# What to do in Escondido and Carlsbad?



## dreamin (Jan 13, 2015)

For the last 2 weeks of January I will be staying at Welk Resort Villas in Escondido and GPR Seapointe at Carlsbad with my 2 sisters and adult daughter.  We plan to do day trips and want to go to Temecula Wine Region when we are in Escondido and the San Diego Zoo when we are in Carlsbad.  It seemed reasonable to see San Diego and all that it offers when we are in Carlsbad because of proximity.  Any suggestions on what we can do in the Escondido area?  We like to hike (moderate hikes), bike, shop, and see local attractions.  We will have a vehicle.  Currently I am in Indio so we will be going to Joshua Tree while we are here.

Also, we have to reserve a hotel for one night between the two timeshares because of different check-in days.  We would like to go to Paul Getty Museum, Rodeo Drive, and whatever else there is in the LA area, so can you suggest a safe area to book a hotel for the one night that wouldn't involve too much driving?  I am getting more accustomed to interstate driving but I'm not looking forward to driving in LA traffic!  This is our first trip to Southern California.


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## presley (Jan 13, 2015)

For Escondido, I recommend the Safari Park.  It is owned by the San Diego Zoo, but much more spread out and there are nice moderate hikes right there in the park.  

If you are interested in missions, Mission San Luis Rey is somewhat near there.

In Carlsbad, you'll be across the street from the ocean and you will have gorgeous sunsets from the resort.  So, you may want to time some of those be at the resort.  The ocean will be cold, but you can still have some nice bike rides along the beach.  

Not sure about the hotels in LA.


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## Ken555 (Jan 13, 2015)

dreamin said:


> We would like to go to Paul Getty Museum, Rodeo Drive, and whatever else there is in the LA area, so can you suggest a safe area to book a hotel for the one night that wouldn't involve too much driving?  I am getting more accustomed to interstate driving but I'm not looking forward to driving in LA traffic!  This is our first trip to Southern California.




Santa Monica.

There are two J Paul Getty museums, one in Pacific Palisades on Pacific Coast Highway about 10 minutes north of Santa Monica and the other near Brentwood about 15-20 minutes from Santa Monica. Both are worth visiting, though for different reasons. The view from the Brentwood location at dusk is excellent and the Villa (in the Palisades) is a great walking museum; each has different exhibits and focus.


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## SmithOp (Jan 13, 2015)

for someone not accustomed to LA traffic it will be a challenge getting to Santa Monica from Carlsbad, its 105 miles according to google maps if you take the toll road cutoff through OC.

An alternative route is PCH / beaches of Orange County - get off the I-5 to Hwy 1 PCH in Dana Point, put on some beach boys tunes and cruise PCH up through Laguna Beach, Newport, Huntington, Bolsa Chica, Sunset Beach, Seal Beach,...you should have forgotten all about Santa Monica by now. .  There is a nice Hampton Inn we stay in Seal Beach that is a good area, its next to a Naval Base and a huge senior housing development.  Close to the 405 to reach Santa Monica.

We will be in Newport at NCV the last week of Jan.


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## Saintsfanfl (Jan 13, 2015)

presley said:


> For Escondido, I recommend the Safari Park.  It is owned by the San Diego Zoo, but much more spread out and there are nice moderate hikes right there in the park.



We were there last July and were fairly disappointed in the Safari Park. Keep in mind our perspective. We live right by Disney's Animal Kingdom and Busch Gardens Africa and used to live right by Fossil Rim in Glenrose, TX. We found that not only was it inferior to what we were used to but also all the activities that were an additional expensive fee. It's fine for someone that hasn't experienced something comparable but if we are ever in the area again we would not consider going back. 

On the other hand we loved the San Diego Zoo. We had a combo ticket and if we had to do it over again we would do two days at the zoo and skip the Safari.


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## klpca (Jan 13, 2015)

Saintsfanfl said:


> We were there last July and were fairly disappointed in the Safari Park. Keep in mind our perspective. We live right by Disney's Animal Kingdom and Busch Gardens Africa and used to live right by Fossil Rim in Glenrose, TX. We found that not only was it inferior to what we were used to but also all the activities that were an additional expensive fee. It's fine for someone that hasn't experienced something comparable but if we are ever in the area again we would not consider going back.
> 
> On the other hand we loved the San Diego Zoo. We had a combo ticket and if we had to do it over again we would do two days at the zoo and skip the Safari.



