Cardiff State Beach

Cardiff Beach in San Diego is, without exaggeration, one of the greatest beaches I’ve ever visited. From the moment you step onto the sand, you feel the calm, the beauty, and the perfect balance between nature and organization. The beach is incredibly clean, well-maintained, and effortlessly welcoming. Whether you’re coming for a peaceful stroll or a full day in the water, the atmosphere sets the tone for an unforgettable experience. One of the things I love most about Cardiff Beach is the way people dive straight through the waves—it’s like watching a dance between humans and the ocean. The waves here are strong but beautifully manageable, making it a favorite spot for swimmers, surfers, and anyone who enjoys getting up close with the water. There’s a sense of energy and freedom that you just don’t find everywhere. The swimming conditions are amazing. The water feels clean, refreshing, and perfectly suited for both casual swimmers and those who love to push their limits. Lifeguards are always on duty, adding an extra layer of comfort and safety for families and solo visitors alike. It really feels like the beach takes care of you as much as you enjoy it. I also appreciate how organized everything is. Parking is reasonable, pathways are well-marked, and the beach facilities are kept tidy throughout the day. Whether it’s restrooms, showers, or accessible walkways, everything is designed to make your experience smooth and enjoyable. It’s one of those places where you can tell the community really cares. Overall, Cardiff Beach is easily one of the top beaches in San Diego—if not the top. The beauty, the vibes, the waves, the people, the organization… everything comes together perfectly. If you’re looking for a place that combines relaxation, fun, and natural beauty, this beach deserves every bit of its five-star rating. I absolutely love it and can’t wait to come back.

Nice Hike and bike location. Site is close to bathroom and showers. Has bike rack. Site is next to Cardiff Kook which means that there a blazing lights and train noise at night at the camp site. There is a gate close to the site that shortens the distance to stores across the RR tracks. The gate is closed at night Go to Go to VG donuts. It is the local must go place for donuts. If you got a birthday get a cake. If you want a real breakfast go to Pipes Cafe.

My dogs loved this beach. I parked parallel to 101, and could see the beginning of the sunset. Dogs were leashed. There were not many people there on a Sunday in April. Beautiful beach.

This is a dog friendly beach, although the dogs have to be on a leash. If you like to walk the beach, you can go a long ways. There is a lot of street parking (free) with close access to the beach.

Beautiful beach, bathrooms were pretty clean, waves were awesome. Kind of rocky though

One of the few places that still knows hospitality. Amazing aesthetics, perfect location, super comfy beds and such a humble staff. Definitely gonna visit again. Definitely checkout the terrace.

Although it can get crowded, it's a very picturesque beach. We enjoy walking at sunset to the beach and the cliffs as well.

Came here to view the sunset. It was clean and beautiful. Despite being a dog park (which can seem a little gross at times) the beach is clean and well maintained. Parking wasn’t a pain to find, but I did come at around 7. Street parking is free, the parking lot is paid.

Great dog friendly beach with some great waves! Beautiful with plenty of sand to walk on and plenty of parking on the street. Everyone was friendly and had their dog on leash. Will be back soon!

Beautiful beach. There is free parking on the street and a parking lot that is $15 for the day on the weekends. The weekday rates allow for hourly starting at $6 for the first hour. I took a walk along the beach. It was clean and peaceful. I liked that it was not overly crowded and the parking lot had plenty of parking. It's also nice that there is free parking that is walking distance.

Cardiff State Beach - came on overcast day. Free parking if parallel park on highway, otherwise paid parking in lot. A quarter of parking lot was covered in mud after the recently-ish storm. Someone had put up a Christmas tree which was a nice touch. Flush toilets and dumpsters available. North side of beach has tidepool which could be neat on low tide. Tides weren't low enough so didn't go far out, only saw some mussel beds and a sea anenome. I can imagine this is popular spot in warmer weather.

Such a nice beach. I went to see if I could watch the sunrise as other reviews stated this would be a good beach to do so. It was overcast and extremely foggy, so I didn't get to see the sunrise when I was there. Parking price varies.

