Carlsbad Tours & Activities | 14 Top Things To Do In Carlsbad, California

Carlsbad is called as “The Town by the Sea” for a reason. This little, prosperous community, midway between San Diego and Los Angeles, combines the beauty of an ancient European city with the sense of a typical California seaside tourist resort. Despite the peaceful exterior, there is much to do in Carlsbad when you visit.

With seven miles of stunning white sandy beaches, superb restaurants, and the appropriate climate, the city is a popular weekend getaway and a lovely location to live. The top things to do in Carlsbad, California are Legoland California, Sea Life Aquarium, and South Carlsbad State Beach.

If you’re searching for a restaurant in Carlsbad, California, look no further. To find out which Carlsbad restaurants are the greatest, read the following article:

• The Seven Best Restaurants in Carlsbad

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The Top 14 Things to Do in Carlsbad, California

California LEGOLAND

One Legoland Drive, Carlsbad (760) 918-5346

One of the finest things to do in Carlsbad, California is to visit LEGOLAND California Resort, which is suitable for people of all ages.

The hands-on theme park, approximately a half-hour north of San Diego, includes over 60 themed rides, interactive activities, and shows for children ages two to twelve, while the SEA LIFE Aquarium and LEGOLAND Water Park delight the whole family.

The LEGO Legends of CHIMA Water Park takes your imagination on an unforgettable journey, with a majestic Lion Temple Wave Pool, a terrifying crocodile swamp, an interactive Build-a-Boat area, a Build-A-Raft River, and two sandy beaches.

The park’s performances and activities include Christmas Snow Days, Winter Nights, Jingle Jammers, and Mini Figure Trade, and tourists may come for the day or stay longer at the themed LEGOLAND Hotel. Most of all, there is no danger of stumbling on Legos barefoot, making this one of the top Carlsbad attractions.

Creating Music Museum

Armada Drive (760) 438-59965790

The Museum of Creating Music promotes and commemorates the music industry. The museum, which opened in 2000, hosts a range of special exhibits, as well as one-of-a-kind performances and educational activities aimed at providing cultural enrichment and preserving musical history. All are deserving of your time in Carlsbad.

Permanent interactive displays are chronologically organized and contain historical sites, popular tunes, and instruments from many periods, as well as antique instruments and audio and video recordings.

Two times a year, special exhibits, as well as contemporary music performances and seminars, are conducted to showcase the music of both local talent and well-known international and national artists. The Museum of Creating Music, which is open Tuesday through Sunday, may organize group trips in advance. Make a point of visiting this attraction while in Carlsbad.

Aquarium SEA LIFE

(760) 918-5346 One Legoland Road, Legoland California Resort

The SEA LIFE Aquarium is a family-friendly interactive marine aquarium situated on Legoland Drive in Carlsbad. The aquarium is home to around 5,000 aquatic animals representing over 200 species, including clownfish, octopus, rays, sea horses, and sharks.

Several of the species, such as crabs and sea stars, may be touched by youngsters. Other potential animal interactions include diving demonstrations and seeing the animals being fed.

School groups, other organizations such as Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, as well as corporate gatherings and birthday parties with meals at the aquarium’s Ocean Journey Café, are all welcome. When searching for activities to do in Carlsbad, don’t forget to visit the aquarium.

The Village Arts Theatre has a new name.

2787 State Street (760) 433-3245

The New Village Arts Theatre is a venue for theatrical and musical events. The little theater, which seats 99 people, features performances by a local ensemble group.

This cast includes 14 performers, designers, directors, and stage managers. Previous productions include As You Like It, Golden Boy, and Into the Woods.

Mondays with Sammie and school visits conducted by the Junior Ensemble are two of the theater’s educational outreach initiatives. The theater works with Kids Act, a local youth acting club that provides acting workshops for children. The New Village Arts Theatre is a great place to go for family activities in Carlsbad.

The town of Cape Rey

Ponto Rd (760) 602-08001

Cape Rey is a fantastic Carlsbad Beach resort with stunning Pacific Ocean views from the majority of its guest rooms and suites.

The Cape Rey Carlsbad Beach, which was formerly known as the Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort and Spa, has 215 guest rooms with custom-designed beds, flat-screen TVs, minifridges, and microwaves.

