Beautiful beach. Came here with my family and I loved it here. Beach is nice with lots of birds and nice clear sand. They even have a big playground right next to the entrance and my daughter loved it. Nice swings. Beach has fire pits , showers to freshen up, clean restrooms and lots of benches to sit and do a picnic. It's even less crowded compared to other beaches in San Diego so Def recommend trying it out. read more

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Beautiful beach and a nice place to walk around a block or two from the beach... coffee shops, quaint stores and restaurants. The beach has bathrooms, life guards driving by on the beach, fire pits, picnic tables and a playground. In warmer weather, I could spend the whole day at this gorgeous spot. read more

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It's my favorite place to take my niece!!! The playground is amazing. They add the sand back!!! Yeahhhh!!!

The first reason you reside in California is for the sun, the second reason is for the beach... Moonlight State Beach provides sun and beach, but it also provides so much more; a sense of community, surfing and yoga, in Encinitas this is the local flavor. Add, a playground for the kids, a concession stand for your food needs, a full life guard station for safety concerns. There are restrooms, showers, and equipment rentals for things such as boogie boards, chairs and more. Volleyball is here, sunbathers, and drum circles. Much goes on here. You can park in the lot or on the street with no fees. As a hatha (Sanskrit for sun and moon) yoga student in this community, I'm ready to get my sun salutations or moon salutations on here. On the last trip, I enjoyed kid yoga with the grand babes. Here's to the sun, the moon and one of my favorite beaches; Moonlight State Beach in North County San Diego. #Encinitas #MoonlightStateBeach #HathaYoga #Sun #Moon read more

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There is so much about this beach to love. It's a clear winner for families. -Unique beachside playground -Lifeguard towers everywhere -Clean restrooms -multiple showers -Lots of street parking + lot -"Stream" with rocks perfect for toddlers (just don't drink the water) if you feel like avoiding the waves you still have something enjoyable to do I could spend the week just at this beach and not grow tired of it. Just up the road from the beach are also lots of coffee shops, restaurants and tasty dessert spots. read more

Moonlight State Beach - "Stream" run off area - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

Enjoyed my sunset in this new beach that I discovered near the Italian restaurant that I was going to for dinner called Buona Forchetta. The beach is small and pretty busy, but if you go up the hill to where the parking lot is you'll get some phenomenal views. It's several benches by the parking lot so that you can enjoy the sea views. Plenty of people where out there with their pizza, beer and wine just watching the sunset. It was actually quite magical! read more

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One of our favorite spots over the last two decades for a picnic breakfast or lunch is atop the bluff overlooking Moonlight Beach. The view is spectacular. Today we picked up lobster rolls and headed over to Moonlight Beach -- this was also a guilty pleasure during the COVID shutdowns. The weather was perfect for enjoying our picnic. Parking is free. Access the lot atop the bluff from C Street. Enjoy the view in my photo! read more

Moonlight State Beach - Beach view from parking lot - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

Free parking. Street parking available too. Showers and bathrooms open year around. Snack bar is awesome. Drinking water dispenser available so bring your own water bottle. Playground, volleyball quarters, open space for beach soccer located right on top. Plenty of lifeguard towers. Fire pits available. Stroller & wheelchair accessible! Soft sand and not too "rocky". Moonlight Beach does not disappoint! read more

Moonlight State Beach - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

It's a pretty nice beach. Don't know why there were rocks on the beach but it was a nice place to watch the waves read more

Moonlight State Beach - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

Well First I have been to many Beaches and This one is one of my favorites because there are plenty of parking and the Beach itself is really nice !! Also there is a playground for kids here also !! It's an amazing beach located in Encinitas CA SanDiego . The Sand here is pretty cool also !! Lots of people come here to Surf and Body Board too !! It's also an good beach to just layout and get a suntan also !! The views here at this beach is just beautiful !! The one thing you got to know about this beach is No Dogs allowed on this beach !! So if your planning on bringing your dog here !! Don't waste your time !! They will tell you to leave !!! As I was walking down to the beach here I can hear the lifeguards announcing over the loud speaker saying No Dogs allowed here !! But this Beach is great for photos also !! Perfect Beach to hangout and chill with family or friends even though it does get pretty busy on weekends !! Kids love this beach !! Overall Satisfaction: Cleanliness: 3 out of 5 Stars and it is one cool beach and well it's one of my Favorites to just chill and enjoy the Views !! Fun Factor: 4 out of 5 Stars there is plenty of things to do here and the cool Playground for kids is nice also !! Parking: Lots of Parking here you can park in the lot above the Beach or on the side streets !! It's all Free !! Overall Grade : 4 out Of 5 Stars and I can see myself coming back and enjoying again !! read more

