The hook
A world-famous surf break named itself after the swami whose ashram sits on the bluff above it, and the ashram's meditation garden is open, quiet, and free.
01Why it's worth it
In 1937 the Self-Realization Fellowship built a hermitage on the Encinitas cliffs for Paramahansa Yogananda, the monk who brought yoga to America and wrote Autobiography of a Yogi. Its golden lotus towers still stand over the point, and the surfers below took the place's name from him: Swami's, one of the best right point breaks in Southern California. Two things worth stopping for sit right next to each other. The meditation gardens on the bluff are small and beautifully kept, koi ponds and flowers and benches looking straight out at the ocean, open to anyone and free. Just south, the reef peels off long clean rights that draw surfers all winter, best watched from the cliff with the sun going down. One spot, sacred and secular at once.
02How to experience it
It's in Encinitas, about eight hours from the Bay, up the coast from San Diego. The gardens keep limited hours and close Mondays, so check before you go; entry is free. The surf is best on a winter swell, and the cliff above the break is the place to watch it. Parking is tight, so come early.