Ever wanted to live in a boat? How about a landlocked boat? While walking around the neighborhoods…read moreof Encinitas, I came upon these huge boathouses along side other cottages and smaller homes. So quirky but interesting. I admit, I was kinda shocked to see two large boats sitting in the middle of a residential neighborhood. I had to investigate the history of the building of these large vessels. Neither of these boats have been out to sea although they are only two blocks from the beach. In 1928 Miles Kellogg built the SS Encinitas and the SS Moonlight. He used recycled materials from a demolished bathhouse at Moonlight Beach. This "courtyard architecture" was used in early California and was associated with Highway 101. Both boats were purchased in 2008 by the Encinitas Preservation Association and they will be preserved forever. You might be surprised to know that people actually live in both of these boats so you are not able to climb aboard and tour. You never know what kind of local flavor you will discover just be walking around but I was happy to find these boathouses.

These boathouses are so unique. They're off a street in the middle of a neighbor, and people…read moreactually live on these boats so you can't actually visit inside of them. On Saturdays, starting at 10am, there's a walking tour that discusses the history of the boathouses. This tour runs only on Saturday from 10am-4pm.

Cardiff by the Sea is a famous surf destination i have never been to till now…read more In front of Tower 15 had the best surf conditions up or down the beach. Today, 2-4 feet at 4 pm. So , when we come back we ll come here first. Lots of private spots to sit. Lifeguard towers but no shade and limited parking.

We moved to Cardiff a little over two months ago after living in Carlsbad and Cabo for the last…read moreyear or eight. Cardiff is completely different than any other North County beach. I've lived in on the app next-door. They call it walkers and composers. And it's very true it's very quiet. It's very artistic and it's this little village with some great great restaurants that are very local. You've got bump coffee with empanadas. You have the greatest donuts at VG. You also have high-end Italian great fish and one of the best grocery stores in North County, bring your wallet because it's the home of Cardiff crack so far it's a really good place to live and it's a great place to visit or camp right on the beach

Way more than 5 stars needed! Dave was working in this spectacular garden when we walked by and we…read morehad the pleasure to explore it and learn about some of the succulents and the origin and artistry of the over 10,000 painted rocks. Upon admiring one particular plant, Dave took his shovel and shared a shoot for me to take home! The mural in the background is a wonderful addition! Thanks, Dave for sharing your time today!

This place is just super chill. No matter how many times we have visited we still always find new…read moreand inspirational rocks.

Beach is clean with a free parking lot just above. At the entrance there's a nice little…read moreplayground, a concessions stand with actual options beyond your standard hotdogs and burgers. We came on a cloudy day so it wasn't really crowded and we found free parking in the lot up the hill, just above the beach. The lifeguard station is right there so there was a sense of added safety as my kids learned to surf. Beach was clean, people were chill, and we'll def be back!

We came here as a family and really enjoyed it. I actually believe this beach was recommended to…read moreme, and it was everything they said it would be. The beach was nice and the water felt really good, not too cold, which made it even better. My daughter had a blast playing in the sand and just being free, and my husband loved it too, especially since it was his first time being in warm ocean water. We were able to find a spot that wasn't overly crowded, which made it feel even more peaceful and relaxing. Overall it was just a really good beach day and I would definitely come back.

Oh the Encinitas sign…read more... The sight be pure beauty down the 101 and just blocks away from the most fun bars, shops and boutiques, nice dining restaurants and most importantly, Moonlight Beach. The Encinitas sign is a staple to the beautiful costal town and when you are there in the right moment and right time, you can capture all the beauty of people walking their dogs, surfers with their boards, beach cruisers and even the late night Rocky Horror show at the La Paloma theater! This sign is also the staple for many different costal community events like the Encinitas Holiday Parade and the Encinitas Turkey Trot. Such pure beauty. Many thanks City of Encinitas.

Encinitas is one of the oldest settlements in San Diego County (the original adobe hacienda is in…read moreStage Coach Park), yet one of the newest towns. It was settled in the 1870s, but wasn't incorporated until the 1980s. Downtown Encinitas has old Hollywood flair. Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford&other luminaries once came to the nearby La Paloma Theater, with its beautiful dove mural. Above all (figuratively and literally), is the old Encinitas sign. It's got the Art Deco style, simply ornate. It hearkens back to Encinitas days as a surf city in the early 20th century. For all its changes over the decades, it's still a sleepy surf town. This welcoming sign soars, dove-like, over 101.

Maurizio, greets guests at door with sincere welcoming. Menu was extensive and special of night…read morefresh fish outstanding. Everything fresh and tasty. This was a first visit and family will return!

Disappointed in our meal, especially after all the great reviews. We've been wanting to try…read moreMaurizio and decided to get takeout since we're at home with a newborn. Positives were pasta portion size, it was well cooked, and the sauce from the spaghetti and meatballs was great. But the house salad was small and light on ingredients aside from lettuce. The beef meatballs were very dry. And the funghi sauce was a little gritty and extremely earthy - we love mushrooms but would have liked more of the white wine and garlic flavor to come through. They also don't offer complimentary bread with takeout which I thought was odd. Might try again for dining in, but not a great first experience.

