Yogi Paramahansa Yogananda founded his center here in 1937, and the town has been a magnet for holistic healers and natural-lifestyle seekers ever since. The gold lotus domes of the hermitage – conspicuous on South Coast Hwy 101 – mark the southern end of Encinitas and the turn-out for Swami’s Beach, a powerful reef break surfed by territorial locals. The fellowship’s compact but lovely Meditation Garden has wonderful ocean vistas, a stream and a koi pond.
If you’re interested in more detailed exploration of meditation and the religion’s principles, visit the website.