I dont know if there is more that I can add about this beach, and at this point, I am still trying to figure out which beaches might be more suited to my personality but all I can say as of now is that all these beaches I have visited in SoCal specifically San Diego all seem quite top notch! Tonight, I chose to do the 4 mile run which is from Culture Brewing from Solana Beach up to the Kook statue and then back. Initially, I had no idea what a kook is but a local runner friend explained to me. A kook is a surfer who looks awkward while surfing. OK, now I get it. While making my way to the Kook statue, I passed by the parking lot for this beach which had a sign to designate it. This beach was pretty busy today as we are right in the middle of summer and everybody was out enjoying the weather, the beach, soaking up the rays, and water. Gosh, SoCal is really paradise on Earth! Id love to come here another day and just enjoy the beach, but tonight it was also cool to jog by, the views are just amazing! I feel blessed to be able to enjoy this place and my hope is you will come to see this beautiful place, your heart will thank you! read more

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Beautiful beach. There are some lovely sunflowers and other flowers around up top by the parking too (which was plentiful). There's also some free parking on the street if you can find some. The beach is very nice and clean. Get out and enjoy it :) read more

Cardiff State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Cardiff By The Sea, California

Another gem of the beautiful state of California. Ample parking. Clean restrooms with sinks and toilets that work as well as toilet paper available when needed. I like that you literally park and have the ability to walk to the sand. Yes parking during the weekend is steep but well worth the price of admission. Very clean and safe. They decorate it with a Christmas Tree which helps make it festive. read more

Cardiff State Beach - Locked for safety - Beaches Near Me - Cardiff By The Sea, California

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Nice beach with lagoon area but be careful as the waves are 3-5 feet right now and there's a strong rip current due to effects from Hurricane Genevieve. I'm a strong swimmer and wasn't out far, a little above my waist, but got pulled out very quickly and so did my son with his boogie board. We kept getting pulled further out and slammed with waves. I tried my best to yell and wave my hands. Thankfully, the lifeguards were on it and one of them came out to rescue us. It was very scary and had even another 30 seconds gone by without help, it could have been really bad. Shout out to the lifeguard who rescued us today. read more

Great dog friendly beach with some great waves! Beautiful with plenty of sand to walk on and plenty of parking on the street. Everyone was friendly and had their dog on leash. Will be back soon! read more

Cardiff State Beach - Cardiff state beach - Beaches Near Me - Cardiff By The Sea, California

Beautiful beach. There is free parking on the street and a parking lot that is $15 for the day on the weekends. The weekday rates allow for hourly starting at $6 for the first hour. I took a walk along the beach. It was clean and peaceful. I liked that it was not overly crowded and the parking lot had plenty of parking. It's also nice that there is free parking that is walking distance. read more

Cardiff State Beach - Beach - Beaches Near Me - Cardiff By The Sea, California

Cardiff State Beach - came on overcast day. Free parking if parallel park on highway, otherwise paid parking in lot. A quarter of parking lot was covered in mud after the recently-ish storm. Someone had put up a Christmas tree which was a nice touch. Flush toilets and dumpsters available. North side of beach has tidepool which could be neat on low tide. Tides weren't low enough so didn't go far out, only saw some mussel beds and a sea anenome. I can imagine this is popular spot in warmer weather. read more

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Such a nice beach. I went to see if I could watch the sunrise as other reviews stated this would be a good beach to do so. It was overcast and extremely foggy, so I didn't get to see the sunrise when I was there. Parking price varies. read more

Cardiff State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Cardiff By The Sea, California

It's just beautiful. On my visit, it was not crowded. The vista from the road was clear and unobstructed and the sands were nice, whitish and clean. read more

What a great beach for hoomans and dogs. We were staying in Oside. Beaches not so dog friendly in OceanSide. Minutes south was this great place. Dog friendly. read more

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The beach allows dogs on leash. The water is pretty shallow for awhile before it gets deep. There are stingrays and jellyfish. My son was stung by a jelly, but that's not unexpected when going in the ocean. Things happen. People were incredibly friendly. read more