Our team lunch for January was held in Encinitas at Buona Forchetta. It's the last one for me as I…read moream laid off at the end of the week and retiring. There was lots of parking on the other side of the street and we were greeted by a friendly waitress. I tried the gelato. Vanilla gelato was creamy with a rich, sweet vanilla flavor. I loved the smooth texture and bold vanilla notes. Lemon sorbet was icy with tons of sour lemon flavor. Best in small quantities. I'm glad I got one scoop of each. Service was friendly and efficient. I will miss our monthly adventures to places I have not visited before.

Buona Forchetta came highly recommended by a friend who raves about their pizzas. After trying it…read moremyself, I'd rate it closer to a 3.5 out of 5. It's a solid neighborhood restaurant, but it didn't quite live up to the hype for me. We ordered two pizzas: a gluten-free Margherita and a regular Margherita. One thing that immediately stood out was how similar the two crusts tasted. Both had a comparable level of chewiness, which was surprising given that one was gluten-free. The gluten-free crust lacked some of the wheaty, earthy flavor you'd expect from a traditional dough, but overall I was genuinely impressed by its texture and quality. It's one of the better gluten-free pizza crusts I've had. The pizzas are Neapolitan-style and generally enjoyable. The dough itself is well made, though I would have preferred a bit more chew and structure to take it to the next level. My biggest criticisms are the sauce and cheese. The sauce was applied too sparingly, leaving the pizza without enough moisture or cohesion to tie the different components together. More importantly, the flavor felt one-dimensional--mostly salty, without the rich tomato sweetness, depth, and complexity that make a great Neapolitan pizza memorable. But I want to be fair. Judging from the photos posted by other Yelpers, some of the pizzas shown have a good amount of pizza sauce. I need to try the food again and update my review. As for the cheese, the fresh mozzarella on the Margherita didn't quite meet expectations. The slices had a firmer texture than I typically associate with fresh mozzarella and lacked some of the soft, creamy moisture that helps create that signature melt. The flavor was also milder than expected; instead of delivering a pronounced milky richness, it tasted somewhat diluted. This may be a minor criticism, but on a simple pizza like a Margherita, where every ingredient is on display, these details become much more noticeable. Overall, Buona Forchetta serves a respectable Neapolitan-style pizza, and its gluten-free option is particularly impressive. However, the underwhelming sauce and mozzarella kept the pizzas from reaching the level I was expecting given the enthusiastic recommendations.

Two words: lobster ravioli…read more It's exactly what I was craving and this dish delivered. The ravioli are handmade and generously filled with sweet lobster tail meat. They're nestled in a saffron cream sauce that glows a deep golden orange and is slightly aromatic. The tomatoes add just enough acidity to brighten each bite. Pair it with a glass of white wine and the soft ocean breeze, and it becomes the kind of evening that feels quietly perfect. This family-run restaurant has been around since 2000, with a cozy and romantic interior that feels like a true trattoria but I always choose to sit outside to soak in that incredible Cali weather most of the year. The food is classic Italian and very comforting. The location is just a few blocks from the beach with plenty of free street parking right out front. Service is warm and flows naturally.

We had a party of 7 this time around and we got a couple of orders of the burrata bellina. It was…read moredelicious....not only was the burrata delish, but the spinach and tomatoes that came with it, along with the fresh ground pepper they added to it, really enhanced the dish. IMO, the best burrata dish I've ever had. For my main I had the Rigatoni w/ sausage this time around; I have to say that I thought the Linguini with Shrimp [that I ordered last time] was much better. However, my friend also had the rigatoni w/ sausage and he raved about how good it was. So, YMMV depending on your tastebuds. :)

It's the ocean, the beach, the sound of the lovely waves, what's to complain about?!? I like La…read moreCosta Beach because it's usually not too crowded. I park on the right side (looking out at the ocean, closer to Carlsbad side) and there's lots of open beach area. Bring a cooler, a blanket, sunscreen (don't want premature aging now, lovies) and chill out.

This place is a good time. But don't tell everyone about it though. You can park within 50 yards…read moreof your blanket spot, set up a volleyball court with the 3 courts, body board, surf, check out the ocean life from the rocks just a few hundred yards north, & then whatever else, without a thousand meatheads right next to you. The waves were over 7 ft so we had the crap kicked out of us by the water, but that is sure to help a guy get a great night's sleep! Yeah.

For the 2023 event: Unfortunately, due to the weather, the event had to be moved indoors at…read moreBroadway Pier. Thankfully it was still a lot of fun! My friend and I went together and it was soo much fun being able to try brands I had never heard of as well as new flavors from brands I did know. My favorite was the Casa Azul which uses tequila and was actually one of the last brands I tried. They also taught me that most other seltzer brands use malt liquor which can upset your stomach and give you a worse hangover. This makes sense why seltzers are one of the only drinks that give me a hangover. All in all, it was a lot of fun! My friend and I arrived right when the second timeslot started and a lot of the brands had already run out of the shirts and koozees and whatnot that they brought to hand out. It's a bit unfair and they should either order more things or disperse equally between the morning and afternoon timeslot.

Note: for the 2023 event (not sure if there was a separate page)…read more The ticketing process for this event was super easy to do online. There was hardly a line when we arrived for our 11:30-2 block and we were IDed, scanned, and wrist banded very quickly. I liked that upon walking into the venue, we were able to pick up some clear bags courtesy of buzzballs, sunglasses, and water. Our tasting cups also had a helpful card to know what vendors were there. Overall, it was fairly small with about 20 or so booths. Our favorite was probably the Mucho Aloha Lemonade. Thanks to Hannah and Yelp for hooking us up!