Moonlight State Beach Reviews

This beach is very crowded on a weekend. Hard to find a place to sit at times. This is a good place to be if you have children but if you are traveling solo then the crowd is too much to handle.

This beach is so close to the little hotel where we stay .... Econo Lodge Moonlight Beach. Just a walk down the stairs and we're at the ocean.

Excellent views, not overcrowded, adequate facilities. Breathtaking ocean!! My son and I loved it and the sunset was a must see for everyone!

This was a beautiful beach to visit and take a walk on. It is very narrow though and not one to spend the whole day on. It becomes very narrow as the tide changes. We only had a teenage daughter with us and we loved the privacy.

Check when high tide is to avoid the water being up to the cliffs. The park beach is great when the tide is high as their is lots of sand.

This Beach is a side to not mess. Surf was up as high tide was coming in with great waves and surfers to watch. Great for all ages.

Moonlight beach is a fantastic place for people of all ages, very family friendly and a great big beach with great waves.

1. Parking is free and if you are earlier enough you can get in the parking lot, otherwise there is plenty of street parking. It is a bit of a walk down to the beach, 500 yards or so, so keep that in mind if you have kids and a lot of stuff.

2. Beach itself has great soft sand and decent waves, plenty of places for the kids to build sandcastles, play beach games, go swimming, surfing or body boarding with lifeguards. There is even fire pits and beach volleyball courts, so lots of fun for everyone.

3. There are bathrooms, change rooms, outdoor showers to wash the sand away, food places for meals and ice cream, rental place to rent beach gear.

Overall this is our most frequented beach in San Diego, you really cannot go wrong with this place, is very easy to get to and it is not far from shops and eating places if you did not want to eat at the cafe on the beach.

This has to be one of the most beautiful Southern Cali beaches I have been to. A great beach for kids, too! There is a great little round-about for dropping off your gear & party so they can trek to find a good spot while you take about 10-15 mins. to find a parking spot in the neighborhood. I found a spot in the neighborhood, which was about a 10 minute walk back to the beach; not a big deal since you don't have to carry all your gear. There is a public bathroom and outdoor showers. I would definitely spend the day here, again.

We accidentally landed on this beach since we could not find parking at Carlsbad Beach. We went for one full day and one half day. They have a rental place, a concession stand, a playground and the beach is just beautiful.

We were visiting from another state, we wanted to spend the whole day at the beach but we did not have a beach umbrella. Luckily the rentals place they rent you a beach umbrella for 6 dollars a day, you just have to leave your ID or CC with them. This really saved us and allowed us to get some shade and a break from the sun.

The day we went the waves were perfect for my kids to learn how to buggie board . They had a blast.
I wish I could move here :)

This was the busiest beach I have been to along the coast (compared to Laguna and Dana Point). Yet if you want space to breathe, go south from the D street stairs. Tide was high so no place to sit along the cliff line. But I had a fabulous walk and was able to really enjoy the beauty of the beach.

This is one of my favorite southern California beaches. I hope we are lucky enough to find a parking spot the next time we visit?

Truly love this beach! I've been coming here since I've moved to Carlsbad I years ago. Best waves and such great people there!

Moonlight Beach has everything anyone could possibly want in a beach, and more: a small nature preserve, two tennis courts, a children's playground with lots of grass, a big parking lot and a lot of on-street parking in the general area, a small scenic overview park, modern bathrooms, showers, food available right on the beach, surfboard and boogie board rental, masses of sand, lots of lifeguards, volleyball courts, fire pits, a large section of the beach for swimming, and also large areas for boogie boarding and surfing.

The image with steps was taken at "D Street" a surf spot which is a short distance south.

Beach is clean. No one is crazy with drugs or alcohol. It is a family beach with fire pits where folks get married and have birthday parties.

Great beach - great for frolicking in the surf, taking long walks. Family friendly. Concession stand available. Many people bbq on beach, Great at sunset. Really enjoyed the beach!

We always like going to Moonlight beach fun place nice beach friendly people and pretty good parking as well. Great views from up there nice scenery too. Close to food and fun

We were at the top scenic area of Moonlight beach in early January and literally in about two minutes the weather changed from a clear day to thick and instant fog. I have never seen the weather change so drastically. This beach is just wonderful, understand in the summer it is a crush of humanity. This January was awesome . The waves were great, families playing on the sand, and young people playing beach volleyball in the upper section. Leo D

This beach is perfect for a simple easy trip to the beach! It's easy to get to, and is just really nice and relaxing. I would try to avoid going during weekends when it's crowded, but other than its definitely the place to visit!

The best place for family activity. Easy accessible beach, toilets and showers, grass area, playground, place to make grill and fire

We try to come to Encinitas and Moonlight Beach 2 -4 times a year from Phoenix. We love it. Yes, the summer crowds are a bit much.....but it seems so most everywhere. IT works out. IT is a family beach.....kids camp was going on all week, volleyball games, happy families having happy times. We usually take our own lunch, but this trip had a. Breakfast and a lunch from snack bar....both were really exceptional and reasonably priced. The bathrooms ...are big...and a bit difficult to keep up with with the summer crowds...my only semi-negative things to say.
After stopping by Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach....we KNOW for a fact that Moonlight is the only place we want to be. PS..They have big fire pits...first come first serve....we walked down one evening...just nice people/families having a good time under the stars. LOve, love love it!

There was a swim area directly in front of the large lifeguard tower with 4 lifeguards! The surfing was on both the left and right of the swim areas. The left was rougher and more crowded. The right was milder and very few surfers. My son who started surfing about a month ago tried both but preferred the right side since it was less crowded. Nice clean bathrooms, outdoor showers, beautiful homes overlooking. What a great day!

We have made it a point to end each day at Moonlight beach when we are visiting Encinitas. There is a nice sitting area up away from the sand, it's quiet and peaceful, just relax and watch the beautiful sun set on the ocean, heaven!

Great beach. Small and crowded in the summer time. But very lively, very clean and incredibly beautiful

Visited with my son and another family. We stayed about 2 hours. I felt safe with plenty of lifeguards on duty. Lots of fun. Warm water. Gentle waves. Bathrooms close.

Very pretty beach. Good for families, couples, surfers! The Encinitas area is my absolute favorite place in California!

Nice beach, very busy, took a while to find parking and a spot on the beach.
Very limited sea shells, had to walk a while away from the crowds and near the cliffs to find some.
The park was nice, busy and full of families.
Also a very clean beach.

Beautiful beach 3 blocks from my house. They are currently renovating the Lifeguard tower. Convenient showers and snack bar on the beach. Volleyball courts where professionals often train.

Visit mainly for strolling and taking photos. Plenty of birdlife and of course many surfers showing their skills. Generally clean, sad that volunteers patrolling picking up trash but reassuring that someone cares for the environment.

This beach has a parking lot, which is nice, and has restrooms and places to wash your feet off. These were nice conveniences. The beach is small, and can get crowded, but there is some more space to the south where it adjoins the D Street beach.

Great little Beach. Lots of services: food and bathrooms and huge lifeguard station. The highlight is the volleyball. Oh, and the CACTUS HOUSE right across the street. Straight outta Santa Fe.

Had a lovely time. Great lifeguards. Clean beach. Great place to relax and chill. Lovely beach to walk on and handicap accessible.

Excellent beach experience. Easy parking, volleyball, nice waves.Restrooms and snacks available. Makes for a perfect so cal beach day.

A true California beach. Lots of life guards. Large parking lot. Large clean beach area. Lots of surfers on the edges. Right of 101.
Grills and fire pits.

I had been to this beach before, but I never get tired of it. I went there to see sun rise during the weekday. I was the very first one to be there and enjoyed this quite moment. It was absolutely beautiful. I live in Inland and do not get to see the ocean. I love this beach.

We come here every time we visit Encinitas.....parking is ample and the beach is nice for swimming surfing and body boarding....picnic areas are always clean, and the firepits are emptied everyday

I have been coming to this beach for years; on a daily basis when I lived in the area. I bring my grandchildren here from Los Angeles for surf camp, participate in the Surfing Madonna Beach Run each October, chill here at night with friends, bring the grandchildren to the playground when we are in the area, enjoy solo walks, and, of course, romatic walks with my husband.During the summer season there is a snack bar and beach equipment rental, as well as outdoor showers, rest rooms, beach volleyball, and fire pits year round.

This beach was super dirty with tons of kelp and serious flies... Gross!!! Lots of children and families but way to many flies for me.

This beach is interesting in that there is no parking at the beach level, you park on a cliff overlooking the beach with a walkway that goes down to the beach. Nice area for the kids. Walk along the beach with high cliffs on one side and the ocean on the other. Beautiful setting and not too busy.