Seconded. I feel bad admitting it as a local, but I love the zoo and don't get the Safari Park. I thought I was the only one. 

In response to the OP, I would suggest hiking at Torrey Pines State Park - I prefer the beach trail, but the Guy Fleming trail is a lot easier in case that matters. 

Near Carlsbad is Winesteals http://www.winestealssd.com/home - fun and nice ambience. Next to the Grand Pacific Palisades resort is Karl Strauss. A fun pubby kind of place. Pizza Port is fun too, but always crowded.  

If you like shopping/browising, try Cedros Ave in Solana Beach (close by) http://www.cedrosavenue.com/ There's also an outlet mall nearby http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=66 

I would also try seeing (in no particular order) Coronado Island, The Midway, La Jolla, Cabrillo Monument, Balboa Park.

edited to add - 

Call me slow, I just realized that you were looking for things to do while in Escondido. Sorry. For that it's pretty much Temecula and the Safari Park. For hiking I would try Daley Ranch. http://www.escondido.org/daley-ranch.aspx There's a pretty cool sculpture garden in Kit Carson Park featuring sculptures by Niki de Saint Phalle http://www.escondido.org/queen-califias-magical-circle.aspx (although it looks like it may be closed for renovations). Escondido has a large enclosed mall which would be nice if the weather isn't cooperative http://www.westfield.com/northcounty/ Here's the link to the Escondido page with a lot more suggestions: http://www.escondido.org/uniquely-escondido.aspx


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## LynnW (Jan 13, 2015)

We had a night between stays in Carlsbad and stayed at the Hampton Inn in San Marcos which was nice. When you are at Seapointe you can take the coaster train into San Diego which is much better than driving. We took the trolley tour in San Diego which is a hop on hop off so you could stop at the zoo and it also takes you to Coronado Island. Check their website for the schedule. When we were there the last train returned from Old Town San Diego at 7:20PM so we had an early dinner and grabbed the train back to Carlsbad. If you want to stay later you can use you ticket on Amtrak which leaves about 9:00PM.

Lynn


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## Ken555 (Jan 13, 2015)

SmithOp said:


> for someone not accustomed to LA traffic it will be a challenge getting to Santa Monica from Carlsbad, its 105 miles according to google maps if you take the toll road cutoff through OC.




I'm not sure what the OP is used to driving or not, but the freeways in LA are the same as any other large city. Just be careful and drive with caution and there shouldn't be any issue. There are many ways of getting to Santa Monica though the fastest and most convenient is often a freeway, which conditions change based on day of week, time of day, etc.  Of course there are lots of cars in LA, so drive defensively. 


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## Ken555 (Jan 13, 2015)

SmithOp said:


> An alternative route is PCH / beaches of Orange County - get off the I-5 to Hwy 1 PCH in Dana Point, put on some beach boys tunes and cruise PCH up through Laguna Beach, Newport, Huntington, Bolsa Chica, Sunset Beach, Seal Beach,...you should have forgotten all about Santa Monica by now. .  There is a nice Hampton Inn we stay in Seal Beach that is a good area, its next to a Naval Base and a huge senior housing development.  Close to the 405 to reach Santa Monica.




None of those locations are near the Getty museums, so the OP would have a long drive when they decide to go there.


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## hjtug (Jan 13, 2015)

We enjoyed a day trip from Escondido to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.  You can visit the towns of Ramona and Julian on the way.


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## Luanne (Jan 13, 2015)

We used to go up to Julian when we'd stay at our home resort in Ramona.  Fun little town.


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## Karen G (Jan 13, 2015)

While you are in Carlsbad check out the  Coaster commuter train. The Poinsettia station is close to the resort--you can even walk to the station through the neighborhood beside the resort. Check a Google map for the pathway.

Look at the link in blue above for the various combination tickets you can get. You can get unlimited bus and trolley rides with one of the train tickets. From the train depot, you can walk over to the USS Midway museum. You can take the trolley and bus to Balboa Park where there are a number of interesting museums and a great restaurant, Prado.

The train is a great deal with a lovely ride along the coast.


