San Diego family guide

Things to Do in Cardiff-by-the-Sea with Kids

Cardiff-by-the-Sea, the laid-back beach pocket of Encinitas, is built for barefoot family days, with the gentle waves and lifeguarded sand of Cardiff State Beach and the campground bluffs of San Elijo. Kids splash in the tide pools, the famous Cardiff Kook statue makes a fun photo stop, and the San Elijo Lagoon trails are great for spotting herons and shorebirds.

Curated by Simir Shah

Reviewed & updated June 2026 · we check listings regularly, but hours and prices change — confirm before you go.

📍 Where Cardiff-by-the-Sea is

Cardiff-by-the-Sea sits in San Diego, Southern California. Nearest major airport: San Diego Intl (~20 mi / 32 km). It's roughly 91 mi (146 km) from Downtown LA and 22 mi (35 km) from San Diego — SoCal traffic can make a drive take far longer than the distance suggests, so plan around it.

Visiting? See SoCal at a glance, getting around and which airport.

💡 Local tip: Parking along Coast Highway 101 fills fast on summer weekends — arrive before 10am or use the San Elijo campground day lots.

Things to do in Cardiff-by-the-Sea

Beaches & Coast

Cardiff State Beach

Mellow beach known for beginner surf, tide pools, and the famous "Cardiff Kook" statue nearby.

Free beach; paid lot

Day Trips

San Elijo State Beach

A long bluff-backed beach with reliably gentle surf at the south end, which makes it one of the better North County beaches for young swimmers. Day-use lots fill by 10am in summer — arrive early, or park free along Coast Highway 101 and take the stairs down.

Day-use parking ~$10–15

Parks & Hiking

San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center

A free nature center with hands-on lagoon exhibits and a second-floor deck looking over the wetland to the ocean, at the head of an easy flat loop trail. The lot holds about nineteen cars — before 10am on weekends or you'll be circling.

Free

Day Trips

Seaside Market

An independent grocery known countywide for its marinated tri-tip, with a deli counter that makes the easiest beach picnic in North County. Order at the deli, then walk across Coast Highway to the sand rather than eating in the cramped lot.

Sandwiches ~$12–16

Parks & Hiking

Glen Park

A shaded neighborhood park a few blocks uphill from the beach with a playground, grass and restrooms — the reliable fallback when the coast turns windy. The shade here is real, which is rarer along this stretch than you'd think.

Free

Arts & Culture

Cardiff Kook Statue

A bronze surfer on Coast Highway that locals have been unofficially costuming for years — dinosaurs, holiday outfits, whatever's current. It's a two-minute photo stop, not a destination; pull into the small lot on the east side rather than stopping on the shoulder.

Free