Discovered this beach a few years back, and now its "our" beach we go to when in the San Diego area. A few reasons we love it........... 1. It's never too crowded. The most crowded we have seen it was this past Wednesday (Juneteenth). Even then, it wasn't "packed". 2. It's sort of hard to get to (you have to drive/bike to it, basically) and you have to pay for parking ($15.00 all day during the week). That in turn keeps out a lot of "riff-raff". I've never seen a bum or tweaker here, so that alone is great, lol! 3. Plenty of parking spots, bathrooms, showers etc. Nice facilities! 4. Lifeguards nearby, and they do a great job monitoring the water. They place flags up to let you know what areas are safe to swim at, and what areas are for surfers only, etc. 5. Very walkable, flat land/sand. You can stroll down the beach for a long ways either way you go. 6. Tide pools where you can see some sea life! 7. Flat out good vibes. My kids love it, my wife loves it, I love it and friends we have taken here love it, too! We will always head to this beach when we can. It's awesome and a little hidden gem near Del Mar/Solana Beach. Good times! read more

Love this beach it's $15 parking for the day or $6 on The Weekends. You can also just park on the side of the street

Cardiff State Beach is clean and beautiful! One of the things I love most about this beach is the long stretch of sands with wooden roped fences along the way. Such a gorgeous view! There are also lots of great restaurants in the area, with Cicciotti being one of my favorites! Definitely check out this beach and the restaurant! Street parking is very limited, so be prepared to pay over $20! read more

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Cool spot for tide pooling!!! We saw a lot of sea life including Spanish shawl sea slugs with pretty colors, different sea anenomes (say the word 10x please), lots of inedible mussels and barnacles unless I wanna get in trouble (aw...), sea kelp and grass, etc. A lot to look at! Parking is not free but at least there's a lot you can park at. I'll wanna take my kid here some day! read more

It's amazingly beautiful.....thank you mother nature and everyone that keeps keeps this beach clean

Family oriented. Lots of space. People are friendly and seem to know boundaries. No one is too close which is amazing! Beautiful beach and lots of spots for a sat read more

Cardiff State Beach - The beach - Beaches Near Me - Cardiff By The Sea, California

Cardiff State Beach is a state park located in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California. It is part of the California State Parks system and is managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. The beach is known for its scenic beauty, with its wide sandy beach, rolling surf, and views of the Pacific Ocean. It is a popular destination for swimming, surfing, fishing, sunbathing, and beachcombing. The park also features a large picnic area, with barbecue pits and picnic tables, making it a popular spot for family gatherings and picnics. Cardiff State Beach is easily accessible by car, with a large parking lot available for visitors. It is open year-round and is a popular destination for both locals and tourists read more

Cardiff State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Cardiff By The Sea, California

Great Beach! The life guards were friendly and the sand and surrounding beach area were all pretty clean. The sand is pretty soft and has a light grey color. The stretch of beach is quite beautiful. You can swim and surf at this beach, and you can bring your dog as long it is on a leach. Don't forget to bring you doggie poop bag! There are parking lots available but one has to pay. As far as I can tell, but don't quote me on it, street parking is free. read more

Cardiff State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Cardiff By The Sea, California

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The parking was okay I guess still busy but the area is pretty nice. There's many kids here and the only thing I noticed my first time here there's a lot of seaweed everywhere compared to many other beaches I've been too. read more

I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this beach except the traffic that it took to get here, nearly two hours which was almost double the ETA and the bad sunburn I left with, not the beach's fault by any means! Came on a Friday and it was surprisingly not that crowded, found ample parking in the south lot. Also a tip that if you press #5 (more options) on the parking pay station, it gives you a half day option for $7 instead of forcing you to pay $15 for a full day if you're not planning on staying long. It's hard to compare any beaches here to the beaches of Hawaii where I was born and raised. Here the sand is like goopy clay, the water is always freezing, and there's always an over abundance of seaweed! It's also a dog beach and I always wonder do owners pick up after their pets every time? There was a super strong cross current that day so the kids didn't stray far, but I felt more at ease having a lifeguard on duty and we also set up right near the tower. Kids had fun body boarding, sand surfing, building sand castles, playing beach games, exploring the tidal pools and looking for seashells and sand dollars. read more

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This is a very nice beach to visit. It has plenty of parking. There are showers and bathrooms.