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## sue1947 (Jan 13, 2015)

Actually, Escondido is a little closer to San Diego than Carlsbad; 28 mi vs 31 miles.  So do the west side of San Diego near I-5 from Carlsbad but the east and south sections from Escondido using I-15.  
Escondido is about 20 miles from Carlsbad via Hwy 78 so a beach trip while you are at the Welk is easily done.  In all cases avoid rush hour traffic and you won't have any problems.  
What is considered too far or too cold is really a function of geography.  I bet somebody from Manitoba will find the beaches balmy and the distances very doable, though the traffic may be daunting.  I always try to time driving through LA for Sunday morning or 10am-noon on other days.  Getting to Santa Monica from Escondido is maximum traffic potential so if you decide it's not worth it, you might look at south Orange County for that one night.  Maybe Laguna Beach or Newport Beach near NCV with a nice walk at Crystal Cove State Park or Dana Point which has a nice walk near the marina as well as up through the hills.  

The Welk resort is right on I-15 and you can get into the HOV lane for a fast drive down to the east side of SD.  Keep going another 10 miles or so and take the right to Coronado and walk the beach or the bay.  There's a nice park on the bay side near the bridge.  
A little further south is the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife refuge with a nice visitor center and some trails for wandering through the wetlands.  
At Cabrillo NM there are some really nice trails along the headland at the south end with good whale watching or another nice trail down along the beach/bluff at the north end.

Sue


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## SmithOp (Jan 14, 2015)

Ken555 said:


> I'm not sure what the OP is used to driving or not, but the freeways in LA are the same as any other large city. Just be careful and drive with caution and there shouldn't be any issue. There are many ways of getting to Santa Monica though the fastest and most convenient is often a freeway, which conditions change based on day of week, time of day, etc.  Of course there are lots of cars in LA, so drive defensively.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad




OP said she was just getting used to interstate driving and first visit to SoCal.  I worked 17 years for Caltrans, I know freeways, I was trying to encourage her to consider Orange County vs going 105 miles up to Santa Monica.


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## Ken555 (Jan 14, 2015)

SmithOp said:


> OP said she was just getting used to interstate driving and first visit to SoCal.  I worked 17 years for Caltrans, I know freeways, I was trying to encourage her to consider Orange County vs going 105 miles up to Santa Monica.




I've not worked for Caltrans though I have driven the LA freeways since I was 16 (and for the record, that's longer than 17 years) nor do I know how working for Caltrans would influence anyone's decision on whether or not to drive in LA unless you perhaps know which freeway to avoid due to questionable maintenance...but that's another thread topic. 

Anyway...how do you suggest she visit the Getty museum if she doesn't drive north? I think driving up one day and spending the night in Santa Monica or thereabouts makes a lot of sense, and follow up with a day at the museums and another drive south to Carlsbad. Of course it's a lot of drive time but if the Getty museums are an important goal of the visit (and Rodeo... ) then I think it's reasonable.


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## SmithOp (Jan 14, 2015)

Ken555 said:


> I've not worked for Caltrans though I have driven the LA freeways since I was 16 (and for the record, that's longer than 17 years) nor do I know how working for Caltrans would influence anyone's decision on whether or not to drive in LA unless you perhaps know which freeway to avoid due to questionable maintenance...but that's another thread topic.
> 
> Anyway...how do you suggest she visit the Getty museum if she doesn't drive north? I think driving up one day and spending the night in Santa Monica or thereabouts makes a lot of sense, and follow up with a day at the museums and another drive south to Carlsbad. Of course it's a lot of drive time but if the Getty museums are an important goal of the visit (and Rodeo... ) then I think it's reasonable.
> 
> ...




I wouldn't try to do it on an overnighter between ts weeks, it deserves a full day for Getty, plus Rodeo, 5-6 hours driving.  Laguna Beach Art Walk, Fashion Island, South Coast Plaza, 2 hours drive, final answer! 


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## Ken555 (Jan 14, 2015)

SmithOp said:


> I wouldn't try to do it on an overnighter between ts weeks, it deserves a full day for Getty, plus Rodeo, 5-6 hours driving.  Laguna Beach Art Walk, Fashion Island, South Coast Plaza, 2 hours drive, final answer!




Ah, now that's not the question. Had it been I would also definitely agree that driving up to LA for a single night with the intention of museums and/or other activities and then plan on driving to Carlsbad is a bit much.

