Stonesteps Beach

A hidden gem. Real local place. Like it better than La Jolla. Cool Encinitas vibe. A lot of steps to access but that why it’s so private a special.

The steps have smelled like pee for 30 years.
To the whale comment guy, I think you need to be looking at bears at Blacks, not Whales at Stoney Steps.
All the bad reviews are true. Sand fleas, seaweed flies, 130 steep ass steps, parking, no bathroom. Also, the high tide does remove the beach option. Found that out once while boogie boarding, had to swim a mile north and walk a mile back.
The cliffs are unstable, there are older people than me that have come here longer than my 45 years. You will get older and the mouthy kids will get younger. Such is life.
I hate the word «local» and I grew up here.
Hate the tourists. Who doesn’t?
So, keep your asses on La Jolla Shores, ya dig?
Everyone else that’s in the know, knows.
See you at Roberto’s after.

Decent beach. depends on what time you come. This is the only beach I’ve ever been to where locals flock to it at sunset for a walkathon. You go there and it’s empty and you’re getting excited to see the sunset and then suddenly, walkers. in front of you. Nonstop. At least walk behind the people who are obviously watching the sunset/​waves/​etc. And especially walk behind the people taking photos… kind of rude. but they did come down all of those steps so asking them to walk in soft sand and not the easier flat wet sand may be too much to ask.

Best hidden gem in Encinitas. Once you make it down all the stairs it is miles of sand and surfers and some local residents!
Highly recommend checking this beach out. Very chill spot. And great for my morning runs.

I love Stone Steps beach. I lived 270 Neptune in a cute cottage for five years. This is ½ block to Stone Steps bluff side. One can walk the beach south to Moon Lite Beach or North to Beacons Beach. It’s what you make of it. I love the area. Be sure to travel the street Neptune. It’s a one way. I love the area.

We just recently spent a weekend here for a friends birthday, and after seeing both the good and bad reviews… I’d have to say that I can see both points trying to be made, but i’m leaning more towards the good side. It may be because I’m from Northern California where the water is too cold and shark infested to swim in but this beach is beautiful!!! I agree that this spot is a hidden gem. Beautiful views, the water is the perfect temperature and it doesn’t get too crowded here. Yes there are sand bugs, lots of stones on the beach and the Bluffs are unstable. But in all my trips to Southern California, even the nicest of beaches had sand bugs, and were covered in seaweed. As for the bluffs, well, there are signs posted everywhere and a little common sense goes a long way. The weekend my friends and I visited was absolutely perfect. It was a pretty warm day, the beach wasn’t overcrowded and the water was perfect with nice rolling waves. A dolphin even decided to say hello while we were out body boarding. Hmmmm I feel like i’m forgetting something in this review… OH YEAH the steps. OH GOD THE STEPS!!! Please pack lightly if you plan on visiting this particular portion of beach otherwise you run the risk of holding people up on the stairs or even worse, you risk taking a bad tumble. AND PLEASE make sure your cardio game is strong! Haha jk but seriously though, coming from an experienced runner, those steps are death but well worth it. All in all this is a wonderful spot for a day at the beach for locals and tourists alike.

Awful beach. Bugs everywhere, seaweed EVERYWHERE on the beach. And 100 000 steps of pure hell. I would much rather recommend going to moon light beach just a couple miles south from steps.

Not sure what a hidden gem means anymore, but some taggers found their way here last week, drawing an ugly mural halfway down the steps. It is gone now, but the beach down below all those steps is nothing special to chill out at with lots of little flies, seaweed and rocks down there. The locals are locals, I don’t think they own the territory, this is not a gangland beach (well maybe) and I didn’t encounter any hostility. Also, the sunset is a sunset and you can see it from anywhere along the coast just fine. Plenty of «locals» break the no dogs rule also, so they are not angels either, but the funniest thing of the week was the Mexican cleaning guys using their blowers to blow sand from the steps. Really? There is tons of garbage just over the fence and on the bluff and your worrying about clean steps. Stick to leaves.

Let’s face it, very few things left are «hidden gems» but this beach (and aptly named set of steps) comes pretty close. If by «hidden gem» people mean rarely (as in never) crowded then, sure… A serene beach, a mural that is somehow WAY better in person (esp. when sunset hits, and this is a great beach to park off Neptune and watch the sunset. Some people i.e. lovers/​stressed out types just drive over after work to sit silently at the stairtop as that orange fireball dips into the ocean. WELL WORTH IT.) The steps are a great workout on the way up, even better if you do it more than once. However, I recommend taking them SLOW on the way down regardless of how crazy fit you are. These babies are STEEP.

Never crowded, a real neighborhood gem. Stairs are great to do stadiums on. The beach never gets too crowded. The surf can be good at times and even when it is good it never gets crowded. Needs a pretty straight west to really show. Friendly vibe, no bathrooms and there is a lifeguard tower right by the bar of the stairs.

Because the beaches are at the bottom of large bluffs, be in shape. The bluffs are unstable and the beach smells like old seaweed.
Tourist should stay away.

