Best Places to Live – Encinitas
Welcome back!
It’s not just about surfing in the laid-back North County city. Located along 6 miles of Pacific coastline in Northern San Diego County, Encinitas is characterized by coastal beaches, cliffs, flat-toped coastal areas, steep mesa bluffs and rolling hills. It includes such communities as New Encinitas, Old Encinitas, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Olivenhain, and Leucadia.
Encinitas is also home to nearly 30 miles of trails for bikers, cyclists, and equestrians. The Encinitas Trails Coalition is a city-backed nonprofit dedicated to protecting and developing the community’s trail system, and provides tips and maps for a number of Encinitas routes. Meanwhile, the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve, a nearly 1,000-acre habitat that stretches from Solana Beach to Encinitas and through Rancho Santa Fe, established its Nature Center in Cardiff. There, you can take part in interactive museum exhibits, have a look from the second-floor observation deck, and go for a stroll on the half-mile loop trail through the Reserve. Also this year, the Rancho Coastal Humane Society is working on a $1.5 million expansion for youth summer camps and education programs and a new 2-acre dog park opened this past January.
It’s surprising how many events happen in Encinitas. Here is a list of the some of the bigger events that happen every year.
- Wellness Week is a week-long program of events and special offers designed to engage the public in learning about and experiencing ways to improve their physical, mental and spiritual well-being during January.
- Farmers Market on Wednesday – take advantage of this convenient mid-week market and pick up the freshest ingredients to make delicious home-cooked meals, salads, appetizers, snacks, treats and even more for the whole family or for that upcoming dinner party.
- 2 events happen April; 1) the Street Fair - Enjoy over 450 unique food, arts and crafts vendors plus four entertainment stages, children’s rides, Dog Zone, Kids Zone, Bike Valets, and a Beer Garden! Come for the sun, stay for the moonlight and 2) The Taste of Leucadia, Food For Thought will highlight our local restaurants, retailers, craft brewers and local vintners. The town will come alive as we celebrate with food, music, and poetry.
- From May-September on the 3rd Thursdays, Come to downtown Encinitas to see hundreds of hot rods, Woodies and other classic and vintage vehicles along S. Coast Hwy 101, and enjoy live music at several venues.
- Come downtown on the first Thursday of every month for live music, art displays, discounts and giveaways throughout downtown.
- The Summer Fun on the 101 happens in June where it benefits local music education.
- 2 events happen in August; there’s the Leucadia Art Walk where local artists display their art along Highway 101 and the Annual Taste of Main Street where you can sample foods from about 35 restaurants
- On Halloween each year from 5-8pm, a stretch of South Coast Hwy 101, from Encinitas Blvd. to K Street, becomes “Pumpkin Lane,” decorated with elaborately carved pumpkins at different viewing locations. Downtown merchants hand out treats to thousands of costumed kids and Her Royal Highness grants wishes at the Queen’s Court next to the Self-Realization Fellowship Bookstore.
The Walk score, which is a number from 0-100 that helps you find a walkable place to live, is 41. This means that most errands require a car.
The median home in Encinitas is about $820,000 and the average rent is around $3,200.
Sources: San Diego Magazine, Walk Score, Zillow, Leucadia101.com, Encinitas101.com