This is the best beach in SoCal. Good surf and facilities. Plenty of room. Walking distance to food and drink

This beach is a great family beach. Updated consession stands, bathrooms, and lifeguard tower. This beach has been a family favorite and we almost daily join a bunch of locals to watch the sunset. It’s not unusual to hear a round of applause when the sun goes down. Kind of like a thank you, God moment!

Stairs from the cliffs to the beach will give you a workout, but the quiet beach at the bottom is worth the climb back up! Adjacent to Cardiff State park, try a Bull taco when you get back to the top!

Great view of the sunset and watching surfers do their thing down below! It was a short walk from all sorts of great restaurants and shops too

We had a great time at the beach with our family - 3 Generations!! Stayed at the Moonlight Beach Motel. Recently remodeled, very nice, great view of the beach and wonderful staff.

Great beach. Location is central to bus and train station. Lots of parking within 5 minute walk. There is a mat walking path that leads to within 50 feet of the shoreline (for those beachgoers with stroller, wagons, wheelchair) which makes access so much easier. Concession, rental boards, bathrooms, showers, fire pits, volleyball courts right at the beach. Tennis court one block off the beach. There is a drop off point next to bathrooms. Lifeguard tower station. Beach walking below cliffs shows the erosion of the cliff faces, stairs, yards overhanging cliffs. Great place to spend your days. Water is a little cool, but I easily was in the water for an hour no problem. Great place for waves. Enjoy.

great beach especially for families with children. Lifeguard station is right there. Bathrooms, sinks, outside showers, table benches, parking, fire pits for night time. easy access. Not far away from Hwy 101 for dining, bars, coffee etc.

The beach was perfect there was a restroom nearby the waves were awesome we were able to use our boogie boards the parking was free wonderful wonderful beach area to visit. Family orientated there were tons of people but everybody seem to enjoy the water. Will definitely visit this place again.

A small beach 🏖 with kids play ground and a sand volleyball.
Very clean and nice for surfing 🏄
Parking is near.

What a wonderful beach. We are on our vacation here and this is a great place to relax and enjoy the beauty of the ocean. It's great for families and large groups.

A great beach with on duty lifeguards, accessible rest rooms, a great location, and a play area for children. It is in the heart of Encinitas and is easily accessible.

Been here many times over the years and it never disappoints. A mellow and laid back beach with a fair amount of parking. Always a treat coming to Moonlight State Beach.

Since Moonlight Beach was close to our hotel, we walked along it each day right at sunrise. The beach was peaceful at that hour. There were many others walking along the shore, and it was fun to see the early morning surfers.

The beach has a playground for children and a volleyball area. They have restroom facilities, but they did not open until later in the day.

Moonlight Beach is appropriate for families and people of all ages.

We were in town for Bro-A,m for the day. I wish we would have stayed in Encinitas longer so we could have enjoyed the beach for a day. We saw some fun surfing and the sunset was beautiful!

Nice beach especially if you are a surfer. Not much around the area to eat that I found. The stacked rocks and zen area were pretty neat. I was there in September the water was cold.

When you travel in California, all the beaches are similar. But that one, without palm tree and stick to the hills give you an other way of chilling on the beach.
But be careful at your electronics stuff, tide get up quickly.

Great beach to spend the day! Bring your beach chairs and umbrellas to sit and watch the waves as people walk by. A children’s playground and a concession cafe with a sitting area was on the beach too. Moonlight Beach was clean and beautiful as we observed walking for a mile. It’s a beach for the entire family to enjoy.

Visited for the Switchfoot Bro-Am (concert and surf competition) and it is a beautiful beach! It is huge and has nice facilities. Good for surfing or boogie boarding.

This is our favourite piece in the whole world, we come here every year, we stealth camp in the streets neighborhoods, then we spend the whole day on the beach, doesn’t get any better than this area

This beach is so nice. Sand is clean. Not alot of room but enough to spread out. Nice clean facilities as well.

The beach was long with a lot of room to sprawl out. It was good because I didn't feel like there was a person right next to us. It was good to get some sun and walk on the beach for a good distance.

Our family took a trip to the Encinitas area and we were dazzled by Moonlight Beach. Clean restrooms, volley bar courts, a big and fun kids playground and a huge lifeguard station, so we really felt safe. Easy to access and free parking, although some parking is up a hill with some steps, so it may not be ideal for a family with any mobility challenges. We got to watch the local surfers attack giant waves and enjoyed perfect weather. Excellent beach two days in a row.

Monday morning, free spacious parking, easy access, not very crowded & beautiful weather. What more could you want? I loved all the smooth rocks and beautiful shore.

We're not from SD. Being out-of-towns, we don't have umbrellas, chairs, etc. Here they have it all for rent at a very reasonable price.
We have young kids. At Moonlight they have concessions where you can get food and drinks.
More importantly, the beach is NOT in a slope as most beaches are around this are, making it perfect for small kids to enjoy the water in less danger.
They have bbq grills, fire pits and a lot of parking options. It's conveniently close to downtown Encinitas where shopping, food and grocery is available.
This was our kids' favorite beach in the SD area.
The only downside: It may be busy....

State beach in the community of Encinitas. Out of season it's not generally very busy and you'll be able to find lot and street parking. But in season it can be packed. It's right off the freeway and also on the Coaster route. The main beach is more family-oriented with playground, beach rentals, and volley ball. When the tide is low, you'll find nice stretches both north and south for sun bathing and walking. Surfing can be good. Particularly in winter.

A friend in Encinitas sent us here on a recent trip. Volleyball courts,. god waves and lots of people watching. Clean. And easy parking!

Quite a little neighborhood a few minutes away from San Diego, this place is a hidden gem. Must visit if you're in the neighborhood.

This is one of our family's favorite beaches. There is a food stand, fire pits, volleyball area, small park with jungle gym for the little ones, a rental shop. Basically everything you need for a full day outing. You can walk on the beach to Carlsbad or to south Encinitas or as far as the tides will let you. There are lifeguards as well.

This is a beautiful beach with bathrooms and free parking. There are lots of sea rocks that are beautiful. It’s a long steep walk back up to the car.

Great beach for families. Snack shack and volleyball courts. Lifeguard station and clean beach. Will return

This beautiful beach is within walking distance to Encinitas Street. There are ample facilities, picnic benches, volleyball, playground for the little ones. Just a beautiful beach. When we go back we'll take it in again!!

Moonlight beach is in an amazing location and is technically a tourist beach but it's got such great vibe, absolutely stunning, clear water and the views are beautiful up and down the coast, you can see surfers to the left and such a great place to watch the sunset! Also the best beach I've been in the area for handicap accessibility, no stairs required to access through Encinitas Blvd.

This was our first family beach trip with our almost 2 year old. The parking lot here is super small and fills up fast! If you're not there early, you will need to find street parking. Almost all nearby parking is on hills and pretty far, especially if ur hauling in your beach gear. We luckily found some near the beach entrance which was by luck! The main beach area is small but mostly everyone was stationed close to the water. Since the beach gradually slopes to the water, it makes it ideal for small kids to play safely by the water. The mat that is placed on the sand that leads down to the shore is very helpful when pulling an ice cooler or wagon down with items. Water and beach are clean and people are friendly. There is a large lifeguard tower that has several guards patrolling constantly.

Wide expanse of picturesque beach with nearby restaurants and shopping. A lovely place for a family outing

We hung out between Ponto beach and Moonlight and like monnlight better. Surf is primarily shore break so its good for learning or boogie boards. There are restrooms and a concession if you need anything and lifeguards abound. Parking is tough but typical for a public beach

Spent two days at the beach and loved every moment of it. The water was cool and the waves great for boogey boarding and so I did.

Teenagers loved this beach
Very clean and updated
Nice playground for small children
Bathrooms
Showers
Concessions available
Parking nearby

Moonlight beach Encinitas has been one of our favorites for decades. Parking is rarely a problem and the lot sits high above the sprawling beach with its single giant palm tree. There are commeorative beaches with a great view of the beach and Big Blue in all her glory. There's public restrooms, sand rinse fawcets and a pretty decent snack bar. Great for kids due to the ever vigilant life guards in the tower there. Beautiful.

Technically the picture posted is not the main area at Moonlight Beach, that is more of a surfers beach access in Leucadia, I believe it looks like Grandview Beach or Beacon's Beach, hard to tell by the picture. Correct me if I am wrong.

Great family beach, can be crowded, but lifeguards are plenty. The water is great for boarding and surfing can be done to the North or South of the main area of the beach. Too many people to surf right at the main spot.
There are restrooms, concessions, plus a park, so overall great place to be with the family.
Usually get lucky with the parking but in the middle of summer you may end up walking a bit. It is wheelchair friendly as my dad uses one, and has gone with us.

Visited here at peak season. Swimming area was extremely busy, had to look for a space to sit.
But is a lovely beach, clean, life guards. The sea was warm, I found it tricky to swim in due to the waves, but brilliant for surfers etc. Lots of summer camps going on
Parking is free, but you need to be there early in peak time.

