About the Author

Elizabeth Murphy Clarke has called Encinitas home since 1978 — long before it became one of Southern California’s most sought-after coastal destinations. Few people on the planet know this town the way she does.

A Connecticut native with a B.A. in Sociology from Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Elizabeth arrived in Encinitas as a young woman and never left. She raised five children — two of her own and three stepchildren — in this community, building deep roots across nearly five decades of local life.

Before hospitality, Elizabeth built a distinguished career in business, spending more than 30 years as a business owner and senior executive, rising to roles including Executive Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer. That operational rigor and commitment to excellence carried directly into her next chapter: in 2009, she opened Kate Stanton Inn, a boutique bed and breakfast that has become a beloved destination for discerning travelers from around the world.

Running a successful inn is only part of Elizabeth’s story. Since 2010, she has served on the Board of Directors of Burundi Friends International, a nonprofit organization, and served as Board Chairman from 2016 to 2021 — a reflection of the same values of community and service that define the Kate Stanton Inn experience.

When Elizabeth writes about Encinitas, she isn’t working from a travel guide. She’s drawing on 46+ years of lived experience — as a mother, a neighbor, a business leader, and an innkeeper who has personally vetted every restaurant, beach, shop, and hidden gem she recommends. Her guests — many of them loyal repeat visitors from across the globe — know that her advice is the real thing.

Elizabeth writes about: Encinitas dining, beaches, local events, boutique shopping, things to do in San Diego’s North County, and the insider knowledge that only comes from a lifetime on the coast.