This is a nice but narrow stretch of beach on the west side of Historic 101, just south of San Elijo. There is a small parking lot on the north side and a larger one on the south side. Limited parking may be available along 101. The surf is beautiful here, and this stretch of beach is a favorite with surfers. We love driving north from Solana Beach and enjoying the vista read more

Favorite spot to hit the beach in San Diego and no better way to social distance! Don't mind the pay lot, worth getting a state park annual pass, for the always available parking spaces, short walk to the beach and restrooms / showers available. read more

Cardiff State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Cardiff By The Sea, California

This beach is home to one of my favorite restaurants, Pacific Coast Grill. Deelicious....but that's a whole other review. Just an fyi, parking here (the beach) is a nightmare. There are just a few spots in this small lot and it's steep for the day, $15 when I was last there. It might have gone up though. That's my reason for 4 stars. It can get busy over weekends but the beach is lovely and conveniently located. There are a few fun, mainstay cafes and restaurants around, across the street, actually. Locals have been going there for years and everyone knows everyone, not in a stuffy way, though. Come early, spend the day, grab lunch or dinner close by, it's a great way to relax in nature and have chill fun. Apparently I love this beach so much I reviewed it twice! read more

Area is blessed with nice sugar sand and a flat or gentle slope. Parking is ample with some spaces available on US101. Amenities include a shower-off station and 10 restroom/changing stalls. The sink areas are outside this structure and provide hand soap. The beach has manned lifeguard stations, sectioned off for swimming/boogie-boarding and Surfing. The gentle slope give a short but strong surf break with wave heights 3-4 feet. Pets are allowed but must be leashed at all times. Bring water and shade for your pets along with any water activities while leashed. We did observe some tar seeps in the cliffs and the water did have an odor similar to benzene. The water is tested daily and is safe for swimming. There are ample opportunities for food as markets and restaurants abound along US101. The 5 Freeway is visible but you will not experience and road noise. read more

Often mistaken for the San Elijo State Beach, this lengthy stretch of soft sand is ideal for long walks and sunsets. Pay to park, or just try and find an open space. Surprisingly, there were some open spaces along the strand around sunset. Unless you plan on spending the day, it's your best option to find free parking. This is a dog allowed beach so don't be surprised if most people that you walk past will have at least one dog. Tip - Look closely at the flotsam that has washed up on the beach. We found several Buoy Barnacles attached on all sorts of things including kelp. read more

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I love this world class surfing beach located on the coast of San Diego's North County. The underwater reef produces barreling waves that attract surfers from around the globe. Surfing competitions like the Cardiff Surf Classic, Return to the Reef, and numerous surf club events are held at Cardiff Reef annually. This sandy beach never gets old and is the perfect spot to enjoy an afternoon surfing, swimming or whale watching. It is run by the California State Park system so there is a small parking lot with restrooms and, in rainy years, showers are also available. It is no big secret that Cardiff State Beach is one of the best beaches in our nation. Surfer Magazine named Encinitas the #3 best surf town in the world and cited Cardiff Reef as one of it's premier surf spots. http://www.surfermag.com/features/best-surf-towns-no-3/#hwxUqOx6hg7jqhXZ.97 A day at the beach is a great way to relax and take in deeply satisfying sunshine. There are 5 excellent restaurants a stones throw away so plan to stay a few hours, enjoy the best that California has to offer and leave with a spring in your step. read more

Parked right next to the restroom and showers. Was great for the dogs to see and walk in the water. All dogs were on leashes and well behaved. Nice beach. read more

Love this dog friendly beach!!!! Water is clean, waves are not crazy and there's lots of parking available!!!! Huge area not very crowded!!! Will definitely come back! read more

Cardiff State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Cardiff By The Sea, California

