Right Beaches › California › Encinitas
Moonlight State Beach
4.7★ · 2,639 Google ratings · Encinitas, California
✓ Parking✓ Short walk✓ Restrooms✓ Showers✓ Picnic tables✓ Good for kids✓ Free
At a glance
Parking
On-site lot · 20 ft away · free · fills up
Walk
320 ft · 1 min
Restrooms
Yes · 170 ft away
Cost
Free
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
Good · 4% of 48 over the limit · 2025
Crowds
Quietest Thu 8am
Map of Moonlight State Beach
1
2
3
4
1Parking2Restrooms170 ft from the listing3Showers140 ft from the listing4Picnic tables80 ft from the listing
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 48 visitors · 2017–2026
Free parking reported
Visitors report no charge to park here.Mentioned by 43 visitors · 2017–2026
Explore tide pools heading south
Walking south from the main beach can reveal tide pools, especially during lower tide conditions.
Visit on weekdays for solitude
Weekday visits, especially in the late afternoon, offer a quiet, serene experience with easier parking and fewer crowds.
Arrive by 9am on weekends
The parking lot fills quickly on Saturday and Sunday, though street parking several blocks away remains available.
Prepare for a steep walk back
The parking area sits on a hill with a notable slope down to the beach, which may be.
Conditions
How it is right now
Air
67°F · clear
Water
71°F
Waves
3.3 ft · 10 s apart
Wind
3 mph from the WSW
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, 5:29 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
📍 west of I-5 on, Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas, CA 92024
🅿 Parking 20 ft from the listing
🌊 Water 320 ft away, about 1 min walk
🚽 Restrooms 170 ft away
Nearby
Other beaches close by
0.9 miles away · shorter walk
1.0 miles away · shorter walk
1.2 miles away
2.1 miles away · shorter walk
2.6 miles away · shorter walk
3.1 miles away
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Questions
Common questions
Where do you park at Moonlight State Beach?
The nearest mapped parking area is 20 ft from the listed location. Positions come from OpenStreetMap, not from review text.
How far is the walk to the water at Moonlight State Beach?
320 ft in a straight line from the listing to the mapped shoreline, about 1 min. Soft sand and dune make the real walk longer than the straight line.
Does Moonlight State Beach have restrooms?
Restrooms are mapped 170 ft from the listing.
When is Moonlight State Beach least busy?
Google visit patterns put the quietest hour at Thu 8am and the busiest at Sat 4pm.
Measured from OpenStreetMap, public aerial imagery and live conditions data, and counted from visitor reviews. Every source, in full.
