Reasons to Move to Carlsbad
By Sean Creamer on January 15, 2024
It is no secret that living near San Diego is a dream.
This inviting surf-side oasis rises from the Pacific, its high rises framed in by the scenic Laguna Mountain range. America's Finest City attracts people from all walks of life and many put down roots. San Diego is for you if you have thought of life in the sun and near the surf.
But many folks have trouble figuring out where to start their search. If you love to be in the center of the hustle and bustle, then the Gaslamp Quarter might be for you. But if you want quiet winding streets near stretches of beaches, you should check out Carlsbad, California.
Carlsbad has some of the best beaches in San Diego County and has a vibrant downtown near the shores. To help buyers learn about Carlsbad, we've compiled a list of the top reasons Californians choose to call this place home.
A history of beautiful land
The city started from humble beginnings as a whistle-stop on a train route called Frazier's Station.
A sailor named John Frazier discovered natural spring water and dug a well to offer water to riders going between San Diego and Los Angeles. Locals tested the water, finding it had a similar make-up to a famous spa town in Europe called Karlsbad, and the area was renamed Carlsbad. The region flourished from the fertile land in the late 1800s and 1900s, with farmers growing citrus, olives, and fruits.
Eventually, Carlsbad evolved into a popular resort destination over time, until the aerospace industry in California created a need for housing near major commerce hubs like San Diego. The city flourished through the 70s and 80s, as people from Orange County and San Diego moved to the area. Surfing was and continues to be a popular activity, and when surfers got out of the waves, they hopped on their skateboards.
The pastime was so popular in the area in the '70s that Carlsbad became the site of the first commercial skatepark in the United States.
Bountiful beaches
When Californians were looking for a resort town north of San Diego in the 1900s, weekend explorers saw Carlsbad's sea cliffs and sloping beaches and knew they had found a gem.
Weekend homes began to pop up in Carlsbad along the coastline, spurring resort-like development. Today, there are actual luxury resorts on the shores of the Pacific in Carlsbad. There are several stretches of beachfront in the area, each more beautiful than the last.
Tourists flock to the Carlsbad City Beach in the summertime as it is right off the main drag of Carlsbad Village. If you're looking for the perfect California surfing curls, check out Tamarack Surf Beach or North Ponto Beach.
But if secluded oceanside cliffs overlooking crashing waves is your thing, you will want to scope out the homes at Terramar Point, just to the west of LEGOLAND.
Small city vibes north of San Diego
Part of the allure of Carlsbad is escaping the crowds of LA and central San Diego. The city offers a relaxed vibe, where master-planned suburbs climb up into the hills overlooking the waterfront.
Wide avenues connect communities filled with large homes on tree-laden streets. The Five freeway is how residents travel to Orange County to the north and San Diego to the south. Poinsettia Lane, Palomar Airport Road, and Carlsbad Village Drive are corridors that take people from the suburbs to the beachside communities.
El Camino Real is a smaller corridor that helps locals living in master-planned communities reach centralized shopping outlets to Carlsbad's northern and southern sides.
North of Carlsbad Village is Downtown Oceanside, which has an electric vibe and is where tourists and locals mingle in boutique shops and restaurants overlooking the Pacific. Home to the famous Oceanside City Beach and Pier, it is easy to get lost in the area's beauty, as beaches stretch as far as you can see.
While lounging in the sand is a popular pastime, many locals like to spend their time on the golf course links.
Golf capital of Southern California
With 280 days of sunshine a year and some of the best golf courses in Southern California, it is easy to see why golf is so prevalent in Carlsbad.
In the early 1990s, top-line producers of golf clubs began moving en masse to Carlsbad. The R&D testers needed fair weather year-round, and the ample land made the sleepy oceanside town the perfect place to set up shop. Taylor-Made, Titleist, and Calloway all have headquarters in the city, which is why golf aficionados call Carlsbad Titanium Valley.
Today, residents have five courses to choose from and about 50 more within 20 miles of Carlsbad. Private clubs like the Aviara Club on the shores of Batiquitos Lagoon are just minutes from the corporate offices of several golf companies.
For locals looking for a quick round on the weekend, the Crossings at Carlsbad is a public course that is a favorite amongst weekend warriors. It is close to the shore, near the shops, and provides fun views of the nearby LEGOLAND California Center.
Plenty of fun attractions
Considering how close Carlsbad is to LA and San Diego, you would think that many locals head out to these metropolises for fun. But you can find plenty to do exploring the streets of Carlsbad.
Beyond the golf links and beaches, there are many parks, shops, and quirky attractions in the city. The Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park is a popular haunt for locals and tourists alike, as the storied, pueblo-style buildings harken to pastoral times. Just make sure to keep an eye out for the free-roaming peacocks that live on site.
History lovers can visit John Frazier's original well at the Alt Karlsbad Hanse Museum, a historical home built in the Bohemian style. If you fly over Carlsbad at the right time of year, you can see the Flower Fields, which look like a prismatic splash of color spreading out like a giant canvas. This seasonal attraction contains an array of flowers of all shapes, sizes, and colors arranged to provide stunning strolls through rolling fields nestled in the heart of Carlsbad.
There are other amusement parks in the city, but none hold a candle to the iconic LEGOLAND California Center. Founded in 1999, this LEGO brick-based behemoth of an amusement park covers all the bases. After wandering through a miniature LEGO town and other exhibits, you can get out of the sun at the SEA LIFE aquarium connected to the campus.
Modern economy
While golf remains a top industry in Carlsbad, there is a growing information technology footprint in the city.
Online commerce became the dominant industry in Carlsbad in the late 90s and early 2000s, and firms like Viasat, a broadband and internet provider, hire over 2,000 employees in the city. Biotech is another popular industry in Carlsbad, as is bioimaging services. Although one of the main reasons many young coders come to Carlsbad is gaming.
Rockstar Studios, the maker of the infamous Grand Theft Auto games, has a large office in Carlsbad, attracting video game creators from all over the country to the city. Beyond tech and golf, many apparel companies call Carlsbad home, as companies like Atticus Clothing, Fallen Footwear, Osiris Shoes, and No Fear all have corporate offices in the city.
