The free clifftop meditation gardens above Swami's in Encinitas

Behind a white wall on Encinitas's Coast Highway, with golden lotus towers peeking over the top, is one of the calmest places in San Diego County: terraced gardens, koi ponds and benches looking straight down at one of the most famous surf breaks in California. It's free, and plenty of locals have never been inside.

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Leaflet | © OpenStreetMap contributors

Gardens

1. 1Meditation Gardens entrance — 215 W. K St.
2. 2Golden Lotus Towers — On S. Coast Highway 101

Pins are approximate. Source: Self-Realization Fellowship Encinitas and OpenStreetMap, checked October 6, 2026.

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A little history

The hermitage was built in the mid-1930s as a surprise gift for Paramahansa Yogananda, the Indian teacher who brought yoga and meditation to many Americans. He dedicated it in 1937 and wrote Autobiography of a Yogi here. His Golden Lotus Temple, built at the edge of the bluff, was lost to cliff erosion in 1942; the golden towers on Highway 101 came later, in 1948. The surf break below, Swami's, and Swami's Seaside Park are both named after the center.

• —Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Mondays.
• —Closed on some holidays and whenever it rains. The center publishes its closure dates, so check before a special trip: 760-753-2888.
• —Etiquette: it's a place for quiet reflection. Silence your phone, keep voices low, and leave food behind.
• —Parking: street parking nearby fills up on weekends, so come early.
• —Look down: from the cliff benches you can watch surfers at Swami's below.