Rancho Carrillo is a 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, Rancho Carrillo 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 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 Park (named after the well-known conservationist, actor and vaudevillian) , a historical area that gives the community its name. The planned community also includes an RV park for storing those RVs - spaces are rented to 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.

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.

As of mid-February 2007, Rancho Carrillo had 25 homes for sale - 13 attached (some are condos) and 12 detached. Attached homes for sale range in price from $360K to $550K, whereas the detached homes, not surprisingly, are pricier, at $675K up to about $1.25 million.  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. Eight homes have closed escrow since the beginning of 2007.

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. There is a brand new public 18-hole golf course opening midyear 2007 just a few miles down the road, but 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 Carlsbad.

If you need to shop, there are lots of options, although you will drive 10-15 minutes to do so. Carlsbad offers a wealth of shopping along El Camino Real, and the Carlsbad Premium Outlets Mall is a 15 minute drive. However, San Marcos also provides more shopping opportunities that you can probably make use of. While this town is not known for high end shopping (there is a Nordstroms Rack and Marshalls, with lots 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 Henry's (an upscale grocer) 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. You can take my Carlsbad Restaurant Tour for some ideas on where to dine. San Marcos offers its Restaurant Row, an enclave of around 20 casual restaurants.

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? My Relocation A to Z blog offers relocating buyers and sellers a wealth of practical knowledge and useful information. And first time buyers can find what they need to know at First Time Buyer Central.

If I can provide more information or answer any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.