Carlsbad’s Outdoors Welcome You Back for Summer

The summer of 2020 is like none other. Summer is the best time of year to get outside, soak up the sun, and enjoy the great outdoors. This year, that sentiment is truer than it ever has been. Many of us have spent the past three months at home. For some, this has meant staying indoors. Now that the weather is warm, and we better understand how to safely engage in outdoor activity, getting outside is the key to kicking off a healthy and active summer. Luckily, Carlsbad is just the place to enjoy the open air, keep a distance, and get some exercise. From trails and lagoons to miles of beaches, there are a million different ways to answer the call of the outdoors in Carlsbad. Grab your shorts and sneakers and enjoy the fresh air you need and the warm weather you crave. Here are four fun places to revel in the great outdoors this summer.

The Trails at Hosp Grove

Carlsbad’s moderate weather makes even city living feel easy and breezy. If you really want to get away from the bustle of the neighborhoods, shops, and restaurants, Hosp Grove Trails and Park in northern Carlsbad is a great retreat. The handful of short but scenic hiking trails surrounding the park are lined with Carlsbad’s native flora and fauna. Cacti and succulents line the pathways, and the easy trails provide a nice quiet walk with calming surroundings. The walkways lead into a canopy of tree cover and there is parking located across from the Buena Vista Lagoon. The park has public picnic tables so that you can pack a lunch and spend the afternoon relaxing on the trails.

Hosp Grove was originally made up solely of eucalyptus trees. Their presence still towers over the park and adds a pleasant fragrance that flows throughout the trails and through the trees. There are two sections in the park and approximately three miles worth of trails. Parking is located on each side of the Grove, with all entrances crisscrossing through the interior. The grounds are well kept, and the pathways are shaded when the sun is high in the sky. Hosp Grove is the ideal place for a low impact walk or jog, an outlet for kids to burn off steam, and a reprieve from the norm.

Rancho La Costa Preserve

If you like a mix of easy terrain and more intermediate trails, Rancho La Costa Preserve is the spot to find your pace. With a mixture of paved pathways, decomposed granite, and soily terrain, you can pick how you’d prefer to cover ground. The Preserve is known by hikers and bikers alike, and no matter what your endurance level is, you can find a challenge to conquer while you explore.

The Preserve is made up of four main trailheads. The Ridgeline Trail is a long and difficult hike. On the flip side, the Old Rancho Santa Fe Trail is an easy paved option. The Preserve is also home to Box Canyon and close to 500 acres of native coastal habitat. No matter which trail you end up on, the views are next to none. The hilltops provide views of the Batiquitos Lagoon, Box Canyon, and the Pacific Ocean.

Lake Calavera Preserve

If you would like to experience native California, Lake Calavera Preserve is a special place to see the habitats, plant life, and ecosystems that are unique to the area. The Preserve was designated as an Ecological Reserve by the Fish and Game Commission in 2000, and the pathways within are reserved for pedestrian use only.

There are multiple looped trails throughout the Preserve, and the Lake Loop Trail has 1.9 miles of water views and water friendly wildlife.

Blue Paddle SUP

For water lovers, Carlsbad’s coastline and its lagoons are some of the most fun and relaxing places to experience the outdoors in Southern California. They offer tons of opportunity to lay on the sand, try out new watersports, and casually sail along the shore.

Stand up paddleboarding is an activity that will get you out on the water, moving through the surf, and expending energy all at once. At Blue Paddle SUP, you can explore the Carlsbad coast from a new perspective. Blue Paddle offers a paddleboarding tour that ensures social distancing without having to give up the fun of the lagoon. With a certified guide, you can get a short lesson on land before entering the water. The Carlsbad Lagoon is home to calm surf and natural wildlife. You can float through the water at a relaxing pace and see everything from pelicans to sea turtles and sea lions.

Boards are available for rent and guides will make sure that you have the time of your life, regardless of your experience.

There is really no better place to be than to be outside in Carlsbad. With seven full miles of spectacular beaches, Carlsbad’s coast has some of the most spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean around. Tamarack State Beach is ideal for families and kids and is adjacent to the Carlsbad Seawall where walkers and joggers can look out into the water while exercising. South Ponto Beach is one of the widest beaches in the county, allowing guests to spread out and soak up the sun.  From North Carlsbad beaches to South State Beach – Carlsbad’s coastline is the place to get outdoors and enjoy the views.

Check out any one of these unique locales to experience all of the beauty that Carlsbad has to offer.