Spotlight on Encinitas, California
When I first arrived in Encinitas, California, I was greeted by that truly fresh salty ocean smell only sunset and dusk can provide. There was a man doing tai-chi as the sun kissed the horizon and disappeared right in front of me, while a lady to the right of where I was standing sat and wrote in her journal. I thought this is paradise.
Immediately after that, up the hill and away from the sand, I was greeted by the loud fucking train that passes through the Encinitas station every 30 minutes in the air b n b that I was staying in. The decor of this place was amazing, but I wasn’t sure how anyone could enjoy it because of the train shaking the building with its rumbling and honking through. Everyone else who lived there seemed to deal with it just fine, and I wondered, are they mad - like straight up insane?
How have they learnt to cope with this sound as non threatening? Given, I do have sensory processing disorder and a history of PTSD, so this was unbearable for me.
I left the very next day and checked into a hotel, then with a friend, and then with another air b n b host, until I found another great sublet option my month and a half stay in north county San Diego.
After a few weeks of battle with air b n b, I got my money back for the ridiculously gorgeous place ruined by the train station. They hadn’t made a health warning for the noise as evident as they should have, and they eventually rectified it with me. So it was a happy ending.
I loved every minute of my vacay in Encinitas once my bed didn’t feel like it was in the train station, and it was super sweet as always that it was the income I make in my business that allowed me to travel like this. I actually taught the very first weekend of the Write to Heal workshop from Encinitas.
I loved this little beach town SO much that if I was American, it’s where I’d be living full time, no questions about it. Ah… how simple that would be. It feels like HOME to me.
Here are my favorite spots and pictures captured from my time there. Fair warning, San Diego is known for their sunsets and I took full advantage of this.
Swami’s beach
This is where all the Encinitas surfers go. Located beside this beautiful botanical garden, a sacred land to honor the teacher Swami, the beach is found down these steep set of stairs and features this gorgeous turquoise water when the sun hits just right. At night time, people gather and fill the parking lot to view the sun go down, from the cliff, from the sand, and from the ocean itself on their surf boards. It’s a pretty cool thing to watch.
Swami’s parking lot at night time. Filled UP!
Seriously, get there early if you want a spot. Thankfully, there is ample street parking too if you don’t mind walking or if no limitations prevent you to.
All the surfers watching the sun go down from their boards.
Main show is over, but look at that after glow!
A swim right before sunset.
CUE to the Coldplay song Paradise for these day time photos
That iPhone 7 plus quality!!
Stairway down to heaven?
These are literally #NoFilter
Watching the sunset at Swami’s from the cliff benches.
In town, even the nuns are surfing. I mean, imagine getting out of your driveway and seeing THIS?
Moonlight State Beach
Perhaps the most popular beach in Encinitas, this beach includes epic volleyball courts and fire pits as well as bathrooms for all day & all night fun. Sunsets are still my favorite though…
Cardiff State Beach
Cardiff-by-the-sea is technically the equally charming beach town south of Encinitas in North County. It boost incredible… you guessed it… sunsets. I feel like the two first photos I’m sharing here should be the visual representation of Taylor Swift’s lyrics, “say you’ll remember me, standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset, babe.”
Tide in, tide out.
Surfers watch the sunset on their boards here too.
I watched a wedding go down here near the lifeguard hut one day. I definitely cried.
La Jolla
La Jolla, pronounced LAHOYA, is a beach town even more south of Encinitas and Cardiff. It provides their people a great Whole Foods if you are in need. :) The houses are absolutely breathtaking, and if you’re into the show Grace and Frankie on Netflix, that’s where it’s based out of. The University of San Diego has some campuses around there and one day I took a walk on the beach beside the marine biology building. Let’s just say I wouldn’t mind this being my view from a lecture hall, wouldn’t you agree?
Driving through the beautiful neighborhoods of La Jolla.
Grabbing tea with my friend Whitney at Lofty Coffee in Encinitas
In conclusion, Encinitas and the surroundings areas is somewhere you should go before you die. It’s a slice of heaven on earth.