Encinitas / Cardiff / Leucadia

Encinitas is a beach city in the North County area of San Diego County, California. Located within Southern California, it is approximately 25 miles north of San Diego, between Solana Beach and Carlsbad, and about 95 miles south of Los Angeles.  Encinitas lies on rugged coastal terrace. The city is bisected by a low-lying coastal ridge that separates New and Old Encinitas. In the north of the city, the coast rises in elevation and the land is raised up in the form of many coastal bluffs. These cliffs are subject to collapsing on the narrow beach.^[13][14] The city is surrounded by Batiquitos Lagoon and San Elijo Lagoon to the north and south, respectively.

Encinitas can be divided into five areas:

• Old Encinitas: a small beachside area featuring a mix of businesses and housing styles. Sitting along Coast Highway 101 (Historic US 101), the Encinitas welcome arch, the famous surf break Swamis, and the early 20th century La Paloma Theater are located here. Old Encinitas is divided from New Encinitas by a low coastal ridge.
• New Encinitas: a newer region which features a golf course, many shopping centers, and is composed of larger tract homes.
• Olivenhain: a semi-rural region in eastern Encinitas, composed of mostly single family homes, an active 4-H Club, and several private equestrian facilities. Olivenhain connects to Rancho Santa Fe via Encinitas Boulevard.
• Leucadia: a coastal community of the city. Leucadia features tree-lined streets and boulevards. The community features art galleries, unusual stores, and restaurants, along with single family homes. This also contains beaches such as Beacons and Grandview.
• Cardiff-by-the-Sea: Encinitas' southernmost oceanfront community, which features streets named after British cities and classical composers, the Lux Art Institute, and the San Elijo Campus of Mira Costa College.

Regular events

• April Street Fair: annual two-day street fair, held every April in downtown Encinitas
• Encinitas Bazaar Marketplace: a colorful, outdoor shopping experience.
• Deep Pit BBQ: held the end of May at the San Dieguito Heritage Museum, 450 Quail Gardens Drive
• Encinitas Environment Day: held on the 2nd Sunday of June- environmentally-themed games and entertainment for families.
• Lima Bean Faire and Battle of the Beans Cook-off, held each September at the San Dieguito Heritage Museum, 450 Quail Gardens Drive
• Fall Festival: annual one-day street fair, held each November in downtown Encinitas.
• OktoberFest: held on the last Sunday in September to coincide with the Oktoberfest celebrations in Germany.
• Classic Car Cruise Nights: classic cars line Coast Highway 101 in downtown Encinitas on the 3rd Thursday of each month, May–September.
• The Wavecrest Woodie Meet: takes place once a year on the third Saturday of September at Moonlight State Beach. It is the largest rally of wooden-bodied vehicles in the world and it is free to the public and to participants.
• Wellness Week: annual week-long program of events and special offers designed to help people learn about and experience ways to improve their well-being.
• Salute to Education: Encinitas Chamber of Commerce Salute to Education event that is held each year in June honoring local teachers and students for their outstanding efforts during the current school year. This event is hosted each year by Rancho Santa Fe Security Systems.
• Switchfoot Bro-Am: annual free surf competition and outdoor music festival usually held in early July at Moonlight State Beach, home of the world's only Surf Jousting competition, along with several other competitive surfing events. All proceeds from the event go to local charities.