Life in San Diego: Carlsbad
Aug 26, 2019 - Joe Stewart
I was stoked when I landed a job in Carlsbad two years ago. Six years of cold winters in DC and two years of LA traffic had me ready to get back to the perfect weather and California burritos I remembered from my days at the University of San Diego. Moving back, I didn’t know much about Carlsbad other than it’s the home of Legoland and golf companies. But I knew I wanted to live close to where I worked, so I ended up getting a place just a mile from the beach and Carlsbad Village. Two years into living here, I’ve found a home that perfectly suits my lifestyle, and a place I can imagine myself staying for a long time. Here’s why:
Any kind of beach (or lagoon) you want.
We have seven miles of incredible beaches, from surfing hotspots like Tamarack and South Ponto to secluded spots like Terramar. If I’m looking to make a quick trip to the beach followed by tacos and beer, I’ll hit up the North Carlsbad beaches adjacent to Carlsbad Village. Not to mention, Carlsbad has three lagoons—Batiquitos, Agua Hedionda, and Buena Vista if you want to get out on a trail and explore, or even jetski and paddleboard.
Food and beer lovers’ paradise.
I love having my go-to spots like Board & Brew, Pizza Port, Park 101, and Campfire. And with new restaurants like Casero Taqueria opening up seemingly every week, having friends or family visit gives me a great excuse to check these new places out. And in the San Diego spirit, we’ve got some sweet breweries in town, like Burgeon, Rouleur and Culver to name a few.
The golf is THAT good.
When you play the golf courses here, you realize why literally (almost) every golf company that exists calls Carlsbad home. Whether you’re a beginner or you’ve got some skill, there’s an ideal course for you here. Some of my favorites are The Crossings at Carlsbad and Park Hyatt Aviara.
There’s always an event happening.
There’s always a fun festival or concert to attend. Some of my favorites are the Carlsbad Brewfest, the Carlsbad Music Festival and the TGIF Concerts in the Park every Friday during the summer. The Carlsbad 5000, aka “the world’s fastest 5K,” is just an all-around fun party. And if incredible art is your thing, Art in the Village is a one of a kind experience.
The location and setting is perfect.
Life is a little slower (definitely not sleepy) in Carlsbad, but I always have the option to make the quick trip to get my big-city fix in the city of San Diego. Orange County and LA are also not too far away. Whether it’s a hike after work, hitting up a happy hour at a new spot, or taking in the sunset, I love that all of my options are no more than a ten-minute drive from wherever I am in town.
Completely agree- Carlsbad and North County SD rock! Unbeatable!