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Love this beach! Very clean, lifeguards present, family friendly. Not a place to find shells. For us walking was a challenge it may be better certain times of the year or day with the tide. Limited room to walk in either direction and the surf varies, there are a variety of rocks This beach beach doesn't allow dogs but the local shops are very pet friendly. Fire pits - showers and clean bathroom compared to most beaches in Southern CA read more

Moonlight State Beach - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

such a beautiful place to go and be with friends and family. the beach is usually swimmable and theres tons of surfers and lifeguards. theres fire pits and people like to set up tents for parties and stuff. theres a concession stand with good food, a playground for kids, and a free parking lot!! read more

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For some reason yogurt tastes so much better when it's enjoyed on a clean beautiful beach. Especially when that beach has so much FREE street parking nearby. Snack shop, life guard station, clean restrooms and even a patch of grass for those who are ?allergic? to sand. read more

Moonlight State Beach - For some reason yogurt tastes so much better when it's enjoyed on a clean beautiful beach. - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

Beautiful and serene, this beach has plenty of parking, a lifeguard station, a snack bar and beach rentals, fire pit and bbq's. It feels much less crowded than other beaches in San Diego. Definitely recommend coming here! read more

I absolutely love coming to this beach. Encinitas in general is so laid back and this beach is no exception. It's a great place to come as a family and hang out at the beach. Pack a lunch or buy a snack at their beach bar. The restrooms are clean and there Is a wonderful playground and volleyball courts. Parking has never been a huge issue for me here but securing a fire pit is a different story. read more

Moonlight State Beach - Perfect picnic area - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

I spent a whole week here doing nothing and it was everything I imagined it could be. There is a pizza shop right up the street and other wonderful eats. This is a small local beach with local people whom are laid back and polite. There are life guards at the beach and the local surfers are away from the kids in front of the guard house. The sand is clean from trash and any glass with garbage cans away from the visitors. There is a wash off area for sand and bathrooms should you need them. My son (12) and I took a long walk down the coast talking and he said Dad as I was not paying attention and there were three 20 something women sunbathing nude. For a 12 year old preteen young man this was the real thing and he just kept this stupid grin on his face and on the way back to see the same women. He texted his friends and we talked about the nudity laws and there are areas that are more strict than others. Did you ever see that when you were my age? No way I had to dumpster drive for magazines with very little luck of finding anything. I would 100 percent return as it's not an expensive place to stay with the great food and my daughter said it didn't smell like fish at all like Delmar does about 15 miles away. Buzz coffee is right down the street and a block away is filiberto's where you can get cheap burritos and tacos. Good Luck out there. Jason read more

Moonlight State Beach - It's wonderful to be here. - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

I stopped here for a quick beach minute driving by. It has a nice, pretty big, free parking lot. It's a bunch of steps or a ramp down to the beach. Summer time it was very busy with some camp events happening here. They have some benches by the parking lot at the top overlooking the beach which is nice. read more

Moonlight State Beach - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

First time coming to this beach. It's clean and beautiful. It has seating area on top to have the beach view. It wasn't as crowded as other places and there was plenty of parking. I highly recommend this place read more

Moonlight State Beach - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

Modern playground area, volleyball nets, restrooms and snack bar in a compact area. Too me the space doesn't open up until you get on the shore. Then it feels wide. I've been here many times and it always feels cramped. With loads of people in a small area frolicking in the same sand it doesn't feel clean. But I get it for North County it works. For surfers it's convenient and waves are gentle. Walking or jogging the beach is cool if you want to switch up your beaches. I like the benches up on the hill to people watch and reflect. Mel M Yelp 17:73 read more

Moonlight State Beach - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

Great family beach! Good place to set up and have a Shrimp boil and enjoy a bonfire. Parking was not too hard to find. Be prepared to walk down a hill from the parking lot. There is a playground for kids. Volleyball nets. Bathrooms are conveniently located. Concessions are sold till 7pm. Cons: Fire pits are close to each other so no privacy from one group to another. Fun place to bring the family! read more

