"As good as it gets"in Carlsbad CA

We have Legoland, California, many private and public courses for golf, tennis courts, varied cuisine in our restaurants, mild year-round weather, a picturesque downtown shopping area, many major marathons throughout the year, beaches to stroll on, bird-watching in lagoons, and ocean sunsets.

Quick Tips:

At Legoland, before you get too tired, head for the areas where Legos are available to constuct anything you want with your child. Make it an active experience -- be a kid again! Stay in an apartment near the beach where there are activities available for swimming, jogging, and exploring. Check out great rentals.com or the local ranchand sea.com for vacation rentals (in off-season, -1,000 weekly). Bring umbrellas then but avoid summer crowds. The downtown Carlsbad Visitors' Center located in the Old Santa Fe Railroad Station on Carlsbad Village Drive, just two blocks west of the Fish House Vera Cruz, dispenses brochures and advice, and the Coaster schedule is posted right on their window, so you can check and plan trips up and down the coast. You can also pick up a full Coaster schedule at the Coaster stations.

Best Way To Get Around:

Check out the Coaster and Amtrak train schedules to go to downtown San Diego, Tiajuana, Mexico, or Los Angeles on day-trips. Then, take the trolley to Tijuana; we've done it so many times and it's pleasant and good for people watching(trip time is usually 20-30 minutes maximum). Currently, security delays at the border will cut short your time for a trip south of the border, so get an early start. Traffic is heavy, so if you rent a car, plan driving in non-rush hours. Buses run rather infrequently and with few stops, except at big attractions like malls and colleges. Stay near to what you want to see and do, and walk often.

As no 2 bedrooms were available in late September, we settled for a 1 bedroom for 3 people. The sleeper sofa in the living room had a broken spring which proved a bit uncomfortable for our son, but the queen-sized bed in the bedroom was comfortable. We were on the first floor near the younger children''s spa and pool and in a 2 room with small patio. Upper story units have balconies and views of the ocean as these time-shares are two blocks from the beach. Our kitchen area had a fairly good-sized refrigerator and stove-top and enough equipment to cook non-elaborate meals along with enough dishes and cutlery to serve with. We chose to eat out at night but prepared breakfast and lunch in the condo.

There was a small exercise room which our son used both days we were there. He also used the adult pool once, although it was a bit cool and misty both days. The condo provides guests with pool towels at a stand near the pool. Although there is a rail track in back of the resort, there was no night noise and our bedroom which faced this area was very quiet. Friends who own a time share here made arrangements for us but said the resort rents out any available units, especially in off-season, to visitors who inquire at the main office of the resort.

UPDATE on November 18,2002-Our timeshare owning friends have informed us that another pool has been added at this resort. Also there's a pirate playground for kids that is very attractive. They now actively advertise they have vacation rentals, as Seapointe is on the rci program. So far,November has been a month of superb weather except for a two day spate of steady rain two weeks ago-good because it clears away "June Gloom."

Having to vacate our house for a few days during termite extermination, we got to pretend we were visitors in our own city. The Armenian Cafe is an established restaurant in downtown Carlsbad on Carlsbad Boulevard right near the ocean. There's a large wooden terrace for outside dining but in late September we chose to dine inside on lamb kebabs with middle-eastern pilaf. The bill for three was $55.47 before tip, a total that included 2 middle eastern beers and a soda-this place is budget-friendly! We are all hearty eaters but were full as this was a substantial meal. Service was prompt; 2 waiters were serving about 40 guests--most outside--while we were there.

This style of food is very healthful and my companions were pleasantly surprised by the beer-it was very good. Many downtown restaurants are more expensive than the Armenian Cafe so this is a good alternative for budget-conscious, cholesterol-watching diners. As in many beach towns, downtown Carlsbad has some tourist traps-as a general principle, the fancier they look, the more you should check if only fellow tourists are going into them. Ask locals; also don't be put off by plain decor,as smart restauranteurs here know they have to survive after summer's gone.They don't overspend on decor and concentrate on providing good value.

Locals know this is the best place to get fresh seafood. For years,this same outfit has had a restaurant(same name) in the city of San Marcos,just to the northeast of downtown Carlsbad in a spot called Restaurant Row, a collection of restaurants in one location with offerings ranging from Mexican to Indian(Asian), prime rib to seafood, Italian to Thai. For years, we've dined at the restaurant in San Marcos, although the Carlsbad restaurant has been open for 5 years or so,simply because San Marcos is closer to us. This was our first time dining here and we were pleased the same standards were maintained-large portions, a large menu, very well-prepared (especially vegetables), and all at a price that is not quite splurge nor budget. The bill for three 3 beers, 2 pina coladas and 3 entrees was $76.00 before tip. The scallop rumaki and cajun catfish were excellent and their selection of beers includes Guiness, and Castle which my companions enjoyed. We've never had a bad meal at this restaurant. As it seems these restaurants are always busy, at lunch and dinner,I would add the qualifier that Vera Cruz is not quiet.

