San Elijo State Beach
Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA
Day-use parking ~$10–15
By Simir Shah
★★★★★4.6(1,540 Google reviews)
What parents say
AI summary of 5 Google reviews — not a first-hand visit. How we write these
Paid parking lots fill early, so arrive in good time. Stairs to the sand at the north end run to about a hundred steps, while the south end is close to level, which matters with a buggy. Restrooms and showers on site. A camping family strongly advises water shoes, since the shallows cut feet.
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.
Good for
- Ages 10+
Happening near here
- Movie in the Park: Monster House (Cardiff)Encinitas · <1 miFree
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- La Jolla Open Aire MarketLa Jolla · 12 mi · Sun 9am–1pmFree
San Elijo State Beach, 2050 S Coast Hwy 101, Cardiff, CA 92007, USA
Map
What visitors say
- Lynnski★★★★★
My favorite campground on the west coast. Dog friendly, clean, beautiful views right on the ocean ledge. We were passing thru and decided to stay overnight after a recommendation from a stranger we met at the San Diego Zoo. We were so impressed with the place that we stayed 3 more days. Stair access to the beach for surfing and walking, outside rinsing showers. The whole park was clean and very well maintained. Staff were friendly and accommodating.
2 months ago
- Shruti Bhandakkar★★★★★
Beautiful views of the Pacific! Sunset looks stunning! Waves make the best sounds! Lots of surfers, has trail for walking along the Pacific and access to beach via a stairway. Has paid public parking. Relaxing way to end a hectic day! Lots of good restaurants nearby to pick up good food.
5 years ago
Showing 2 of 5 Google reviews · Read them all on Google Maps
Nearby places
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