Encinitas, CA

Apart from Coronado, another place we really like to visit in SoCal is Encinitas. This small town is truly beachy with its peaceful and relaxed mood. The beachgoers and surfers everywhere validate the statement above.

We like to go to Encinitas when we want to run away from traffic and crowds. Call us creatures of habit but we usually visit the same places here over and over.

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We love visiting the Meditation Gardens of the Self-Realization Fellowship Temple, which are stunning and super quiet (quietness is enforced by security, and food and drinks are not permitted); I could sit there for hours listening to the ocean waves or admire the koi ponds.

Usually, after we visit the garden we roam near the old Highway 101 neighborhoods or shopping areas and grab something to eat before we head to the beach.

As far as the food here, there are several restaurants and bars. But since we try to eat vegetarian and organic mostly, we often eat at Swami's Cafe. All their locations get super busy but this one has to be my least favorite as it looks pretty old; the food is good though.

Another "cafe" we found here is Goodonya. Even though this place is all organic, the service is super-slow, has limited seating, and only one bathroom which is gender-neutral with forever lines. The food is pretty good. If you want to try eating here, make sure you have plenty of time and are not at the starving-point as the wait can get really frustrating. I do recommend trying their Mushroom Root Beer Soda as it's seriously amazing.

Once done eating, we're on to the next place. With no surprise, the beach is my favorite part of Encinitas.

This time the tide was so low that we were able to venture far out and see a new side of it. Usually, just walking on the beach and playing with the waves is all I need to forget about everything. This time we were completely absorbed by the rocks that emerged from under the water, covered entirely by clams. It was also fun observing the little crabs hiding in the crevices of those rocks.

From the clams and crabs, we moved on to the pebbles on the beach, admiring their perfectly polished shapes and diverse colors. These activities relaxed and kept us busy for hours, which was exactly what we needed, before heading back to our life in San Diego.