6 Big Reasons to Love Living in Carlsbad California
Debe Maxwell, CRS and Brian England are co-hosting the February Challenge, and encouraged us to write about why we love were we live. So here goes.
I first met Carlsbad in 2004 on a house hunting trip with my wife and liked it immediately. I moved here in April 2005 after a year of exploring a number of coastal communities after we had made the decision to relocate from Boston. I had no idea how much I would come to love living here when we first moved in, but there are plenty of reasons why I do.
CARLSBAD BEACHES
Essentially Carlsbad is one continuous beach, about 7 miles long, from the southern Oceanside border, south along the Coast Road/Historic Route 101 to Encinitas. There are lots of different beaches, by name, but it’s hard to tell where they start and end…and it really doesn’t matter anyway (e.g., Terramar, Warm Waters, Hole in the Fence, South Ponto, Frazee, Tamarack, Jetties, Carlsbad State Beach). Some people refer to different beach areas by the numbered life guard shacks.
Our Carlsbad beaches are pretty special, whether you just like to sit on the sand, watch the sun set, take walks, enjoy dining al fresco, or be more active with surfing, boogie boarding, stand-up paddle boarding, beach volley ball, wind surfing, running, kayaking, yoga, and more.
Public access to the beaches is pretty good, although there are areas further north past South Carlsbad State Beach where you need to take stairs. While there are pay parking lots at the state beaches (north and south end of Carlsbad), most of the parking is free. In some areas you can park your car along the Coast Road and walk onto the beach, but in others you will need to hike down the stairs. The bluff paths are strongly discouraged for safety issues, plus it contributes to erosion.
You can also park in the residential areas across the coast road from the beach when necessary. And, yes, parking does get crowded, especially on weekends and during the summer.
WEATHER
It’s often said by those living here that we live in paradise. The weather may not be quite perfect but it’s pretty darn nice. I can’t argue with that, with average high temperatures in Carlsbad ranging from 64 to 75 and average lows from 51 to 64. It can get colder at night in the winter (yes, even into the mid to high 30s). And during the summer or fall heat waves can hit the high 80s or even 90s when the Santa Ana winds blow.
Carlsbadians occasionally complain about the humidity. But having lived in New England and Washington DC, I don’t think it really compares. A really muggy day is pretty unusual.
Rain is kinda rare here, and we are often in a drought. But when it does rain it can be pretty significant, and cause some flooding and landslides in some areas of SoCal. We can go for months without rain, commonly April through August or September! And there is no snow except for in the mountains.
What’s really nice about Carlsbad weather is you pretty much can enjoy an outdoor lifestyle year-round. I go barefoot much of the time (except of course when with clients or out in public places other than the beach!) although wintertime means wearing socks.
Being along the ocean we have a phenomenon called the marine layer. We call it May Gray and June Gloom, although it can happen at other times of the year. It’s more common near the coast, but can occur further inland, sometimes for miles. And while it can linger all day, some days it burns off very quickly. When it happens it’s gray skies but we sometimes have ground fog, too.
THE ARTS
Carlsbad does not disappoint if you enjoy the arts (e.g., theater, art galleries, music). Carlsbad has a good reputation as an arts community, which includes a variety of public art including statues, sculpture, and wall murals. Check out Carlsbad’s public art interactive map of almost 3 dozen public works (not including painted utility boxes and fire hydrants in Carlsbad Village).
The city-owned Cannon Art Gallery is a true treasure with multiple exhibits each year, all free, with opening-night receptions and open studios for residents and kids.
The Carlsbad Sculpture Garden across the street from the library near Carlsbad Village is another wonderful addition to outdoor Carlsbad art.
Carlsbad has a variety of galleries, multiple arts and crafts fairs (some are the largest 1-day outdoor fairs in the country), and the popular ArtWalk in September SEE SLIDE SHOW BELOW) and the Art in the Village fair – the 25th annual this year is June 25.
The TGIF Concerts in the Parks are very popular, with 9 free concerts in the summer at 4 of Carlsbad’s prettiest parks during June, July and August. And the New Village Arts Theater in Carlsbad Village offers stage performances throughout the year.
