Located alongside one of San Diego's smallest beach towns are the beaches of Cardiff. These few miles nestle directly up to Highway 101, making Cardiff a convenient stop for tourists and surfers. Just pull off the highway, park parallel, and you're ready to step onto the sand of one of San Diego's most beautiful beaches.
Although the beaches of Cardiff are known more for their waves than their shore, walking the few miles that stretch alongside Cardiff provides an uninterrupted view of the horizon. Designed to take advantage of the nightly sunsets are many restaurants, including the Chart House, a high-end fish and steak house, and Las Olas, a casual and vibrant Mexican restaurant. Several restaurants shine lights onto the beach after the sun goes down to give a unique view of the waves, but some locals take this as an opportunity to go night-surfing—a dangerous, yet exhilarating twist on the sport.
The beaches of Cardiff usually have more stones on the sand than most beaches, but nearer to the Cardiff State Beach Campgrounds, soft sand is plentiful. Campgrounds here go for as little as $50 a night and are just a block away from downtown Cardiff, a unique collection of small shops and restaurants that are found nowhere else in the county. Because Cardiff is sparsely populated, the beaches are untarnished and welcoming—some of the most beautiful beaches San Diego has to offer.
Attraction Information
- Hours:
- Dawn to Sunset
- Contact:
- Location: Cardiff By The Sea, CA
- Phone: 760-753-5091
- Website: www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=656
