Carlsbad, California
Carlsbad is a city of 114,373 people in San Diego County, California.
Why visit Carlsbad
Townapedia lists 33 museums and landmarks, 68 parks and trails, 243 places to eat, 45 places to stay and 19 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cinepolis, Regal Cinemas Carlsbad 12, Museum of Making Music and Americanization School.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 76°F; December lows average 47°F.
Weather in Carlsbad
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Carlsbad
Carlsbad is a beach city in the North County area of San Diego County, California, United States. The city is 35 miles (56 km) north of downtown San Diego and 87 miles (140 km) south of downtown Los Angeles. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 114,746. Carlsbad is a popular tourist destination and home to many businesses in the golf industry.
From the Wikipedia article Carlsbad, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do19
Regal Cinemas Carlsbad 12
Cinema and theater · 4.3 mi
2525 El Camino Real, Carlsbad
Sage Creek Performing Arts Center
Cinema and theater · 2.0 mi
3900 Cannon, Carlsbad
7 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks33
Museum of Making Music
Museum · 1.8 mi
Music museum in Carlsbad, California
5790 Armada Drive, Carlsbad
Mo-Su 10:00-17:00
Americanization School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.9 mi
School in Oceanside, California
Bumann Ranch
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.7 mi
Historic ranch in California
Encinitas Boathouses
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.9 mi
Boat-shaped houses in California
Olivenhain Town Meeting Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.6 mi
Community meeting house in Olivenhain, California
.jpg){kind=link}
Rancho De Los Kiotes
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Ranch in Carlsbad, California
21 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds68
Legoland California
Sports field and stadium · 1.5 mi
Theme park in Carlsbad, California, United States
1 Legoland Dr, Carlsbad
Mo-Su 10:00-19:00
Cadencia Park
Park · 4.0 mi
3310 Cadencia St, Carlsbad, CA 92009 Cadencia Street, Carlsbad
Mo-Su 07:00-21:00
56 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes243
Gonzo Ramen
Restaurant · Noodle · 4.4 mi
Japanese izakaya-style restaurant serving tonkotsu ramen and other Japanese tapas-style food.
300 Carlsbad Village Drive, Carlsbad
Mo-Su 12:00-21:00
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 4.4 mi
Inside supermarket
7615 Via Campanile, Carlsbad
Mo-Fr 04:30-21:00, Sa 05:00-21:00
Hooked on Sushi
Restaurant · Japanese · 4.3 mi
2580 El Camino Real, Carlsbad
Mo-Th 11:30-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-21:30; Su off
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.5 mi
2708 Loker Avenue West, Carlsbad
Mo-Fr 04:30-18:30; Sa,Su 05:00-17:00
Toast Gastrobrunch
Restaurant · 2.3 mi
American brunch and lunch with outdoor seating and some alcohol.
5970 Avenida Encinas, Carlsbad
Mo-Su 08:00-15:00
Yamariki Sushi
Restaurant · Sushi · 4.4 mi
7610 Via Campanile, Carlsbad
Mo-Sa 11:00-21:30; Su 11:00-21:00
2051 Cucina Italiana
Restaurant · Italian · 0.6 mi
Sa 11:00-15:00, 17:00-21:00; Su 11:30-21:00; Mo-Fr 08:00-15:00,17:00-21:00
Bushfire Kitchen
Restaurant · American, Burger · 4.4 mi
3433 Via Montebello, Carlsbad
Mo-Su 11:00-21:00
Gelato Love
Ice cream · 4.4 mi
300 Carlsbad Village Drive
Mo-Th 12:00-21:00; Fr 12:00-22:00; Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:00-21:00
231 more on the map.
History
The first European land exploration of Alta California, the Spanish Portolá expedition of 1769, met native villagers while camped on Buena Vista Creek. Another Luiseño village within today's city of Carlsbad was a village at the mouth of the San Marcos Creek that the Kumeyaay called "Ajopunquile". A Kumeyaay village that was visited by Portolá was Hakutl, in the Rancho Ponderosa area.
During the Mexican period, in 1842, the southern portion of Carlsbad was granted as Rancho Agua Hedionda to Juan María Marrón.
In the 1880s, a former sailor named John A. Frazier dug a well in the area. He began offering his water at the train station and soon the whistle-stop became known as Frazier's Station. A test done on a second fresh-water well discovered the water to be chemically similar to that found in some of the most renowned spas in the world, and the town was named after the famed spa in the Bohemian town of Karlsbad in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic.
