Parking can be tough but hopefully this PnG won't be too tough and you can grab it without being here long enough to pay $10 for parking.
Cardiff by the Seas is a community located in the city of Encinitas. It has two lovely beaches:
San Elijo State Beach offers camping, swimming, surfing, showers and picnicking. The narrow, bluff-backed stretch of sand has a nearby reef popular with snorkelers and divers. A camp store and snack bar located near the campground entrance operates March through December and provides all the amenities a camper may need including some RV supplies, boogie boards, firewood. A pair of day-use parking lots is located off South Coast Highway 101. Parking is usually $10 per vehicle, but on holiday weekends the price rises to $15. More parking can be found nearby along the highway and farther back along San Elijo Avenue. From there use the cross walk at Chesterfield and walk past the world famous Cardiff Kook to access stairways from the campground down to the beach.
Cardiff State Beach, located just south of the mouth of San Elijo Lagoon, offers a gently sloping, sandy beach that attracts swimmers, sun bathers, walkers, and surfers. Lifeguards are on duty during peak times. The day-use facilities include two parking lots, restrooms, and outdoor showers. One parking lot is immediately south of the lagoon, while the Seaside Reef Parking Lot is a mile farther south. Like San Elijo, Cardiff State Beach charges $10 per vehicle and raises it to $15 on holiday weekends. Many visitors find parking along the highway.