We did not go in the water, only ran away from the waves. Nice sand, playground, grass, toilets, parking. Great spot for playing with kids.

We have enjoyed this beach for years. When we visit Encinitas this is our go to beach. Lots of sand, life guards, bathrooms, outside showers, and a snack stand. There is a large parking lot also. Very clean and well maintained. Play area for children.

Went to the Moonlight Beach on a Monday morning. Parking about a block away was great. The beach was very nice. Great overlook at the lifeguard headquarters. The sand was clean. There were two volleyball nets set up and the sand was all groomed very nice. Board was updated with all of the tide data. Great place. The had sidewalks around the sand.

I love this beach!!! It's perfect for families with kids of all ages. Life guards are actually doing their jobs. If there was any concern I saw the guards running out into the water to check on the swimmers. Very clean with showers to use and a grill to buy yummy treats. Forget your surf board no problem you can rent one!!!

Just kidding ! It's a wonderful beach with everything you need for the day ! Good restroom changing facilities. A snakbar with all the beachfood you can eat or afford! Haha! Lots of great people watching 🤗 And tremendous views and sunsets!😍

Beautiful strand of beach. We walked to beacon beach a very nice stroll we took our time enjoying the ocean. We spent the whole day there a lot of fun for the whole family. Sand volleyball, kid play area, fire pits, showers, bathroom, lifeguard was on duty and plenty of sun.

How does it get better? While finding (free) parking can be challenging, combine beautiful sunshine, a lovely long beach, great people watching, many things for the kids to do, surfer watching and good facilities; you have a perfect sunny February day,

Dropped off hear from the Omni resort and couldn't have had a better afternoon. Beach is very clean, bathrooms clean, rental place easy to navigate and restaurants within short walk. I realized that the lifeguards work at this beach- they don't sit around, rather they corral people into safer waters, get into the water , save people and the like. Great boogie boarding spot. Easy access and a great beach to walk as well. Would highly recommend.

We like this beach at low tide, You can walk for miles. Great beach for swimming, surfing, and volleyball.

Love this beach...easy to park...great to walk....perfect to just sit and do nothing...
I go as often as I can ....
Bring a beach chair...a book and just relax...
I am not sure when the snack bar opens, but they have one...
Volley ball courts too.
There are fire pits available, so good for family outings...also a park for the little ones.
All in all, if you are looking for a place to just relax and do nothing or for the entire family this is the place!!!

Great beach. Good waves. Not rocky. Could walk from our hotel and then could walk to great places to eat.

We visited Moonlight Beach on our vacation to San Diego. It is exactly what you would picture of a California beach – long stretches of sand against cliffs with beachfront homes hugging the cliff line.. It was beautiful. The beach and water were clean. The beach has restrooms, a playground, outside showers for rinsing off sand, fire pits and a concession stand selling sandwiches, salads, pizza and ice cream. There is also a stand where you can rent beach chairs, umbrellas and surf boards. We had such an enjoyable day at Moonlight Beach that we went back a second day.

I took my tween granddaughter to San Diego to see the ocean and we chose Moonlight Beach as our destination. The beach was great, unfortunately the weather wasn't as great. Being in the high 60s was expected, but being overcast and dreary was not in the cards. She enjoyed the surf anyway and I was happy to see the lifeguard on duty and how clean it was on and around the beach. Will definitely return.

It's a nice beach for all ages. It has something for everyone. I stood on the beach and watched whales migrating north, surfers, volleyball games and children making sandcastles. Of course it was April, yet it seemed a little less busy than San Diego.

Moonlight Beach is a relatively unknown San Diego County beach in comparison to other beaches located in San Diego and LaJolla. It is located in the surfing town of Encinitas, which is home to notable attractions such as the Switchfoot Bro-Am surfing and musical festival, Wavecrest Woodie Car Show-the largest woodie car show in the world, the Surfing Madonna art work, the Encinitas Botanical Gardens, the Self Realization Temple, and numerous other notable attractions.

If you find yourself in Encinitas, drive west on Encinitas Blvd until you reach the ocean and the entry to Moonlight Beach. It will quickly become your favorite beach in all of San Diego and possibly in all of California.

Hidden family beach with good parking. Very good big beach. Very good amenities here too.
This parking lot has great events too (the annual woody event with live music is the best)

Stayed in Encinitas for 4 days, and visited this beach every day! Super clean, food and bathrooms available. Gets pretty crowded so make sure to get there early enough to get a good spot on the beach if you have a group. Great at sunset!

Good parking and a place to relax watching the ocean, sea gulls, sunset and enjoying the sea breeze: we were lucky to have good weather and warm water at this time.

There’s a Bbq area, playground, volleyball spots, lots to do, good community feel, kids loved it here! Only a block from the main drag with food/drinks/ice cream etc

Excellent beach, great lifeguards, lots of families, new bathrooms showers concessions. For out of towers, you can rent umbrellas chairs wetsuits etc v reasonably. Love this beach!

We found this beach while taking a walk in the neighborhood. They had clean public bathrooms, outdoor showers, large parking lot, rentals, long sandy beach and perfect waves for boogie boarding. Not too many surfers around but lots of families. Great fun!

For the most part we really liked the beach. The things we liked: parking lot in close proximity to the beach; life guards on duty; changing rooms/restrooms; great for ocean swimming with kids; we saw others doing boogie boarding and it looked great for that. On the downside, it was extremely crowded (weekday, mid-day, during the summer). Tough to even find a place to lay out the towels. Also to note, if you're bringing your family, there were many women wearing thong bikini bottoms if you're concerned about that. After going to Coronado Beach later in the week, this beach moved from a 5 start to a 4 star for me.

Moonlight beach seems busy year round, but quiet is as close as you want to carry your beach gear! You can walk about 500 yards down the beach to reduce the crowds if you desire. The concession sandwiches were excellent. The downside is the staff couldn't move people through the line if they wanted to. 1 window open on 4th of July weekend! I wanted to bring my own food, but am weak for the Swamie Sandwich on focaccia bread! Good rental gear if you need it.

This beach has it all: fire pits, huge lifeguard station (and more towers), concession stand, parking lot... But the summer is too crowded!! Especially over run with summer surf campers. This was our first summer visit here and we couldn’t believe how packed it was. Could not find a parking spot on a Sunday, period. Had to pedal bikes from our rental on a very steep hill and significantly downsize our gear. Then we struggled finding a place to put our umbrella. Anyway, weekdays were better, but then the campers! I suggest a visit here in the fall or when school is in session. It really is a beautiful beach when you can actually see it.

We visited on a day that was a little cold and windy, but overall this is a nice beach. They have a lookout point that you can walk down directly to the beach.

There is no doubt this is the best family beach in Southern California. Free parking and lose to activities. A great place to spend the day.

This is an Encinitas staple! Across from McGill's skate shop from the 101 Coastal Highway, this is an amazing beach front. Less than a mile from Swami's point break, and blocks from downtown Encinitas, this is a wonderful beach.

There are many events held at this beach during the Summer. Events sponsored by the city for Encinitas and individuals as well as corporate ventures: so living near here is a great idea for SoCal social life with a beach appeal lifestyle. La Paloma Theater is two blocks away. Filibertos (24-hour Mexican food) is 3 blocks away, MMMMMM! D-Street surf break is a short walk, and Swamis and Boneyards surf breaks are just South: roughly a mile walk. Don't be surprised if you find a brick or tile on the beach from the collapse of the Self Realization Fellowship's beach staircase, on your visit. The Fellowship is a mile South, and Summer water currents flow to Moonlight.

I've surfed this break from 3-6 foot, and had fun with each swell. Girlfriend found a stingray with her right foot, so learn the stingray shuffle walk which she never learned. Lifeguards were very helpful, and provided transportation to their hub when she was tagged by said stingray.

This community is gentrified, and loving it. Just North are all nice houses, and just South are mult-unit complexes. Expensive, and very few poor youth can afford living here and the inland poor could care less about the area (limited free parking, a big clue). So, walk a few blocks from parking in the neighborhood, and enjoy this wonderful area! After 10 AM,the beach is generally blackballed in the Summer, but they don't get bent about surfers on the outside of the break within the black ball. Great spot!

This beach has it all - parking, clean bathrooms, outdoor showers, volleyball nets, and an easy path down to the beach. It is close to shops, ice cream, and restaurants. It is also steps from the Encinitas train station if you want to take the Coaster train there. Recommended!

We visited late in the day and were able to snag a parking spot as folks were leaving. It is a clean and pretty beach. Not too crowded perhaps because it was midweek. Definitely worth stopping!

Nice beach with great amenities. Parking is a bit of a problem at busy times of the year. Not sure why they CLOSE the bathrooms in the middle of the day for an hour to clean. There are like 30 women lined up for the 1 family bathroom.

