Friday, October 14, 2011

Carlsbad's Top 10 Things to do

Carlsbad is a city full of interesting things to do. And yet, often it’s the locals who put off doing and seeing all the cool things the town has to offer. Below is a list of Carlsbad’s Top 10 Things To Do from clickoncarlsbad.com. How many of these have you done? How many are you planning to do?

1. The Beach
There’s a surprise, eh? For visitors, it is the reason all the hotels try to crowd as close to the water as possible, and for locals it is just about every other memory while growing up. And there are at least 10 different things to do at the beach. It is an all day proposition. The morning, while the marine layer still clings, is the perfect time to stroll on the sand looking for shells. As the day heats up there are multiple ways to take on the waves—surf, boogie, body and skim. Tired? Build a sand castle or bury your BFF. As evening comes, pull out the barbie and enjoy the mix of salt air and red meat. And don’t leave after the green flash, that’s when the wind dies down, the moon turns the water to silver and the grunion begin to run.

2. LEGOLAND
We were a sleepy little surf town until we were overrun by the two-to-12 crowd with a penchant for small, plastic bricks. Imagination is the playground of the young and LEGOLAND has many of those fairy tale destinations in miniature: Knights in castles, pirates in crows’ nests and dinosaurs in primeval—albeit plastic—landscapes. There are really more than a day’s worth of shows and attractions. Don’t miss the Firehouse show; it is why most Carlsbadians think the CFD should also sing and dance. And if you are one of those sacrificial parents who chose Carlsbad over Vegas, the Big Apple or the Big Easy, ditch the kids and head to Miniland, USA. Who says imagination is just for kids?

LEGOLAND
1 LEGOLAND Drive
(off Cannon Road E)
760.918.5346

legoland.com

3. The Flower Fields
For three months out of the year, the hills are alive with ooohs and aaahs. Locals remember growing up among row on row of bird of paradise (our city flower), carnations, gladiolas and, of course, ranunculus. The latter is our last stock in trade, but still the splendor of every spring. People from all over southern California make a pilgrimage every year to walk from color to color or let a tractor pull them through the glory of the blooms. And whether in bulb or bouquet, it is one of the few attractions where the sight is also the souvenir.

The Flower Fields
5704 Paseo Del Norte
760.431.0352

theflowerfields.com

4. Golf
Nick Faldo was once asked if he could live anywhere in the world other than the fairways of his birth, where it would be. He said Carlsbad, because it is the golf capital of the world. With our apologies to St. Andrews and Augusta, we heartily agree. Faldo reasoned that Carlsbad is home to Callaway, Titleist and TaylorMade and has a world-class course in La Costa. We also have Aviara and our new city course. The Crossings at Carlsbad is getting a reputation for honing a golfer’s ability to get out of tough rough, tricky traps and great lies. GOLF Magazine recently named it one of the top 10 new courses you can play.

The Crossings at Carlsbad • thecrossingscarlsbad.com

Four Seasons Aviara • fourseasons.com

La Costa Resort and Spa • lacosta.com

5. Spas
Carlsbad began with a spa. In 1882, John Frazier dug a well though everyone said he’d never find fresh water so near the ocean. The water was not merely fresh, he hit an artesian spring and the mineral content of the water was the same as the world-renowned waters of Karlsbad, Bohemia (now the largest spa city in Europe, Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic). Thus a name and an industry were born. And Carlsbad grew with a spa. Back in the ’60s as homes began to spring up around La Costa Resort & Spa, the city fathers annexed La Costa and more than doubled the size of Carlsbad. Now, whether you are looking to detoxify or relax, we have Roman waterfalls, herbal therapies or a hot stone massage in almost every corner of Carlsbad. We may not have originated the spa, but we are perfecting it with élan.

See the other 5 at http://www.clickoncarlsbad.com/images/Stories/top%20ten/ten-j.jpg

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Twitter Delicious Facebook Digg Stumbleupon Favorites More