Located in southern California, slightly to the north of San Diego, Encinitas is a coastal community known of all things for its vast fields of poinsettias and other ornamental flowers. The vast fields under cultivation are lovely in the fall, and each November the annual Poinsettia Festival takes place in the downtown area of the city.
Encinitas holiday homes also fill up during the Wavecrest Woodie Meet, which takes place each September on the third Saturday of the month at Moonlight State Beach. Free to both the public and all participants; the festival consists of a large rally of wooden bodied vehicles and is reputed to be the largest event of this type in the world. Another popular draw each fall is Oktoberfest, which is timed to parallel similar festivals being held across Germany.
Several important museums and other cultural amenities are located in Encinitas, including the Lux Art Institute and the San Dieguito Heritage Museum. Those who come to the city out of their interest in horticulture will want to visit the San Diego Botanic Garden, which is located not in San Diego but in Encinitas; the name derives from the fact that the city is located in San Diego County.
One of the most popular water sports in Encinitas is surfing, whose beaches have been rated among the top surfing locations on earth. So well known is Encinitas for its surf that the Beach Boys listed the city in their roll call of great beaches in their classic song, "Surfin' USA."