Why Surfers Love Encinitas
The little beach town of Encinitas is located in North San Diego and boasts more than five miles of rugged and sandy shoreline with beautiful beaches – nine of them! You can swim, surf, read books, run, jog, play volley ball, or just relax because Encinitas has it all.
Fitness enthusiasts will get a great workout at Stone Steps Beach. I ran these stairs 6 times each morning while visiting Encinitas and was was in the best shape of my life. These killer stairs lead down from the bluffs to the ocean offer awesome views to enjoy while you huff and puff. At high tide the ocean beats at the bottom of the stairs, at low tide, the beach is wide and sandy.
Swami’s Surf Beach, made famous in California’s own Beach Boys Surfin USA, is only six blocks south of Moonlight Beach, either walking the beach or driving down old Highway 101. Swami’s draws the finest surfers in the world every day. You can often see people scuba diving and snorkeling just offshore from Swamis at the Encinitas Marine Life Refuge, an underwater preserve.
Moonlight Beach is just a five minute walk from where I stay when I visit: a delightful little Bed and Breakfast Inn called the Inn at Moonlight Beach. Three world class beaches are within a mile or two of the Inn at Moonlight Beach, all within walking distance or a brief drive up Neptune Avenue.
You can learn to surf by taking a surfing class at Beacons Beach from the world-famous surfer named Kahuna Bob, a famous surf icon in Encinitas. His classes are great fun – just google Kahuna Bob Encinitas and you will be surfing in no time.
Moonlight Beach is often called the beach with everything because it has lifeguard towers, a children’s playground, big parking lots, play areas, fire-rings, showers, restrooms, beach rentals, a great little snack bar and a beautiful wide sandy beach with lots of volleyball courts.
Following are three websites with helpful hotel and B&B information when you visit San Diego, Encinitas or other surrounding communities: Carlsbad Bed and Breakfasts and Del Mar California Hotels.
Author Hunefeld is former president of a Carlsbad training corporation to follow his love of exploring the ocean to study seabirds and marine animals. For more information visit: Encinitas Beach Bed and Breakfast or Lovely Solana Beach Bed and Breakfast.
Leucadia – The Beach Community That California Forgot
Leucadia is a funky beachside community within the little South California beach town of Encinitas. Once a hippie heaven, remnants of the 1960′s are still in evidence throughout this north San Diego community. Here you will find wooden cigar store Indians, tie-dye T-shirts, weird lawn art, cool love beads and surfboard mailboxes.
Settled by English spiritualists in 1870, Leucadia was named after a Greek island. Its streets are named after mythological figures. Not too many years ago Leucadia was primarily agricultural; today, many of the wholesale flower-growing businesses are gone, replaced by homes.
Leucadia is home to some of San Diego’s finest Italian restaurants, eclectic “head” shops, heated-sauna yoga studios, mysterious palm readers and ultra-hip art galleries. Local hangouts include the very popular Pannikin Coffee & Tea in the old Encinitas train station (very chic); world-famous Lou’s Records (home of a huge collection of new and used CDs and records); and Karina’s Taco Shop, where you can experience the best Shrimp Burritos ever invented.
Most of Leucadia’s residents will tell you that the best thing that ever happened to Leucadia is that nothing ever happened to it; it’s beaches are locked in time with the 1960s – true neighborhood surf breaks where many locals have been surfing for decades. Very much off the beaten path, there are three popular spots – Grandview, Beacon’s and Stone Steps – that are hidden gems, tucked away at the bottom of steep staircases.
Fitness enthusiasts will get a great workout at Stone Steps Beach. These killer stairs lead down from the bluffs to the ocean offer incredible views while you huff and puff. At high tide the ocean beats at the bottom of the stairs, at low tide, the beach is wide and sandy.
You can learn to surf by taking a class at Beacon’s Beach from world-famous Kahuna Bob, a Leucadian celebrity. Dolphins and whales are regularly seen, especially from the “high-bluff” beach entrances at Stone Steps and Beacon’s. If you’re lucky, you’ll see the famous “green flash” as the sun takes its final dip into the vast Pacific Ocean.
Leucadia’s largest beach, Moonlight Beach, is often called “the beach with everything” because it has lifeguard towers, a big playground for children, roomy parking lots, safe play areas, fire-rings for use after sunset, clean restrooms and showers and a very wide, very sandy beach.