What a lovely beach! Plenty of room! Lots of beachfront to walk and explore. Very family friendly and a comfortable environment. Restrooms and outdoor showers available to rinse the sand away. Very nice place to visit!

We came here with our 6 and 3 year old. They absolutely loved this beach! The waves were pretty big, so we didnt venture out too far in the water, but the kids had an awesome time boogie boarding...

Very clean beach, tons of parking, and its a very big beach, so even when its busy, you dont feel like people are in your personal space. They dont supply chairs or umbrellas, so bring your own....

Great Beach with a beach house to buy snacks, and public bathrooms. Lots of volleyball courts and camps. It’s a fun beach to hang out .

Beautiful beach with all you need right there. It can get a bit crowded so it’s worth walking a bit farther from concessions.

The beach was nice and well kept. There were lots of fire rings, which I thought was cool. We were there earlier in the day, but I bet it's a lot of fun when everyone has fires going. There was quite a bit of easily accessible and free parking, which is a huge plus in SD.

I don't live close by to this beach, but I have walked on it before for a leisure walk over the years. This past year in November, I participated in the 10K for the Surfing Madonna Race. It was the first time I went down the beach that far. It is gorgeous and certainly a nice walk or jog for all levels.

I also ran close to it for the Encinitas half marathon yesterday. The view running down the 1, was so awesome. I sometimes forget how beautiful the coastline is in our lovely San Diego County. It is a a great beach, parking can be tricky sometimes, but park anywhere and you will certainly have lots to look at in the neighborhood. The village has great shops and eateries. 2 hour parking in town, but just be patient and kind. Go slow as there are lots of pedestrians, runners, children, dogs and bikes. Enjoy the scenery.

Fantastic beach - great waves for kids and fantastic playground too. You can eat by the playground on tables there and order pizza to be delivered. There’s Volleyball for the older kids and adults!

I enjoyed the view from the hill overlooking the beach, and noticed some nice benches, volleyball courts and playground equipment, but the beach itself was so rock-strewn that I decided against the beach walk I had planned on.

I live right down the street and although I can simply walk out onto my deck and have my own private sunset, there's a magic about walking up the street and seeing couples holding one another to watch the sun set together. Winters are absolutely the best. The sky is ablaze with colors you can't possibly imagine, magenta and teal and yellows and oranges, purples...I can't list them all.

Beautiful beach to play games, have lunch or dinner with friends or family. Fire pits at night to sit and watch the sunset. Clean, friendly people lots of games and fun things to do and keep kids busy.

Enjoy a beautiful sunset. Nice site to stand or sit and enjoy a lovely sunset. There’s lots of free parking available in downtown Encinitas and then take a short walk to this area.

With so many beaches to choose from in San Diego, we were blown away by how awesome Moonlight beach is. It's perfect for families! Easy parking. Clean Bathrooms not far away! Concession stand for burgers and pizza and ice cream. Lifeguards. Easy access to beach. Playground for kids. Volleyball courts. And on and on. Let's talk about the beach itself... First of all, beach is very picturesque... blue waters with gentle waves and wide soft sand. The sand was amazingly soft and fine perfect for little kids. The waves were gentle for little kids and yet big enough for full day of boogie or body surfing. The water was shallow almost 200 to 300 feet out into the water. Water was also warm and the beach itself felt very clean. Hardly any birds or other annoying creatures to bother u. Even on a busy August Sunday with an 80s concert(awesome btw) it didn't feel crowded because of how wide and long the beach area was. Just an awesome experience and beach. Let's hope it stays that way.

Great place! Had a blast with my kiddos! Perfect for any age range. They have a nice play ground, concessions, bathrooms, volleyball, and you can even rent chairs and boogie boards.

Had a great day at this beach, the park nearby is great for small kids and it's a clean beach with lots of parking nearby. My only gripe was trying to rent a paddle board at the rental shop, I was told that the lifeguards had grown tired of fishing inexperienced people out so they banned them from renting these out! The kayaks were also recently stolen, so no success there either. So if you're interested in paddle boarding or other water sports, rather head to La Jolla beach instead!

Head to the fish shop 101 for lunch!!

Encinitas has great beaches. It's a wonderful area. Used to live nearby, and went there all the time.
They are all great. Easy parking. Bathrooms, volleyball and eateries

Good family beach. However, this beach has a large public restroom, concession spots, and outdoor showers. These areas really need attention. Power washing would be very helpful. The present condition really detracts from the great beach that it is.

Very charming little beach with grassy area and playground. Nice bathroom facilities. Nice handicap access. Was able to walk out on a walk almost to the waves. Makes it easy for wagons too.

This beach is great. Its not too crowded. There is a lifeguard on duty. The water is pretty and the sand is comfy. The locals are nice. You don't have to worry about your stuff. People just kick of their sandals at the bottom of the stone steps and nobody bothers them. There are all these shoes just sitting in the sand near the stairs and when people leave the beach they grab theirs out of the fray. Its actually kind of nice to see. You have to be so careful in so many places, but here its just kind of like "kick off your shoes and stay a while friend".

We stopped by Moonlight Beach to refresh our memories of the family pictures we had taken several years ago. It's still a great beach area and amazingly they have free parking. The park is well maintained and a fun place for the whole family to visit.

If you get here early enough you can get a close, free parking spot. The beach is pretty small, so spaces fill up fast. You need to check the times for high tide too because if you choose a spot on the beach, the high tide reclaims most of the beach spots. The surf is really strong, with riptide warnings. Be careful with little kids because of the surf. I watched more people getting pulled out by lifeguards at this beach than I have seen at any other before.

Beautiful area. Interesting houses near by that should be seen. Try local places to eat which are not typical so are unique to beach scene California. Forget the fast food joints. Shops too if you can afford it.

There's always beach volley ball, surfing and lots going on at this beach. Life guards are on duty to help and let you know the water conditions.

We visited late in the afternoon and stayed for a beautiful sunset. Area was quiet and we felt quite safe even after dark. We returned early the next morning to look for "moonstones". The area was deserted and we had the place to ourselves. Picked up some jade-stones.

Families, couples, individuals... all will find something to do here at Moonlight Beach. Public beach access with large parking lot and street parking. Playground, volleyball courts in sand, fire pits and nice beach to hang, swim or walk/run north or south. Cheery place to people watch.

Beautiful beach that has a playground for children. On the beach there are several fire pits for nighttime fires which was really cool. Beach is very clean n you get to see a beautiful sunset which many photographers go here to get beautiful pictures.

Virtually packed with poeple and cars, no parking even for disabled, like circling sharks to find anywhere but unload and patk many blocks away.

Always good at the beach. The water was warm, the sand was soft and it was very relaxing. The beach was clean!

Happened to be cold and cloudy the day we were there, but so many people with families were there too. There are fire pits, bathrooms, showers. Great day.

the area is nice - finding parking is difficult though during the weekend. beach and the wave is great - shallow sand, there is a big playground too for kids. good for all ages. there is a kiosk to buy food and drink, also you can rent boards.

This beach has it all. You can generally find parking (and it's free). There are restrooms, concessions, fire pits, lifeguards, volleyball, etc. If you prefer to not be near a lot of kids, you can walk a little north or south where it's generally quieter. Above the beach at the west end of the main parking lot are nice benches that are a great place to catch a nice sunset.

A gorgeous beach with bike rentals right on the beach...clean and accessible. Loved the umbrellas and Beautiful views!

We visited late in the day and had a wonderful time. It’s pretty busy yet we scored a great parking spot. Water and beach are very clean.

Nice quiet beach to take the family. Lots of parking, covenant showers. Lifeguards on duty as well. Recommend for families or small kids.

Walked here while in the area visiting friends. Lovely beach. Nice facilities. Recreational opportunities. Fun spot!

there is plenty of free parking, lots of park benches and when not in peak season its quite empty. The sunsets are lovely and when its not high tide its nice to walk otherwise the beach is small.

After finding a parking space, we had a great walk along the beach and was able to sit and people watch for a while. On climbing back up the steps we were able to see dolphins surfing with the surfers. A real treat to watch. Beautiful place. Recommended.

Whenever we visit the San Diego/Carlsbad area we love to go the Moonlight State Beach. The sand is clean, there are restroom, showers to wash off the sand, concession stand and lifeguard facility. We have been coming here for about 6 years and are never disappointed.

I visited thise beach about 2-3 yrs ago and we loved it! Amazing waters, friendly people (more local less touristy), surfing etc...The sunsets and amazing as well! However since we just went back in May they moved the sand around and there are huge sand burms which prevents you from seeing anything above you if you are on the beach...Maybe for better visuals for lifeguards? I dont know but now it looks horrible : (

We like this beach and go here most of the time as there are picnic benches, fire pits, concession stand, volleyball courts and a park for kids along with good parking. There is also parking on the street and a lot of handicap spaces. They are always improving this area.

