a gallon of sunscreen—a gaggle of girls
whoops it up on a sun-soaked Saturday
Sandwiched between the colorful biker bars of Oceanside and the sophisticated wine bars of Del Mar is the quaint and casual city of Encinitas. Here, on the northern frontier of coastal San Diego County, you'll find a laid-back, sand-between-the-toes atmosphere to match the many sidewalk eateries, funky-friendly shops, palm-lined streets, colorful sea shanties, and beach bungalows that make Encinitas what it is: a sleepy little Southern California beach town. Six sublime miles of picturesque coast and a handful of top-notch surf spots make this a surfer's paradise. Factor in the array of offbeat boutiques, personable coffee shops, and more all-natural cafes than you can shake an organic carrot at, and you have the perfect place for an eclectic group of San Diego surfer girls to spend the day.
We met at my house at 10 and readied the Volvo "wave wagon" for a day of fun in the sun. First things first—coffee, and how about some breakfast? We rolled over to local favorite coffee shop Pannikin
for a yummy feast of chocolate croissants and chai tea lattes.
Then we headed out to check the waves. The surf was up, but unfortunately, so was the tide. No worries—we'd have plenty to do while waiting for the high tide to drop and rideable waves to peak up.
Although San Diego is home to excellent upscale shopping venues like downtown's Westfield Horton Plaza
, today the girls were craving something more casual. We cruised briefly south to the enviro-friendly Patagonia surf shop in Cardiff-by-the-Sea to ogle the adorable organic cotton tees, then perused the sale racks and discount bins at the funky vintage boutiques that line Pacific Coast Highway on our way back north. Back in Encinitas, we stopped at Swami's Cafe for a salad and smoothie. Fueled up, we were eager to get in the water.
In a whirlwind of bikini strings and ponytails, we unloaded at Pipes, waxed up the surfboards, and we were out there! The waves were sweet—waist-high and perfect for our nine-foot longboards—and the summertime water warm, blue, and inviting. The guys in our path did a double take to find their surfing turf commandeered by a band of bikini-clad board-riders, but they didn't complain one bit!
With the world-famous San Diego Zoo
and San Diego Zoo Safari Park wildlife attractions nearby, Encinitas is no stranger to creatures great and small, and its beaches are no exception. While taking a breather between sets, we watched as a pod of dolphins swam through the lineup not 20 feet from where we sat. One of them leaped gleefully from the water in an impressive show of acrobatics (some guys will do anything to impress the girls).
As the sun sank, the water grew a few degrees colder. Last one in's a rotten egg! We each caught our final waves and rode toward shore as the sun set on another perfect day at the beach in Encinitas, California.—Jennifer Flanigan