The author retired in 2008. He spends months each year at sea. His special interest is marine animals. He and his wife own a B&B near San Diego. Visit: Encinitas Hotels or Bed and Breakfasts in Encinitas.
Paradise Is Spelled Del Mar California
Del Mar is a stylish beach community in north county San Diego, California. Those of us who live here regard San Diego as “paradise.” The ocean-side beach towns along the coast north of San Diego – what we who live here call “North County” – is even more heavenly.
This North County San Diego heaven is a community of petite beach towns – Solana Beach, Encinitas, Cardiff-By-The-Sea, Carlsbad and Del Mar – all with refreshing ocean breezes. Our little beach towns sport delightful hotels, resorts and inns, incredible restaurants and stunning beaches.
Del Mar has a long history of celebrities, in a large part because of its world-class horse racing track built in the 1930′s under the direction and patronage of Bing Crosby and Jimmy Durante. Their celebrity status made the Del Mar Race Track Thoroughbred Club one of the most beautiful and prestigious organizations in the racing world. The race track brought a steady steam of celebrities to the hotels in Del Mar and many Del Mar inns and resorts were established during this time.
Del Mar lodging accommodations and Del Mar resorts are breathtaking, although they tend to be quite pricey. One of the most exclusive Del Mar hotels is near the beach: it’s the famous L’Auberge Del Mar, a fashionable San Diego resort that “Celebrates the extraordinary relationship we all have with the harmony and relaxation of the Pacific Ocean.”
L’Auberge Del Mar hotel is ranked among the finest and most elegant resorts in the world by Cond Nast Traveler. L’Auberge Del Mar hotel brings together phenomenal coastal views, marvelous sophistication and tailored service to produce a one-of-a-kind romantic vacation at a Del Mar resort.
The San Diego County Fair comes to the Del Mar Fairgrounds each summer. We locals call it the Del Mar Fair – in fact, nobody I know every call it the San Diego County Fair. The location is perfect — just a few blocks from the cooling breezes from the Pacific Ocean on hot summer days. If you’re coming to the fair, be sure to check your reservations well in advance at any of the Del Mar Ca Hotels or Del Mar Inns.
There are many Del Mar bed and breakfasts, Del Mar Inns and Del Mar hotels, but the one that I find is the most intimate, quaint and near the beach and ocean for under $165 a night is the Del Mar Bed and Breakfast.
Del Mar California is one of few locations in the world where the Torrey Pine grows. The Torrey Pine is the one of the rarest pine trees in the United States – the Monterey cypress is rarer, but it’s not technically a pine tree. The Torrey pines along the sea cliffs of Del Mar endure persistent drought and grow in hard sand which can hardly be called “soil”. They are blasted by storms, soaked in salt spay and cooked in the sun, but they live stubbornly on.
Mr. Hunefeld relocated to San Diego 15 years ago. He travels the world in search of the perfect Bed and Breakfasts. Terry owns a lovely and romantic Inn in Del Mar across the street from the Pacific Ocean. For more info, click Del Mar Bed and Breakfast or Bed and Breakfasts in Del Mar.
Know What To Do In San Diego
When taking a vacation, it is often fun to go to a place where you have never visited before. Whether going by yourself or with someone, it is fun to take in the sites and visit different attractions. If a person looks into whats there is to see or do before they go on vacation, they will probably find a variety of things that are free. This article is going to focus on what to do in San Diego. It is going to highlight some interesting things to do or visit that will cost the vacationer absolutely nothing. While in San Diego there are several attractions that may be of interest to adults and kids alike. If a vacationers is wondering what to do in San Diego, they will find that there is a vast amount of things that can be done that will not cost them anything but time. Sit back and take a look at what to do in San Diego.
If you have been looking for a relaxing vacation, San Diego has some of the nicest beaches in California. In fact the travel channel has voted that Coronado Municipal Beach one of the nicest beaches in the country. Its a great beach for the whole family. This beach literally extends all the way to Mexico. Its facilities are impeccably clean and there is lots to do as far as shopping, dining and entertainment. The beach is divided into three sections. North Beach, Central Beach and the Shores. North Beach has fire rings for those evening gatherings and has an area where your four legged friend can hang out. Central Beach is the home to the fantastic Hotel Del Coronado and is usually the most popular section of the beach. The Shores is a great beach if you want to give long boarding and body boarding a try.
