The City of Encinitas was
founded over 100 years ago and is now made up of five
communities that take pride in their own distinct
personalities. "Historic Encinitas" fills the Highway
101 Corridor that parallels the beautiful beaches and
ocean. "New Encinitas" centers on El Camino Real ("The
Kings Highway" founded by the early missionaries from
Spain). "Cardiff-by-the-Sea" is made up of quaint homes
dotting the hillsides overlooking the sea. "Leucadia" is
famous for its giant eucalyptus trees that line the main
thoroughfare on the Coast Highway. "Olivenhain" (which
means "olive grove" in German) boasts plenty of open
horse country, pastures, and a rural way of life.
With six miles of rugged
coastline and 21.5 square miles of land, Encinitas is a
north San Diego County city situated between the San
Elijo Lagoon to the south and the Batiquitos Lagoon to
the north. It got its name from Encina Canada, Spanish
for "hills of live oaks," which describes what Gaspar de
Portola saw in 1669 when he led an expedition through
the region. The Spanish Governor of Baja California
hoped to create a stronghold in California and did so
until Mexico laid claim on the land in the 1800s. That
reign was short lived and California became a state of
the United States in 1850.
From an 1800's gold rush in nearby Julian to the arrival
of celebrities such as Charlie Chaplin in the early
1900's, at least two establishments offer glimpses into
the rich Encinitas past. Visit the San Dieguito
Historical Museum to learn about Indian tribes that once
dominated the region. Or sit in the historic La Paloma
Theatre (possibly the first ‘talking’ theatre in the
rural United States when it opened its doors in 1928) to
watch a current movie.
Beaches, flowers, peace and love welcome you to
Encinitas. IBM, teeing off for golf and a Starbucks
latte in a plastic cup might greet you, as well.
Encinitas is a place where diversity rules and is
celebrated daily. When the communities of Leucadia,
Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Olivenhain and old and new Encinitas
incorporated together as the City of Encinitas in 1986,
their union on paper did not mean that each would give
up its identity and character.
Apart from the other communities mentioned, even
Encinitas appears to contain separate entities unto
itself. There's an established district with beaches and
shady, tree-lined streets located on Historic 101. Cute
flags with pink butterflies welcome guests and give the
impression of a happy, old-fashioned place where
businesses such as Encinitas Surfboards have plied their
craft since 1975. With an average annual temperature of
72 degrees and sunshine nearly every day, life feels
great, no matter what you do in Encinitas.
In stark contrast, prepare for a time warp with new
plazas, tract housing and a bridge where carts from
Encinitas Ranch Golf Course pass over the fast moving,
stoplight-driven El Camino Real. From the opulent Self
Realization Retreat and Hermitage where world travelers
come to meditate and look out over the Pacific Ocean, to
the neighborly Moonlight Beach, where lovers look out at
the same ocean and snuggle, cheek to cheek, life is
beach after beach in Encinitas.
If you want waves, Swami's the place. It is located at
the southern end of Encinitas and offers world-class
surfing. If you want to take off your clothes and soak
up rays, The Boneyard at 4th and D Streets is a spot
where you can do that.
Activities for visitors
include shopping, eating, sunbathing, swimming, surfing,
museums and galleries, meditation and enlightenment and
flower power. Once recognized as "the flower capital of
the world," and spot where the renowned Ecke poinsettia
was introduced in 1923, drop by one of the commercial
nurseries open to the public and purchase a traditional
poinsettia or be the first on your block with one of the
new release plants. (Poinsettias grow rapidly in
southern California and the innocent holiday bouquet
planted in a yard can take off unexpectedly and become a
tree.) Speaking of trees, Quail Botanical Garden claims
it has the largest bamboo collection in the US. It is
considered one of the best gardens in San Diego County
and well worth a small admission fee charged.
Public Transportation: Amtrak and Coaster commuter train
from Oceanside to San Diego. Train station in Old
Encinitas. North County Transit District. Lindbergh
Airport in San Diego. McClellan/Palomar Airport in
Carlsbad.
Golf courses: Encinitas Ranch Public Golf Course, Aviara
Golf Course in Carlsbad, and La Costa Resort in
Carlsbad.
Parks: San Elijo State Beach, Cardiff State Beach,
Swami's Beach, San Elijo Lagoon in Cardiff, Batiquitos
Lagoon, Paul Ecke Sports Park, Cardiff Sports Park, Leo
Mullen Sports Park, Magdalena Ecke Park (undeveloped),
Oakcrest Park, Quail Botanical Gardens, and Stagecoach
Park. For more park information call: 760-633-2740.
Special attractions: Nurseries, Friday Farmers' Market
in Old Encinitas
April -- Encinitas Street Fair celebrating the arrival
of Spring
July and August -- Sunday concerts at Moonlight Beach
August -- Encinitas Soccer Cup
Fall -- The Rob Machado Surf Classic & Cardiff Beach
Fair
September -- Encinitas Day featuring a 5K/1 mile
run/walk, live entertainment, and family fun
October -- Oktoberfest celebrates Olivenhain and
Encinitas German heritage
Early December -- Fall flower tours
