Operated by California State Parks, the Cardiff State Beach - Cardiff Reef lot in Encinitas's Cardiff-by-the-Sea district provides 90 vehicle spaces at 2500 South Coast Highway 101, directly serving the reef break and lagoon access at the north end of Cardiff State Beach. The lot sits at the mouth of San Elijo Lagoon, fronting the surf zone where schools like Wavehuggers run group and private lessons in the protected inside waters of Cardiff Reef. Demand-based pricing ranges from $12 to $25 per vehicle depending on season and day of week, with automated pay machines accepting credit and debit cards at the lot entrance and an annual California State Parks day-use pass available statewide for $195. The beachfront positioning exposes parked vehicles to salt spray, sand infiltration, and direct coastal sun for hours at a time — conditions that accelerate clear-coat oxidation and make post-session rinses at facilities like Cardiff Car Wash on nearby Birmingham Drive a routine step. The 90-space paved surface lot sits at the South Coast Highway 101 median crossing with no overhead clearance restriction and provides direct pedestrian trail access to the San Elijo Lagoon ecological reserve.