San Diego Beaches: Moonlight State Beach in Encinitas
Moonlight State Beach is in the heart of the city of Encinitas. This is one of the best family beaches in North County San Diego.
- Beach Type: Long sandy beach
- Access: Directly from parking lot/street
- Parking: Free parking lot, street parking/some paid parking
- Facilities: Full restrooms by lifeguard tower
- Good For: Laying out in the Sun, younger children, scenery, swimming, surfing, family day at the beach
- Not Good For: Lack of crowds, parking
Supposedly Moonlight Beach got its name in the early 1900s from the people that would gather around midnight to watch the moon. Today it remains one of the best family beaches in the area. While, it is a state beach, most of the operation is done by the city of Encinitas.
Like most popular beaches in the area, parking can get crowded. There is a paid parking lot that charges various rates depending on time of year. There is also free parking in surrounding areas and sometimes in the main parking lot (once again it depends on time of year).
Overall, Moonlight State Beach is a favorite for bringing a crowd to the beach. It is the top choice for school groups, birthday parties and other activities.
The beach is wide and sandy, there are plenty of lifeguards, and there are extra amenities including a playground, showers and a seasonal concession stand. There are picnic tables, BBQ rings and even sand volleyball courts.
The Highway 101 area of downtown Encinitas is only 2 blocks away. Here you can find all kinds of shops and restaurants. There is also a Handel’s ice cream, one of the best ice cream places in the area (Handel’s actually started in Ohio).
To the north and south of Moonlight Beach the area gets isolated as bluffs rise above the beach. This is nice because it allows you to walk a short distance to get out of the crowds on busy days. You can see the area to the south in our coverage of D Street and Boneyards Beach.
Overall, Moonlight State Beach is on the top of our list of family-friendly beaches in San Diego. Encinitas provides a classic small-town beach atmosphere that is getting increasingly hard to find.
Be sure and check our full guide to all San Diego beaches.
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