The beach has a snack bar, showers, and restrooms. We walked for quite a distance. . Lots of shells, surfers, a very clean beach to visit

The very best of encinitas. Grab pizza and head down to the sand. play volleyball then go back up the road for ice cream and iced lattes. Boogie boards and football tossing are in session. Love this spot

We visit this beach every year. Great for kids of all ages. Fantastic boogie boarding especially for kids!

Delicious food at the concession stand. Multiple Life guard stations. Beach volleyball and picnic tables. A play area for the little ones. Restrooms and showers. One of the prettiest beaches in Southern California!

Beautiful campgrounds for families. The campgrounds are on the Clift with stairs down to the beach. Rocks & sand on the Beach.

We live nearby, but it's still one of our favorite beaches in all of Southern California. The Sunday summer concerts are a lot of fun and the new concessions stand and lifeguard tower were worth the short inconvenience of the construction period a few years ago. It's always been clean and safe. There is one smallish parking lot and the rest is residential street parking so it can get pretty crowded on hot days.

Did not visit the beach during the day, but did watch a lovely sunset from here one evening. We purchased a six pack of local IPA, walked to the bottom of the wooden staircase, then sat on the beach and watched a lovely sunset. No entertainment. No service. No food. No music. No need. It was peaceful and wonderful

We were here just after the full moon and the King tides, huge high tides and way low low tides. If you timed it right there was great beach walking. If you didn't then you were getting wet! Sunsets were so red and went on forever!

Everything you want. Great beach to walk or swim. Close by. Firepits and volleyball. What's not to love? We love it.

Love it! Love it! Love it! ❤️❤️❤️ The best beach to make memories with your family!
If you forgot your sand toys, check out Ace Hardware on 101 in Encinitas (& walking Encinitas on 101 is great too! Plenty of places to explore & places to eat)! Have fun!

The motel was right off of the beach and very affordable. It was clean and comfortable. The service was wonderful and we had a great time. Thank you so much!

Moonlight beach is just beautiful! Water temperature is tolerable, not too cold. People are friendly. It is our favorite beach when we are down South! ♥

We watched the sun set and walked on the beach several times during our holiday break with friends and family.

love this place. its everything you could hope for in a beach - nice white sand, LONG stretches, pretty views, surfers, etc. highly recommended.

Moonlight Beach is easy to access, and there is always a lot going on, it has showers, bathrooms, and even a playground area for the kids. There is easy access to surfing and swimming (for safety reasons, these areas are separated) and it is a great spot to catch the sunset. Keep in mind that there is no natural shade from mid morning forward, so either bring an umbrella or a lot of sunscreen.

One of the best and busiest of North San Diego county beaches. Parking is moderately accessible. Showers and restrooms are clean.
The beach itself is sandy and safe. Not the best waves for boarding or surfing however.

If your looking for a private, relax, tranquil place to spend time with the family. This is the place to visit

It's been a few years since we've been here. We got there about 10am and parking was already tight. No problem, we parked in the residential area nearby. We set up near the water so we could watch our stuff while swimming. The beach was full with lots going on. Forgot to consider school was still out and in summer session after seeing groups of kids; surf camp, summer fun, etc. A relaxing day at the beach turned into a people watching day at the beach lol. We sat near a mystery water run off where it met the ocean, it was funny watching beach goers reaction when crossing it. Was it stinky? no. Was it a different color? no. It was a mystery and folks were avoiding it. I liked that there were restrooms/showers, a place to get food/drinks, a small grass area and lots of picnic tables throughout the park. Palapas located near the volley ball area. It's a clean park and staff are seen everywhere. It seems they also do bonfires in the evening. A quick mention about picking your spot. Don't be surprised if someone sets up right next to you. hello! When I read reviews about this beach it said it was good for swimming. It's not. It's a surf and boogy board beach. Yes you can swim in between waves but for the most part you're preventing yourself from being swept away from the waves. If you like that, this is the beach for you. I wanted to swim laps and this wasn't the beach to do that, no matter how far out you swam. I almost got creamed by boogy boarders couple times. All in all, this is a great beach to visit, get there early. Pick your spot and come prepared for the day. Enjoy :)

Lots of seaweed, a newer cafe and bike rental area and an average beach for the area. Beach volleyball, fire pits and lots of people. Having seen many beaches up and down CA, this one was nothing to write home about.

We visited several beaches on our family vacation to San Diego and this beach by far was the most family friendly. There are nice, clean bathrooms with multiple stalls, outdoor showers to rinse off Sandy feet, a concession stand, playground, volleyball nets, and even a place to rent beach gear. Body boards were only $5/hr.

The lifeguard station is right there on the beach. The beach has a lot of rocks but they're smooth from being washed by the sea and sand. Great beach for kite flying too! And parking was easy to find as well. I would definitely recommend this place if you have kids.

Luckily I went to Moonlight beach this past Friday and got there when the rain had stopped and sun was out! One of my favorite locations in N county San Diego. There are amenities available -bathrooms, fire pits, snack bar etc as well as volleyball courts , a playground for small children, lifeguards and of course the amazing ocean. The warm sunshine and the lull of the ocean leaves you feeling peaceful and carefree. A great place to add to your San Diego bucket list 😎

Open and free for the public. Sturdy walkway down to the beach with breathtaking ocean views. Great for families. Great for those in a budget.

Get the the beach early parking fills up fast. Our Bike ride started in Yuma AZ and ended in Moonlight beach. Hugh crowd What a great sight. Looks of food with in walking distance.

This is a great local beach, with kids area, fire rings, picnic tables, volleyball nets, showers & bathrooms, sandwich shop, free parking, and beautiful sandy beach. There is close access to Hwy 101 shops and food. In fact, this is such a nice local beach, that we hope you don't come. It is getting too crowded with so many non-local visitors.

This is the family beach in Encinitas. Lifeguards on duty. Safe surf. Crowded on weekends and holidays - and summer months. Plenty of free parking.

Beautiful beach! Great for people watching, surfer watching, volleyball, or grabbing a quick bite. Feels like the quintessential California beach.

This is my local beach within walking distance of my home. The special thing about this section of the beach is that even in low tide you can get a good walk in. There are tables, fire pits, bathrooms and showers (to get the sand off). In the summer you can rent umbrellas and surfboards. It's a very family oriented, local beach.
I go there all year round.

This year we were at Moonlight Beach during the annual "Wavecrest" event, which is the largest "woodie" meet in the world. Woodies are wood-trimmed or wood backed station wagons, a staple of surf culture.

There were over 100 of these beautiful classic cars on dislpay. I am not a vintage car nut, but it was free, and I have to say that it was really amazing to see. The owners of the vehicles are happy to answer any questions you might have. One owner actually let me sit in his British woodie, a Morris Minor, which took me right back to my childhood in England. :)

Aside from Wavecrest, Moonlight is consistently rated the best beach in Encinitas because it is attractive and exceedingly well-equipped in every possible way.

I always enjoy walking from Swami's to Moonlight during low tide.

Moonlight Beach was a wonderful stop on our vacation to the California coast. It was easy to access, with nearby parking, and is handicap-accessible. It is a great place for all ages, clean, with restrooms and outdoor showers to get rid of the sand. Come and stay for a little while, or all day. We saw volleyball classes, surf classes, and I was glad to see families gathering for picnics one evening as we were leaving. A fun spot!

The beach feels like a private one. Very small but has its charm
But I believe it gets really crowded during the holidays...
Limited parking spaces

If you are in Encinitas this beach is a good choice. Beach with a park for the kids. You can play and after go to the beach. Kids loved it!

Whether you are a surfer, boogie boarder or sun worshiper, this beach has something for everyone. Wide, continuous beach which makes great beach running as well! All eateries and bars are in town, so take water and snacks with you. Park on residential side streets.

This is a perfect place to go to the beach it's very clean and has a concession stand. Volleyball net and a lot of beach stuff to rent

Nice beach with amenities located in Encinitas. You can pay to park or street park. Several volleyball courts and lifeguards on site. Definitely worth the stop.

Moonlight beach is an excellent beach with parking providing access to the beach from Cardiff to Carlsbad. Great views from the beach or the bluffs above.

We don't go to the beach as often as I like. My kids have only played in the ocean a few times. We loved Moonlight State Beach, There is a drop off place where we unloaded the car right at the sand before I parked for free in the parking lot up the hill. The lot was fairly small, but we din't have any trouble parking. And it's free.
The bathrooms were clean and well maintained. We did not eat there but there was a concession stand on the beach. There were three or four manned lifeguard towers. Made me feel safer with my kids.
It's not a large beach but we liked that.
There are a number of fire pits. We saw groups gathering and "claiming" the fire pits around 3 or 4 pm.
It was a well maintained, clean beach. We had a great time. It was perfect for us.

I was surprised how clean the beach was. No garbage, no seaweed and the sand is so sod. There were a lots of activities around the area including beachvolley and cafè.

