We usually stay at a charming resort overlooking the ocean. The town, quaint and very appealing, is perfect for exploring with its boutique shops, restaurants, cafes and all sorts of beach-town fun.

Carlsbad

There is a lot to do in and around Carlsbad. From spending a day at Legoland with the little ones, to strolling through the Flower Fields with almost 50 acres of colorful plants and flowers, to exploring the coastal wetlands of one of the nearby lagoons, or just enjoying the beach or town attractions.

Legoland’s Taj Mahal

For those who like venturing out a bit farther, Temecula Valley Wine Country is less than an hour’s drive. My favorite thing to do when visiting Temecula is strolling through the vineyards. Feeling the sun warm my back, the earth crunch softly underfoot, the grapes ripening on the vine, the soft buzzing of insects and the endless sky above makes for one of those sublime sensual experiences. While most people are crowding around the bar, sampling the wine inside one of the kid-friendly wineries, I prefer to escape to the vineyard itself to get away from it all. This is where I imagine that I am far away, perhaps Tuscany or in the Bordeaux Region.

A vineyard at Temecula

Another great venue is the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. It too is less than an hour’s drive from Carlsbad, and makes for a fun day’s excursion for the whole family.

Lions at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park

My favorite activity by far is walking on the strand by the beach. The water sparkles brilliantly with reflected sunlight, and the salty breeze seems to wash right through my soul. Sometimes I stand at the bridge over the inlet and turn my face to the sea, closing my eyes briefly to surrender myself to the heady rapture of the moment. I like to imagine that I’m standing at the bows of a ship as the wind blows through my hair and fills me with a kind of euphoria. Where do I wish to go? I have only to imagine it, to make it so. Perhaps the Cyclades Islands in the Aegean Sea; or the Galapagos in the Pacific. The World is suddenly at my whim, as my spirit soars in the moment. The experience is utterly romantic and sweeps me away for the duration of my walk. Yes, I am in Carlsbad, but my mind is flying free, carried on the sea breeze, tangy and oh so delicious.

Once the day is done and the westering sun is deepening its descent, I love watching the sea turn to gold. There is a glorious stillness to the hour, made more poignant by the seaside’s enchantment. The pounding of the surf on the sand echoes the life bursting within my breast.

Yes, Carlsbad makes for a lovely escape, being so close to home. It has something for everyone in the family. But it is its seaside charm that draws us back again and again.

There is a place in Southern California that beckons with fresh ocean breezes, endless blue skies, and discreet elegance set within 400 acres of lush landscaping: La Costa Resort and Spa. Located in the picturesque beach town of Carlsbad, California, this resort captures Southern California’s charm and energy beautifully. I stayed here with my family recently and did not want to leave.

La Costa – View from lobby entrance

There is something for everyone at this exclusive getaway. Play a round of golf at one of the two championship courses. Hone your tennis skills on any of the 17 tennis courts (clay and hard court surfaces), including seven lighted courts for evening play. Workout at the Athletic Club. Pamper yourself at the lauded Spa. Relax at one of the sparkling pools or hot tubs.

La Costa – Overview of resort pools

Children will find their own sanctuary here. Mine were absolutely delighted with the swimming pools, waterslides, and water play elements that kept them enthralled for hours. Splash Landing is a children’s paradise with its two 100 foot long waterslides, a toddler slide, and an interactive water play zone.

La Costa – Splash landing interactive

La Costa also has a club just for kids: Kidtopia. Children (infants to age 12) can find plenty of age-appropriate fun in the 6,000 square foot center. There is even a Night Camp available (for bathroom independent 3-12 year olds) on Fridays & Saturdays from 6-10 pm. For guests who are 10 and up, Vibz is a playground that features high-tech games and activities including X-Box 360® room with 5 stations, two billiard tables, air hockey, foosball, video games, ping pong, and skee-ball, to name a few.  A variety of summer camp programs are also available, including Golf Camp, Tennis Camp, Spa Camp and Surf Camp.

La Costa – Kidtopia for kids

Offsite recreation, dining and shopping is terrific and conveniently located near La Costa. From Legoland (just minutes away from the hotel), to the nearby premium outlet malls, beautiful beaches, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Seaworld, the Carlsbad Flower Fields, Birch Aquarium, Temecula Valley Wineries and Vineyards (1 hour inland), and much more, there is something to please everyone in the family.

La Costa – Water slide

The deluxe accommodations are designed to please the most discriminating tastes. From the crisp bed linens and exquisite personal care and bath products, to the high-tech amenities including large flat-screen TVs and high-speed internet access, to the casually elegant décor that combines rich fabrics and refined comfort in earth-tone palettes, the effect is at once inviting and soothing.

La Costa – Suite bedroom

Most of the accommodations offer private patios with lovely vistas and cool breezes. The Villa Suites with their Spanish Colonial charm are perfect for families and feature private patios, fireplaces, kitchens and more.

La Costa – View from our villa patio

Tips for Parents

La Costa – Walkway

This family-friendly resort offers complimentary cribs with padding and linens, diaper genies and baby proofing supplies available upon request. The on-site dining features kids’ menus as well. Be sure to rent a car so you can enjoy the wonderful area attractions. The town of Carlsbad is a lovely seaside community of families with an easygoing charm that is a lot fun to explore. And La Costa Resort and Spa is one of the best family resorts in California and is featured by Tots and Travel as one of the Top 10 Family Resorts on the West Coast. For more information about this wonderful family resort visit the official La Costa Resort website at http://www.lacosta.com

The Flower Fields of Carlsbad are 50 acres of blooming beauty on a hillside overlooking the sea.  Located at 5704 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad, CA 92008, they are a short 10 minute drive from the Tamarack Beach Resort by the Sea where we stayed with our family. 

