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    North Ponto Beach

    3.9 (15 reviews)

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    Mina H.

    Beautiful beach combination of rocks and sand, nice enjoyable walk by the beach, from this point if walking south you will get to south ponto beach. Parking is free, it fills up quickly on the weekends. Some days this area is perfect to ocean or sunset watch from your car and eat your food. Trash and recycling cans to dispose of waste. There is a just one vault style bathroom, no soap or water to wash hands, the big campground right next has nicer bathrooms if you are willing to walk.

    Keith F.

    A beautiful public beach that is full of surfers, stoners, and people living out of their vans. Every person I talked to was friendly and waved from a social distance most of the time. The view was pretty and nostalgic. I saw several types of birds and a huge dead seal. I loved going on long walks in the morning . Peaceful and quiet. Highly recommended

    New Transgender bathroom
    Marcus F.

    North Ponto Beach is nice place for long walks alongside crashing waves. NPB is a true beach ( regardless if there is sand or rocks) as people lounge around no matter the weather or beach conditions. We came after the winter storms and much of the beach sand had been swept away. If you walked south there was a landing strip of sand with few pebbles. Anything north of the lifeguard tower was pure rocks. Some people just put a blanked over the rocks and parked it... There is a set of worn down stairs if you walk south along the beach which is part of the state campground. If you keep walking down the beach you'll end up at South Ponto Beach, but that's a long long walk. Learning exercise - Learn more about Chief Ponto of the Kumeyaay (namesake of the this beach) at the San Pasqual Battlefield in Escondido CA. - If you're coming here looking for beach glass or shells this isn't your beach. Very few items worth collecting. - An expensive transgender bathroom has been added to the parking lot.. - Parking is free at North Ponto Beach. South Ponto Beach is pay parking.

    Stephanie K.

    Very peaceful, there are a lot of rocks washed up, but that doesn't bother me. My boys enjoyed digging in the sand and I enjoyed the fact that there was free parking. I saw 2 small parking lots, one was full and one had several spots available. It wasn't crowded at all (we came on a Friday afternoon). I will definitely visit this beach again.

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    4 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Beautiful beach. Lots of rock. It's neat if you listen to the waves hit the rocks, like natures music.

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    6 years ago

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    Review Highlights - North Ponto Beach

    I always pull in the parking off PCH to have a quick break, this time we brought lunch to eat while watching the surf and surfers.

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    South Carlsbad State Beach - Ice cream from our fellow campers.  Perfect for the hot weather we've been experiencing!

    South Carlsbad State Beach

    4.2(379 reviews)
    1.0 mi

    Camping at Carlsbad State Beach is unmatched…read more This campsite offers the best of both worlds: city life + beach life. It sits right on the ocean bluff with two sides, bluff-side (oceanfront) and streetside. Obviously bluff-side is preferred, but staying on the streetside is still a treat. A few things I love about this camping experience: - They allow all forms of camping. Tent, RV, van, etc. - The site has clean bathrooms and warm showers. Just be sure to purchase tokens at the front for the shower. - Dog friendly! You can bring your pet along but they must be on leash and aren't allowed on the beach. - Carlsbad has the most captivating sunsets, and if you're lucky, you'll even see a few dolphins. Truly the most memorable 32nd birthday activity with all my favorite people.

    Such a cool spot to beach camp. Also, live music, a store, a pizza and wing spot, and decent shower…read moreand bathroom for a state beach. It's a great place to catch the sunset on a Friday evening. We were lucky to book a bon fire pit near the music and lots of bench seating for the show. It does get crowded so glad we had our own space. The camp sites are pretty big also, fitting large RV's, two cars, and comes with an outdoor table. If parking off-site (like we did since we were just there for the evening), be sure to walk back to the main entrance to exit if later at night as the side entrances are locked at sunset. Great selection of beers, wines, pizzas, wings, and even some Mac & cheese bites.

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    South Carlsbad State Beach - ROTTEN FENCE

    ROTTEN FENCE

    South Carlsbad State Beach - Carlsbad SP Premium site.

    Carlsbad SP Premium site.

    South Carlsbad State Beach

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    Tamarack State Beach

    Tamarack State Beach

    4.5(104 reviews)
    2.9 mi

    A beach is a beach is a beach, right? Not really! All along the Southern California coast, the…read morebeaches vary geographically. Some are more sandy and some are more rocky. I was looking for one that was relatively clean, with not a lot of people, and lots of sand with few rocks. Tamarack State Beach is that place! Tamarack is the kind of beach that would make a nice spot for a picnic or a place to watch the sun set. I did neither of those things -- just stayed for a while to let my children get into the ocean and bury themselves in the sand. But they loved this beach so much that we visited twice during our visit to Carlsbad. There was a lifeguard on duty, set up closer to the parking lot where the majority of the people were. If you walk a little ways away, though, there is no lifeguard and the people are fewer. The parking can be a little limited, and you have to pay to park. There is also some street parking, but that's even more limited. Your best best is to hit the parking lot first and maybe circle a couple of times.

    During my one-month escape from the Massachusetts cold, I spent many days at Tamarack State…read moreBeach--also known as Carlsbad State Beach or Frazee Beach. Located between Tamarack Avenue and Carlsbad Village Drive, it's a beautiful stretch of coastline. You'll find a little bit of everything here--families, students, retirees, surfers, and plenty of people just enjoying the ocean. On any given day, I saw swimmers, surfers, kayakers, windsurfers, people fishing or beachcombing with metal detectors. The cement promenade running between Carlsbad Village and Tamarack is especially popular, filled with walkers and joggers. It extends for miles, making it perfect for a longer stroll along the coast. Wildlife added to the experience as well--dolphins offshore, along with pelicans, gulls, and other aquatic life. And beyond the traditional surfers, I even spotted the occasional electric hydrofoil (eFoil), with riders gliding above the water in a way that almost seems to defy gravity. Tamarack offers stunning daytime scenery and some truly memorable sunsets. There are some basic rest rooms facilities available. Tip: If you're heading there on a warm day, plan to arrive early--parking fills up quickly!

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    Tamarack State Beach
    Tamarack State Beach - Sunset

    Sunset

    Tamarack State Beach

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    North Ponto Beach - beaches - Updated May 2026

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