Moonlight State Beach is clean and beautiful. Has a large snack shack/bathroom/playground/shower area at the top. Partially paved path to the water makes it easy to pull wagons.

Water is very warm! Nice waves for boogie-boarding too.

So fun just being on this beach. Surfers, volleyball, families, dolphins, lifeguards, etc. If you are in Encinitas, must walk to this beach and enjoy!

While not as quiet as some of the other beaches along 101, this spot has life guards, easy street parking and pay-for-parking, a concession stand, nice bathrooms, a foot and body shower, and great sand/water for splashing and swimming. Bring your cooler and enjoy a day at the beach!

This place is Spectacular, the weather was warm but not humid, they have the best beach.
We will love to come back soon.

Great clean beach right at the Main Lifeguard Tower. It is Wheelchair accessible with ramps and adapted surfaces to access the beach. They have volleyball courts, great restrooms, picnic tables and ample seating.

We found this Beach by accident and were overwhelmed with the beauty. The waves were crashing against the rocks making a spectacular sound and view.

Beautiful beach in central Encinitas! Lots of families, easy access and two drop off areas. Concessions, rest rooms and outdoor shower areas are decent. Very busy on weekends and holidays, of coarse. Fire pits and picnic tables go quickly. Great beach!

Lovely sandy beach. Perfect to sit and relax and watch the surfing. Picturesque part of the world. Free parking too!

9am was great to enjoy a ling walk along the beach and see some well-refined tidepools with anemones and small crabs. I was watching the sea life more than the waves so I got hit by a wave and fell in the water.... what a way to be reminded of childhood! Getting drenched and sandy because of focusing on tide pool anemones! I knew it must be a great morning!

Walking along allowed all my clothes (and phone -+ electronic car key) to dry out.

All is good and I love that beach!!

Great cafes and funky shopping just minutes away on highway 101 as well.

This is our new favorite beach when down in San Diego. We went to a Switchfoot bro-am last year and we really liked the location, waves and the people.

We love this place! Parking can be a pain in the butt. Other then that, cool beach with sandy beach, not to many rocks.

I loved going to this beach. We rented chairs. Dipping my feet into the pacific was great as I am from southeastern Florida. Definitely different. Very clean beach ample parking

One of my favorite beaches in California. Great beach for kids. With a playground for the kids, volleyball, Shack bar, bathrooms and a beautiful beach. Great way to spend the day. Build sandcastles, surf or just play in the water.

This is a white sand beach with picturesque cliff drops extending in both directions prior to the beach start. Very good vibe from this place, and Encinitas in general. They have spots for grill outs if you'd like to bring some meats when heading out as a group. Parking is free in the plateau above the beach entry and surprisingly is usually not full.

There's also some benches on the parking plateau level that look out at the ocean and are perfect for sunset. Highly recommend considering it as a date option.

this is a standard for the locals, but lots of others visit there. It can get pretty crowded on a summer weekend.

Get there early in the morning to find parking! The playground is great when you have young kids and the rental shop is helpful and accommodating. There seems to be something going on every evening.

This beach is very popular. Lots of activity, surfing schools and plenty of lifeguards. It had been a long time since I have been there. Kelp was always an issue on the beaches with lots of flies. Just made the beach look and feel dirty. No More. There is still kelp but minimal. They must be cleaning the beaches!!! My son had lots of fun riding the waves. He didn'the like the steps to the beach so much (steep and lots of them on the north end) I thought the water was gorgeous.

Lifeguards and sandy beaches with good water access. Their is a lot of parking nearby and a great area to bring the kids. Sometimes a snack bar is open and it can get crowded!

Beautiful beach located at the western end of Encinitas Blvd. recent renovations have greatly improved this beach. It has concessions and restrooms in the new large visitors center, a new beautiful lifeguard tower/marine center, as well as an additional lifeguard tower a little farther south. You can surf year round, great place for family picnics and bonfires, and there is usually a game or two of beach volleyball going on.

Easy parking, nice playground, and close to the main street for snacks, lunch, drinks, etc. The beach is clean and good for long walks. Great for watching surfers but, beware the tides can be strong.

Even the clouds did not keep the families away on the weekend. Excellent choice for families with children. Facilities are extremely clean and area well kept. Large parking area, although we walked only 7 minutes from our hotel. Love this beach and this time we didn't bring the grandkids.

Good for sun bathing, boogie boarding...hanging out with friends or family...walking, running,surfing, kayaking...lovely beach!

If you are using navigation, it will take you right down to the area before the beach. There is no parking there. You can drop off members of your beach party and supplies. But otherwise there is free parking on the surrounding streets. But probably best to arrive early. As for the beach, it is quite pleasant. However, there is a lot of tar on the beach. There is also a nearby playground and the equipment there is very good for children at various ages. The bathroom facilities are relatively OK but nothing to write home about. Overall this is an OK beach but there are better ones in the San Diego area, especially Coronado beach.

Very crowded, parking hard to find later than 10:00 a.m. Large lifeguard facility and restrooms. Beach is actually pretty narrow at high tide and runs about 1/4 mile north and south of the main entrance. Steep cliffs overlook the beach and I wonder about their stability.

Love this beach!
Great sand, great waves, great family experiences always made here. 3 sand volleyball courts, snack bar, clean bathrooms, and friendly locals make for great visit each time we return.

Great beach with all the amenities you could want, right in Encinitas. We had fun jumping over the waves.

This place is great! There are restrooms nearby, a playground, multiple showers for rinsing off sand, fire pits, and the main thing for me is the lifeguards are very diligent. My son was rescued because a rip tide took him out and I had to stay on the beach with my toddler.

Moonlight Beach is a fun, beautiful place to swim, surf, hang out or walk along the shore to a quiet place!

Had a great time, wish I had spent more time there, but there were too many people there when we tried to hang out there.

Moonlight beach is our family's favorite among all the beaches in So Cal. Easy access just off the PCH. Definitely a family friendly atmosphere with a playground and sand volleyball courts, to go with beautiful scenic views of cliffs and ocean.

Amazing place to go with kids. A lot of sand to play, and a beautiful playground in front of the beach. Restroom facilites, volleyball courts, and lifeguards. We had a pleasant afternoon there!

We have been coming to this beach for many years.
Nice, quiet, family oriented beach.
Playground for kids, volley ball areas, picnic areas, snack and restroom areas.
Wide area for beach activities.
There are outdoor showers available to wash off sand. Parking is close. Better get there early.
Can use boogy boards, surf boards or some small rafts at this site at designated areas.
They do training for lifeguards here.
There is a lifeguard on duty during swimming time. Beach closes at night.
We have seen Seals and Dolphins. We have not seen any Whales,but others have.
We love this place and will get there whenever we can.

Such a pleasant beach. Very family friendly. Convenient. Had nice amenities, i.e. snacks, showers, restrooms.

Always enjoy a trip here! Concessions and restrooms. Clean. Surfing and home to the occasional contest. Love the Bro AM- free concert and great cause held here every year

Has plenty of free parking, has showers, clean restrooms, and concessions. And firepits. Great beach!

We love moonlight beach. This year he water was warmer than usual and our 6 year old granddaughter rode the waves in with her bogie board as did her nana. We spent all afternoon and the had pizza over on a picnic table by the playground also right in the beach complex.

Loved this beach. Lots of space. Cliffs, Good for taking long walks. Lots of nooks and crannies to hide away in.

Don't go at high tide because beach is at cliffs and disappears. Water comes up to the first landing at times.

We loved the location, the parking, the restrooms, and showers. The only downside was stepping in tar. It is very sticky. Nicely maintained and great for families and surfing.

Moonlight Beach has it all! It's a large beautiful beach where you can walk a mile north or south at low tide. Locals play beach volleyball and the smaller visitors enjoy the new large playground. There is a large picnic area with a snack bar, rental shop and restrooms.

Mermaids and Minotaurs sharing life philosophies by the sea in the auspicious energies of the solar eclipse. What a gorgeous beach to walk; cliff-side luxury homes beside a beautiful, long golden sand beach dotted with occasional seashells. Life is good. And getting better every day. Thank you!

We love Moonlight Beach. The parking isn't too bad. Encinitas is beautiful. That whole strip of 101 is great, lots of shops and restaurants. I could have spent a whole week there. What a great day!

Nice beach, not crowded. Not huge though. Had all the things needed. Playground, bathrooms, showers and even firepits. Parking was easy.

Good beach with parking around the area. Parking is not free. There is a lifeguard shack and a snack shack. The beach is level from the parking lot, no stairs or hills.

