Swamis Seaside Park

IT'S A GREAT BIKE RIDE ! Virtually every day my wife and I hit the road for a 10, 12 or 16 mile bike ride. We love to to ride along the 101 where we get an ocean view most of the way. Today was no different and the weather was perfect....not too hot not too windy. If you don't get a lot of exercise ( which we all know is very important ) then buy yourself a bike and go for a ride. You will do your body a service and get to see some sights !

Probably my favorite San Diego beach. Less crowded than others, probably because of the steep stairs and lack of parking. It's extra beautiful and serene. And if you don't get enough of a workout on the beach, walking back up those stairs will get your heart going! ;D

The view of course can't be beat. Some parking but of course never enough when the weather is good. I like the memorial benches honoring locals who hung out at this overlook and surfed the waves below. What I don't like is some of the local people who hang out here aren't very friendly or welcoming. They don't own the view but think they do. We're as local as anyone having lived here and surfed here for probably as long as some of these people. But they're possessive and want it all to themselves. Try to avoid those people while enjoying the beauty of the ocean. You'll know who they are. They pretty much announce themselves. Sometimes there is a gathering of people who sit around in a drum circle and do acrobatics on the grass and tightropes they have tied to the trees. Always an interesting show. They all seem peaceful and nice. Maybe they can rub off on the crusty locals.

I stumbled upon this park as I was one a morning walk. I stopped here to rest for a while. I quickly realized that Smami's Seaside Park is a small little treasure in Encinitas. It is a great place to go surfing or to watch surfers. There is parking on the street, in the park, and the park also has public bathrooms. There are a couple of wooden decks, one with steps that lead down to the beach. The deck provides a great view of the beach and surrounding cliffs. This is a great place to hang out for an afternoon, and it is an excellent place to watch the sun set. It is not a very large park, but it has great appeal.

So Swami's is pretty small and the parking may suck but it has a great view of the ocean. There are some stairs down to the beach which is a workout going up and down. You'll see some people doing yoga, some beach bums and some people who just live at Swami's. There's really not much to say about this little park but it is nice, there are some benches and it may be a little hard getting in and out. There is always people here so parking can be a pain.

It never fails when I travel through here that someone will ask about the SRF in my license plate. They tend to assume it stands for Self-Realization Fellowship and that I must be a dedicated follower of Paramahansa Yogananda, a mega-class guru and the origin of the "Swami's" handle. When I tell them it's simply an abbreviation for SURF, they seem crest-fallen, like I had something special to share with them to enlighten them and make them whole again. But it ain't gonna happen. I'm here for the surfing, not the meditating. Indeed, it is a wonderful area for respite and you can find some peaceful coexistence among the masses with a spectacular view, I'll give 'em that. But don't be fooled by the calm and cool nature of the place, it has monsters just like anywhere and the very day we visited, a man drowned still attached to his surfboard. Big surf, high-tides, kelp and exhaustion will take their toll on the unwary. So enjoy the view and the various surf-inspired memorials all around you but remember, even nirvana has an entry fee and Swami's has made it very expensive this year. Some say it won't ever be the same but it will, in time http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/nov/03/two-surfers-die-at-famed-beach/ SRF: http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.yogananda-srf.org/Paramahansa_Yogananda.aspx&sa=U&ved=0CC0QFjAIahUKEwj9g5yFle3IAhVH4WMKHaXkDYQ&sig2=W_t8LPnuoZXHqdjny9IZcQ&usg=AFQjCNHQ7BqhVpgPu1QKTToGZyw7-JAd8A A sad truth about nirvana is that hell is never far away and 2 surfers have died here in a span of 3 days (RIP Ken Mann, 61): http://fox5sandiego.com/2015/10/30/surfer-found-dead-at-swamis-beach/ and Joy Ann Froding RIP, 57: - See more at: sandiegouniontribune.com...;

This is a small park, but it has great facilities and an amazing view overlooking Swami's beach! There are restrooms, a small parking lot, and a large variety of characters on any given day. Much what you'd expect from Encinitas locals, but it's fun to sit and watch them all just the same!

If you want to hear amazing music that springs from the imagination of real, live musicians who live what they do, Sunday afternoons are an opportunity to be transformed. I went last weekend and listened to two different groups playing different songs in different areas of the park at the same time. They were both so good it brought me to tears. If you come to see them, don't try to park in the park and bring some food and a joyous, open heart. And maybe some toys for the kids.

This is the perfect place to propose to your lover, eat a picnic with your kids, or go by yourself to do yoga, read or relax. You dont get more southern California than this. LOVE IT! Keep it beautiful, pick up your trash please!

Terrible breakfast. Poached eggs were nearly raw and the bacon was soggy. I asked them to cook the bacon more and the agreed but forgot about it and I had to go and ask. Staff appeared clueless and unapologetic. Frankly, I also find the "support our troops" messaging everywhere, a little much.