That said, why would anyone want to ever visit South Coast Plaza or Fashion Island? They're just malls. Instead, I'd suggest the Huntington Library and Gardens (http://www.huntington.org) along with old Pasadena. There's plenty of unique sites in the LA area that you don't need to visit a mall...

As for Rodeo Drive, well, I suppose I see the attraction for tourists. My office was a block away for years so I'm relatively immune to its "charm". If in the area, I'd also suggest a drive along Sunset and the surrounding community - I often take visitors there and most enjoy it (and recognize many sites from a variety of TV shows). 




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## Rent_Share (Jan 14, 2015)

IMHO Plan your San Diego Travel from Escondido

Spend some time in Orange County from Carlsbad

There's nothing in LA County worth 5 + hours of windshield (minimum round trip) time in LA traffic, there is a reason that there is not a single timeshare destination in LA County


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## VegasBella (Jan 14, 2015)

We go to Carlsbad and Dana Point regularly. We like Legoland, the beaches, the little town of Carlsbad, whale watching at Dana Point, hiking, short bike rides, the Flower Fields, strawberry picking, the farmers market, the Bonanic Gardens... and we like taking the train to SD to watch a baseball game or explore the city. From there we can also drive to Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Magic Mountain although we try to avoid lots of driving.  


I also visit Santa Monica and LA often (might even go next month). I don't think I'd drive to Santa Monica/Venice Beach for a day trip from Carlsbad but I might add a night or two in a hotel there to experience it. My son, my mom, and I had a fantastic weekend trip to Santa Monica/Venice Beach last year wherein we rented bikes and rode them up and down the beach, stopping to eat or people-watch. We didn't even spend much time on the pier doing rides or games, just bicycling up and down the beach. There's sooo much to see. It was a lot of fun.


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## hjtug (Jan 14, 2015)

VegasBella said:


> whale watching at Dana Point



What months are good for whale watching there?  We have been staying once a year at Escondido to visit our son and his family and have been thinking of taking the cruise from Dana Point for a day trip to Santa Catalina Island.   Might there be whale watching on such a cruise?


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## Ken555 (Jan 14, 2015)

Rent_Share said:


> [...]there is a reason that there is not a single timeshare destination in LA County




Property value may have just a tiny bit why this is true. 


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## klpca (Jan 14, 2015)

Ken555 said:


> Property value may have just a tiny bit why this is true.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad



But there are multiple San Francisco timeshares. 

It's all good though.


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## Ken555 (Jan 15, 2015)

klpca said:


> But there are multiple San Francisco timeshares.
> 
> 
> 
> It's all good though.




Not many cities can say the same. And yes, there's a reason for this...


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## presley (Jan 15, 2015)

hjtug said:


> What months are good for whale watching there?  We have been staying once a year at Escondido to visit our son and his family and have been thinking of taking the cruise from Dana Point for a day trip to Santa Catalina Island.   Might there be whale watching on such a cruise?



The whale watching season is Jan. - March, but January is normally much better than the other months.  

I don't believe there is a  whale watching cruise combined with the transportation to Catalina, but if there are whales on the way, you will see them.  There are specific whale watching cruises out of Dana Point that don't go to Catalina.


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## VegasBella (Jan 15, 2015)

Actually whale watching season is basically all the time. It's just that certain whales are more common during some months than during others.
We have seen gray whales and blue whales and dolphins and various other kinds of sea creatures.

Read this: http://gocalifornia.about.com/od/caorangecounty/fl/Whale-Watching-Guide-for-Orange-County.htm


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## MULTIZ321 (Jan 15, 2015)

hjtug said:


> What months are good for whale watching there?  We have been staying once a year at Escondido to visit our son and his family and have been thinking of taking the cruise from Dana Point for a day trip to Santa Catalina Island.   Might there be whale watching on such a cruise?



I highly recommend Captain Dave's Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari out of Dana Point - see http://www.dolphinsafari.com/

To learn more about what you're likely to see during which month of the year,
when you get to Captain Dave's Home Page, you'll see different tabs near the top of the page - Click on the Animals link, then in the drop down menu click on "Current Sightings", then choose a "Sightings Year"  and then scroll down to see the info

Have taken several tours with his company and enjoyed them all and have seen whales and dolphins on every tour. The Blue Whale sightings (largest mammal on earth) were spectacular.