Moonlight State Beach had easy parking and an short walk down a paved driveway to the beach. Great place to walk and play in the surf

Free! Yes, an easy to access beach that is maintained with a large parking lot above it and a path down to it. (a bit crowded in the summer!). Next to the beach is Cottonwood Creek. Walk south to Swami's beach and beyond or north for miles - at low tide. There is a new snack bar and restrooms. The beach is always sandy. Lifeguards at your service. There is a kiddy playground and a grassy picnic area. Did I mention volleyball courts. This beach has it all - all year. It is two blocks off the freeway at the Encinitas Blvd. exit. It isn't a large beach park but the sand stretches north and south for walking. Restaurants within walking distance. The Coaster train station is less than a half mile away - an easy walk to the beach.

This is a fun little area, with many amenities. Anywhere from picnic tables to fire pits to sand volleyball courts. Plenty of sand, as well as high points to view the surrounding area. Just a fun little beach!

Sunset is pretty wonderful here and I hear that there are dolphins and whales swimming nearby in the mornings!

When visiting San Diego, take the short drive down Highway 101 to Encinitas, where you will find Moon Light Star Beach. Unique art work lines the walkway down to the beach and the sunsets are majestic and unbelievable. You will not want to miss this beach on the California coast in San Diego.

Watching the surf from top parking lot or being in the sand is exciting always nice here Love this beach .
Have been coming here for 40+ years always great nice people and good food close

Beautiful and unique. Just a short walk to have your very own space at the beach. I’ve gotten lucky with parking every time. Note that the tide is very high late afternoon, to the point that the beach all but disappears sometimes and you’ll need to put your chair on rocks. You can still swim of course. Sounds crazy but still worth it!

We lived in Encinitas shortly and this was an awesome place to take the kiddos. The beach is typically very clean and feels safe. The playground equipment is very nice and there's always lots of kids to play with. This is in a beautiful area within walking distance to downtown main street/coast highway. I'm a photographer and also enjoyed taking sunset pics here. Very beautiful, nice beach - highly recommended! Also there is a concession stand that opens up in the summer time.

I ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡this beach! They have concessions, bathroom, outside rinse areas, life guards, volleyball pit, playground and picnic tables. Of course the beautiful beach!! It's always been packed with people and families. I like to walk up the coast, in the wet sand, where there are less people congested together. I do lay out for a short bit, but mostly walk around and love watching the sunset!

Lovely little beach with a vollyball court and vast expanses of sand to throw a football or frisbee or maybe just settle down on a beach chair to watch the surfers. Because it is next to such a complete park, refreshments can normally be bought at the concession stand (when it is open) and the restrooms are clean and open.

During our stay, there was a record storm surge that hammered the beach. It brought out whole crowd of people just to see those 20+ foot high waves crash on the rocks. The beach itself is quite rocky at the point where it meets the water. It did not deter the treasure hunters with their metal seeking detectors (although the one we saw got pretty well doused).

We stayed at the Inn at Moonlight Beach so this was such a convenient beach to walk to and visit.

Being with friends at the beach and watching the surfers still out there as the sunset and of course the spectacular summer sunsets each night!

Our family enjoyed a sunset meal on the beach! Many stairs to climb. Surfers were out in full swing. Very cool to watch them. You can also enjoy from top of stairs for older people and wheelchair bound.

Something for everyone to enjoy or join in. Beachcombers may be the popular choice but the rental shop along with a changing clothes area, no lockers though, gives you the opportunity takes in a sport. Showers available. Surfing, beach volleyball, beach jogging and wave wading and swimming are easily available. Rental shop has wet suits for $15, all day soft or fiberglass surfboards for $25 and $35 respectively. Chairs and umbrellas can be rented for $5 to $10 respectively. Surf lessons offered daily at 10am and 1pm. Includes wetsuit and board. Picnic area to grill in is first come first serve. No dogs allowed on this city maintained beach. Great children's playground aside from the beach layout. Free parking on this typically non crowded beach. Lifeguard station on site. Snack bar is seasonal. They do provide beach wheelchairs for the handicapped to enjoy the same beautiful wide sandy beach at the lifeguard station. Inquire. The name "moonlight" came as from local residents who used to do midnight picnics back in the early 20th century.The annual California data pass is not accepted at this beachfront . Very close to Highway 101 downtown Encinitas. Open dawn to dusk.

There Is nice beach walking in this area and Moonlight is a great place to start. Parking can be limited on weekends and during their special events, like concerts, car show, half marathon, etc. However, it’s worth parking a block or two away. Moonlight is a great family beach with bathrooms, concession stand, life guards, fire pits, outdoor volley ball. Personally, I use it as a starting point for ocean walks. Go south below the cliffs to Swami’s where there are surfers to watch and Cardiff State Beach to continue your stroll. If headed north from Moonlight, you’ll see house after house perched along the edge of the cliff above.

Crowded and with a creek that smells of sewage coming into this beach, I could not go in the water. The smell was disturbing. They need to clean that one up!

Great beach for suning, walking, volleyball ect. Nice snack bar with newer bathrooms. Parking lot nearby but often full, over flow street parking is in high demand during summer months. Might need to walk a few blocks.

I took my Husband here so he could see the beauty. This is definitely worth a visit. We parked up above and took the stairs down. Since there is a cliff here it is an excellent place to view the Ocean.

Be sure to visit Moonlight State Beach. Just up the street from the entrance- stop and see Dave's Rock Garden on B Street just west of the main street 101. Everyone is welcome to paint a rock to add to the rock garden. Dave provides paint and rocks- you provide your own message and creativity! Great family activity and inspiration to pay it forward. It's the ripple effect...

This is a fantastic family beach. I t has concessions, restrooms, beach volley ball and ample parking. The main life guard station is also here as well. It is great for families and surfers as this is access to miles of beach and waves.

Loved this beach! It has free parking on the headland off 'C' street and some on street parking. There is a rental hut for chairs, umbrellas and body boards (rates for 2 hours or all day). The hut opens at 10 am and is located between the showers and life guard station. It does get busy when summer camps are taking place but it's a big beach so we found space to sit and surf.

Moonlight State Beach is amazing. Good for all day or short visits. I didn't get to try the firepits, but would like to in the future. The sand was nice, the beach was clean. There is lifeguards, bathrooms, playground, volleyball nets and even a concession stand. Very accessible. I recommend it.

A nice, clean beach to visit! There are several lifeguard stands scattered on the beach, beach volleyball, outdoor showers, concessions, etc. There is a free parking lot above the beach with two ramps to choose from to get to the beach itself. There is also street parking nearby, but those are some steep hills! I'd recommend the parking lot if you can.

It's a busy place for a walk on the beach. It is during the CV-19 event which changes things. Surfers were out & people were strolling. Not allowed to stop or sit at this time. A nice place.

Beautiful park right on the beach. Lots to do for kids. Very clean and beautiful. Free street parking.

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.

Visited this beach on Father's Day and was very busy. Still enough room for all to spread out and relax in the sun. Parking wasn't bad either.

Lovely, white , sandy beach with a walking shoreline to die for. Southern California love!
Parking is limited with most of it on the street above in a designated parking area. There is, however, a step path to the shore. Good shower and lavatory, plus concession and life guard facilities; Volleyball courts, palapas and benches. A gem not to be missed.

Yogananda, a God-realized Master once took walks here. His footsteps are still tangible. Come and let change happen! - While you are enjoying the ocean, the beach, the sun.

Lovely beach, especially at sunset. Good facilities, clean toilets and a playground for kiddies. Parking nearby but not a huge amount of spaces.

We walked at least 3 miles on the beach, which was great, but be prepared for lots of pebbles. We did not swim, so can only comment on the walk.

Came here on a Monday in August around 11am, many people were already here but didn't feel crowded at all and weather was in high 80's.

There was a surfing camp on site and it was fun to watch all these kids running and surfing. Would be interested to enroll my kids in this camp. Also, I even got a few new Pokemon at this beach.

This is truly a family friendly beach with outdoor shower and restroom. We ended our day playing in the playground next to the changing room.

Our shuttle driver at La Costa drove us here. The kids had fun collecting seashells and the view was beautiful. If we had more time we would have walked up the street for lunch/shopping.

Grandchildren and I had a perfect day..parking was good but get there early! rest rooms are clean! Showers are awesome! Concession stand was great..lots of other families to play with..Playground was also lots but there is a bunch of yellow tape on the play structure that needs to be addressed but the babies didn't mind it at all. Lifeguard stand was very helpful when I couldn't find my granddaughter...Thank God!! We had an awesome time and we will definitely be back!

Lots of steps but very quiet and fun to walk on the beach. At high tide a lot of surfers. Smooth rocks, not a lot of sand.

From the volleyball to the showers to the sunsets, this beach is a great place to visit. It is one of the few accessible Beaches for the handicapped.

A wonderful place to hang out for an afternoon. Surf, barbecue, hang out, and surf again. The view is spectacular. Very kid friendly and you can bring your own portable BBQ.

I don't know when Encinitas remodeled things, but it looks really great. The beach area is the same, but the buildings, etc have been updated. There's a pretty horrible smell coming from the bathrooms, but otherwise, everything seems much nicer than it used to be.