Love this beach it's $15 parking for the day or $6 on The Weekends. You can also just park on the side of the street

The beach allows dogs on leash. The water is pretty shallow for awhile before it gets deep. There are stingrays and jellyfish. My son was stung by a jelly, but that's not unexpected when going in the ocean. Things happen. People were incredibly friendly.

Discovered this beach a few years back, and now its "our" beach we go to when in the San Diego area. A few reasons we love it........... 1. It's never too crowded. The most crowded we have seen it was this past Wednesday (Juneteenth). Even then, it wasn't "packed". 2. It's sort of hard to get to (you have to drive/bike to it, basically) and you have to pay for parking ($15.00 all day during the week). That in turn keeps out a lot of "riff-raff". I've never seen a bum or tweaker here, so that alone is great, lol! 3. Plenty of parking spots, bathrooms, showers etc. Nice facilities! 4. Lifeguards nearby, and they do a great job monitoring the water. They place flags up to let you know what areas are safe to swim at, and what areas are for surfers only, etc. 5. Very walkable, flat land/sand. You can stroll down the beach for a long ways either way you go. 6. Tide pools where you can see some sea life! 7. Flat out good vibes. My kids love it, my wife loves it, I love it and friends we have taken here love it, too! We will always head to this beach when we can. It's awesome and a little hidden gem near Del Mar/Solana Beach. Good times!

What a great beach for hoomans and dogs. We were staying in Oside. Beaches not so dog friendly in OceanSide. Minutes south was this great place. Dog friendly.

Cardiff State Beach is clean and beautiful! One of the things I love most about this beach is the long stretch of sands with wooden roped fences along the way. Such a gorgeous view! There are also lots of great restaurants in the area, with Cicciotti being one of my favorites! Definitely check out this beach and the restaurant! Street parking is very limited, so be prepared to pay over $20!

It's amazingly beautiful.....thank you mother nature and everyone that keeps keeps this beach clean

Family oriented. Lots of space. People are friendly and seem to know boundaries. No one is too close which is amazing! Beautiful beach and lots of spots for a sat

Cool spot for tide pooling!!! We saw a lot of sea life including Spanish shawl sea slugs with pretty colors, different sea anenomes (say the word 10x please), lots of inedible mussels and barnacles unless I wanna get in trouble (aw...), sea kelp and grass, etc. A lot to look at! Parking is not free but at least there's a lot you can park at. I'll wanna take my kid here some day!

The parking was okay I guess still busy but the area is pretty nice. There's many kids here and the only thing I noticed my first time here there's a lot of seaweed everywhere compared to many other beaches I've been too.

Great Beach! The life guards were friendly and the sand and surrounding beach area were all pretty clean. The sand is pretty soft and has a light grey color. The stretch of beach is quite beautiful. You can swim and surf at this beach, and you can bring your dog as long it is on a leach. Don't forget to bring you doggie poop bag! There are parking lots available but one has to pay. As far as I can tell, but don't quote me on it, street parking is free.

This is a very nice beach to visit. It has plenty of parking. There are showers and bathrooms.

I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this beach except the traffic that it took to get here, nearly two hours which was almost double the ETA and the bad sunburn I left with, not the beach's fault by any means! Came on a Friday and it was surprisingly not that crowded, found ample parking in the south lot. Also a tip that if you press #5 (more options) on the parking pay station, it gives you a half day option for $7 instead of forcing you to pay $15 for a full day if you're not planning on staying long. It's hard to compare any beaches here to the beaches of Hawaii where I was born and raised. Here the sand is like goopy clay, the water is always freezing, and there's always an over abundance of seaweed! It's also a dog beach and I always wonder do owners pick up after their pets every time? There was a super strong cross current that day so the kids didn't stray far, but I felt more at ease having a lifeguard on duty and we also set up right near the tower. Kids had fun body boarding, sand surfing, building sand castles, playing beach games, exploring the tidal pools and looking for seashells and sand dollars.

