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The Railroad Station turned Coffee House makes for a great eclectic place to wind down with a latte and some friends.They work hard at making delicious fresh pies/cakes, breakfast pastries, keish, and of course drinks. If that alone does’nt make you want to stop in, the smell of fresh brewed beans and baked goods that you can whiff within a mile of the place will.

One of the few remaining tidal wetlands on the southern California coast, Batiquitos Lagoon in Carlsbad is full of hiking trails and a beautiful lagoon. Bird watchers will love trying to spot the 185 bird species, which naturalists can take in unique flora like pickleweed, lemonadeberry, and iceplant.

Carlsbad’s South Ponto Beach is a big favorite with local residents. The annual surf clinic for the blind and sight-impaired—with nearly 100 surfer-assistant volunteers from the Swami’s Surfing Association and San Diego Surf Academy—is held here in mid-Sept every year. Plenty of sand to stretch out on, and the sand dunes shelter the beach from Highway 101. This popular beach is backed by the tranquil Batiquitos Lagoon to the east. Check out the viewpoint at the top of the stairs at the south end for a spectacular view of the North County coastline. It’s handicapped accessible, with two parking spaces right off 101 (just south of the parking lot entrance). There’s a paved path leading to the viewpoint. The beach can be rocky in places (which is a very healthy and good thing) and there are large dunes to scramble over to reach the waves. Batiquitos Lagoon is 600 acres of restored and protected wetlands that opens to the ocean at South Carlsbad State Beach. Paths through the protected area make it accessible to visitors, and leashed dogs are permitted. A popular birdwatching spot, look for blue herons, egrets, killdeer, even the endangered California least tern.

Stonesteps Beach is accessible through an Encinitas neighborhood but don’t expect to simply stroll down to this amazing beach. Like the name implies, you will have to carefully walk down some pretty steep steps and will have to avoid other people coming up, especially those doing their stair climbing workouts! But once you reach the bottom, you have a beautiful beach that only locals really know about. Enjoy your time there and be aware of high tides, as the beach can disappear completely between the waves and the cliffs above. The only option is getting to those stairs.

If you are looking for a great fish taco, Raul’s Mexican food in Encinatas is your place. Located on S. Coast Highway 101, Raul’s is easy to miss because it is so small, more akin to a food stand or taco shack. In fact, you order from a walk up window and then wait for your number to be called. While waiting for my order, I struck up a conversation with a local who told me that the walk up window is very convenient for surfers, who come up from nearby Moonlight State Beach with their boards and gear and set up shop at the outdoor tables. While the whole layout at Raul’s is unusual, it works well for surfer or non-surfer alike and Raul’s backs it all up with its delicious food.