Love it that the parking is free.

It was nice to have the lifeguards all day really watching everyone on the beach & in the ocean! Its a clean beach with nice bathrooms but no private showers just rinse off showers outside! Nice to have a playground in case kids get bored! Otherwise the waves & body boarding(?) on them kept our 11 yr. old busy for hours!! Make sure u walk a little & leave a stacked "rock" formation to add to the hundreds already on the wall!

Great beach area,big clean playground area and snack bar. There are several fire pits but it seems as if you need to get there super early to reserve one. One of my favorites.

We went to this beach for a walk before sunset. We've been so lucky. We observed dolphins not so far from the beach close to surfers. We saw whales breath. I can imagine that it's usual because we saw that 2 subsequent days.

Moonlight is easy to access, has plenty of free parking, a lifeguard tower, lots of sand in the central area, volleyball areas, restrooms, a small hamburger and snack bar, and walks north and south along the shore. Lots of families go here in the summer and on weekends. Winter sees less sand up and down the beach as storms and tides carry sand away leaving it partially rocky.

To escape the crowds, walk south at mid to low tide. The cliffs are beautiful and you can walk for a few miles. Doing so, you reach Swami's beach...to us the better choice.

Moonlight Beach has a lot of parking; it has tennis courts; it has a nature preserve; it has a children's park; it has flowers, it has volleyball courts; it has fire pits; it has a scenic overlook; it has food you can buy; it has a rental place for chairs, boogie boards etc.; it has palm trees growing on the beach; it has a beautiful lifeguard station; it has more sand than you can shake a stick at; it really has everything.

Enjoy!

We visited on a weekend at the beginning of August and it was extremely busy. We found it very difficult to find parking. We ended up parking in a neighborhood several blocks away. The beach itself was very crowded. The water was nice but had seaweed. We loved that the town was a short walk away. We walked to restaurants for lunch and snacks.

We have been here 3 times in the past year. This is a great beach. I have always found a place to park within 3 blocks. Friday and Saturday are definitely more crowded. Lots of people. Lots of fun.

Let's say that you are traveling with somebody who uses a walker or is in a wheelchair. They are going to have difficulty trying to get down to the beach. However, if they just want to watch the beautiful ocean and observe the surfers and people on the beach below, they can't go wrong with several cliff-top patios with railings right at the edge of the cliffs. I was with a family member who could not walk on the beach but really enjoyed the view from the cliffs. There is one handicap parking spot near one of the overviews closest to the beach. I did see that the Lifeguard station on the beach has a wide-wheel wheelchair specifically for the sand. I didn't get any details on it but I thought it was great that it is there for the public. It's a great beach with friendly people and seems safe.

Moonlight Beach is lovely. There are several access points from the cliffs, but also a main entrance, which includes volleyball courts and a concession area. The parking lot is just up the hill (free of charge), but side street parking is also available (no meters).

When the beach is busy, just walk further along the shoreline to find other spots usually available below the cliffs. Lifeguards are aware of the crowd – we saw one leap out of the stand and race into the waves to assess and manage a situation. We hadn't noticed that anything was potentially wrong until then. The water is good for surfing, and body or boogie boarding.

It's worth making your way to one of the cliff beach access points to watch the sunset. Lovely views from up top.

A great beach and a nice area surrounding. A bit crowded but you can go either north or south a bit for some space. The neighborhood around is interesting and fun to walk around.

Dogs are not allowed on beach at all! Most Ca beaches let you have dogs after hours and if leashed. Can't enjoy this beach if I'm not allowed on it with my dog!

We enjoyed the beach and surf but the preach was much more crowded than going south rather than north from our rental home.

Moonlight Beach has all the amenities. A new Snack Bar and restroom building, a children's play ground.There proposed lifeguard station will be state of the art. This the main beach that people think of in Encinitas. It is also the main venue for many of the major events in the City of Encinitas. The Switchfoot Bro-Am, The Surfing Madonna 5-10K, The Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides 5K events are held here each year.
It is the local beach fro Encinitas.

Wide, long beach. Great for kids, body surfing, board surfing and just escape. Beach is long enough that you can go far from the madding crowd. Long walks work here and it is a great escape from the cell phone culture if you need it.

Beautiful beach, some free parking, snack bar, restrooms, showers. Great family spot. Even has a playground and picnic tables.

Loved this beach -- a little challenging to get parking on site but worth it. Waves were awesome - lots of famillies and there are eateries near by too.

This is a great beach: very lively with beach volleyball courts, restroom facilities, and a snack bar. The only negative comment was the drainage area nearby had a very unpleasant smell.

If you are lucky or early you can park close to a very nice beach. Even if you had to park a few blocks away it’s a nice beach and close to town for restaurants & supplies

It’s such a happy place. Fire pits if you get there early, nice snack bar and showers, peace, calm, beautiful vistas, and an iconic palm tree. My favorite beach.

If the tide is low enough, you can walk for a long distance along the beach in either direction (we walked from Beacon's to Moonlight, probably about a mile). There can be some rocks mixed in with the sand, but it's a nice place to hang out & watch surfers, and it's a short walk to restaurants in Encinitas.

This beach has a phenomenal view from the top of the stairwell. My colleagues and I walk down here every day while taking a short break from work. Often you can find cool sand art there too.
There are concerts and other events that take place here quite often. If not, there's tons of space to play, or BBQ.
The only thing I don't like is how crowded it gets during spring break.

Moonlight beach is a really nice beach. It can be crowded with families right in front, but if you walk a little, you can have more space. Also fyi -- The water can have strong rip tides.

This is a state beach in the city of Encinitas. Great for volleyball and general beach frolic. We tour our sister from Canada here in early Feb so she could see the new "Save the Ocean" glass mural, near the lifeguard stand.

We stopped by Moonlight Beach again last week. We tried the snack bar for the first time and it was really good! We both had sandwiches and water, but they also serve salads, pizza and other friendly foods. It's nice to sit at the covered tables and soak in life at this beautiful little beach, where the cool ocean breeze wafts in to cool off even the hottest day!

Conveniently located. Bed hard as cement. Pets allowed. Older property. Not handicapped friendly for someone in wheelchair or scooter. Narrow doorways. Tubs. Small bathrooms. No handrails. Need better handicapped parking and entrance. Don't fully understand ADA needs. Several nice restaurants close by. Priced ok. Need to check to make sure cleaning wasn't rushed before you unpack. I found hair in tub and sink. Smelled musky in room. I felt carpet needed to be cleaned.

Keep an eye on the tides—low tide opens expansive walking beach. Escape the crowd by walking South along the cliffs. It’s a beautiful beach and you can easily find a secluded spot even during the busy summer season.

Various entry points and amenities make it the perfect So Cal beach!

This is a great beach has just about everything. Nice play area for small children, fire pit, snack bar, restrooms and can rent umbrella's . They do have parking lot but fills up fast. We go at least once a week rain or shine. A love to watch the sunset here.

Great but more of a family beach :) great to kick a chill or play volleyball! Would definitely recommend. Very clean!

Family friendly place. Good for young & old! Great morning walks & vistas. A playground for young kids, bathrooms, outdoor showers, grill/ snack shop & lifeguards in season.

Beautiful beach but it is very crowded especially on the weekends. At high tide there is really not much beach access at all. Parking is a challenge too.

Great walking beach. Love the "cliffs" and the clean fresh water. Close to the town. Did see a dead seal and dead birds beached- weird

I live in North County San Diego so going to Moonlight Beat State Beach is always great.
There is a life guard complex to make sure everyone is safe in the water and it has just been redone. You can find Bathrooms, Change Rooms and a great Concession Restaurant to get all your beach food munchies. You can surf to the left or the right of the main swim area which is controlled by flags. The summer time weekends get very busy so come early to get your parking spot and beach spot. The best part about Moonlight Beach is at night there are tons of Fire Pits so you can bbq and have a mini camp out at the beach. There are volleyball nets to play Volleyball and there is a huge kids play area with nice grass sit on. This is defiantly one of the most family friendly beaches in North County San Diego

We came to Moonlight Beach to spend a few days before a cruise with the family and friends. We had planned to take in some of the sights but the family loved the beach that we never left. This is a great Beach to hang out, surf or boogie board. You can either be around people near the entrance or by yourself further North. Definitely will be back.

walked down from the San Diego Botanical gardens while we waited for our train back to San Diego, a bit breezy, but warm in the sun. a clean well maintained changing/toilet area with good showers for getting rid of sand after a nice walk or about a mile down the beach. Beach was a combination of sand and pebbles, but plenty of space for children to make castles!! plenty of life guards on view.
Only down that i could see, a lady at the showers seemed to have tar (or something) stuck to her foot clearly picked up on the beach, but other than that, recommended

Great viewpoint for sunsets and kid park and bathrooms
Very large parking lot also very safe beach with lifeguard tower