THINGS TO SEE AND DO
I’ve enjoyed discovering, and experiencing, what Carlsbad offers since moving here in 2005. I doubt you can run out of things to do, although of course you can just sit on the beach and do nothing. Here’s a “short” list of possibilities.
Golf (The Crossings, Rancho Carlsbad, Aviara Golf Club, Omni La Costa)
World-famous Legoland
The Flower Fields (open March 1 to Mother’s Day in May annually)
Museum of Making Music (great museum plus wonderful concerts)
Sunset Watching along the coast
Running, Surfing, Hiking, Skateboarding, Roller-blading
Hiking Trails (60+ miles) including Mount Calavera which offers 360-degree view from the summit.
3 Lagoons (Batiquitos, Agua Hedionda, Buena Vista)
3 Libraries (1 in La Costa, 1 near the Village, & the Library Learning Center)
Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park (Rancho Carrillo area off Melrose)
Movie Theatres (Regal, up north at The Shoppes at Carlsbad; the upscale Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas in the La Costa area)
Outdoor Movies (“Flicks at the Fountain” during the summer in the Village & at Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park)
The Carlsbad Music Festival
The Barrio Glassworks (Carlsbad Village)
Tennis and Golf Tournaments (Omni La Costa Resort and Spa)
Water sports at the Agua Hedionda Lagoon (jet-skis, standup paddle boarding, kayaking, and much more)
Shopping (The Forum, the Carlsbad Premium Outlets Mall, The Shoppes at Carlsbad, and numerous retailers in Carlsbad Village, e.g., at The Village Faire)
The Carlsbad Triathlon, The Carlsbad Marathon and similar athletic events
Spas (Omni la Costa Resort and Spa, Park Hyatt Aviara, Westin Resort, Sheraton Resort, plus many day spas)
Plus there’s lots to see and do within a few hours: downtown San Diego (about 45 minutes non-rush hour); Los Angeles (about 95 miles); the mining town of Julian (about 50 miles east, in the mountains), the California desert cities (Palm Springs, La Quinta, Palm Desert).
DINING
If you enjoying dining out - breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner - Carlsbad probably has more than a few places you will enjoy. There are dozens and dozens of restaurants, many in the Village, but also elsewhere along the coast. Some have been around for decades but there are plenty of new offerings, too!
Restaurants cover the full spectrum, from the most casual and fast food to high end dining at several hotels (Omni La Costa Resort, Park Hyatt Aviara, Sheraton and Westin Resorts) plus a 1 Michelin Star eatery, Jeune et Jolie, in the heart of Carlsbad Village.
~ Coconut-Custard Stuffed French Toast at Cafe Elysa ~
While it might not rival New York City, San Francisco or other big city dining scenes, things have improved substantially since I moved here in terms of the number of places, and the quality and diversity of food.
A number of places offer take-out and outdoor dining, and reservations are recommended on the weekends...and expect some crowds at the most popular places in the summer and over the holidays. You'll find a number of popular wine bars, ice cream place (e.g., Handel's), and bakeries - The French Bakery is my favorite.
HOUSING
Carlsbad offers a wide range of housing styles and prices, for every taste and budget, from bungalows to condos to oceanfront estates.
There are gated and ungated communities, million dollar tract homes, large subdivisions, custom homes, affordable housing (to purchase or for rent), some new construction, plus housing communities for seniors only (rentals, purchases, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing care).
Want a home with a view? Got 'em - ocean, lagoon, green space, mountains and back country, canyons, golf course. You can expect to pay more for a view home, especially with that coveted look at the ocean.
Whether you want a primary home, a vacation home, or an investment property, there are opportunities in Carlsbad. Yes, the prices are high relative to other parts of the country, but for coastal living in the San Diego area, Carlsbad homes represent good value compared to our seaside neighbors to the south.
While these are some reasons to love living in Carlsbad, the same reasons attract lots of visitors year-round, especially during the summer and over the holidays.
Have questions about life here in Carlsbad? Give me a call or text (760-840-1360) or email me at JeffDowlerSolutions@gmail.com.
~ End of Story, Day is Done ~
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