Cardiff-by-the-Sea is a coastal community within the city of Encinitas, in the North County region of San Diego County, California. The Pacific Ocean forms its western edge, the rest of incorporated Encinitas lies to the east and north, and San Elijo Lagoon and its beach mark the southern boundary. With a population of roughly 11,800 and its own ZIP code, Cardiff functions as a distinct neighborhood with its own identity even though it is part of the larger city. Cardiff's roots reach back to the early twentieth century, when the coastline north of San Diego was developed around a railroad and a vision of a seaside town. In 1986, Cardiff-by-the-Sea joined New Encinitas, Old Encinitas, Olivenhain, and Leucadia to incorporate as the city of Encinitas, but it retained its separate name and character. That character is fundamentally tied to surfing and the beach, with Cardiff State Beach and its reef breaks ranking among North County's most popular surf spots. The community is also known for its quirks of identity, most famously the Cardiff Kook. The 16-foot bronze and granite surfer statue, officially titled "Magic Carpet Ride" and installed in 2007 along South Coast Highway 101, was playfully nicknamed "the Kook" by the local surf community and has become a beloved, frequently costumed landmark. Cardiff offers a walkable, beach-oriented way of life with strong schools, direct access to Interstate 5 and the COASTER rail line, and the natural amenity of San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve. It sits about 25 miles north of downtown San Diego, giving residents a small-town coastal feel within one of the region's most connected corridors.