Carlsbad Flower Fields

Walking through these fields is an absolute delight.  We spent a couple hours there taking photographs and roaming about while our children ran up and down the paths in excitement. The vivid colors are quite stunning, and make for a lovely family outing. 

Carlsbad Flower Fields - Rows of Colors

The Sweet Pea Maze enthralled the children as they followed the fragrant twists and turns. I opted to watch from just outside the maze in case they lost their way and needed assistance, which they did not. 

Carlsbad Flower Fields - Shades of Pink and Red

Part of the Flower Fields is a historic poinsettia display where one can stroll through a 1,500 square foot greenhouse filled with hundreds of poinsettias in over twenty and rare varieties.  

Sweet Pea Maze

There is also an American flag of flowers where well-placed red, white and blue anemone flowers wave in the breeze, honoring the United States. Throughout the year The Flower Fields of Carlsbad offer fun-filled special events and activities. This place was definitely worth visiting during our stay. 

Plenty of Photo Opportunities

For more information make sure to visit the Flower Fields website!

Legoland Entrance

There are so many fun things to do while in Carlsbad, one of them is taking our 2 children to Legoland, located at One LEGOLAND Drive Carlsbad, CA 92008. A ten minute drive from our hotel at the Tamarack Beach Resort by the Sea, we make it a point to spend one day there every time we visit. Legoland is geared for younger children (under 13), and offers more than 60 rides, shows and attractions.

The Legoland water park is perfect for warmer weather with its many water slides and pools. One of my personal favorite attractions there is Miniland USA which features reproductions of seven different places in the US.  All of the combined reproductions are made up of 20 million LEGO bricks in 1:20 scale, that can be seen from many places in the Park.

Miniland USA Legoland

Las Vegas, New Orleans, San Francisco, New York, are among them. Children and adults are equally enthralled by the miniature reproductions done in such exquisite detail. 

Legoland Mirage - Miniland USA

What is so wonderful about Legoland is the interactive fun-filled activities that engage children and take their imaginations to greater heights. Dino Island, for example, offers dinosaur themed rides, a dig pit where young paleontologists can dig for fossils, and some life sized reproductions of dinosaurs done in legos, for children to explore. 

Legoland - Miniland USA

There are plenty of restaurants, shopping and clean restrooms located throughout the park, making it easy and practical for families with even the smallest of children. Although we brought our own strollers, strollers are available to rent as well – both single and doubles.

Legoland Pirate Climbing House

Legoland Pirate Shores

Legoland Carlsbad California

Legoland Car Ride

Tamarack Beach Resort

About a 1 ½ hour’s drive south of Los Angeles California, or about 30 minutes drive from San Diego, Carlsbad is a charming seaside town with plenty for families to see and do.  My family and I have gone there countless times for several reasons: its proximity to our home in Los Angeles, its seaside appeal, and plenty of fun-filled activities for the entire family.

We often stay at Tamarack Beach Resort by the Sea, located at 3200 Carlsbad Boulevard, Carlsbad, California 92008, because my husband’s family owned a time share there when he was a child, though they offer hotel rates for anyone wishing to go. Our 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom suite included a full service kitchen with dishwasher, microwave, range, dinnerware, silverware, glassware and cooking accoutrements. There was also a stackable washer/dryer which comes in handy when staying for longer than a few days’ time.  The living room has a balcony with a lovely unobstructed ocean view, and the sunsets are simply breathtaking.  The suites at the Tamarack Beach Resort are all very comfortable and do provide internet access – free wireless access in the lobby, and daily rates for internet in the rooms.

Carlsbad Tamarack Beach Resort Entrance

The Tamarack Beach Resort features include a heated pool and two hot tubs: one for adults only, and one for adults and children. 

Carlsbad Tamarack Beach Resort Pool

There are grills available by the pool for those who wish to barbeque their own food. A gaming/recreation room provides free DVD rentals to guests to view in the comfort and privacy of their rooms. The town itself has lots of shopping, from small boutiques to large-scale chain stores, and a variety of restaurants to suit all pallets. 

Our Tamarack Beach Resort Suite

One of our favorite restaurants there is King’s Fish House located at 5625 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad, California 92008 serves a variety of the freshest seafood in a casual environment. We make it a point to eat there almost nightly when in Carlsbad, as it is a family favorite, great for those with children as well.

Kings Fish House Carlsbad

Everything on the menu is absolutely delicious, from the oysters on the half shell, sushi, seafood, steaks, salads, soups and chowders, side orders (the fresh buttered corn is scrumptious), to their irresistible desserts. The bread pudding is my personal favorite! They also have an excellent wine and beverage list to compliment any food choice on the menu.

Balcony View Tamarack Beach Resort Carlsbad

Another restaurant we often enjoy is Dini’s Bistro in Carlsbad. They are conveniently located next door to Tamarak at 3290 Carlsbad Boulevard, Carlsbad, California 92008, making it easy to order take out or delivery to enjoy the meal in the privacy of our suite, while taking in the ocean view. They have a delicious selection of meat, poultry, seafood and pastas, offering brunch, lunch and dinner.

Dinis Bistro Restaurant