Right Beaches › San Diego › Cardiff
Cardiff Beach
4.8★ · 178 Google ratings · Cardiff, California
✓ Parking✓ Short walk✓ Restrooms✓ Showers✓ Picnic tables✓ Good for kids
At a glance
Parking
On-site lot · 70 ft away · about 43 spaces · paid
Walk
170 ft · under a minute
Restrooms
Yes · 270 ft away
Cost
Paid parking
Water
71°F
Children
Reported good for young kids
Length
4.6 miles of shoreline
Sand
175 yd from the water to the back
Water quality
Poor · 58% of 123 over the limit · 2025
Crowds
Quietest Mon 7pm
Map of Cardiff Beach
Guide
Good to know
Reported good with little kids
Visitors often mention shallow or calm water. This is what reviewers report, not a safety assessment.Mentioned by 6 visitors · 2016–2025
Excellent for sunset viewing
Multiple nearby restaurants make it easy to watch the sunset while staying for dinner.
Visit at low tide
The beach expands significantly at low tide, offering a longer walk and better access to sand flats.
Arrive early for parking
The lot fills quickly, especially in summer when daily parking costs $10 to $15.
Watch for lagoon mouth odors
The river inlet at the north end occasionally produces a strong smell, particularly noticeable when water is active.
Conditions
How it is right now
Air
70°F · clear
Water
71°F
Waves
3.3 ft · 10 s apart
Wind
5 mph from the WNW
Shelter
Onshore · wind blowing straight in off the water
UV index
8 peak today
| Time | Tide | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 15:14 | High tide | ↑ |
| 23:42 | Low tide | ↓ |
Last updated Sep 4, 3:53 AM.
Crowds
When it gets busy
| 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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QuietBusy
Practical
Plan your visit
📍 s 92007, 2500 S Coast Hwy 101, Cardiff, CA 92007, United States
🅿 Parking 70 ft from the listing, Cardiff State Beach Parking
🌊 Water 170 ft away, under a minute walk
🚽 Restrooms 270 ft away
Nearby
Other beaches close by
525 yd away · shorter walk
0.6 miles away
1.1 miles away · shorter walk
2.0 miles away
5.4 miles away
8.7 miles away · shorter walk
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Questions
Common questions
Where do you park at Cardiff Beach?
The nearest mapped parking area is 70 ft from the listed location. Positions come from OpenStreetMap, not from review text.
How far is the walk to the water at Cardiff Beach?
170 ft in a straight line from the listing to the mapped shoreline, under a minute. Soft sand and dune make the real walk longer than the straight line.
Does Cardiff Beach have restrooms?
Restrooms are mapped 270 ft from the listing.
When is Cardiff Beach least busy?
Google visit patterns put the quietest hour at Mon 7pm and the busiest at Sun 3pm.
Measured from OpenStreetMap, public aerial imagery and live conditions data, and counted from visitor reviews. Every source, in full.