This is a nice but narrow stretch of beach on the west side of Historic 101, just south of San Elijo. There is a small parking lot on the north side and a larger one on the south side. Limited parking may be available along 101. The surf is beautiful here, and this stretch of beach is a favorite with surfers. We love driving north from Solana Beach and enjoying the vista

Cardiff State Beach is a state park located in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California. It is part of the California State Parks system and is managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. The beach is known for its scenic beauty, with its wide sandy beach, rolling surf, and views of the Pacific Ocean. It is a popular destination for swimming, surfing, fishing, sunbathing, and beachcombing. The park also features a large picnic area, with barbecue pits and picnic tables, making it a popular spot for family gatherings and picnics. Cardiff State Beach is easily accessible by car, with a large parking lot available for visitors. It is open year-round and is a popular destination for both locals and tourists

This beach is home to one of my favorite restaurants, Pacific Coast Grill. Deelicious....but that's a whole other review. Just an fyi, parking here (the beach) is a nightmare. There are just a few spots in this small lot and it's steep for the day, $15 when I was last there. It might have gone up though. That's my reason for 4 stars. It can get busy over weekends but the beach is lovely and conveniently located. There are a few fun, mainstay cafes and restaurants around, across the street, actually. Locals have been going there for years and everyone knows everyone, not in a stuffy way, though. Come early, spend the day, grab lunch or dinner close by, it's a great way to relax in nature and have chill fun. Apparently I love this beach so much I reviewed it twice!

Took our two pugs here for the first time yesterday and it was gorgeous! Love that there is a dog friendly beach in our favorite beach town that is Encinitas :) People here are friendly and it wasn't too crowded despite it being the week of spring break. There is plenty of free street parking in convenient/close proximity to the beach. We will definitely be back!

Favorite spot to hit the beach in San Diego and no better way to social distance! Don't mind the pay lot, worth getting a state park annual pass, for the always available parking spaces, short walk to the beach and restrooms / showers available.

My husband and I stayed in Encinitas this weekend and stopped at the beach on Monday.We got a parking in lot but it was crowded w Rv's and such at about 11ish but we walked on the sand. Beach was nice and the weather was perfect. The water was so blue and great waves. I hear it can get crowded and parking can be hectic. Go early during the week. Not any spaces were left on the street. Relaxing beach to visit. Nice view driving by but if you can stop it's worth it.

Parked right next to the restroom and showers. Was great for the dogs to see and walk in the water. All dogs were on leashes and well behaved. Nice beach.

Often mistaken for the San Elijo State Beach, this lengthy stretch of soft sand is ideal for long walks and sunsets. Pay to park, or just try and find an open space. Surprisingly, there were some open spaces along the strand around sunset. Unless you plan on spending the day, it's your best option to find free parking. This is a dog allowed beach so don't be surprised if most people that you walk past will have at least one dog. Tip - Look closely at the flotsam that has washed up on the beach. We found several Buoy Barnacles attached on all sorts of things including kelp.

I love this world class surfing beach located on the coast of San Diego's North County. The underwater reef produces barreling waves that attract surfers from around the globe. Surfing competitions like the Cardiff Surf Classic, Return to the Reef, and numerous surf club events are held at Cardiff Reef annually. This sandy beach never gets old and is the perfect spot to enjoy an afternoon surfing, swimming or whale watching. It is run by the California State Park system so there is a small parking lot with restrooms and, in rainy years, showers are also available. It is no big secret that Cardiff State Beach is one of the best beaches in our nation. Surfer Magazine named Encinitas the #3 best surf town in the world and cited Cardiff Reef as one of it's premier surf spots. http://www.surfermag.com/features/best-surf-towns-no-3/#hwxUqOx6hg7jqhXZ.97 A day at the beach is a great way to relax and take in deeply satisfying sunshine. There are 5 excellent restaurants a stones throw away so plan to stay a few hours, enjoy the best that California has to offer and leave with a spring in your step.

