Carlsbad Packages/Deals & Travel Agents Near Me

Overview

Introduction

Located north of San Diego, Carlsbad is home to Legoland California theme park, which looks a bit like something you might build in your own backyard—if you had 125 acres/50 hectares of yard and 30 million Lego building bricks. The park is part children's learning center and part theme park, with endless hands-on activities and attractions. Lego blocks are used to re-create a medieval castle and scale models of New York City, Washington, D.C., and New Orleans, among other places. Families will also enjoy the Sea Life Aquarium at Legoland, offering an educational interactive guide to life in the sea. Check Legoland's calendar before going, because the park is sometimes closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. http://california.legoland.com.

Before it became famous as a place of plastic bricks, Carlsbad was famous as a flower-growing area. You can witness some of its floral bounty each spring at the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, which occupies a pretty site overlooking the ocean. The ranch is usually open to visitors March-May. http://www.theflowerfields.com.

Overview

Introduction

In the southeastern corner of the state, Carlsbad Caverns National Park is one of the most impressive series of limestone caves in the world. Carlsbad is a three-level cavern that contains the largest known underground room in the world (300 ft/92 m high by 1,500 ft/458 m long by 300 ft/92 m wide). The immense, cathedral-like chamber is an extraordinary sight. Visitors should allow most of the day to see the caverns. The Natural Entrance Tour and the Big Room Tour can be taken without a guide. There are lots of guided tours available, as well, some of them strenuous. Strollers are not allowed, and pets must be placed in a kennel.

Visitors should take a long-sleeved shirt or sweater (the temperature is 56 F/13 C year-round in the caverns) and wear rubber-soled shoes, as the walkways may be slippery and damp. There is an underground lunchroom (sandwiches and soft drinks), but some prefer to take their own food. During the summer, there is a daily emergence of hundreds of thousands of Mexican freetail bats at twilight. (It's popular, so visitors should arrive early to get a seat.) The park also hosts a weekend predawn Bat Flight Breakfast in July.

The park is open daily except; hours vary by season. The entrance fee is US$10 adults for a three-day pass. Phone 575-785-2232. https://www.nps.gov/cave.