The quality of life in North Texas is great, but the weather in late August is nothing to celebrate. Our family does our best to escape the heat by escaping to cooler climates at some point in the late summer. This August, we were lucky enough to explore Carlsbad, California. It had everything we were looking for.
With two active boys, ages 5 and 7, our family travels almost exclusively to places that tick all the boxes: adventure, activities, swimming, pleasant weather, animals, and delicious food. Masu. It’s not always easy to find those things, but a short flight to the West Coast delivered in a big way.
Carlsbad, California is the kind of place where the tourism board proudly announces the daily temperatures (almost always in the 60s to 70s) and wave heights. When you close your eyes and think of rolling hills, Mediterranean and Mission architecture, perfect weather, cool sandy beaches, and the laid-back lifestyle of Southern California, you might think of Carlsbad. Although it doesn’t have the traffic and hustle and bustle of larger neighboring cities like San Diego or Los Angeles, it still offers plenty of activities and delicious food.
We started our trip at the Westin Carlsbad Resort and Spa. Here we had access to multiple pools with water slides and beautiful views of the ridge that rises to the west of the resort. We took advantage of the area’s permanent patio climate and ate al fresco at Westin’s 20 Twenty Grille. So we paired the Oaxacan Old Fashioned with a hearty, juicy, and delicious pork osso buco. Being so close to the ocean, we were inspired to share the yellowfin tuna ceviche and my wife enjoyed the diver scallops.
The next morning, our sons showed us the “secret entrance” to Legoland, one of the key attributes of the hotel and resort. I have two Lego-obsessed sons who also love roller coasters, so there’s no place that makes them happier than Legoland. From the Westin, you just walk across the parking lot to the back of the park, where there is a “secret entrance” so you can take advantage of the rides at the back of the park (Dragon was our favorite). I did. The masses reached the rear.
We could have spent days in the park, but American Miniland is the highlight, so we did our best to explore. It was mind-boggling to imagine the time and effort it would take to recreate the skylines of New York, Las Vegas, and other cities with Lego, but the boys realized that they would have to put in the time and effort needed to build SoFi Stadium and the tallest stadium. I was amazed by the 500,000 LEGO bricks. Lego Building in America, One World Trade Center.
After a short rest and return to the hotel, we finished the day at the park’s aquarium and water park. At Sea Life Aquarium, we watched stingrays feed and walked through tunnels surrounded by dozens of marine species from the aquarium’s 350 species. My 5 year old son is a biologist and enjoyed his day holding shark eggs and handling sea urchins.
The temperature was near 70 degrees, but after a day of walking, we were ready to hit the water at Legoland’s waterpark, which offers adventures for all ages. There’s a pool, a children’s slide, a lazy river for the less adventurous, and even a high water slide that overlooks all the way to the Westin Resort. We climbed into a giant tube and slid almost vertically down Orange Rush. The boys could have spent all day competing on the exciting but not scary twin chaser slides.
Legoland served to tire us all out, but exploring Carlsbad State Beach and watching surfers catch consistent, rideable waves gave us the energy we needed for the next day. Another option to get outside and observe the environment is to visit Agua Hedionda Lagoon. It’s actually three separate lagoons connected to the ocean, making it a great place for fishing, paddleboarding, and wildlife viewing. Perfect for budding birdwatchers aged 5 and up.
If you’re looking for something a little more exciting, rent a wave runner, miniboat, speedboat, and two different sized pontoon boats from California Watersports in Carlsbad to explore the lagoon and enjoy the cool California breeze. You can.
Such activities require you to replenish your energy. For a small town of just over 100,000 people, there are a surprising number of independent coffee and ice cream shops. Carlsbad Village’s beachside neighborhood is a great place to stroll and soak up the atmosphere, with a variety of dining options including Himalayan Sherpa Cuisine and Shorehouse Kitchen (dog menu available). Stateside Roasters in Carlsbad Village is the perfect place for a delicious caffeine infusion.
