Experience the best of Carlsbad
Carlsbad is a seaside city in northern San Diego County, California, with a walkable village, wide beaches, lagoons and hillside fields of spring flowers.
Read moreShow less
Carlsbad lies on the Pacific coast of California between Oceanside and Encinitas, in northern San Diego County. The city took its name from the Bohemian spa town of Karlsbad after a local well was found to have similar mineral water, and a small Village centre still stands by the railway and the sea. Carlsbad State Beach runs along the bluffs, and the Coast Highway is lined with shops and cafés.
In spring, the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch cover a hillside in rows of bright ranunculus. Agua Hedionda Lagoon is used for kayaking and paddleboarding, and Batiquitos Lagoon is a nature reserve with herons and egrets. The Museum of Making Music displays musical instruments. San Diego, with its zoo and harbour, lies to the south, and the vineyards of Temecula are inland.
Fish tacos with cabbage and lime, avocado and grilled seafood are coastal Californian staples here, with strawberries and citrus from nearby farms and craft beer from the many local breweries. The weather is mild all year, with morning cloud called June gloom in early summer and the warmest days in late summer and autumn.
- Free cancellation on 86% of experiences
- 4.7 across the top 5
Top experiences in Carlsbad
Go beyond Carlsbad
La Jolla · 37 kmLa Jolla Cove
La Jolla · 37 kmLa Jolla Shores
Dana Point · 47 kmDana Point Harbor
San Diego · 53 kmDowntown San Diego
San Diego · 53 kmUSS Midway Museum
Laguna Beach · 59 kmCrystal Cove State Park
Newport Beach · 74 kmFashion Island
Tijuana · 77 kmAvenida Revolución
Tijuana · 77 kmTijuana Arch (Arco Monumental)
Anaheim & Buena Park · 97 kmHuntington Beach
Anaheim & Buena Park · 97 kmOrange County Coast
Catalina Island · 102 kmCatalina Express
Why book here
Compare before you buy
Every ticket, tour and pass we carry for a city, side by side on one page.
Free cancellation on most experiences
Where the operator offers it, the card says so before you click.
Real reviews, real photos
Ratings and reviews are collected from travellers by our booking partner and Tripadvisor; nobody pays for placement.
Secure checkout on our partner’s site
Card details are entered on our booking partner’s site, never on ours.



















