Upgraded rooms contain separate living and dining spaces, as well as, in certain instances, private balconies. Chandlers Restaurant and Lounge is available to resort tourists and provides locally made seashore food and features a small cocktail bar.

Among the resort’s additional amenities include a state-of-the-art fitness center, a full-service spa, and a large oceanfront outdoor pool and fire pit, with direct beach access accessible for all guests across the street.

If you’re seeking for a wonderful spot to stay in Carlsbad, consider making the Hilton your home base.

Tours of Carlsbad’s Restaurants

Callisia Court

Carlsbad Food Tours provides a gastronomic and historical tour of the hamlet of Carlsbad. Tours take you through Carlsbad’s most beautiful and historic areas, where you’ll learn about the village’s history and enjoy some of the best cuisine available, overseen by gourmet tour guides who like Carlsbad and its finest restaurants.

Tours take you to locally owned specialist food shops as well as ethnic and local eateries, where you may meet chefs and craftsmen and sample their wares.

To experience award-winning California wines, visit Gregorios Italian Restaurant, Caldo Pomodoro Italian Restaurant, Caf Topes, Witch Creek Winery, Café Panini, and Chocolate Bar (always a winner!) at Carlsbad’s Urban Wineries. Tours are available Tuesday through Saturday, and ticket prices include all food and wine samples.

You are aware that you must eat when on vacation. Instead of selecting a restaurant, sample many of Carlsbad’s greatest restaurants.

The Carlsbad Pedego

(760) 729-24532978 Carlsbad Blvd., Suite #130

Pedego Carlsbad offers a unique and enjoyable way to view and experience the seaside town on an electric bike. The bike features an electric assist of up to 20 mph, enabling you to go longer and faster without exerting extra effort, making Pedego Bikes a popular mode of transportation in the city.

Pedego Carlsbad offers a variety of fun tours and excursions, including the Dalai Lama Tour, which cruises along the coastline parallel to Historic Hwy 101 and showcases the simpler, quieter lifestyle of the past, and the Couples Romantic Picnic Tour, which features seven miles of spectacular beaches and picturesque lagoons for the perfect picnic.

The Oceanside Pier and Harbor Tour, which takes visitors through Carlsbad’s quaint neighborhoods and includes a visit to the house where Top Gun was filmed, and the Rock & Ride Tour, which takes friends along Southern California’s breathtaking coastline while listening to music through audio headsets, are two other tours.

Just call ahead to book a space, then get on your bike and ride. Add this once-in-a-lifetime chance to your list of Carlsbad things to do.

The Flower Gardens

Paseo Del Norte

The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch are around fifty acres of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers that have turned the hills of North San Diego County into one of the most magnificent displays of natural color and beauty in the world.

The fields come alive with color for about six to eight weeks each year, from early March to early May, bringing people from all over the globe. If you are in Carlsbad at this time, be sure to see this Carlsbad attraction.

During the spring blossoming season, the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch are available to the public seven days a week, and they also offer a garden, a unique nursery, and a small gift store, as well as other events.

For information about operating hours, please see the attractions’ website. The season runs from early March through early May. Certainly worth a trip on your Carlsbad tourism itinerary.

Where else should you go in California? See our other California guides:

The Top 6 Things to Do in Del Mar, California

14 Things to Do in North Beach, San Francisco

Weekend Activities in San Francisco, California

11 Amazing Livermore California Activities

Aviara Golf Course

(760) 603-6900, ext. 7447 Batiquitos Drive

The Aviara Golf Course, situated at the Park Hyatt Hotel, has a beautiful green and tee layout with stunning views of the tranquil Batiquitos Lagoon nature preserve.

The Aviara Golf Club, built by Arnold Palmer and situated in the Golf Manufacturing Capitol of the World, is a par 72, 18-hole course with nearly 7,000 yards of wonderfully sculpted landscapes, rolling hillsides covered in native wildflowers, and outstanding bunker and water difficulties.

Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad {image}

One of the oldest golf academies in the United States, the Kip Puterbaugh Aviara Golf Academy is situated at the Aviara Golf Club and provides a variety of day courses and golf schools for players of all abilities that concentrate on the mental, physical, and technical components of the game.