Love this dog friendly beach!!!! Water is clean, waves are not crazy and there's lots of parking available!!!! Huge area not very crowded!!! Will definitely come back!

I come here very summer for a few days, it's an annual tradition for the past 4 years. There's plenty of parking and plenty of space along the beach for everyone to enjoy. Cardiff is beautiful- the epitome of a sunny SoCal beach town. It's a lovely stretch of beach where you see families playing in the water, kids running across the clean sand, beach walkers and joggers, and healthy, happy seagulls flying overhead. The breeze is always cool and clean. I mean, seriously, it's amazing here! The area between Del Mar to Encinitas is my absolute favorite part of San Diego. If you haven't been, you must come and see for yourself!!

A great beach with easy access from the parking lot especially for families dragging a wagon full of stuff! Dog friendly which was wonderful and everyone was very respectful with their dogs on leash. Parking lot does fill up quickly so recommend getting there early.

It's pretty, it's bourgeois, it's easy to find parking, and it gives off private vibes despite being a public place. It's definitely in my list of walk-worthy beaches where I don't feel overwhelmed by crowds. Also! You can stop by Cardiff Seaside Market (Birmingham and San Elijo) and grab an awesome picnic lunch.

State Park so pay to park or have yearly pass which we have. We also have Van, Roadtrek and dog. Dog are allowed on beach with leash.

Great picnic spot, very romantic, great food spots near by (try seaside market for poke and cheese), would rate 4.5 if I could,

I love this beach. LOVE. It's on leash dog friendly- which means you can bring your crazy pup and not be judge for keeping him on leash like they do at OB- and enjoy a peaceful, clean location without all the crazy tourists. The fact that its $15 on weekends is beneficial because it keeps the people away, actually. Gorgeous beach, clean sands, great views. It's a great spot to take advantage of the northern San Diego beaches. It's flat and walkable, and you don't have to worry about some of the gross things you see at OB/Mission Beach/Etc. I will not only come back, I will share it with people who I deem worthy- and only those people.

Area is blessed with nice sugar sand and a flat or gentle slope. Parking is ample with some spaces available on US101. Amenities include a shower-off station and 10 restroom/changing stalls. The sink areas are outside this structure and provide hand soap. The beach has manned lifeguard stations, sectioned off for swimming/boogie-boarding and Surfing. The gentle slope give a short but strong surf break with wave heights 3-4 feet. Pets are allowed but must be leashed at all times. Bring water and shade for your pets along with any water activities while leashed. We did observe some tar seeps in the cliffs and the water did have an odor similar to benzene. The water is tested daily and is safe for swimming. There are ample opportunities for food as markets and restaurants abound along US101. The 5 Freeway is visible but you will not experience and road noise.

Beautiful, clean beach in north county San Diego. Had a wonderful afternoon here taking fun photos with friends and walking along by the water. Also a great spot to catch some spectacular sunset views. Camp up above on the cliffs and wake up to the sound of the rolling tide. (I need to get a bike rack so I can cruise down the coast here!)

I love this beach, it's a bit more quiet than the other beaches in the area and I've gotten to surf here a few times without too much trouble. I think I need to come here more often for surfing instead of Carlsbad. I also like that it's family friendly and not too crowded so I can keep a close eye on my kids. Parking can be a bit tough sometimes, but I've found free parking across the street a few times.

So glad I stopped in! I was headed further south for the dog park when I noticed a couple of people walking their dogs on the beach. It's one frustrating thing about this area -- it's sometimes hard to know in advance whether or not your pup is welcome. I am learning that numerous beaches along the coast do, in fact, allow dogs on site. But your pup must be leashed at all times. So, we stopped in. I appreciated that the beach was close to the highway, but you could not hear highway noise. Also, most people congregated on the beach right in front of the parking lot. So if you are willing to make a short trek up the coast, you will find ample open space. It seems this beach has much less seaweed build up then, say, Half Moon Bay and Moonlight Beach. I enjoy those beaches very much, but I detest the seaweed. At Cardiff, the seaweed does appear to be ever more present late in the day as the tide comes in, though. But, in all, a very clean and relatively quite beach with gorgeous, gorgeous views! It has swiftly become one of my favorite southern California beaches. And it appears the beach is a strong draw for surfers and swimmers. I saw one guy go out so far I am certain he could not reach the beach floor. it was wonderful to watch him swimming back and forth and playing in the waves. Also, there are two lifeguard posts here, and the patrols are regular. Only downside: The beach closes at sunset. Bummer.

