A Carlsbad Christmas

Carlsbad is located approximately 30 miles north of San Diego, in Southern California. Carlsbad's seven miles of beautiful beach offers surfing, swimming, fishing, strolling and sunbathing. The seawall walkway is fantastic for a leisurely stroll or for exercise. One of our favorite things was to watch the beautiful sunset right from the Tamarack Beach Resort patio. Being San Diego is so close, a day at the zoo, and a tour of the city were part of our vacation in Carlsbad.

Quick Tips:

Carlsbad Public Library is a great place to use for accessing your e-mail for free. It is centrally located and easy to find. We also used it to access our airline site to print our boarding passes for our return flight.

Best Way To Get Around:

A car is a necessity in Carlsbad, but the Coaster is a light rail service connecting Carlsbad to San Diego. Carlsbad does not have an Amtrak stop, but the Amtrak San Diegan does stop in Oceanside just to the north.

Best Things Nearby:
Beach, unique shops, on-site restaurant as well as many nearby.

Best Things About the Resort:
Even though this was only a one bedroom unit, we housed four of us quite comfortably. The master bedroom had a queen size bed with plenty of storage and closet space. There was only one bathroom, but we had two sinks and a large shower stall. The patio had an oceanview. The pool and whirlpool were in the inner courtyard. The game room had a pool table, other table games, plus a variety of videos to rent.

Resort Experience:
The Tamrack Beach Resort definitely is a Gold Crown! Driving up to the resort we were immediately and pleasantly surprised by the beautiful flowers and Christmas decorations at the entrance. The lobby of the resort is very inviting with the large fireplace and comfy couches and was tastefully decorated for Christmas. The swordfish above the fireplace donned with a Santa's hat was a nice touch. Even though the unit was only a one bedroom, it was quite adequate for four. The living room housed a queen-sized sofa bed. Although it was uncomfortable enough that we were glad we had packed an air mattress to use over the sofa's mattress. The master bedroom had a queen-size bed and plenty of dresser drawers. The closet was large enough to store all our luggage and enough hangars to hang our clothing. The decor in the unit was inviting with the soft colors of green and beige. The kitchen was large enough for the small meals we prepared and the dining area seating was definitely adequate for four. There were two TV's, one in the bedroom and one in the living room. The patio had an oceanview and was roomy enough to have a good-sized table and four chairs.

The pool wasn't very large and the water was cold. However we enjoyed using the whirlpool every evening.

The staff were very helpful and friendly. They helped us with directions, booking tours and giving us restaurant suggestions.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

We were in Carlsbad for Christmas and had the privilege of dining here on Christmas Eve. The atmosphere was very festive and the place was decorated very tastefully. We were a group of eight and had made advance reservations. The dinner I ordered was the Coco-Mac Shrimp for around $18. This was one of the best shrimp dishes I have ever had and would highly recommend it to shrimp lovers. The butterfly shrimp are coated with coconut and macadamia nuts then drizzled with a teriyaki-sesame vinegarette. It is absolutely delicious! Their dinner menu has a variety of choices from beef, seafood, and chicken. If you want to see their menu you can look it up on the web at http://sandiego.citysearch.com/E/V/SANCA/0007/24/94/4.html#lunch

This beach is only a few miles north of Carlsbad and easy to find in Oceanside. There is meter parking available, but we still had to walk several blocks as it is a popular beach. The beach is very clean and there are picnic facilities near the grassy area. The pier is a great place to watch the surfers catch a wave! The day we were there a school of divers were being trained as rescue workers. For those who enjoy fishing or just watching others fish, there are many people who cast a line in hopes of catching something big. Just a few blocks away from the beach is the house and street that was used in the movie "Top Gun."