DANGER
A few years back part of the bluff fell on and killed a sunbather. Much safer beaches can be found in Carlsbad. Also stairs are very steep — If you are looking on Unilocal for a beach — You are more of a Carlsbad type beach goer ;)

Which of you rocket scientists figured out how to destroy a hidden gem first?
First off at Stone Steps there are over 130 very steep steps down to and far worse, UP from the ocean. Very difficult for both young and old as well as those who are not in top shape.
There is just about enough parking for the local residents so if the sun is out or the waves are up, any parking becomes scarce very fast. The holidays are impossible!
There are no showers, rest rooms or other facilities at the steps and limited lifeguard service.
If the tide is high, there is no beach!
Many of the old time local surfers are not receptive to new faces.
There are a bunch of old people (with nothing better to do) who constantly hang out at the steps and scrutinize everyone like a hawk. Even very minor infractions are immediately reported to the Sheriff.
All and all, the true gem of Encinitas is Moonlight Beach less than a mile south. Now in the process of renovation, Moonlight has ALL the facilites including excellent food, showers, restrooms, lifeguards, its own parking lot and a wonderful huge beach just at the west end of Encinitas Boulevard.
South Carlsbad also has a beach that goes on forever with many facilites just north of La Costa Avenue and Coast highway…

This is a hidden gem in Encinitas. The entrance is located off of Neptune, on a side street. The view from the top of the stairs at sunset is amazing! Well the view is good anytime, but especially sunset.
This beach is a great spot for family, it is never too crowded. It is a quiet beach, however there are steps to get to this beach. Hence Stonesteps :)

This is a slightly unknown little gem. This beach’s entrance is located on a residential street between Beacon Beach and Moonlight Beach, with only off street parking (which there is almost always plenty of). You’d never find it if you didn’t know to look.
I like this beach because of the view from the top of the stairs and because I never find it crowded. It’s a great spot for the family on a nice summer day without having to deal with any crowds or pushy tourists stepping on your stuff. This beach also has the added «benefit» of having a ridiculous number of stairs as its access point (hence the name), which doubles as a great spot for exercising.
FYI…no bathrooms

I treat Stone Steps like my little secret. Well known to locals, difficult to find for tourists. Perfect. The view from the top of the steep concrete stairs is breathtaking. The fact that you have to go up and down the long set of stairs ensures the beach is relatively whale free (unlike Moonlight). The surf is never very big so it’s a decent learning spot for surfing. Best of all, in the middle of the summer, I always know I won’t be crowded by people, and I’ll always fine a plot of sand to plop down on. It’s also Juanita’s adjacent, so it’s perfect to grab a pre or post beach meal at.
Living downtown, I still regularly drive to Stonesteps when I want to lay on the beach for a few hours. I hope it stays secret and that they never put up signs directing the summer Speedo-​wearing Euro crowd to this coastal treasure.

I approve of this beach.

Stone Step, or is it Stonesteps. While beautiful, quiet and super-​local is always a pain, it just depends on how much pain you want. You see Stone Steps are steps, but not stone — they are mostly cement, with some wood.
First, the great news — if you can find Stone Steps. This almost secret spot is located just off Neptune Avenue in Leucadia, but there are no signs directing you there. Even locals who live over a mile away may not really know which street to turn off of to arrive at Stone Steps.
The view from the top, is, well, dramatic. It is everything you would imagine in a California-​cool beach scene. Panoramic views to the end of the Pacific Ocean, lots of nice sand (unless super high tide or a winter storm blow-​out). The locals that go there are way, way laid back.
Second, even more (for most) great news. The steps leading down from the top of the bluff to ocean are very, very, very steep. If you are fit you welcome the exercise. If you have kids, are an out-​of-​shape tourist or just someone who doesn’t like to exert, just go 200 yards south to Moonlight Beach (
). It is flat and easier to gain access to the ocean.
Back to the «even more great news.» There is a contingent of locals who somehow receive pleasure from not only going up and down the stairs once, but over and over and over. It is the best free aerobic workout you can get in all of San Diego County. And after you have worked up a sweat, just go to the bottom of the stairs and step into the cool Pacific.
If you surf here, you will tell everyone you meet that the waves are better elsewhere — which is generally true, until you factor in the super small crowds.
A word to the bladder and irritable bowel syndrome challenged… there are no restroom facilities.
Be forewarned: No dogs, no fires, no beer on the beach. And due to the close proximity to the Moonlight Beach lifeguard station, this beach is frequently patrolled. In the summer a small lifeguard tower is installed (that is the job I want).
There are additional resources for the Stone Steps at the website
and updated local news and events at the Facebook page

For my 50^th review I thought that I would do it not on a restaurant or business, but of a place that I am frequenting quite a bit since moving to Encinitas. Stonesteps Beach is just an awesome place to watch a beautiful sunset, cruise the beach on a run/​walk, or take out the paddleboard.
As previously mentioned, the parking can be a sucker… but I live about 2 min away in walking distance, so I’ve never brought my car. There are a few benches at the top of the stairs that overlook the breathtaking views or just rest your tired legs after trudging the steep steps from the beach. High tide can sneak up on you, so be careful not to go to far down the beach because it goes darn near up to the bluff. Great place if you don’t want to deal with the crowds at Moonlight beach park that just a few minutes away.
Oh Stonesteps… you are my home now!

One of those «hidden» beaches along the coast that is only populated by locals or those renting vacation homes immediately nearby. El Portal ends at the bluff, street parking only, then take the stairs down to the beach. The stairs are STEEP, but it’s not too far. Just enough to weed out the really big hippos. There’s a lifeguard station at the bottom of the steps — always nice to know there’s an official nearby if you scream.
The waves today were funky, so I can’t say it was good for surfing or boarding. We didn’t even try. Dang. But we’ll go back another day and try again.
The tide comes up pretty darn close to the bluff, so watch where you lay out your towel! If you’re too involved in your book, you might get wet! (…)
Pros — not crowded, quiet, maybe good waves, easy parking
Cons — no bathrooms (wait, that big, big ocean out there…), potential for sucky parking,