Although the cliffs along the beachfront are lined with plush and expensive residences, the town still maintains a laid-back, almost hippie-type vibe. Nestled between Encinitas to the south and Carlsbad to the north, Leucadia shares most of its characteristics with its neighbor to the south. Small businesses line the main highway through this stretch of coastline, and most of the people on the street know each other, if not by name, then at least by face.



From the Interstate 5, simply take the Leucadia Boulevard exit and head west. You can just about see the ocean from the freeway. To actually check the surf, it takes just a bit more navigational talent. The boulevard dead-ends into Neptune Avenue, which is the road that follows the coast as closely as possible. There are only three locations where it is possible to check the surf, but they are well marked. Each location has a staircase or designated trail leading down the cliff face to the beach. The areas at the bottoms of these access points tend to accumulate surfers.



The Leucadia surf zone consists of two miles of reef and sand, with peaks scattered throughout. The sand comes and goes, and the ocean bottom can vary from one season to the next. At times, all of Leucadia can be one lengthy beachbreak, while at others it is nothing but smooth reef covered with eel grass. Regardless of the state of the bottom, certain designated peaks remain. Leucadia is blessed with kelp beds just outside the surf zone, which keep the chop down during those light onshores. The surf always stays glassy here a few hours longer than other nearby spots, and sometimes remains smooth all day long.



The most popular wave is Beacons. The main boulevard basically runs right into the car park overlooking the break. Beacons offers two main peaks, which is handy for those who wish to avoid the crowds as much as possible. The North Peak is a gentle right-hander that attracts a mostly longboarding crew. A lower tide gives this wave a little more kick and will allow for some more aggressive surfing. The southern end of this beach has a left-hander, which is usually steeper and gives a few sections to bank off of for those looking for something other than a noseride. The right is usually a bit more walled than the left, but, with a higher tide, can be a fun alternative. Leucadia is open to all swell directions, but prefers a solid northwest. A south swell needs to be fairly large to find its way here, and then they tend to sweep up the beach and close out. On a high tide, some of these walls will slow down and allow for a couple of turns, but you would probably have better luck somewhere else.



Best tide: low to medium

Best swell direction: W, NW

Best size: 2 to 8 feet

Best wind: none or E



Perfecto-meter: 6 (1=Lake Erie; 10=Jeffreys Bay)

Bottom: reef/sand

Ability level: any

Bring your: shortboard or longboard

Best season winter

Access: simple -- follow the signs

Crowd factor: mellow

Local vibe: friendly, Old School

Bicep burn: 4 (1=knee-high Waikiki; 10=triple-overhead Ocean Beach)

Poo patrol: 2 (1=clean; 10=turds in the lineup)

Shark danger: 1 (1=none; 10=bring an iron cage

For breakfast, try the Potato Shack (760-436-1282) in Encinitas, which offers unlimited spuds for the starch-deficient surfer. Swami's Cafe is a local favorite for health-minded breakfasts and smoothies (1163 S. Coast Highway 101, 760-944-0612). The samba-minded, sangria-drinking crowd will dig the Calypso, at 576 N. Coast Highway 101, Encinitas (760-632-8252). Ah, and there's always a place for Roberto's Taco Shop (760-634-2909) -- with 28 locations in SD, they're literally everywhere -- and, sensibly, there's one at 1900 N. Coast Highway. If you need a perk-up, the Pannikin (760-436-5824) offers liquidated coffee beans in unlimited varieties.

Try the San Elijo or South Carlsbad State Beach campgrounds. Spots range from $17 to $22, and some overlook area reefs. Reservations in summer months will be a problem if not booked seven months in advance. Luckily, during the winter when the waves are best, it's fairly easy to get a spot without reservations. For information online, check http://cal-parks.ca.gov/COUNTIES/san_diego.htm. For reservations, call 800-444-PARK.

Get a sense of this right point's namesake and visit the beautiful gardens on top of the point at the Self-Realization Fellowship. Turn west off PCH onto K Street, or just walk a block north of the Swami's parking lot, turn left and enter the gardens at the second blue gate. Admission is free, and the gardens are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The gardens are part of the facility built for Swami Paramahansa Yogananda in 1937.

The Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA skatepark in Encinitas has a brand-new, 13-foot high, 80-foot-wide vert ramp. The 32,000-square-foot facility is famous for the number of pro skaters it attracts. It holds a street course and various steel ramps and bowls. Annual membership fees are $20, and there is a $10 fee per session for non-members (760-942-9622).

If you're lucky, you might time your stay perfectly to see one of the many surf and skateboard video releases at the La Paloma Theater, 471 S. Coast Highway (760-436-5774).

Hansen's, 1105 S. Coast Highway 101, 760-753-6595
K-5 Boardrider Shop, 1465 Encinitas Blvd., 760-436-6613
Longboard Grotto, 978 N. Coast Highway, 760-634-1920
Mitch's Surf Shop, 363 N. Highway 101, Solana Beach, 858-481-1354
Surf Ride Board Shop, 325 N. Highway 101, Solana Beach, 858-755-0858