Stone Steps Beach

Located in the city of Encinitas, Stone Steps Beach is a quiet beach in the state of California.

There are only two amenities here – lifeguards and street parking. If you need to use restrooms or showers, you can drive south to Beacon’s Beach.

It offers activities like swimming, surfing, and paddle-boarding, but be careful because of the high tides and rip currents.

Getting to Stone Steps Beach is very easy – after you get off of Highway 101, head west on El Portal Street and then turn left onto S El Portal Street where you can use the nearby street parking. To access the beach, carefully walk down some stone steps to the beach from the parking area. This ‘stone steps beach access’ is the reason behind the beach's’ name. 

If you are looking for nearby attractions, you can drive 30-minutes to SeaWorld San Diego that is an animal-themed water park offering water rides, roller coasters, pet shows, and underwater diving at Explorer’s Reef.  Del Mar Fairgrounds is spread across 370-acres and hosts numerous events like the annual San Deigo County Fair, Del Mar National Horse Show, Scream Zone, and Holiday of Lights. If you like to golf, Torrey Pines Golf Course is a 36-hole public golf course facing the Pacific Ocean.  Another great option is San Diego Zoo, a non-profit wildlife sanctuary that is home to 3,500 rare and endangered animals and over 700,000 plants.  LEGOLAND California is a theme park based on the Lego toy brand – it features more than 60 rides, a water park, and the new LEGO Star Wars show. 

If you get hungry, you can drive three-minutes to Buona Forchetta – Encinitas, an Italian restaurant offering pies, burritos, pasta, salads, soups, wine, and beer along with special items for vegans.  Juanitas Taco Shop is a vegetarian-friendly restaurant that serves authentic Mexican dishes at very reasonable prices. Beachgoers love the Hapifish Sushi – a seaside sushi restaurant featuring Asian and Japanese cuisines. 

If you are looking for a place to stay, there are many hotels within a 10-minute drive of Stone Steps Beach. The 5-Star pet-friendly hotel Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara, North San Diego boasts its pool, bar, spa, restaurant, fitness center, tennis court, and golf course. Cape Rey Carlsbad Beach, a Hilton Resort and Spa is a 4-Star hotel that was awarded the ‘Traveller’s Choice’ by Tripadvisor.  Hampton Inn Encinitas Cardiff Beach Area is a 3-Star pet-friendly hotel featuring a pool and fitness center. If you are looking for an affordable option, the 2-Star pet-friendly hotel Econo Lodge Encinitas Moonlight Beach has a nice pool and gym.