Moonlight Beach
Encinitas, CA
Moonlight Beach is Encinitas's genuine main beach, with a snack stand, beach volleyball courts, and wide sand that makes it the town's default choice for a full day out. D Street's wooden stairway nearby is a quieter, more residential-feeling way down to the same general stretch of coast.
Genuine amenities and wide sand make this Encinitas's real default beach day, reliably good for families and swimmers alike.
How we score beachesThis is the beach with actual amenities in Encinitas, the volleyball courts and snack stand make it a real destination rather than just a stretch of sand.
A fee lot serves the main beach; on-street parking serves the D Street stairway.
Dogs are not allowed on the sand at Moonlight Beach, though leashed dogs are permitted in the park and picnic areas above the beach.
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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