This is my review for each of The California beaches that I visited... Wow spectacular views and uniqueness in each location. I love the beach, the energy, the vibe... just wow! I like the differences in each location. Unfortunately this beach was really unkempt, poorly maintained and in disrepair in all areas. Everything was dirty with trash strewn around, poorly maintained sidewalks, stairs and bathrooms. A crazy amount of homeless destroying the joys of the beaches. I hope that Californians will step up their game and work with their government and locals to bring back their beaches and appreciate what tourists bring into their communities and local businesses.

Beautiful beach! The water and sand were so clean. Parking was $15 and the parking attendants were extremely nice. We were lucky to find a close spot on a busy Saturday. Docking one star because I got stung by a bee here! No idea how, so random.

Perfection. Beach was beautiful, family-friendly, and everyone there was pleasant and really nice toward each other. This beach was about 15 min from my sisters house and I'll definitely be going back.

Dog friendly as long as they are on leash! Clean beach, but currently a lot of construction on the Coastal Highway. Parking lots are open until 10pm, and you do have to pay to park at the kiosk. If there wasn't so much construction, I would recommend free street parking.

This is a wonderful long beach for walking, wading, swimming, beach combing, etc. I learned plenty about surfing after talking with a surfer on his way out to the surf. If it had been a movie (think Point Break, Blue Crush, etc.) the surfer dude would have been all territorial about the beach and disdainful of tourists or non-surfers. There would have been shouting, swearing, some pushing and shoving...his posse would have rolled up on my posse, things would have escalated, he would have insulted my wife, I would have gone Karate Kid, they would have done a drive-by a few days later and shot up our house, I would have dressed in camo and gone Rambo on the Surfer Hangout...you know how these things always turn out. Like most of my life, my encounter with surfer dude was not movie like at all.

Always a treat to visit Cardiff state beach. I just love love the fact that there's never that many peeps like there is down at Del Mar beach! Parking is pretty bountiful for a state beach and there's plenty of street parking as well, if you don't want to pay the fee. :) I always love coming here for some meditation and relaxation. Nothing says calm & peace like our beautiful vast ocean. It's a nice treat to your Self, to come on out an enjoy the beauty. There's Kai's cafe right across the street, you can pop in for a glass of wine and cheese with fruit platter to enjoy the sunrise, or you can totally cater to your Self and take a picnic. All in all, you will thank yourself for the experience. You gotta love "You". You gotta take care of "You". Have a blessed day & Go to the beach!!! ;)

Cardiff State Beach has been called the Riviera of California. It's beaches are rockier that its European sister but the color of the water and rustic nature is just as breathtaking. The beach is actually a long strip sandwiched in between Solana Beach and the south end of Cardiff-by-the Sea. There are two paid parking entrances on either end however there is street parking in between both and just north in front of San Elijo Camp Grounds. You can expect great surfing here especially at the reef on the north end known as Cardiff Reef. The south end is referred to as Seaside Reef can also pop up pretty nicely when the swell is just right. You can surf anywhere along the strip and also swim, fish and of course sunbathe. When it's windy you may see a few kite surfers out and about as there is plenty of room to take off and glide into shore and park the kite. It is the only beach around where you can bring a dog provided that you have it on a leash at all times. The tickets are hefty. Cardiff Reef is a big longboard surf spot and the locals like to hang out all day and barbecue in between sessions.

Gorgeous. Love having Bull Taco to grab a snack. The campgrounds are so fun for a staycation and running stairs are a perfect workout. Cardiff is a small community and so family friendly. Still close knit like no other spot here in North County.

