The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe puts you near San Diego’s Best Beaches

Nothing says Southern California like a golden Pacific beach backed by bluffs, and with luxury resort accommodations at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe some of the very best examples in San Diego County are just a hop, skip, and a jump away. Fabulous beaches are a dime a dozen along our fabled stretch of coast, but the following are some of the best within very close reach of our lavish Rancho Santa Fe wonderland. Grab that beach umbrella and swimsuit—maybe a surfboard, too?—and go explore!

Moonlight State Beach

Set where Cottonwood Creek runs into the Pacific, Moonlight State Beach is one of the iconic beachfronts of the surfing hub of Encinitas. Besides its welcoming sands and surf breaks, Moonlight Beach is known for its annual soirees, including a summertime concert series and a September celebration of those partly wood-framed cars known as “woodies,” indelibly associated with the region’s surfing scene.

Swami’s Beach

On the south side of Encinitas, Swami’s Beach is one of the most famous surfing beaches in California, host to a truly legendary point break and getting a shout-out in none other than the Beach Boys’ “Surfin’ USA”. Another landmark is its bluff-top Self-Realization Center established back in 1920 by Paramahansa Yogananda.

Fletcher Cove

Easily accessed from Solana Beach’s downtown and best visited at low tide, Fletcher Cove Beach is a small but lovely swath of sand occupying the namesake nook also commonly called “Pillbox,” a reference to the World War II-era gunnery installations of its bluffs. Fletcher Cove hosts Solana Beach’s yearly art festival, Fiesta del Sol, in June.

Torrey Pines State Beach

Framed by the arresting cliffs of Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Park—a must-visit for nature lovers, given the rare pine groves and other native habitats—this beach is one of the most beautiful in San Diego County and another surfing hotspot.

La Jolla Shores

Another stunner of a beach just south of Torrey Pines, La Jolla Shores unfurls for a mile along La Jolla Bay. It’s a great spot for swimming, snorkeling kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding—among handsome and harmless leopard sharks in the summer—and can be easily combined with a thematically consistent visit to the Birch Aquarium at Scripps.

La Jolla Cove

The beach at La Jolla Cove is on the small side, but this is nonetheless one of the best places in San Diego County to get out in the water: The cove’s waters, protected by the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park, offer topnotch snorkeling.

Work in Some Quality Beach Time on a Luxury San Diego Vacation at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe

We may be a bit inland here at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, but our unmatched resort accommodations and amenities lie within deliciously easy reach of some world-class beaches!