Rancho Carrillo - Master Planned Community

in Carlsbad, CA

Rancho Carrillo is a master planned community located in Carlsbad, CA, about 30 miles north of San Diego and about 4 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean.

Bordered on the south by Alga Road, and on the north by Palomar Airport Road, the Rancho Carrillo master planned community straddles the hills along both sides of Melrose and consists of 18 villages (about 1550 detached homes and town homes, as well as some apartments) with a variety of housing styles, prices, and amenities typical of master planned neighborhoods.

Rancho Carrillo is a residential community that includes a swim center, a Kindercare (childcare) Center, the Carrillo Elementary School, lots of open space with a nature preserve, and walking trails, and which surrounds the Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park (named after the well-known conservationist, actor and vaudevillian), a historical area that gives the community its name.

Rancho Carrillo also includes an RV park for storing RVs - spaces are rented to area residents on a first come first served basis. Because of its location, there is easy access to all the shopping in San Marcos as well as along El Camino Real in Carlsbad. The ocean is a 15-20 minute drive to the west depending on route and traffice.

Rancho Carrillo offers pleasant, and in some cases dramatic, views of the surrounding hills, the backcountry; some homes have views of the the ocean, and beautiful evening lights and sunsets. There are both gated and ungated neighborhoods, and a nice mix of architectural styles. Many homes are detached but there are some attached units as well. Owners can expect to pay both Home Owner Association (HOA) dues as well as Mello Roos fees. These vary by neighborhood and sometimes by the property.

The high end price will get you a 4000+ SF home with 5-6 bedrooms and possibly ocean views. Homes in the gated Estates subdivision of Rancho Carrillo are the most expensive on average and may have spectacular views. 

Within Rancho Carrillo itself, activities are pretty much restricted to biking, walking, enjoying the swim center, and exploring the Leo Carrillo Ranch Park and visitor center. However there is a lot to do nearby.

Of course Carlsbad offers a number of beautiful beaches to enjoy, and you are within a few minutes drive of Legoland and The Flower Fields.

For golf enthusiasts there is the Crossings at Carlsbad golf course, built in 2007. Or if you prefer, you are not far from La Costa, Aviara, or the public golf courses in San Marcos (Twin Oaks) and Encinitas (Encinitas Ranch). For more information on things to do, take a tour of the Carlsbad Lifestyle at the bottom of the page.

If you need to shop, there are lots of options.  Close by is Bressi Village, a fairly new shopping center (Stater Bros., Trader Joe's, and many more stores).

Carlsbad offers a wealth of shopping along El Camino Real, and the Carlsbad Premium Outlets Mall is a 15 minute drive.

While the San Marcos area is not known for high end shopping (there is a Nordstroms Rack and Marshalls, with  more stores being built), you will find an immense range of furniture (Furniture Row), home improvement, appliance (e.g., Fry's), and landscaping/gardening (e.g., Green Thumb is my favorite) stores.

There are also a few stores, including Sprout's (an upscale grocer) and the newly opened La Costa Towne Center (December 2014), a few miles away on Rancho Santa Fe Road.

The closest restaurants to Rancho Carrillo will be found along El Camino, in Carlsbad Village itself, and in San Marcos. San Marcos offers its Restaurant Row, an enclave of around 20 casual restaurants on San Marcos Boulevard just a few miles to the east.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please don't hesitate to ask. If you are looking for Carlsbad homes for sale, your new Southern California destination could be in Rancho Carrillo!

Are you planning a relocation?

If you are relocating, please let me know - I have a wealth of practical knowledge and useful information I can share with you including my Relocation Checklist. Also check out my Relocation Tips and Advice video series on my YouTube channel.

If I can provide more information or answer any questions about the Rancho Carrillo real estate market in Carlsbad, please don't hesitate to contact me at (760) 840-1360 directly or via text.