Leucadia

Leucadia is a community on the north side of Encinitas, bordering on Carlsbad.

Reminders of its surfing roots are obvious in Leucadia, yet at the same time this community is realizing a renaissance of sorts, with many new and expensive homes for sale, nurseries that have been there for years but now disappearing, and more upscale dining and shopping.

Despite these changes Leucadia retains much of the rustic, quaint seaside charm that has attracted so many residents and vacationers over the years, and that suits many residents and visitors just fine.

Leucadia is known for the many Eucalyptus trees that line the main road running north and south, the Coast Highway (a.k.a. historic Route 101) and along the railroad tracks. This area is undergoing dramatic changes, with the new and approved Streetscape 101 plan that will add hundreds of trees, take away 1 northbound lane, add 4 or 5 roundabouts and a bicycle lane, add more parking and more.

Leucadia is bordered on the north by the Batiquitos Lagoon, the east by the 5 freeway and the west by, of course, the ocean. And Carlsbad is just around the corner to the north. The commuter rail and Amtrak trains run through the heart of town on the tracks which run parallel to historic Route 101.

Leucadia has a lot of appeal for visitors and residents, the least of which are the beautiful beaches. The main street is lined with a myriad of shops - surf, tattoo, quaint old restaurants, charming newer eateries, liquor stores, the Leucadia donut shop, hair salons, a drug store, the Leucadia post office, bike rental places, pizza shops, a few galleries, clothing stores, the 7-11, and a number of yoga studios (Encinitas has a worldwide reputation as a center for yoga).

The town is a popular vacation destination because of its beaches (Grandview, Beacon's, Stone Steps), surfing, and terrific weather and there are many vacation rentals in the area, mixed in among larger homes, some smallish hotels, apartment buildings, a few trailer parks, nurseries, and oceanfront luxury homes - some of the most expensive in the area (starting at around $3 million).

Leucadia real estate covers a broad spectrum, apart from the vacation rentals, apartments, and trailer parks – condos near the beach, ocean front homes, and beach cottages mixed in with newer construction.

Just east of the Coast Highway you will find several recently built subdivisions with homes starting in the low $1 millions - one features Caribbean style colonials while another is more reminiscent of Nantucket in New England.

Unlike the planned community of Encinitas Ranch, Leucadia homes exhibit a very broad range of styles - one surely must call it eclectic; on many of the streets you will find a host of styles and types of housing all chockablock down the road.

Leucadia is know for the beaches (Beacon's, Grandview, and Stone Steps). Walking, sunning, sunset watching and surfing are probably the most popular activities. You can even learn to surf at the Leucadia Surf School.

The shopping and business area of Leucadia is fairly small and almost exclusively west of the Coast Highway. The town is really a beach town...and people like it just as it is. But downtown Encinitas is just down the street, with more than 50 restaurants, lots of shopping, movie theaters and more to keep you busy. There is a good farmer's market every Sunday in Leucadia.

The school districts are the Encinitas Union School District and the San Dieguito Union High School District which service students from Encinitas (including Leucadia), as well as Solana Beach and Del Mar, and some nearby unincorporated areas.

If living in a charming yet rustic beach town brimming with an obvious surfing culture, providing easy access to San Diego and Los Angeles, with a wide range of housing and prices, suits your style, then Leucadia may be just right. Be sure to bring your surf board!