Beacon's Beach
Leucadia, CA
Beacon's Beach is reached by a genuinely steep trail down the bluff from a blufftop parking lot, a well-known local surf spot connecting on foot to Encinitas Beach's stretch of sand to the south. The steep walk down keeps the crowd thinner than the beaches with easier access nearby.
A genuine local surf spot kept quieter by the steep trail down, worth the climb for regulars.
How we score beachesThe trail down is real exercise on loose sand and dirt, budget extra time and energy for the climb back up.
A blufftop parking lot serves the trailhead.
A steep, unpaved trail is the only way down to the beach.
Dogs are not allowed at Beacon's Beach, except for service animals, consistent with the citywide ban on Encinitas beaches.
San Diego County's water climbs into the upper 60s and low 70s by late summer, the most comfortable window for swimming.
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