Right Beaches › San Diego › Encinitas
Cardiff State Beach
4.8★ · 189 Google ratings · Encinitas, California
✓ Parking✓ Short walk✓ Restrooms
At a glance
Parking
On-site lot · 300 ft away · paid
Walk
40 ft · under a minute
Restrooms
Yes · 600 yd away
Cost
Paid parking
Water
71°F
Length
4.6 miles of shoreline
Sand
175 yd from the water to the back
Water quality
Good · 2% of 53 over the limit · 2025
Map of Cardiff State Beach
Guide
Good to know
Come for surfing or dog walking
The beach offers consistent waves that attract surfers of all levels and welcomes leashed dogs, with plenty.
Arrive by 9am on weekends
The paid parking lot fills quickly on busy days, forcing visitors to search for street parking blocks away.
Wear water shoes in shallow areas
The beach has scattered rocks throughout, particularly in the water and at the south end tide pools.
Avoid holiday weekends if seeking calm
The beach becomes very crowded on holiday weekends, with one reviewer noting many children and associated noise.
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.
Practical
Plan your visit
📍 Encinitas, CA 92007, United States
🅿 Parking 300 ft from the listing
🌊 Water 40 ft away, under a minute walk
🚽 Restrooms 600 yd away
Nearby
Other beaches close by
525 yd away
0.8 miles away
0.9 miles away
1.8 miles away
5.1 miles away
8.4 miles away
Find another
Not the right one?
Find another beach that works for today.
Where are you starting from?
More options
What matters today?
Contribute
Been here recently?
Help other visitors with fresh information about Cardiff State Beach. Everything below is optional except the last box.
Questions
Common questions
Where do you park at Cardiff State Beach?
The nearest mapped parking area is 300 ft from the listed location. Positions come from OpenStreetMap, not from review text.
How far is the walk to the water at Cardiff State Beach?
40 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 State Beach have restrooms?
Restrooms are mapped 600 yd from the listing.
Measured from OpenStreetMap, public aerial imagery and live conditions data, and counted from visitor reviews. Every source, in full.
