Hey all,

I am looking for things to do in Carlsbad, CA for about 5 days. My friends and I are going there to housesit for someone and need ideas to keep busy. We live in Arizona so we are definately going to the beach.
We want to go to Coronado one day. So far that's all we know.
Does anyone know of any good restaurants? Any good sightseeing ideas? Any good activities or events going on?
We will be there from September 4th to the 9th and we are all in our mid 20's.

Thanks for any ideas!

Have just had 5 fabulous days with friends in Carlsbad.We're not in our 20's so hope these suggestions are not too tame for you all!!
Hope you have a car as a trip to San Diego Old Town is worthwhile and an absolute must would be a visit to San Juan Capistrano Mission.
It's a bit more of a drive but Julian is an old mining town full of quaint shops eg "Petticoats & Pistols" & lots of gold rush history.
You name suggests very young active people so maybe these places are not quite what you were asking for but give them a go & you'll be surprised at what you discover..
PS: check out the funky fire hydrants in Carlsbad Town & watch out for the express train that comes FLYING through the middle of the town!!!!
Wish we were back there but Australia will have to do till next time!Enjoy yourselves!!

Thank you ozlindy! We will definitely keep these ideas in mind while traveling. They sound very interesting! We love to learn things, and do activities such as hiking, biking, playing in the water, and so much more.

Carlsbad is great- daughter used to live there and you will find lots to do

One of her favorite spots was the Rocking Baja Lobster in Oceanside

You can take the train from Carlsbad down to SD for the day -
Vist some of the other coast towns-
Take a surfing lesson
Rent a bike and ride along the coast

Visit LaJolla
I found the bus system was easy to use - you can even get a visitor pass

so have fun -

My mom lives in Carlsbad and we took her to the Fish House Vera Cruz on Carlsbad Village Drive in April for her birthday.

It was some of the best fish I have had ever.

we have family in Carlsbad. they took us to a cafe in Encinitas that served potato pancakes. soooooo good!!! i can't think of the name right now, another kupuna momemt. i've only been there twice.

The 101 Diner in Encinitas is great. There is also the St.Germain cafe and the Potato Shack that may be what you're thinking of.

I would recommend doing the beach trail hike at Torrey Pines state reserve. You can park along Hwy 101 and walk up the road to the top and follow the signs down to the beach trail. Go all the way to the beach and go to the left to curve around a stone staircase.

I would also highly recommend kayaking in La Jolla cove. You can see amazing sea creatures.

Take a day to go to the Gaslamp and stroll around. You could also fit in Balboa Park the same day....lots of museums and great walks.

La Jolla and Del Mar and Solana Beach (Cedros Ave) and Encinitas (Lumberyard) all have great retail areas to check out.

The Carlsbad Company Stores outlet mall has some nice stores to check out as well.

I would also recommend Cedros Ave in Solana Beach. A local favorite is Zinc. A nice little restaurant with great food. I think it was highlighted in Zagat.

I'd agree on the gas lamp district in San Diego at that age group....good night life and dining. La Jolla is also fun to knock around but expensive. Have a drink at George's on The Cove above the bay, you can stoll down to the beach and be arms length from the seals. Also head up to Malibu...fantastic people watching and beach.

If you like Mexican food, check out the local Fidel's restaurant, I think it's right on the 101 in Carlsbad.

Oh yah, kayaking in La Jolla is super fun http://www.san-diego-hotels-resorts....iego-kayak.php . Also, check out Encinitas on the 101. It has a great independent music store called Lou's Records. Also there is some decent nightlife in that area with Martini Ranch.

Here is some hotel ideas in North County: http://www.san-diego-hotels-resorts....ast-hotels.php

Do not miss the San Diego Zoo. It's awesome!

DH & I recently enjoyed a meal of tapas (small plates) at Osetra in the Gaslamp. Great setting with lots of windows. In Carlsbad, I like the the Grand Deli and Daily News for breakfast and lunch.

Thanks for all the great suggestions everyone. My friends and I had a great time on this trip. We spent our first full day there in Coronado. We didn't do much but walk the beach and see the infamous Hotel Del Coronado. We also had lunch at a mexican restaurant on Orange ave. that was pretty good. On Saturday we went to Oceanside on a whim and ended up in the middle of a surfing competition. We probably spent a good 2 hours on the pier watching all the surfers. We spent another day in San Diego just seeing some of the sights. 2 days we spent just in Carlsbad walking along the ocean, swimming in the area pool and relaxing.
We went to this Thai restaurant called...Thai Lotus - or something similar to that. It was amazing food. The restaurant was small but warm. It was right off of the interstate on I believe Carlsbad Ave. I would recommend that place to anyone. We also went to a French bistro for breakfast one morning across the interstate from the Thai restaurant. All in all it was a pretty relaxing break.