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Leucadia
North County's Beautiful Coastline
Forbidding cliffs conceal shagadellic local haunts
It's hard to tell where Leucadia ends and
Encinitas begins, but for the purposes of this guide, we'll consider the dividing point to be A Street (just north of Encinitas Boulevard), which, incidentally, is where the roadside tiki stands and space-age liquor store signs give way to strip malls and 7-Elevens.
Leucadia encompasses the two beach parks
Leucadia State Beach and
Encinitas County Beach, but more importantly, the three popular surf spots
Grandview,
Beacon's and
Stone Steps. It's all vertical cliff here and the only way down is via one of three well-maintained stairways. The beach itself is rocky and, due to its isolation, often littered with kelp and other debris washed in by the sea. High tide can force you perilously close to the eroding cliffs. Of course, none of this matters to Leucadia's principal beach users - surfers - who spend their time in the water, not on the shore.
Directions
Take Leucadia Boulevard west from INTERSTATE 5. Cross the train tracks and cut west up any side street off Coast Highway to Neptune Avenue. Neptune is one-way running northbound. If you overshoot your target you'll have to circle back south on Coast Highway and try again. Heading south to north on Neptune, look for parking and beach access around the cul-de-sacs at El Portal Street (leading to Stone Steps), Leucadia Boulevard (the trailhead for Beacon's), and Grandview Street at the far north end of Neptune (leading to Grandview Beach).
Offerings
If you shun the hot spots and like to see where the insiders hang out, Leucadia is your bag, baby. Few tourists seek out these secluded beaches and none are likely to stumble upon them by chance, which is their loss and your gain. Even in the height of summer they never really draw crowds. For info, call 760-633-2880.
Considerations
There are several good reasons why Leucadia's beaches are left to the locals. First, no one else really knows they're there. Second, they're not easy to find or access. Finally, apart from the surf, they don't really have much to offer: no bathrooms, permanent lifeguards or facilities of any kind. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and if you aren't looking for amenities, then Leucadia may be just the thing to inspire your mojo.
Rating: 
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Beach Guide to San Diego's Best Beaches