From the History section of Carlsbad, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay45
Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa
Motel and hotel · 2.0 mi
7100 Aviara Resort Drive, Carlsbad
Churches and places of worship23
Saint Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 3.0 mi
6628 Santa Isabel Street, Carlsbad
Saint Patrick Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 3.3 mi
3821 Adams Street, Carlsbad
Saint Michaels by the Sea Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 4.5 mi
2775 Carlsbad Boulevard, Carlsbad
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 4.7 mi
3450 Camino de Los Coches, Carlsbad
Shopping39
Gas and EV charging29
Schools, colleges and libraries69
Army and Navy Academy
School · 4.7 mi
2605 Carlsbad Boulevard, Carlsbad
Healthcare11
Map of Carlsbad
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65°F | 48°F | 2.5 in |
| Feb | 64°F | 48°F | 2.6 in |
| Mar | 64°F | 51°F | 1.6 in |
| Apr | 66°F | 53°F | 0.9 in |
| May | 68°F | 57°F | 0.3 in |
| Jun | 70°F | 60°F | 0.1 in |
| Jul | 74°F | 64°F | 0.1 in |
| Aug | 76°F | 65°F | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 64°F | 0.1 in |
| Oct | 73°F | 59°F | 0.5 in |
| Nov | 70°F | 52°F | 1.0 in |
| Dec | 65°F | 47°F | 1.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Carlsbad Palomar Ap (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
San Diego County has had 35 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2024-02-19: Severe Storm And Flooding (Flood)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-09: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-10-16: Wildfires (Fire)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
McClellan-Palomar Airport (CLD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 1 miles away.
- Vista 5 mi northeast, about 8 min by car
- Encinitas 5 mi south, about 9 min by car
- Oceanside 7 mi north, about 11 min by car
- San Marcos 7 mi east, about 11 min by car
- Camp Pendleton South 10 mi northwest, about 16 min by car
- Solana Beach 10 mi south, about 15 min by car
- Escondido 12 mi east, about 20 min by car
- Fallbrook 17 mi north, about 28 min by car
- Valley Center 17 mi northeast, about 28 min by car
- Poway 18 mi southeast, about 29 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- CarlsbadSignDowntownJune2020, Zzannoni1956, Public domain
- Race and ethnicity 2020 Carlsbad, CA, CensusDots, CC BY-SA 4.0
- New Moon Sunset at Carlsbad Crest (30727528546), Chris Hunkeler from Carlsbad, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- MuseumOfMakingMusic, Museum of Making Music at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0
- Legoland California, https://www.flickr.com/photos/jdigger/, CC BY 2.0
- Olivenhain Meeting House, Djarvis73, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Rancho De Los Kiotes 2012-09-22 16-36-00, scerruti, CC BY-SA 3.0
- BUMANN RANCH ENCINITAS SAN DIEGO COUNTY, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, M.D., CC BY-SA 4.0
- Encinitas boat houses, Jon Sullivan, Public domain
- Ocean Americanization, Todd Schlender, CC BY-SA 3.0
- I tried to capture the partial eclipse and that's all I got... (14990790574), Pasco Olivier, CC BY 2.0
- Part of the Chaparral Plant Community (7406217262), Chris Hunkeler from Carlsbad, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Aging Condenser Unit of a Split Air Conditioning System (7547606426), Chris Hunkeler from Carlsbad, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Shoe Prints in Soft Sand (7406219946), Chris Hunkeler from Carlsbad, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Final RWY24 Palomar (2144900805), John Murphy, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Dry Looking Flowers (7406221356), Chris Hunkeler from Carlsbad, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Two Large Mushrooms (7870046592), Chris Hunkeler from Carlsbad, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Giant Mushrooms (7870045606), Chris Hunkeler from Carlsbad, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mushroom Archipelago (7870047816), Chris Hunkeler from Carlsbad, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- 7.18.17 ViaSat Headquarters (35985289416), Federal Communications Commission, Public domain
- 7.18.17 ViaSat Headquarters Visit (35185649944), Federal Communications Commission, Public domain
- Mission San Luis Rey in Lego (8291423265), Theresa O'Connor from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Mississippi riverboat in Lego (8291293379), Theresa O'Connor from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Waxing Gibbous Beaver Moon (8215929838), Chris Hunkeler from Carlsbad, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Handles and Hinges (8401274462), Chris Hunkeler from Carlsbad, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Moth (7446034704), Chris Hunkeler from Carlsbad, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- New Desk (8335107929), Chris Hunkeler from Carlsbad, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Dragon (Legoland California) 2, Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 4.0
- Legoland California - 52885865530, Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 2.0
- Laundry Rack Shadows (7964546754), Chris Hunkeler from Carlsbad, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Legoland California - 52885865630, Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 2.0
- Poor minifigs need to use the loo! (8292662972), Theresa O'Connor from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- DC in Lego (8292141275), Theresa O'Connor from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Iwo Jima (8292140441), Theresa O'Connor from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- The Jefferson and Washington monuments, in Lego (8292346668), Theresa O'Connor from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- A DC church in Lego (8292347672), Theresa O'Connor from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- The Hollywood Bowl (8291425879), Theresa O'Connor from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- DC in Lego (8291266565), Theresa O'Connor from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Parade at the Lego Capitol Building (8292328760), Theresa O'Connor from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- DC in Lego (8291269019), Theresa O'Connor from San Francisco, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
_2.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.