The Carlsbad Boardwalk in Carlsbad CA

The Carlsbad Boardwalk is a special place, enjoyed by many, visitors and residents, for the views of the beaches and coastline, and of course the sunsets.

It’s a great place to walk for those who do not want sand between their toes or otherwise have trouble navigating a walk on the sand, and dog walkers, runners, and parents with kids in strollers, can readily enjoy the walk, too. There's also a concrete pathway right at the edge of the beach (see above).

The Carlsbad Boardwalk isn’t really a board walk at all, like the famed wooden boardwalks I remember from the New Jersey coast in Atlantic City, Coney Island in NY, and other places, but calling it the Carlsbad sidewalk seems too mundane.

Extending from the edge of Carlsbad Village (at the little park by the Harbor Fish Café) along the seawall above the beach, the Carlsbad Boardwalk runs about 1 mile south to Tamarack State Beach where it’s interrupted by the small driveway entrance to the state beach parking area. But then it continues along the coast for at least another mile to the Encina Power plant past the levees, the lagoon and fish hatchery on the east side of the road, and along a beautiful stretch of beach.

While the Carlsbad Boardwalk is not the longest continuous stretch of sidewalk around (the Bayshore Boulevard sidewalk in South Tampa, Florida has that claim), it’s pretty significant, and a brisk walk provides not only great exercise, unless you stop every 10 feet to gaze at the sea, but a good taste of what makes Carlsbad so popular – beautiful beaches, ocean-view homes and condos across the Coast Road, the Agua Hedionda lagoon and Carlsbad fish hatchery (known for white sea bass), pelicans flying overhead, fishing on the lagoon side of the road, views of surfers, and the occasional dolphins.

What I like in particular is that it is not littered with stores along the way – there’s a time and place for that – and is simply a concrete pathway for folks to enjoy. The Carlsbad Boardwalk is for walking, enjoying the views, and getting to the multiple sets of stairs to to the beach.

Check it out if you’re in town! You might also see some interesting critters along the way, especially in the summer - these parrots were spied at the beginning of the Boardwalk at the park last summer.