What's Up, Encinitas? — Week of May 14, 2026
Happy Thursday, Encinitas!
Cyclovia is on Sunday. One Sunday a year the city closes 101 to cars and gives it back to the people — bikes, scooters, skates, strollers, dogs, all of it. That's THIS Sunday. Enjoy your stroll!
The lead-up is just as good: indie folk and comedy Thursday, a classic fish fry Friday, my 12yo’s favorite movie at La Paloma, 70s rock Saturday, and a Sunday night jazz send-off from Encinitas's most beloved weekly tradition.
The weather is doing that classic May gray thing — gray mornings burning off to golden afternoons, with the weekend trending warmer. Pack a light layer and your bike helmet. Let's go!
🏄 The weekend at a glance
Weather. Morning clouds and patchy fog Thu–Fri; afternoons partly cloudy, highs around 68–69°F. Saturday clears nicely with highs in the low 70s. Sunday looks mostly sunny and bright for Cyclovia — mid-70s and perfect for being outside. No rain in sight.
Surf. Currently running 1–2 ft with occasional 2+ ft sets, long-period W/WNW swell (14-second period), light winds. Weekend conditions TBD — get the latest from Surfline.
Tides. Worth timing a Cardiff Reef tide pool visit around midday lows Saturday or Sunday — verify exact times at Tideschart before heading out.
Sunset. Saturday ~7:42 PM. Sunday ~7:43 PM. Post up at the Moonlight Parking Lot. We’re almost at 8pm sunsets! Enjoy the daylight.
🎡 Featured
Cyclovia Encinitas 2026 One Sunday a year, the city closes 101 from D Street to I Street and gives it back to everyone without a car. Bikes, skates, scooters, strollers — even unicycles. For four hours we get 101 as it probably should always be.
New this year: Visit Encinitas and the Encinitas Historical Society are launching free guided public art walking tours along the route. Encinitas has over 900 pieces of public art — murals, mosaics, sculptures, surf-inspired installations — and these tours finally make them the point. Departing from the joint booth between D and E streets, with tours running 30–60 minutes throughout the morning.
Also on the route: a pump track from Ride Krew SD, a free bike repair workshop, a bicycle safety rodeo from the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, and all your favorite restaurants and shops on 101 with their front doors open and the highway as their patio.
📍 South Coast Hwy 101, D St to I St, Downtown Encinitas 💵 Free — no registration required
Project Hail Mary — La Paloma Theatre This movie is SO GOOD. Amaze! Amaze! Amaze! I saw it on opening weekend with my 12yo and it immediately became his new favorite. The film adaptation of Andy Weir's beloved sci-fi novel lands at La Paloma this weekend, and there's no better place to see it. An astronaut wakes up alone in deep space with no memory of how he got there — and the fate of Earth depends on what he pieces together. It's smart, funny, and genuinely emotional in a way that big blockbusters rarely are. Running all weekend at one of the best independent theaters in California.
📍 471 S Coast Hwy 101, Downtown Encinitas 🎟️ $12 all seats — cash at the door, or advance tickets online 🕐 Fri 8:25 PM · Sat 2:55 + 8:20 PM · Sun 7:30 PM
🗓️ Day by day
Thursday, May 14 (tonight)
The Messengers + The Basanites at 1st Street Bar — Two acts at Encinitas’ favorite dive bar: The Messengers bring alt-indie, The Basanites add hip-hop and rap. No cover, 8 PM. 656 S Coast Hwy 101.
Friday, May 15
Friday Sunset Sessions at Fox Point Farms — Weekly Friday golden-hour gathering at the farm: live music by Coyo (psychedelic rock), food specials, drink specials, and a setting that makes it feel like the whole week was worth it. Doors at 5 PM, runs until 8. Great for kids and adults. Free admission (food and drink for purchase). 1200 Fox Point Farms Lane, Leucadia.
Project Hail Mary at La Paloma — See Featured above. Friday night showing at 8:25 PM. $12, cash at door. 471 S Coast Hwy 101.
Saturday, May 16
Saturday Run Club at Necessity Coffee — Show up, run with locals, earn your post-run cortado. It's the kind of Saturday habit that makes you feel like you made the right choice moving here. Confirm time on their Instagram before heading over. 687 2nd St, Downtown Encinitas. Free.
Stoked on Sushi at American Legion Post 416 — Cardiff-based sushi pop-up sets up shop this Saturday, 4–8 PM. Family-friendly: games for kids while the parents eat. The band Salt Lickers plays at 7pm. S210 W F St, Downtown Encinitas. Prices vary.
Project Hail Mary at La Paloma — Two showings today: 2:55 PM matinee and 8:20 PM evening. $12, cash at door. 471 S Coast Hwy 101.
Do Right Louie (70s Rock 'n' Roll) at 1st Street Bar — 70s rock covers on the 101 starting at 7:30 PM. DJ Fishfonics spins open format at 10. No cover. 656 S Coast Hwy 101.
Sunday, May 17 Cyclovia day. 101 belongs to everyone from 10 AM to 2 PM.
Beach Yoga at Moonlight Beach — Get a Sunday morning session in before the streets close. 9:30 AM. $20 drop-in. Moonlight State Beach.
Cardiff Farmers Market — Running the same hours as Cyclovia (10 AM–2 PM), and just a few miles down the coast at the MiraCosta San Elijo Campus. A great pairing: Cardiff morning, then roll up to the 101. Local produce, food vendors, artisan goods, and live music in a relaxed setting a block from Cardiff State Beach. Free admission. 3333 Manchester Ave, Cardiff.
Cyclovia Encinitas 2026 — See Featured above. 10 AM–2 PM. South Coast Hwy 101, D to I St. Free.
Project Hail Mary at La Paloma — Final showing of the weekend, 7:30 PM. Perfect way to cap a full day outside. $12, cash at door. 471 S Coast Hwy 101.
Sunday Night Jazz Jam — Tony Ortega Band at Mr. Peabody's — The perfect post Cyclovia send-off. Free, no cover, open jam at 8 if you want to sit in. It's one of North County's best live music traditions. 6–10 PM. 136 Encinitas Blvd.
🗓️ Coming up Monday
Monday, May 18
Trivia Night at Breakers — The patio at Breakers is one of our favorite spots in Encinitas. They host weekly patio trivia every Monday, 6–8 PM. Bring the crew, order a round, and see how well you actually know the things you think you know. Outdoor patio, free to play. 481 Santa Fe Dr, Encinitas.
📍 This Weekend's Move
Start your morning at Bump Coffee in Cardiff — walk-up counter, pour-over only, organic single-origin beans, open from 6 AM both days. Get the pour-over. Get a handmade empanada. Then walk down to the Kook, turn right, and walk along the bluff to Swami's and back — about 3 miles round trip with the ocean the whole way. Best walk in Encinitas, maybe in San Diego, possibly in the entire United States.
📍 Bump Coffee, 126 Aberdeen Dr, Cardiff. Open Sat–Sun 6 AM–6 PM.
📣 Retail News: Nordstrom Rack opens in Encinitas TODAY
When I was a kid, we’d go hang out at the arcade in Wiegand Plaza and then pop over to the AMC Theater to catch a movie. Starting today, that old theater is turning into a Nordstrom Rack. The new Nordstrom Rack at El Camino Promenade opens this morning at 9 AM — with a DJ, gift card giveaways, and light bites for the grand opening crowd. It's a 24,000 sq ft store at 222 N. El Camino Real, next to TJ Maxx and Five Below. I’m sure there will be a lot of mixed feelings about more corporate retail coming to town, but if you’re looking for deals, you’ll be stoked with this one.
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