Begun in San Diego in the early 70s, since 1990 it's been in Carlsbad. World-class to amateurs participate and there are several special events (Saturday) held in the Plaza Camino Real Mall, notably the Keebler Kids Marathon Mile and San Diego Marathon 5K. This weekend of marathons is BIG for charities that provide volunteers along the main marathon course ($500 for providing volunteers) and opportunity to sell foods and distribute literature about their organizations. This year the Autism Society of America will take photos of people who can hold the Olympic torch carried last week by one of the society's members who is a parent of an autistic child. The society can't charge for this, but donations will be welcome. For this event, locals know Carlsbad Blvd. (the main coastal portion of the full and half marathons) will be closed to traffic, as well as several downtown streets. No one minds the inconvenience too much as the event spotlights beautiful Carlsbad and benefits over a dozen charities. Friends of mine who've run say it's great and most years the weather has been great, too, as often we have some of our best weather in January.

When we went to Denmark in 1992, we went to Billund-it was my son's pick for favorite destination on a first trip to Europe. He had played with Legos till he was 14! So when we saw the Legoland here in Carlsbad we saw the differences between it and the "home" one in Billund. There are more active rides here for children than there were in Denmark, but, wisely they kept the attractions that mark the heart of what Legoland is about- building new constructions, with parents & children playing together, and the duplications of famous buildings and cities the world over, all constructed with Legos. The site in Carlsbad is magnificently chosen- high on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean to the west and, in springtime, overlooking the blooming Flower Fields to the more immediate west. Ample parking and good directions from the nearby I-5 Freeway make the site very accessible. More compact than Disneyland in Anahiem, this park is quieter and because it is designed for relatively young children, not really comparable to Disneyland. The focus here is more on "doing your own thing," getting involved in your own pleasure-making. And doing it with parents sometimes as participants too, not just "along for the ride." For $50.00 a visit with one of the seven master builders will teach you how to build complex Lego constructions.

The newest attraction is the Technic Coaster with promised "twists,dips and curves" designed to test a child's stamina. See their web site at www.legoland.com California as the exciting Maniac Challenge computer learning center offers tutorials that must be reserved in advance.Tickets can be purchased on line and generally prices for 2 days aren't that much higher than for one day, though it's still pricey -$47.95 adult 2 day & $41.95 child 2 day.Parking for cycles $4.00. for car, $7.00, and for RVs, $8.00. Bikes & buses free parking.Anyone 60 or over is considered a senior at Legoland for a discount unspecified on their website.
On Saturay & Sunday, June 15 & 16, master builder Erik Varsszegi supervised the construction in Legos of the world's largest Yoda. And on July 11,2002, mother Panda Mah Mee and cubs, Roh Lee and Poh Lee, joined the cast in their own bamboo forest near Safaari Trek. The Lego Pandas weigh more than 120 pounds and consist of 28,300 Lego bricks. Legoland will be expanding again in 2003-this amusement park is a work in progress!

Every summer, the Carlsbad Arts Office(760-434-2904) sponsors these free public concerts, which have expanded this year to 11 in number, starting Friday evening, June 21st at Stagecoach Park in the La Costa section near us. Steely Dan appears that Friday, followed by Hollis Gentry's Neon on June 28 and Royce Crown Revue( a neo-swing group) on July 5th.

In July on the 12th and 19th, the venue is Magee Park, in the heart of Carlsbad's barrio with Latino music appropriately emphasized - Jose Molina Serrano on the 12th and NovaMenco on the 19th.Then,it's on to Pointsettia Park near Palomar Airport Road and the beach; on July 26th, Bill Magee Blues Band, and on August 2, Ruby and the Red Hots, a local, well-known blues group.

During August,on the 9th,16th, 23rd, and 30th, the site is Calavera Hills Park,in the northeastern section of the city. Gilbert Castellano's jazz group, Sue Palmer & Her Motel Swing Orchestra, Sista Monica, and Earl Thomas,a blues-gospel singer who's very popular,will appear on those dates respectively.

We've attended the ones on Stagecoach near us several times; a food & drink stand is available, and lots of families attend, bringing blankets, chairs, and coolers along. These free concerts indeed provide a pleasant way to celebrate summer Fridays and usually attract very good attendance. Parking is on streets near all venues and the best spots of course go to early birds.All shows start early, at 6 p.m., so families can eat out and enjoy a free concert simultaneously.