I come here very summer for a few days, it's an annual tradition for the past 4 years. There's plenty of parking and plenty of space along the beach for everyone to enjoy. Cardiff is beautiful- the epitome of a sunny SoCal beach town. It's a lovely stretch of beach where you see families playing in the water, kids running across the clean sand, beach walkers and joggers, and healthy, happy seagulls flying overhead. The breeze is always cool and clean. I mean, seriously, it's amazing here! The area between Del Mar to Encinitas is my absolute favorite part of San Diego. If you haven't been, you must come and see for yourself!! read more

It's pretty, it's bourgeois, it's easy to find parking, and it gives off private vibes despite being a public place. It's definitely in my list of walk-worthy beaches where I don't feel overwhelmed by crowds. Also! You can stop by Cardiff Seaside Market (Birmingham and San Elijo) and grab an awesome picnic lunch. read more

Took our two pugs here for the first time yesterday and it was gorgeous! Love that there is a dog friendly beach in our favorite beach town that is Encinitas :) People here are friendly and it wasn't too crowded despite it being the week of spring break. There is plenty of free street parking in convenient/close proximity to the beach. We will definitely be back! read more

Cardiff State Beach - Took our two pugs here for the first time yesterday and it was gorgeous! - Beaches Near Me - Cardiff By The Sea, California

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Beautiful, clean beach in north county San Diego. Had a wonderful afternoon here taking fun photos with friends and walking along by the water. Also a great spot to catch some spectacular sunset views. Camp up above on the cliffs and wake up to the sound of the rolling tide. (I need to get a bike rack so I can cruise down the coast here!) read more

Cardiff State Beach - Amazing sunset in Cardiff! - Beaches Near Me - Cardiff By The Sea, California

A great beach with easy access from the parking lot especially for families dragging a wagon full of stuff! Dog friendly which was wonderful and everyone was very respectful with their dogs on leash. Parking lot does fill up quickly so recommend getting there early. read more

I love this beach. LOVE. It's on leash dog friendly- which means you can bring your crazy pup and not be judge for keeping him on leash like they do at OB- and enjoy a peaceful, clean location without all the crazy tourists. The fact that its $15 on weekends is beneficial because it keeps the people away, actually. Gorgeous beach, clean sands, great views. It's a great spot to take advantage of the northern San Diego beaches. It's flat and walkable, and you don't have to worry about some of the gross things you see at OB/Mission Beach/Etc. I will not only come back, I will share it with people who I deem worthy- and only those people. read more

So glad I stopped in! I was headed further south for the dog park when I noticed a couple of people walking their dogs on the beach. It's one frustrating thing about this area -- it's sometimes hard to know in advance whether or not your pup is welcome. I am learning that numerous beaches along the coast do, in fact, allow dogs on site. But your pup must be leashed at all times. So, we stopped in. I appreciated that the beach was close to the highway, but you could not hear highway noise. Also, most people congregated on the beach right in front of the parking lot. So if you are willing to make a short trek up the coast, you will find ample open space. It seems this beach has much less seaweed build up then, say, Half Moon Bay and Moonlight Beach. I enjoy those beaches very much, but I detest the seaweed. At Cardiff, the seaweed does appear to be ever more present late in the day as the tide comes in, though. But, in all, a very clean and relatively quite beach with gorgeous, gorgeous views! It has swiftly become one of my favorite southern California beaches. And it appears the beach is a strong draw for surfers and swimmers. I saw one guy go out so far I am certain he could not reach the beach floor. it was wonderful to watch him swimming back and forth and playing in the waves. Also, there are two lifeguard posts here, and the patrols are regular. Only downside: The beach closes at sunset. Bummer. read more

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My husband and I stayed in Encinitas this weekend and stopped at the beach on Monday.We got a parking in lot but it was crowded w Rv's and such at about 11ish but we walked on the sand. Beach was nice and the weather was perfect. The water was so blue and great waves. I hear it can get crowded and parking can be hectic. Go early during the week. Not any spaces were left on the street. Relaxing beach to visit. Nice view driving by but if you can stop it's worth it. read more

Cardiff State Beach - Beaches Near Me - Cardiff By The Sea, California

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State Park so pay to park or have yearly pass which we have. We also have Van, Roadtrek and dog. Dog are allowed on beach with leash.

Great picnic spot, very romantic, great food spots near by (try seaside market for poke and cheese), would rate 4.5 if I could,