"Its terrible living in San Diego! Lets move to Missouri!" - No One This is a great beach out of the many around. We ended up coming here because it is friendly to our 4 legged furry kid as long as we have a leash on it at all times. I was surprised because we are so use to going to Fiesta Island to the dog beach but it really gets tiring going all the way over there, not only that but the smell is bad and the crowd is a party crowd over theee on the weekends. So we were happy to see such a clean beach with so many families and surfers around. I have to say there is sooo much seaweed in the water. I mean it just wraps around your feet. Maybe it was worse when I came but I couldnt stand it too long. That was the only downside. Also the bathrooms have no light so on a cloudy day or when the sun is setting you better have a flashlight. No water is running so the showers arent working at this time. It was terrible trying to get all the sand off. There is a bridge where Coast Highway goes over the San elijo reserve. Any activity on the side of the san Elijo reserve is prohibited its super pretty and its very appealing to swin in. So if you are going to swim in it and break the rules like i did please make sure you know what you are doing. There is a strong current that pulls you into the ocean. So be a strong swimmer. Its a state beach so it has a little bit more rules. The parking situation can be terrible during the day on weekends. The parking lot during the week has a hourly rate, but on the weekends you have to pay the full day which comes out to $15. Sunset hours (an hour before beach closes) is $6 everyday of the week. Its not that bad considering oceanside beach charges about twice that. The beach closes at sunset. This time of year in August it closes at about 7.30. The parking lot closes at 10pm. Gates are closed from 10pm to 7am so if you leave your car in you will be locked in for the night and with a ticket. By the way, failure to pay parking costs you $71.00. You can try finding free parking on the street but thats really hard to find also. A little trick: if you dont mind walking a few minutes. Go down the road to Chesterfield and make a right then make an immediate right on San Elijo ave. The first street on your left is Orinda. There is a small community park right on the corner of Orinda and San Elijo Ave. You can park there for free :) Be safe, lifeguards leave around 7pm.

One of my favorite beaches in the Cardiff area. I usually go over to the bar across the street for a couple of drinks then come hang out on the beach for the day. It is clean unlike some other beaches however it does tend to get a bit busy. Personally I go about 100 yards south and it is perfect. Low population of people and plenty of room to stretch the legs so to speak. I recommend this beach for sure.

One of my favorite beaches in North County San Diego. Definitively very romantic sunsets and perfect for strolling there with your loved ones, including pet! You don't need to have a surfer dude/dudette body to enjoy this beautiful area. It is just so peaceful and pretty. Easy to find parking on the street if you go afternoon (my favorite hours anyways, as I am not that much into sun bathing). Always watch out for cyclists and dogs! Close to everything and at the same time you will have that feeling of being far away for daily routine, even if for some hours.

Great beach with paid parking right by the sand. We had a great time exploring the tide pools where we saw some little fish and crabs, watching the surfers ride the waves, petting the dogs being walked on the beach, and catching our own waves boogie boarding. Can't wait to come back!

This is a highlight of the drive along the 101... what a great little treat and place for a time out... even if I did just accidently lose my friend within a couple of blocks over near J. I don't come down here as often as I should. I didn't when I lived down there and well... I can't wait to drive my bike along the road and come back. The views here are spectacular. You can go so much closer than you can in beach areas along the freeway up here in LA... and the water is far more inviting. The drive is peaceful and a bit off the beaten path... as you approach, there are almost always surfers. Unlike other beaches of its caliber, the water does not do a huge drop right away. You will see both adults as well as families dotting the waves. It's great for body boarders as well as the surf culture... the water is clean and so is the beach after you get past the stone entryway. There is parking along the road and prime views of just the water if perhaps you want to go at night with a date or just collect your thoughts. It's difficult not to get hypnotized and live there.... but this mermaid has her own siren song to sing, and it shall not be here longer than today... until we meet again m'dear. Until we meet again... oh quiet doggy beach.. you are a bit of a secret Atlantis... I just wish you had more shells on you to bring... back to that other place I call home.