Encinitas is divided into 5 areas, four of which are beach towns that have retained their charm and simplicity. Bordered by two lagoons and known as the “Flower Capital of the World”, Encinitas is one of the world’s major suppliers of poinsettias.
Old Encinitas is beachside, while inland New Encinitas features golf courses, shopping centers, and larger tract homes. There is a mix of businesses and a wide variety of housing styles in Encinitas Proper, but they all feature the laid-back lifestyle that you will witness when you walk down the main street of town.
Moonlight Beach, with its sand volleyball and repeats, is a classic symbol of the Encinitas way of life. At the South end of Encinitas is Cardiff-By-The-Sea, where the sprawling grounds of the Self- Realization Fellowship are perched above the beaches below where residents walk, surf, and swim daily. Streets are named after British cities and classical composers. People move here because they crave a simpler lifestyle, one in which they can be in touch with Nature and buy groceries in their neighborhood store where they can and locally grown produce. Leucadia, which means the Isle of Paradise, is a quiet surfing town, reminiscent of California beach villages of the past. It is located in the north coastal part of Encinitas, just south of Carlsbad. People who live in Leucadia have a strong independent character and a lot of pride in their community. Inland Olivenhain (German for“olive grove”) is semi-rural and country living at its best, offering estate homes on large lots, ideal for gardening, peaceful reaction, and horse-keeping, yet still close to shopping and restaurants. There is a very active 4-H Club.