Moonlight State Beach - Shrimp boil - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

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This little hidden gem is thee best. And thanks to the excellent service provided by Jennifer! Spent last week there to be close to work, and again next week for the same. Being there makes work so much nicer. Thank you Jennifer for making sure we have an awesome experience! We appreciate you so much ‍ read more

Moonlight State Beach - Office with a view - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

Absolutely beautiful beach! I love that it is walking distance from downtown Encinitas, so it's convenient to enjoy the beach and quickly grab a bite whenever. Bathrooms are clean enough and easily accessible. Love coming here to unwind and watch the sunset! Only thing that would make it better is if we could bring our pugs with us. read more

Moonlight State Beach - This view never gets old! - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

I've come here twice now with my daughter, and have had an excellent experience both times. It is a typical SoCal beach: Big waves, cloudless sky, warm sand, light breeze, and fun atmosphere. There is the added bonus of a fairly tidy restroom, and concession stand with decent burgers and dogs (slightly expensive-but if your hungry...). You do need to plan to come before 11:00am on the weekends as parking can be tight, but it's well worth it. Also, the high tide line is very high, so the tiny remaining strip of sand is crowded at that point. So check the tide chart before heading out so you can plan for the low tide times. This is my favorite beach, I just love it here. Moonlight Beach is what Southern California is all about! read more

Moonlight State Beach - Catching the waves! - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

My favorite spot. Gets busy in the spring and summer with tourists visiting and parking can be tough to find.

This has been my favorite beach for years it's also walking distance from shops and restaurants. It's usually pretty packed, parking can be difficult but for me I've always found a close spot. The beach itself is very clean and always has a great sunset. It's always packed by the entrance so I always like walking the beach up towards Cardiff it's always empty that way, so I can get peace and quiet and listen to the waves. It's a long walk but I love it, the tide can get very high so if you do walk that direction you will get wet. I saw a sealion there last time I came which was amazing. I'd never seen one in Encinitas, it was such an incredible sight. There's also tons of great things to see, there's even little tide pools with cool things in them; if you walk far enough you'll see them. I love this beach I'll always come back. It's a great place to stop for a relaxing time. read more

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This was a great end to our day. My parents live down in North SD County and found this beach recently. We stopped by here at the end of the day to check out the beach. Very impressed. It has so many amenities: showers, bathrooms, concession stand, big playground, grassy area, fire pits, lots of benches to watch volleyball players or people, and a clean beach!!!! We are coming back super soon! My baby boy had a blast and that says everything! Parking is on top and you walk down a long ramp, but you can drop all your stuff off at the bottom. Check it out, it's worth it!! read more

Moonlight State Beach - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

Impossible not to like Moonlight State Beach, very quiet, clean, safe and family oriented. Also, every time that I go is sunny and warm (maybe is because I never go during the June gloom season!). I am not a beach person per se, but when I feel like I need to swim in sea waters, then this is the only place I venture to do so. Sunsets are spectacular, and parking is never an issue for me. I usually find easy parking on the streets close by. I like the old times vibe you get in this beach and also the shower located on the stairs going up to the street. Overall, clean, comfortable, nice crowd, good to swim. read more

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I've been to this beach several times over the years. I decided to come here to check out the area for a run. During downtime, there is ample parking with a couple lots in the area and ample street parking. I typically go to the beach right after work to ensure a sunset run. The sunset didn't disappoint, but the beach was a bit on the dreary side. There were a lot of seaweed and kelp on the beach, which created hesitation for my run. I'll return soon when the weather is warmer to actually do a beach run. Until then, the beach needs a bit of a clean up before I head back. read more

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Awesome beach, 5 stars all the way! I wouldve even given this place 5 stars prior to the remodel, that's how good it is. The beach itself is super clean, wide open and there are a ton of tables with bbq/fire pits. This is one of those beaches that you can just hang out at all day. There is also a ton of wide open viewing angles of the beautiful pacific and some decent swells that come through this area which makes it both awesome to view and awesome to surf. As an added plus, there is an elevated viewpoint that give you an amazing spot to just sit back and eat a snack or just relax. Overall, moonlight beach rocks it and is a fantastic beach for us here in Encinitas. Pros- Beautiful Picturesque Bbq Firepits Lounging Views Tables Sand Beach Swells Open space Cons- Parking stinks read more