Richard


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## dreamin (Feb 7, 2015)

*Follow-up*

Thank you for all the suggestions and advice.  After driving 2500 miles to get to California, I decided I did not want to drive the 3 hours to LA to see Hollywood and the Getty Museum.  The traffic in CA has been overwhelming.  I can't imagine commuting on the I-5 or I-15 on a daily basis.  High speeds and red light runners have made me drive even more defensively than usual!

We did day trips to San Diego Zoo, Tijuana Slough, Coronado Island, La Jolla, Carlsbad Village, Oceanside pier, and Temecula Wine Region.  We hiked up hills at Torrey Pines and Daley Ranch.  We also drove to Palm Springs to pick up my daughter at the airport and spent the day hiking in Joshua Tree.  We enjoyed walking on the beach, driving along the Coast Highway, and the beautiful sunsets.  It was a busy 2 weeks with lots of driving involved as I also had to drive them back to Palm Springs for their flight home.

I'm now in Del Mar for 2 weeks with my husband.  We'll be spending a week  in Carlsbad, Laguna Beach, Palm Springs, Pacific Grove, and eventually San Francisco before heading home.   We may cancel the West Coast plan and head towards Arizona instead to reduce the amount of driving.  I have to admit that the interstates and heavy traffic initially made me dislike CA but I have a different opinion now that I've discovered the smaller coastal cities and the 101.  Del Mar and it's beautiful beach is much more relaxing and enjoyable!


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## Rent_Share (Feb 7, 2015)

dreamin said:


> We may cancel the West Coast plan and head towards Arizona instead to reduce the amount of driving.!



Stay with the West Coast option, just make sure you pass through OC/LAC on a Saturday or Sunday or start after 9:00 AM to avoid gridlock.  West coast fuel prices are at a five year low, (we don't blink an eye at paying $4.XX a gallon, currently $ 2.50)


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## klpca (Feb 7, 2015)

dreamin said:


> Thank you for all the suggestions and advice.  After driving 2500 miles to get to California, I decided I did not want to drive the 3 hours to LA to see Hollywood and the Getty Museum.  The traffic in CA has been overwhelming.  I can't imagine commuting on the I-5 or I-15 on a daily basis.  High speeds and red light runners have made me drive even more defensively than usual!
> 
> We did day trips to San Diego Zoo, Tijuana Slough, Coronado Island, La Jolla, Carlsbad Village, Oceanside pier, and Temecula Wine Region.  We hiked up hills at Torrey Pines and Daley Ranch.  We also drove to Palm Springs to pick up my daughter at the airport and spent the day hiking in Joshua Tree.  We enjoyed walking on the beach, driving along the Coast Highway, and the beautiful sunsets.  It was a busy 2 weeks with lots of driving involved as I also had to drive them back to Palm Springs for their flight home.
> 
> I'm now in Del Mar for 2 weeks with my husband.  We'll be spending a week  in Carlsbad, Laguna Beach, Palm Springs, Pacific Grove, and eventually San Francisco before heading home.   We may cancel the West Coast plan and head towards Arizona instead to reduce the amount of driving.  I have to admit that the interstates and heavy traffic initially made me dislike CA but I have a different opinion now that I've discovered the smaller coastal cities and the 101.  Del Mar and it's beautiful beach is much more relaxing and enjoyable!



i'm glad to hear that you've had a great trip (and you have). As a "local", I approve of your activities. You have done the cream of the crop, imho. And Del Mar! Just beautiful. We always thought that we would live in Del Mar, but sadly, we have yet to win the lottery. 

I hope that you are enjoying the amazing weather these past few weeks. We usually have more clouds, and some rain too, but so far it's been a beautiful winter.

Sorry about the freeways. It always seems like they are going too fast, or not at all. You almost get used to it after awhile. I still don't like going to LA because of the traffic.


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## SmithOp (Feb 7, 2015)

Stay in SoCal, we are getting pounded by the pineapple express in NorCal for the next few days, the rain has finally arrived.  Laguna Beach, stop in for a Dolce Gelato, we were there a few weeks ago and the local Lamborghini club roared down the street, a couple million dollars worth of cars out cruising on a Sat night.


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## pedro47 (Feb 7, 2015)

We did the zoo, Sea World and U S Navy and Marine Corp tour. Also a one day trip to Los Angeles.


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