If the beach isn’t your intended destination you can try your fun at some of the local tourist attractions. Sea World is a great place for the family to learn about ocean life and to see many of these magnificent creatures in person. The San Diego Zoo has been rated the best zoo in the world and is one of the only places that you can see the beautiful Chinese pandas. If you want to visit animals on a safari, then the Wild Animal Park can give you a taste of what animals from all over the world live like in the wild.
If people want to go sight seeing and they want to know what to do in San Diego, they can look no further than many parks in the area. Whether they want to hike or bike, there are several trails that maybe of interest.Missions Trails Regional Park has forty acres of trails that can be explored. While there,people can learn about the history of the area and enjoy the nature. Another park that might be of interest is Mission Bays Park. This park also has trails, for bikers and joggers, that run along the shore line. This park also has workout stations for those who are trying to keep in shape.
Once visitors have seen some of the sights in San Diego, they may wonder may be found to in the areas around San Diego. They may ask what attractions lay within an hour or two of San Diego, as they ask about what to do in San Diego. If they don’t mind traveling a little bit and enjoy the mountains, they may want to take a ride to Mt. Laguna, where they will find hiking trails. If stepping back in history is something they may enjoy, then visiting an old mining camp in the Cuycamaca Mountains may be of interest. Whether shopping, enjoying the beach, or the mountains, people can find plenty of free activities to enjoy while visiting San Diego. The above attractions are just a few suggests as to what to do in San Diego. There are several other things to do or visit such as museums, watching hang gliding, flying kites, or listening to music in some of the parks.
Josh Krundle Is an expert author, If you are planning a trip and you need to find San Diego hotel rooms or the best deals on San Diego luxury hotels check out our site.
Find Awesome Travel Specials for the Spring and Summer of 2009
As the recession sets in, commercial enterprise begins the struggle of staying afloat during an economic downtown. The days of profit taking are now in the rear-view mirror as businesses strive to stay economically viable, while the economy works to right itself. Even the most profitable, most stable companies of yesteryear are finding these times tough. We have all heard the struggles of companies such as Ford, Chevrolet and Chrysler, but other known companies such as Disney, Marriott, and United Airlines are working hard to weather this economic storm.
As a consumer, you and I will begin to see special offers thrown at us, in an effort to attract our dollars to these major travel industry providers. To date, one of the more aggressive companies in the travel discount offers has been the Walt Disney corporation. Whether you are seeking to travel to Disney Land in California or Walt Disney World in Florida, you will find a large variety of discount specials designed to attract your vacation dollars to Disney properties.Disney World Specials
One such special currently being offered by Walt Disney World is a Buy 4 Get 3 For Free special. We originally mentioned this special in December of 2008, and the special was originally slated to end in December, but now in February of 2009, that special is still ongoing. With this package, if you buy four nights at Disney World, you will get three more nights for free. That is a wonderful special offer.
If you live near an AirTran Airways hub airport, you can get significant air travel discounts for your seven days at Walt Disney World Resorts, when you order your air travel with your Disney vacation. AirTran serves has routes into and out of airports mostly on the East Coast, but also in the Midwest and Plain states, as well as a few western airports. Visit the AirTran website to learn more specific information about the routes that they serve.
If you are planning for a Spring Break getaway, select Walt Disney Resorts are also offering a $74 per night special.
Now, my kids are too young for those dream Disney vacation deals, so I have to look elsewhere for my travel specials. My kids love visiting zoos and animal parks, so that is what we usually do on vacation.San Diego Zoo Specials
To find the kinds of travel deals I look for, visit any of the zoo websites and you could be very impressed by the travel specials that they offer. For example, the San Diego Zoo is offering wonderful family travel packages. You can get three days and two nights for a family of four, complete with hotel rooms and zoo tickets, for only $144. This package is regularly priced at $534.
For the San Diego Wild Animal Park Safari, you can get the same three days and two nights in a hotel with tickets to the Safari, for only $164. This package also normally retails for $534.
Given that the San Diego Zoo is offering their packages for two-thirds off the regular rate, it is clear that the Zoo is willing to throw away a lot of profits, just to keep the cash registers ringing.Don’t Be Afraid To Shop Around
Many of the travel destinations that you and I would like to visit, have an online presence in the form of a website dedicated to share information about a given destination.
If you have a travel destination that you would like to visit this summer, don’t be shy about seeing if they have a website. If you do, you might just find that the destination is offering some pretty handsome travel deals this spring and summer.
Author’s note: This article was originally published at http://www.shoppingtraveldeals.com/blog/2009/02/23/spring-2009-travel-specials/