Encinitas
Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time flying to San Diego on my off days to visit my boyfriend. Partly to see him, and partly because the weather is a lot better this time of year than Chicago. (Mostly to see him). While visiting I’ve gotten to spend a lot of time around San Diego, and in particular, Encinitas, the beach town he lives in.
With all the fun new places I’ve been introduced to, I’ve made a list of some of my favorites in Encinitas. If you’re spending time in San Diego I definitely recommend taking the trip a little north to Encinitas.
Favorite Restaurants
Goodonya is an organic eatery in downtown Encinitas. Everything I’ve tried here is healthy, tasty, and doesn’t make me feel like garbage after eating it. You can tell they use quality ingredients when making their menu. They have an amazing brunch selection and have great seating outside to enjoy. My go-to order when visiting is a Salted Latte and Thai Salad. I’ve tried quite a bit of menu options here, considering we go almost every time I’m in town. Everything has been fresh and tasty.
Herb & Sea has been a place I’ve been dying to go to ever since I started visiting Encinitas. Finally, we went recently. It did not disappoint. Herb & Sea is probably the nicest restaurant in town, (I very well could be wrong). So, when an occasion to go presented itself to go, my excitement was noticeable.
Bier Garden is located on the 101 in downtown Encinitas. Bier Garden boasts high-end pub food and offers beers that are brewed locally. I’ve gotten one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I’ve ever had here. If you’re looking for a spot with a cool, outdoor vibe to sit and enjoy a beer, or cocktail, you’ll like it here.
East Asia offers an uncomplicated, Asian dining experience right in the heart of Encinitas. The Monk Stone Pots are the best here. For one, they’re massive. They’re also full of veggies, rice, and meat of your choice. One of those alone can fill you up, but their appetizers, for me fried spring rolls, are worth getting uncomfortably full for.
Favorite Stores
Seaside Market is a high-bred mix of Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. As a lover of grocery stores, I can confidently tell you, this place is Mecca. Stunning produce, amazing wine selection, flawless cheeses, and pre-made meals perfect for the picnic I’m making my boyfriend take me on. I could spend hours in this place. If you’re spending a good amount of time in Encinitas, Seaside Market is a perfect spot to pick up some groceries, wine, or pre-made meals.
Station boutique is connected to Station Salon. I always would walk by the salon and thought it looked so cute. The boutique offers clothing, home accents, jewelry, and fun random things you’ll walk out with that you didn’t even know you needed. Personally, I have an evil-eye gold bracelet that I love and wear every day. Believe me, though, I have my eye on plenty of things from that little boutique. It’s also a great spot to pick up quality hair products for when I forget to pack something.
Blackbook Bikini is hands-down my favorite clothing boutique in Encinitas. Blackbook boasts trendy brands like Frankies Binkins and Agolde. This is the perfect spot to stock up for your beachy, southern California style. They’ve got all the essentials from beachy dresses to the perfect pair of jeans and an array of swimsuits.
Favorite things to do
Watch the sunset over Swami’s Beach. A great setup for this is parking just above the 101 and watching the sunset from your car or if you’ve got a truck, put some chairs in the bed of the truck and watch it from there. Not a bad setup if you ask me.
Moonlight beach is a great spot to spend the day or watch the sunset, or better yet, both. Setting up a blanket and chairs and watching the sunset with a travel mug full of Prosecco is a great way to end the day.
Torrey pines offers hiking trails that wind around the hills overlooking the ocean. You could spend hours twisting through the hills exploring. I love hiking through the hills then ending down on the beach.
Encinitas driving range is something I have to admit I wasn’t ecstatic about trying. The driving range is a part of the Encinitas Ranch Golf Course. If I was capable of golfing more than one hole, it would be a lovely course to do so. Even though my golf game is lacking, it was still a fun way to get outside and it’s a stunning place to hit some balls. Or in my case try to hit.
If you’ve got some time in San Diego, or are looking for a fun beach town vacation Encinitas is the spot. There’s plenty to do and the area has incredible scenery to enjoy. I highly recommend visiting, and I always look forward to my next trip back.
Beach Must-Haves
