Moonlight Beach, Public beach in Encinitas, California, US

Moonlight Beach is a state beach in Encinitas, California, reached just past where Encinitas Boulevard becomes B Street after crossing Highway 101. Pale gray-tan sand slopes to the surf, with a raised concrete walkway and low retaining wall along the back edge, beside a flat-roofed coastal building with dark windows and a small tower. The beach has three volleyball courts at its north end, fire rings, a picnic area and a playground.

In the early 1900s, local women gathered at Cottonwood Creek near the beach to wash clothes while their families enjoyed picnics on the sand. The location served as a natural meeting point for daily community life during that era.

The beach hosts the annual Switchfoot Bro-Am event during summer, where surfing competitions meet live music performances supporting charitable causes. This gathering draws both athletes and music lovers who value the connection between sport and community.

The beach itself is open all day except between 2 am and 4 am, while the parking lot above it operates from 5 am to 10 pm. Lifeguard towers are staffed from 10 am to 6 pm in summer. Dogs, alcohol and glass are not allowed on the sand.

From 1915 to 1925, during low tide, automobiles could drive north on the sand all the way toward Oceanside. This practice ended as coastal conditions shifted and made the sandy drive unsafe.