Next we visited the gorgeous 400-acre Omni La Costa Resort and Spa, located on the edge of the Batiquitos Lagoon, another picturesque location that exemplifies quintessential So Cal charm. The 607-key resort’s Spanish Mission design is dotted with bougainvillea and palm trees, and the 3,000-square-foot presidential suite gives her two sons their own queen bed, while the huge primary suite It was separated from the children by a spacious family room with a pool. Table and floor to ceiling windows overlooking the golf course. My 7 year old son went to the bidet in the middle of the night and it ended with a rather surprising ending where he “flushed” what he thought was the toilet and got sprayed in his face. We love learning during the holidays.
The resort recently underwent a multi-million dollar renovation to update its guest rooms, spa, golf facilities and meeting spaces. The resort now features an expanded lobby, adjacent bar, and event center. With 70,000 feet of indoor event space and 100,000 square feet of outdoor event space, we have the largest resort meeting footprint in the Western United States. It also ticks all the boxes for business travelers, with two presidential suites and a golf course that will host the 2024 and 2025 NCAA Golf Championships. The hotel has two courses: the Legend Course and the Champion Course. Tiger Woods is one of the big names to have played and won there.
For families traveling, Kidtopia’s childcare services allow you to play a round of golf or play on one of the resort’s 12 tennis courts and six pickleball courts (including seven lighted tennis courts for evening gatherings). Enjoy lessons and games. I managed to sneak into the resort’s well-equipped athletic club. They offer boot camps, Pilates, and other fitness classes, so check them out if you need some extra encouragement. Afterwards, everyone can gather together and swim in one of the two pools and two water slides. The poolside fries there were some of the best I’ve ever enjoyed.
When my wife returned from the resort’s expansive 43,000 square foot spa, she reported having one of the best massages of her life. The country’s first resort spa offers complete salon services, skin care, facial treatments, and massages. There is also a private pool and lounge area, meditative promenade, cafe and garden, making it the perfect escape from a busy family vacation or business meeting. The spa’s courtyard also includes a pool, Jacuzzi, outdoor waterfall shower, and herb garden.
Omni La Costa is home to Bob’s Steakhouse, so we could have chosen a home-cooked meal for dinner, but we opted for a separate patio overlooking the beautiful grounds of the aptly named “Vue.”・I chose dinner. My Shrimp Scampi was excellent when paired with the Bullet Bourbon Lion’s Tail cocktail. My wife enjoyed the Chilean sea bass. Down the stairs from the patio, there was space for the boys to run and play, and we enjoyed a rare peaceful family dinner.
If you can get away from the resort, you’re just a short drive from all of San Diego’s attractions, including Torrey Pines, La Jolla, and the world-class San Diego Zoo. On our way out of town, we said hello to the harbor seals basking in the La Jolla wading pool, then headed to Dog Beach. That’s exactly right. My 7-year-old dog lover was in heaven, with dozens of loose, friendly puppies chasing and fetching in the gentle waves.
Our long weekend in Carlsbad gave us more than just unforgettable family memories. It also made me want to go back to see one of the best things to do in Carlsbad. We had just missed the flowers in the Carlsbad Ranch flower fields. From March to May each year, 50 acres of hillsides overlooking the coastline are covered in iridescent ranunculus blooms. Flower Field is almost adjacent to Legoland and offers tractor rides, hosting events and weddings, as well as a greenhouse where you can enjoy the natural beauty.
Although we only stayed long enough to explore the highlights of Carlsbad, we experienced the perfect balance of relaxation and adventure. Long weekends away from home often put a huge strain on families accustomed to some level of routine, but in Carlsbad it had the opposite effect. My son gave me the final stamp of approval. As we settled into the presidential suite, my 5-year-old son asked if he could have the dog mailed to Carlsbad so he could live there forever.
author
Will is a senior writer for D CEO Magazine and editor of D CEO Healthcare. He writes about healthcare…
