Leucadia State Beach, or Beacon's Beach
is operated by the City of Encinitas in which it is located. If ever a place
should be called Surf City, Encinitas would take the honor. While other
cities market themselves as such, this low key beach destination along Old
Coast Highway even has road crossing signs with a surfer crossing the road.
San Diego County beaches offer great surfing, and this state beach
that's hardly recognizable as such offers some swell swells. The California
State Parks jokingly recognize that while this is a beach under their
auspices, it's barely recognizable as such. They state honestly that when
you find it, the signs will say "Beacons". And so it goes in Leucadia, a
neighborhood of Encinitas in north San Diego County.
Access to Beacons is only possible via steps, unless you walk a
distance. There's no wheelchair access, so you'd need to be mobile to visit
this beach. Set at the bottom of a steep embankment or coastal cliffs where
ocean view houses sit, there has long been an issue in this region of
eroding beaches that are narrow and washed out at high tides. So as
far as beaches go, it's fine to enjoy it, to stroll and picnic when the
tides are low. One of the more interesting state beaches, its urban flavor
and challenging access make it unique among the state parks assets. If
you're visiting San Diego County, this is one of the best spots to park your
car, get out in the parking lot, and wander down to the beach. This is where
you'll see the authentic Southern California surfing culture, where
youngsters train to become surf pros, and where laid back lifestyle is
defined by the surfers who live it in an unassuming way. You can go
elsewhere to watch surfing, but in Encinitas, you can soak up the vibes and
the San Diego sunshine.
Beacon's is known as the surfer beach.
There's a limited amount of sand for strolling and relaxing and the beach
is often strewn with cobblestones and kelp. Fishing and swimming
conditions are good and locals like to walk their dogs on the sand. Location:
948 Neptune
Ave. @ Leucadia
Located off Neptune Avenue at the intersection of Leucadia
Boulevard, there's a small parking lot with a telephone, but no other facilities.
From the top of the bluffs, a gentle dirt switchback trail leads
to the beach below. A post-and-chain handrail lines the trail the whole
way to the beach.
The signage says the beach is closed between 2 and 4 a.m.
but the parking lot hours are more limited so there are opportunities for
locals to get in some moonlight surfing and strolling. No alcohol allowed.
The bluffs along this stretch of Leucadia beach are beautiful,
but are posted as unstable so heed the warnings and stay on the trail if
you don't want to risk falling.
