About the Park
San Elijo State Beach is a California State Parks unit in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, a community in the City of Encinitas in north San Diego County. It is mainly a campground: a row of campsites on the bluff above a narrow beach, with stairs down to the sand and a reef offshore that lies inside a state marine conservation area. Cardiff State Beach adjoins it to the south, and San Elijo Lagoon opens to the sea at its south end.
The Park at a Glance
Where It Is
The state beach runs along Coast Highway 101 for about three-quarters of a mile north from the entrance channel of San Elijo Lagoon. The campground address is 2050 S Coast Hwy 101, Cardiff, CA 92007, and the campground map places it between Encinitas and Solana Beach, about 25 miles north of San Diego. See parking and directions.
Who Runs It
San Elijo State Beach is part of California State Parks' San Diego Coast District, which also runs South Carlsbad and Silver Strand State Beaches, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve and Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, among others. The district office is at 4477 Pacific Highway, San Diego. Day-to-day questions go to the campground entrance kiosk at (760) 753-5091. Concessionaires handle parking (LAZ Parking), firewood (Brevvie), a camp store and restaurant (Beach Wolf San Elijo; the park's alerts page says the camp store is closed for now, so ask at the kiosk) and trailer delivery.
This website is an independent guide. It is not run by or affiliated with California State Parks.
What the Park Is For
California State Parks lists camping, swimming, surfing, showers and picnicking. Its facilities list adds tent camping, RV sites with hookups, an RV dump station, outdoor showers, drinking water, picnic areas, interpretive exhibits and family programs, fishing, scuba diving and snorkeling, windsurfing, geocaching and bike trails. The campground has 158 public sites on the 2025 map; see the campground.
The Neighbors
- Cardiff State Beach to the south is a separate state park unit for day use. The state says the two adjoin and can be enjoyed as one.
- Swami's State Marine Conservation Area covers the ocean off the beach, north to Swami's in Encinitas. California State Parks calls it San Diego's largest marine protected area.
- San Elijo Lagoon, a 979-acre county park and state ecological reserve, lies just inland. Its waters are a separate no-take marine conservation area, San Elijo Lagoon SMCA.
Marine Protected Areas
Under California's Marine Life Protection Act of 1999, the Department of Fish and Wildlife and California State Parks set up a statewide network of marine protected areas. Two of them meet at San Elijo: Swami's SMCA offshore and San Elijo Lagoon SMCA in the lagoon. That is why shell collecting is banned and fishing is limited here. See fishing.
Seasons
The San Diego Coast is known for its mild year-round climate, and the campground stays open all year. The park splits the year into a peak season, March to November, with a 7-night stay limit, and a non-peak season, December to February, with a 14-night limit. Lifeguard towers are often staffed in summer and not staffed in winter.
About the Park FAQ
Is San Elijo a state park or a state beach?
Its official name is San Elijo State Beach. It is a unit of the California State Parks system, run by the San Diego Coast District.
What city is San Elijo State Beach in?
Cardiff-by-the-Sea, a community in the City of Encinitas, in north San Diego County.
Is San Elijo State Beach open year-round?
Yes. The campground runs year-round, with a 7-night stay limit from March to November and 14 nights from December to February.
Who manages San Elijo State Beach?
California State Parks, San Diego Coast District. The campground kiosk number is (760) 753-5091.