Destination 6: Carlsbad, California

Emily James
Aug 10, 2017
4 min read

There are so many fun and exciting things to do in Carlsbad, California such as staying at a resort, surf, brewery tours, concerts, beaches, and so much more! Whoever visits this area is sure to have a good time!

Places to stay:

There are many resorts and hotels to stay at in this area. It just depends how much you're looking to spend! A resort is likely to cost more than your average hotel because the resort will offer many amenities. As always, prices for a place to stay depend on the time you plan to visit. If you're visiting around a holiday, prices will increase. If you're visiting randomly in October, your chances of finding a cheaper place to stay is more likely. One of the top rated resorts is called the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort Golf Club & Spa. On TripAdvisor, I found this resort being $299/night in October, which isn't bad considering all of the amenities they have to offer. They have a beauty salon, business center, multiple indoor and outdoor pools, fitness center, gift shop, golf course, hot tub, restaurants, a sauna, steam room, tennis courts, etc. If you're one to use a lot of these things, this is the resort for you! Below is a picture of this resort.

If you're looking to spend less money per night because you just need a place to stay without all of the extra things offered, the top hotel to stay in for a good price is the Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach. This hotel is very nice, and you can get a room for as low as $129 a night! That is very cheap for this area because there is constantly so much to do in the area, so it's a great place to stay for a great deal! It has excellent ratings (4.5 star) and is right across from the beach! There are rooms with an ocean view, a community fire pit, free shuttle, continental breakfast, restaurant in the hotel, outdoor pool, and a business center. The rooms are very big and clean, too! Can't beat that!

Things to do:

In Carlsbad, there are so many different activities to do, especially when with a group of people. There are helicopter rides, Legoland, water parks, aquariums, stand up paddle boarding, scavenger beer tours, go karting, surfing, bike rentals, skate parks, movie theaters, food tours, and so much more!

The top three things that I would want to do would be to go on the scavenger beer tour, try surfing, and relax on the beach.

The scavenger beer tour hosts groups from 2-25 people. Friday tours are $99 a person. Saturday and Sunday tours are $109 a person, which seems kind of high, but with the transportation and the beer all being paid for, it isn't too bad. Groups of 8 or more get $10 off a person, so I'd suggest going in a group of people. It'd be more fun that way, anyway!

This ride takes you along the beach to different areas of Carlsbad to visit

and enjoy a nice cold one while you're at it.

I have heard surfing is pretty difficult, but when you're on the west coast, it's a must try! So I'd definitely be interested in trying it out for a couple days. There are many places that offer surf lessons. I would take up those first before I tried it on my own. Surf lessons for 2 hours are $99/person. If you bring a friend, it's $85/person. For 3+ people, it's $75/person. Each lesson includes a full day's worth of wet suit and surfboard rentals. The waves in this area are perfect for surfing! If you're interested in these lessons, call The Whitlock Surf Experience (760-994-0506).

There are so many different beaches to visit in Carlsbad. I would love to visit a new beach every day of my visit. They are all located fairly close to one another. There is North Carlsbad Beach, Terramar Beach, Tamarack-State Beach, South State Beach, and South Ponto Beach. I would make it a point to go to each of these. They each offer surfing and relaxing places to layout as well. The quietest beach is Terramar Beach because it is relativel hidden and not many people know about it. The busiest beach is South Ponto Beach. The picture below is of Terramar Beach. Beautiful, right?

There are so many different types of restaurants you can visit in Carlsbad. There are also tons of breweries and wineries. The top 2 that I found are Canyon's Restaurant (5800 The Crossings Dr., Carlsbad, CA, 92008) and Caldo Pomodoro Italian Restaurant (2907 State Street, Carlsbad, CA 92008).

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==

Canyon's Restaurant offers a beautiful view. You have the choice of eating inside or outside. This restaurant has great ratings, and they also host events such as weddings or big parties. They also have a golf course. Wine and beer sampling is offered. This restaurant is more on the fancy side if you're looking for somewhere to dress up! Their menu is just your typical soups, salads, tacos, steaks, burgers, etc., but their food is excellent.

If you're feeling Italian food, Caldo Pomodoro Italian Restaurant is your best bet! This restaurant has a very nice dining experience. They offer ossobucco, seafood, vegetarian, lasagna, pastas, and gourmet pizzas. This restaurant is a little more casual if you're looking for a place to grab a bite to eat on the go. Bon Appétit!

Carlsbad Food Tour is a 3 hour walking food tour throughout the area. This food tour offers 7-8 different unique, diverse, cultural eateries. They are constantly changing the different foods that they offer so if you visit once, chances are if you visit again, you will not be tasting the same types of foods which is nice!