downtown San Diego's Santa Fe Station) or North (Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Los Angeles Union Station) There's a rapid bus from Union Station to LAX (Los Angeles Airport). http://www.gonctd.com/coaster/ https://www.amtrak.com/pacific-surfliner-train
Entertainment & Activities
I love this old, historic movie theater. Art deco style with ratty chairs and two resident friendly dogs that comb the theater during shows for dropped popcorn. Most nights there's a $10 current movie. CASH ONLY. But if you're lucky there might be a surf movie premier (if so, get there early... they tend to sell out with spirited locals!).
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La Paloma Theatre
471 S Coast Hwy 101I love this old, historic movie theater. Art deco style with ratty chairs and two resident friendly dogs that comb the theater during shows for dropped popcorn. Most nights there's a $10 current movie. CASH ONLY. But if you're lucky there might be a surf movie premier (if so, get there early... they tend to sell out with spirited locals!).
Less than 5 miles away by car or bicycle, The Del Mar Racetrack is San Diego's world-class horse racing venue. Here is the link: https://www.dmtc.com. The season goes from mid July through early September. Fridays include top notch bands playing live after the races.
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Del Mar Racing
2260 Jimmy Durante BlvdLess than 5 miles away by car or bicycle, The Del Mar Racetrack is San Diego's world-class horse racing venue. Here is the link: https://www.dmtc.com. The season goes from mid July through early September. Fridays include top notch bands playing live after the races.
Arts & Culture
Really cool photos, stories, and artifacts of the way it used to be in Encinitas and Cardiff. Right next to San Diego Botanical Garden.
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San Dieguito Heritage Museum at the Heritage Ranch
450 Quail Gardens DrReally cool photos, stories, and artifacts of the way it used to be in Encinitas and Cardiff. Right next to San Diego Botanical Garden.