At the Georgina Cole Library downtown or at the Dove Library in La Costa, you can pick up a free copy of the 46 page Special 50th Anniversary edition of the TGIF Jazz in the parks 2002. This glossy features information about the appearing artists'backgrounds, 2 pages of color photos from previous concerts, and information about all the special Golden Anniversary events scheduled to occur from summer on during the year 2002. It also includes a map of all concert sites and shuttle service sites at all of them. Drop off-lanes for food & gear are available at each venue. Pets, skateboards, rollerblades, skates and bicycles aren't allowed at these "jammed" concerts.

UPDATE Bill Magee, a guitarist from Mississippi, plays "real Chicago blues,"to get his audiences up and dancing". Ruby Presnell,a vocalist who has performed at the Monterey Blues Festival, also will be performing with the San Diego Summer Pops this summer ;as the daughter of Harve Presnell, former actor("Seven Brides for Seven Brothers"),and former opera singer,(my favorite was his performance in "Carmina Burana,") this talented gal has also appeared with Etta Jmaes,and performs with several musical groups.Trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos is the son of a well-known Mexican musician and received critical kudos for his debut CD,"The Gilbert Castellanos Hammond B-3 Quartet." And pianist Sue Palmer plays boogie-woogie with soul. All of the other artists have received accolades from critics beyond local ones. And all of these concerts are free!

We Carlsbad citizens are very reluctant to grow BIG like Anaheim, for example.There was much opposition to Legoland because to some citizens,it meant Disneyland and all the commercial sprawl aaround it that marred Anaheim's once-small city character. By chance, in 1992, we had visited the original Legoland in charming Billund,Denmark and were able to assure our neighbors that this project would NOT be anything like Disney and its pre-fabricated short-circuiting of the imagination. Legoland in Carlsbad has been geared in part to cater to American expectations; there are more rides than in Denmark. There was a fight to allow a few cafes to serve alcohol-the American Puritannical tendency to expect the worst,rather than best, behavior of adults probably puzzled the Danish project's management. But Carlsbad wants to stay small while attracting tourist dollars. And Legoland still emphasizes parent-child play-together time at its Carlsbad location.

Since 1995, more tourists, more residential and commercial building have strained local roads built to allow 1960's traffic. Yet our beaches remain clean and our lagoons are cleaner due to millions of dollars in mitigation expenditures. We didn't become Anaheim after Legoland opened because we took great care in allowing it here. Downtown Carlsbad is full of funky antique and clothing shops owned by locals. There are really two Carlsbads as the southern part of this relatively large(in area)city was formerly separate and known as La Costa(as it is still called by locals today). Northern "old" Carlsbad still contains within it a barrio that was the setting in local author Victor Villasenor's novels, especially in Realms of Gold with its depiction of the area in the 1920's. There's an active Tourist Bureau in an old downtown train depot that distributes literature on historical Carlsbad.

But most visitors will enjoy the laid-back style of a city that doesn't want too much of everything except good surf,sunshine and sunflowers. Every spring, people marvel at the Flower Fields and their gorgeous display of color so much that locals had to be reassured the fields wouldn't be demolished because of nearby Legoland. Now the Fields themselves have become a major attraction in their season. What's the price to pay for this wariness? Fewer tourists probably, but too many tourists would overwhelm resources and change the character of a place that is still "as good as it gets". We welcome pauses in the travel industry because that helps us remain attractive.

The Giant Tecolote Ranunculus (Ranunculi?)is (are?) coming! " After a 2 week delay in blooming, the result of too warm weather at seeding time, the "star(s)" of the Flower Fields is (are) ready: this Saturday, March 16, the Flower Fields will open. Anticipated by locals, as well as ever-increasing numbers of tourists who look forward to this Spring event, the hills to the east of Palomar Airport Road and the I-5 will become a colorful carpet-sea of dazzling brightness to mark that our "Spring" has arrived.

Open from 9-5 every day until April 3, when, if we have no blistering warmth, it will be open daily from 9-6,till May 9, 2004. The Fields will be dotted with visitors and local volunteers assisting the explorations. Admission for adults- $7.00; for seniors 60+- $6.00; for children 3-10- $4.00. Children under 2 are free. This year a season pass is available-$13.00 adult, $11.00 senior, and $7.00 children.What about "2 to 3?" asks the preschool teacher in me. Maybe they don't want any "terrible two's" trampling the flowers? I am just reporting what is stated on the web site(www.info@theflowerfields.com.)Also new for 2004 is a "Click n' Print" feature for ticket purchase is available at the web site.