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Encinitas

Encinitas History

   Encinitas sits on the Pacific coast, near the Batiquitos Lagoon to the north and the San Elijo Lagoon to the south. Spanish explorers named Encinitas for the live oaks that dotted the hills in the area.
   Encinitas is known as the Flower Capital of the World. The city is home to several nurseries and gardens, and flower-growing is the largest industry in the region, which is famed for its ornamental flowers and poinsettias.
   Although Encinitas was founded in 1881, it wasn't incorporated until 1986. Today, Encinitas comprises five communities, each of which retains its unique identity:

• Historic Encinitas lies along the Highway 101 Corridor, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway.
• New Encinitas centers on El Camino Real, a historic roadway founded by early Spanish missionaries.
• Cardiff-by-the-Sea is made up of quaint hillside homes that overlook the ocean. The close-knit community was named for Cardiff, Wales.
• Leucadia, which was named for a Greek isle, is famous for the giant eucalyptus trees that line its main thoroughfare. The community's five-acre tracts were named after gods and mythical figures.
• Olivenhain, which means "olive grove" in German, boasts a rural lifestyle with plenty of pastures and open country.

Activities

   With 11 public beaches, Encinitas has something for everyone, from swimming and surfing to hiking and sailing.
   Quail Botanical Gardens has more than 30 acres of plants, trails and a waterfall amid sunny hillsides and deep canyons. Tropical plants, palms, ferns and bamboo provide a natural bird refuge and a great backdrop to the gardens' botanical research library.
   The San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Preserve is home to aquatic insects, small fish and waterfowl. The shallow-water wetland also offers hiking and jogging trails, and plenty of secluded locations for bird watching and nature photography.
   The historic communities of Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Leucadia and Olivenhain offer unique architecture and charming seaside neighborhoods. And don't miss the stores and antique shops in Historic Encinitas.

Encinitas Fast Facts

   Location: Encinitas is located between Carlsbad and Del Mar, about 25 miles north of San Diego
  *Total area: 20.13 square miles (19.11 square miles land area; 1.02 square miles water area)
  *Population: 58,014
  *Housing units: 23,843
   Average annual rainfall: 15.10 inches
   Average temperatures: 76ºF in summer, 55ºF in winter
*Information provided by 2000 Census

Schools

   There are 15 public schools in Encinitas: six elementary schools, four middle schools and five high schools.
   There are also several private and parochial schools serving the community.

Beaches

• San Elijo State Beach, just south of Encinitas, featuring camping, fishing, watersports and nature programs
• Moonlight Beach, a family friendly beach with many amenities, including rest rooms, showers and a snack bar
• Swami's Beach and Cardiff State Beach, which are popular with area surfers
• Grandview Beach, a good spot for ocean swimming, surfing and fishing, with a stairway to the beach
• Beacon's Beach, nearly three miles of narrow beachfront to explore
• Stone Steps, a rocky beach that attracts surfers, swimmers and fishermen

Maps of Encinitas

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