Beautifulllll beach. Love that it wasn't too crowded at all when we went. Parking was easy. They have a big playground and fire pits. Showers to rinse off. Clean restrooms. Lifeguards on duty. What more could you ask for in a beach! read more

Although this strip of beach is small, it sure has a lot to offer. Located at the end of Encinitas Blvd., surrounded be single family homes, the beach has great facilities for regular beach goers and visitors. The volley ball courts are in top condition and always being used by players. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/moonlight-state-beach-encinitas?select=FDdGqvPbPEwZNTh2ueEzog#FDdGqvPbPEwZNTh2ueEzog) The beach has a number of picnic tables and fire rings. The bathrooms are close to the beach and picnic areas, and near by, a snack bar is open for certain hours of the day. There is also a grass area with a playground for children and it's a great place to celebrate birthday's for children. The Life Guard Station is well manned, and I observed the life guards offering helpful advice to beach goers and surfers. When I approached them to ask about the water temp and tides, they were very helpful and friendly. The parking is free but limited. I would say there are about a couple dozen spots. There is some parking along the Blvd., and of course in the neighborhood. read more

Moonlight State Beach - Volley Ball - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

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For the most part, I love this beach. The only cons I can see are that it gets insanely busy. That is no joke. If you are hoping to find a nice, quiet beach fitting for reading, writing and meditating, try coming during the off season. It is generally full of families -- especially toward the entrance. If you walk along the beach down south, you will find that the family scene thins out significantly. No one wants to walk a group of screaming kids down any sandy beach. Further south, a couple of blocks, is where the beach section becomes thinner, but tends to draw a crowd of teenagers and younger adults -- all without children. Problem, though, is that you run into tons of pebbles and stones the further south from the entrance, which makes enjoying the water quite difficult. Nothing like a wave coming in and tossing dozens of stones at your feet. Not comfortable at all. I appreciate that while this beach gets a decent amount of seaweed, it is nothing like Cardiff. It is pretty well contained and you can swim and enjoy the water for a nice portion of the day without getting attacked by a bundle of seaweed. Big plus there. You also will find a concession stand here. I have not purchased anything. But if you find that you are on the beach and forgot to buy salty potato chips, they will have what you need. There are also nearby showers and fire pits, which tend to fill up very quickly during the peak season. There is a designated parking lot here, but -- again -- this place tends to draw very large crowds, so expect to park a couple of blocks away and walk it in, lest you are lucky to get a nearby spot. Signs say beach parking closes at 10 p.m. and beach is closed 2-4 a.m. I have found that coming to the beach around 4:30 is a brilliant time for arrival! The families begin to leave, in preparation for dinner (no doubt) and parking also opens up. It always surprises me how quickly people vacate the beach around dusk, so you actually can have quite a pleasant sunset view on the beach and in the water. Beach sunsets IN THE WATER are absolutely glorious! The lifeguards tend to go off the job around 7:15 about this time of year. So pack a cooler full of treats and make a day out of it. Wonderful, wonderful beach here. read more

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A nice little park / beach area. I was lucky enough to park in front of The Sandwich Spot for lunch. With two hour parking it made sense to trek down to Moonlight Beach and check it out. When you first enter the lower parking lot you walk past a bustling children's park. If you have kids this is probably where you'll be spending the first hour of your day. This park is clean and well maintained and generally patronized by doting trucker cap wearing parents. Must be an Encinitas thing.. Speaking of Encinitas, there really wasn't any riff-raff milling around the beach. One or two sketchy guys, but pretty safe all around. They also have a cement bathroom/rental/food building for all of your biological needs. Outside showers are great for getting most of the sand off your feet before getting back into your car. Keep in mind that you'll still get sand in your car no matter how much you try. There is a VERY CONVENIENT loading zone for picking up passengers on the lower lot. - The Tsunami Death Zone signs are a little unsettling. If the water recedes you better get the hell out of there. - Head south down the beach to find some cool stones and sea glass. read more

Moonlight State Beach - If the tide goes way out... run! - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

Love this beach! I'm so blessed to only live 8 miles away from here. There's tons of free parking and lots of space to lay out or even have a picnic. All the facilities are new and nicely maintained. There's a concession stand that serves ice cream and nachos! I feel really safe at this beach compared to others that I've visited. The people here seem more relaxed. The ocean is beautiful and picturesque. I'll definitely come back again to lay out and enjoy the view. Remember when you visit to being tons of water and sunblock otherwise you'll look like a prune and feel the burn for days. Be courteous to others with children as this spot is popular for little ones due to the park and playground only a few steps away from the sand and water. Get here early to avoid the traffic and people trying to get a close parking spot. Pack a light snack. read more

