Moonlight Beach Surf Forecast
BREAK TYPE
Family-friendly Encinitas beach break with gentle waves.
GOOD FOR
Sandy-bottom peaks breaking both left and right, soft and rolling on smaller days and finding real shape when NW and SW swells stack up together. Mid tide on the push usually lines things up best. Size runs waist to head-high most of the year with bigger winter sets, and the forgiving shoulders suit anyone working on turns or cruising a longer board.
BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS
WORKS BEST WITH
- Swell Direction
- SW W NW
- Wind
- E NE
- Tide
- Low & Mid
WHEN IT WORKS
Openness to both NW and SW swell keeps something rideable most weeks of the year. Fall is prime, when overlapping swells and light offshore mornings deliver the cleanest peaks. Winter brings the biggest surf off north Pacific storms, while summer softens down to mellow waist-high fun. Dawn patrol usually finds the glassiest water before the afternoon onshore breeze fills in.
AVERAGE CROWD FACTOR
- Weekdays
- Mellow
- Weekends
- Packed
WHAT TO KNOW
Sand bottom and year-round lifeguards keep real dangers minimal, so the main concern is people. Summer weekends pack the lineup with beginners, camp groups, and rental foamies, while flagged swim zones shrink the surfable water even more. Watch for stray boards, stay clear of the guarded corridors, and mind the shorebreak on bigger pushes, which can dump hard close to the sand.
GETTING THERE
Main entrance sits at B Street and 3rd, where the lot rolls straight onto sand with no stairs and ADA ramps up front. Free street parking spreads through nearby blocks, though it fills fast on summer weekends. Restrooms, showers, a snack bar, playground, and year-round lifeguards all sit on site. At low tide, a walk south reaches D Street or north to Stonesteps.