North County San Diego Photo Location List

This North County San Diego Photo Location List is meant as a helpful guide to help you choose you’re next photo location. Whether it’s for family photos, engagement photos, senior photos, or maybe even wedding portraits. Feel free to look up more information into these locations on your own and do any other necessary research. Cheers!

Oceanside

Oceanside Pier - shoot on top or below on the beach.

Oceanside Harbor - shoot on the small wooden pier or on the lighthouse side to include some of the cute shops

Cassidy St Beach and Bridge - you can grab a few shots near the small business store fronts before heading over to the bridge and making your way to the water (tide permitting).

Oceanside Mission San Luis Rey

Downtown Oceanside and Star Theatre Neon Sign

Oceanside Blvd Beach - low tide only for beach access or shoot at lifeguard tower

Oceanside City Hall’s Pastel Tiled area and Water fountain

Guajome Regional County Park - great year round, with lots of nature trails and backdrops

Eaton St x South Meyers St - at the end near the entrance of St Malo you could snap a few on the dirt path behind it

St Malo Beach - this beach has the historic french “st malo” beach cottage homes in the background. I enjoy accessing this beach via Ocean St on the Carlsbad side for easy parking.

Vista

Rancho Guajome Adobe County Park - a historic place with hacienda style touches and grassy grounds

Vista Village - you can shoot near the Yellow deli and adjacent streets, interesting murals and art

Buena Vista Park - great nature space, with tree lined trails, and has very open space for “meadow-y” images, popular for family photos

Carlsbad

Leo Carillo State Park - hacienda style grounds, cactus, peacocks

Carlsbad Cliffs- right before the fork off to Palomar Airport rd (across Manzano Dr.)

Carlsbad State Beach near the end of the promenade adjacent to Cannon Park (the small coastal bluffs and beach section)

Carlsbad Beach Lifeguard Tower 34- I enjoy this beach for those looking for easy beach side parking access

Batiquitos Lagoon - I park on the neighborhood side, from here you can walk up a small hill you’ll have a nice grove of trees, you can then shoot around the roped off trails, and near the lagoon.

South Ponto Beach - I personally love this beach especially right to the left of the parking lot, this roped off area always gives me the best vibes

Carlsbad Village - Shoot around the various streets, there’s interesting store fronts, murals, and art!

The Flower Fields - famous during the spring for the blooming ranunculus, but you could also shoot in there other gardens. March-until Mothers days is usually there “open” season.

Hosp Grove Park - nature trails + trees

Encinitas

San Elijo Lagoon

Olivenhain Town Hall - rustic building and grounds, permit needed

South Cardiff St Beach - near the parking lot, there is a small trail to the left for a few shots before you head down to the water

Del Mar

Torrey Pines State Park + Beach - You can take the coastal trail, or trail of choice, and then drive back down (or hike down) to the beach.

9th Street Sea Cliff Coastal Bluff Trail- A small and short coastal trail with lots of fooliage and then access to some small cliffs overlooking the ocean.

Torrey Pines Gliders Port- Small coastal bluffs overlooking the ocean with some trail sections.

Inland

For those in North County looking for a few locations inland (or friends who live more inland) here’s a few locations to consider:

Fallbrook Los Jilgueros Preserve - A great location with nice nature trails

Live Oak County Park in Fallbrook - a large park with oak trees, and pretty foliage

Old Bridge in Bonsall and off 76 - an abandoned bridge

Sandoval & Sons Flower Grower - this a small farm that in the spring has it’s own ranunculus flower field (sometimes sunflowers or other varieties), just make sure to buy flowers to support the business if using for a photoshoot!

Bonsall Preserve - nature path trails with trees and greenery

Rose Have Garden in Temecula - a kept garden with pretty grounds

Glen Arbor Park in Murrieta - a park that has a great woodsy feel!

Palomar Mountain - this is a beautiful mountain range, that has access to a pond thats lined with trees, grassy meadow, and some forest-y vibes!

OC

If you’re in North County and are looking for a little drive up north here’s a few recommendations:

Treasure Island Park in Laguna - great sandy beach with a classic “arch”, and other little coves near each other.

Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach - gorgeous sandy beach with a sweet little cove makes some great tropical beach photos

The Mission in San Juan Capistrano - large grounds with various gardens, and interesting architecture. Permit required.