If you’re searching for sporting activities in Carlsbad, whether you’re a low-handicapper or simply a hacker, make sure you check out this world-class golf course.

Museum of Craftsmanship

190 Lionshead Avenue (760) 727-949

The Craftsmanship Museum is devoted to the collection, preservation, and presentation of wood and metal crafts. It is also known as the Joe Martin Foundation Craftsmanship Museum and the Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum.

The museum’s collection has 500 operable miniature engines, including internal combustion engines, a Bentley rotary aero engine, radial engines, and more.

Image courtesy of the Craftsmanship Museum

Among the collection’s key attractions are models of automobiles, airplanes, and other artifacts, such as a 1932 Duesenberg and World War II fighter aircraft. Craftsmen and volunteers maintain the antiques in working condition at an on-site machine shop. This will be an interesting spot to see in Carlsbad if you are even somewhat mechanically minded.

The GIA Museum

Armada Drive (760) 603-40005345

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Museum is committed to public education and research in the subjects of gemology, gemstones, and jewelry manufacturing, all of which are important activities in this region due to the Gemological Institute of America’s location in Carlsbad. The GIA Museum contains a diverse collection of exhibits.

GIA Museum image {image}

Symphony in Gemstones has a miniature trumpet made of turquoise and gold, a harp made of tiger eye, a grand piano made of black onyx, and other jewels. Other exhibits include Generations of Mastery: Gemstone Carvings by Dreher and More is More: Duquette Wilkinson Jewelry, among others.

You may not be able to purchase them, but you can definitely afford to stare at them. Make plans to see this show in Carlsbad.

The Carlsbad Crossings

(444-18005800) The Crossings Drive

The Crossings at Carlsbad is a 6,835-yard-long public golf course and event site. The 18-hole course, set between the Pacific Ocean and the nearby mountains, provides stunning views. The course, which covers more than 400 acres, blends in with the natural environment of the California coastal location, and visitors may often see a variety of species.

{image} The Carlsbad Crossings {image}

The course, created by renowned golf course architect Greg Nash, is appropriate for golfers of all skill levels, from beginners to expert players. The golf course has electric golf carts available to assist you traverse the seven-mile cart track. The 28,000 square foot clubhouse has a restaurant, a golf store, banquet facilities, and much more. Thus, if the golfer in the family wants some alone time, this is the ideal Carlsbad location.

Premium Outlets Carlsbad

Paseo Del Norte (760) 804-90005620 Paseo Del Norte

The Carlsbad Premium Outlets provide over 90 high-end designer retailers, including Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, Cole Haan Outlet, and Calvin Klein. The mall’s architecture is Tuscan, and it is designed around a central courtyard with fountains.

{image} Image of Carlsbad Premium Outlets

Panda Express, Rubios Fresh Mexican Restaurant, Rubys Diner, and Subway are just a handful of the restaurants on offer. You’ll never run out of dessert options with Godiva Chocolatier and Haagen Dazs. The mall hosts a number of events throughout the year. When Dad is playing golf, this is a terrific spot to go shopping in Carlsbad.

Golf Course at Rancho Carlsbad

(760) 438-17725200 The Real Camino

Rancho Carlsbad Golf Course is a public 18-hole par 3 course with a driving range. The golf course is known for its beautiful location in the hills just north of the College Boulevard-El Camino Real intersection, and the Pacific Ocean is just a few minutes away.

The par-three golf course is both challenging and enjoyable, and players can complete the 18-hole course in under three hours. On the golf course’s north side, there is a natural grass driving range. The 19th Hole Deli serves drinks and modest meals. This is an excellent opportunity to get some exercise while being involved in Carlsbad family activities.

Carlsbad, midway between San Diego and Orange County, has a charming laid-back vibe. Miles of stunning shoreline and significant wave action lure both beachgoers and surfers to the region. Its lagoons are ideal for kayaking and stand-up paddling, and this Southern California coastal town offers a wide range of outdoor sports.

It is becoming a popular family holiday destination owing to its laid-back beaches, community feel, and kid-friendly activities. Carlsbad Village, a tiny downtown area with shops, restaurants, and pubs, is a short walk from Carlsbad’s magnificent beaches.

Yet, there is never a boring moment in Carlsbad! Be sure to check out Carlsbad’s various excursions, restaurants, and things to do.