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My friend brought me to Moonlight State Beach and I really enjoyed it. The whole beach is just beautiful. The water is cold of course, nothing like the waters in South Beach or Hilton Head, but beautiful nonetheless. This is a great place for people watching, collecting beautiful rocks, watching surfers/ boogie boarders or just to relax with family and friends while enjoying a picnic or BBQ. [Review #568] (48th Review of 2018) read more

Just visited for the first time in about a year. They've redone so much here, it looks really good. They took down the old snack shack near the lower cul de sac and put up a new building further back. The new building contains bathrooms, a new snack shack and rental booth. They also tore down the old bathrooms and replaced them with newer ones. Maybe just the people who clean the area weren't as complete as everyone would have liked. For whatever reason, it wasn't crowded at all. Found a spot right up front. I really like what they've done here and look forward to heading down there again this week. Keep on Yelp'n! read more

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This beach is easily accessible from parking almost anywhere in Encinitas, but there is a really lovely parking lot and street parking just off the 101. There are facilities here too! Bathrooms/changing stall, shower rinses, and many lifeguards. There is also a concession stand, volleyball courts, firepits, and a playground for kids. This beach is absolutely gorgeous as well, a great spot to watch the sunset in the evening. The cliffs make for a very dramatic beach, and I personally think this beach is best at low tides because it becomes so much more expansive. At high tide it's really hard to park anywhere down the beach as the waves come almost right up to the cliffs. This beach is also very sandy and smooth, great for barefoot walking. There's almost no shells/rocks here like just down the beach at San Elijo. The surfing seems better a little further south at San Elijo as well, but boogie boarding here was fun and the bonus is you don't have to wear water shoes. read more

Moonlight State Beach - Surfer at sunset - Playgrounds Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Of course 5 stars, beaches rock!!!! :D this is a nice relaxing chill beach where you can enjoy your lunch just gazing into the ocean. They have lots of benches up top to kick back and grub on a sandwich (they have a good sandwich shop down below) or just kick it with a nice fun beautiful babe. The benches are pretty spaced out so you can have some time to yourself or with friends, girls, or girls. Next time I'm gonna check out the sandwich shop. read more

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Moonlight beach used to be my regular beach I would go to whenever in the San diego area. Lately it has been way overcrowded everytime we come. We usually walk pretty far down on the sand to find an empty spot but lately that walk has increased greatly. The parking is also a nightmare due to this. You can spend alot of time searching for a spot. There's a nice parking lot that can make the walk to beach much shorter and its free. The parking lot is nice and empty on a cloudy day. This beach has all the amenities you could ask for at a beach. There's volleyball courts, bonfire pits, and even a little snack bar area. There's also so many food places in this area to check out before or after your time at the beach. read more

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After 2 drafts and 2 draughts I completely changed my opinion on Moonlight. Initially I was going to review pre-remodel and then post re-model, but with the upgrades and changes and this review not being about me I went with the later. Me and Moonlight go way back and it holds a special place in my life. The sand is nice, not nearly as much debris as other beaches, great views. Parking in the upper lot can be hectic, but the lower cul de sac is worth it, though I've walked half a dozen blocks to get here also. The bathrooms and concession are much nicer now than before and even before they were nicer than 80% of the San Diego beach facilities. Having a lifeguard facility is great, not just a tower that's only used 6-8 weeks in the summer also doubles as the Jr. Lifeguards training facility. The volleyball courts are fan favorites and even before the remodel the children's playground upgrade from a few years ago added tons of appeal. My only gripe was the relocation of the fire pits. I fully understand the want to upgrade and make them accessible. I don't disagree with it, but having a decade of memories celebrating life of friends lost and having seen luau pigs cooked and served, weddings saddened me to see the change. I guess it was inevitable, but probably not being an Encinitas resident I had no say. I do appreciate the upgrades for myself and the community. The new set up is catered more towards the community, rather than the large groups who set up tables, tends, cook and celebrate on weekends. It's more difficult to lock down the large swatches needed hot have 20-30 people. read more