This day was beautiful, warmer than usual for this time of year. We love spending time here! We…read morefound some large sea shells on the beach and the waves are great for smaller kids near the marina. After enjoying the sun you can have a bite at the restaurants in the marina and have some ice cream. It's a beautiful area which we enjoy multiple times every year.

Gorgeous beach with plenty of parking and a playground for kids…read more I gave a 2 star because of all the rocks that was on the beach. It was really rough to walk towards the water. Other than that this place is splendid! Plenty of food to choose from if you get hungry chillin at the beach or buy your food then enjoy your food at the beach watching the surfers! Oceanside Pier is also nice little walk.

A beach is a beach is a beach, right? Not really! All along the Southern California coast, the…read morebeaches vary geographically. Some are more sandy and some are more rocky. I was looking for one that was relatively clean, with not a lot of people, and lots of sand with few rocks. Tamarack State Beach is that place! Tamarack is the kind of beach that would make a nice spot for a picnic or a place to watch the sun set. I did neither of those things -- just stayed for a while to let my children get into the ocean and bury themselves in the sand. But they loved this beach so much that we visited twice during our visit to Carlsbad. There was a lifeguard on duty, set up closer to the parking lot where the majority of the people were. If you walk a little ways away, though, there is no lifeguard and the people are fewer. The parking can be a little limited, and you have to pay to park. There is also some street parking, but that's even more limited. Your best best is to hit the parking lot first and maybe circle a couple of times.

During my one-month escape from the Massachusetts cold, I spent many days at Tamarack State…read moreBeach--also known as Carlsbad State Beach or Frazee Beach. Located between Tamarack Avenue and Carlsbad Village Drive, it's a beautiful stretch of coastline. You'll find a little bit of everything here--families, students, retirees, surfers, and plenty of people just enjoying the ocean. On any given day, I saw swimmers, surfers, kayakers, windsurfers, people fishing or beachcombing with metal detectors. The cement promenade running between Carlsbad Village and Tamarack is especially popular, filled with walkers and joggers. It extends for miles, making it perfect for a longer stroll along the coast. Wildlife added to the experience as well--dolphins offshore, along with pelicans, gulls, and other aquatic life. And beyond the traditional surfers, I even spotted the occasional electric hydrofoil (eFoil), with riders gliding above the water in a way that almost seems to defy gravity. Tamarack offers stunning daytime scenery and some truly memorable sunsets. There are some basic rest rooms facilities available. Tip: If you're heading there on a warm day, plan to arrive early--parking fills up quickly!

This spot is located between North Ponto Beach and Carlsbad State Beach. It's a local hidden gem…read more Instead of finding hoards of tourists, you'll find a serene beach with cliffs, tidepools, and surfers. Park on the dirt road, find the secret staircase and head downstairs. Things to keep in mind...no bathrooms, no lifeguards.

I really fun adventure both high tide and low…read more It's a great walk and you can make your way North towards the closest beach. It's a bit of a trek during high tide but a long the way you find beautiful shells and treasures that have been washed up on the big rocks. You can skip the flatter rocks and just have a good time with friends I'm excited to see this spot during king tides because I hear it's pretty incredible Definitely never overly crowded which is surprising but I'd definitely come here for more of an adventure day and less of a relaxing day because it is smaller and the tide can be unpredictable Will be coming back

Camping at Carlsbad State Beach is unmatched…read more This campsite offers the best of both worlds: city life + beach life. It sits right on the ocean bluff with two sides, bluff-side (oceanfront) and streetside. Obviously bluff-side is preferred, but staying on the streetside is still a treat. A few things I love about this camping experience: - They allow all forms of camping. Tent, RV, van, etc. - The site has clean bathrooms and warm showers. Just be sure to purchase tokens at the front for the shower. - Dog friendly! You can bring your pet along but they must be on leash and aren't allowed on the beach. - Carlsbad has the most captivating sunsets, and if you're lucky, you'll even see a few dolphins. Truly the most memorable 32nd birthday activity with all my favorite people.

Such a cool spot to beach camp. Also, live music, a store, a pizza and wing spot, and decent shower…read moreand bathroom for a state beach. It's a great place to catch the sunset on a Friday evening. We were lucky to book a bon fire pit near the music and lots of bench seating for the show. It does get crowded so glad we had our own space. The camp sites are pretty big also, fitting large RV's, two cars, and comes with an outdoor table. If parking off-site (like we did since we were just there for the evening), be sure to walk back to the main entrance to exit if later at night as the side entrances are locked at sunset. Great selection of beers, wines, pizzas, wings, and even some Mac & cheese bites.

What a gorgeous little beach. But beach may be a stretch as its very rocky, and even at low tide…read morethe water comes pretty much to the edge. Stairs leading down to the beach. The beach itself is lined with private property. If you brave the water you can walk north and hit Buccaneer beach, which has sand if that's the kind of beach you want. But I'm not into sand and preffered sitting on the seat benches on the stairs and staring out into the water. Great place to catch the sunset. The first time I went I was able to see a few dolphins, or were they sharks? I'm hoping dolphins. You could see the pier from this spot. Pros: - Plenty of street parking (though be aware of when they do street cleaning) - Few benches along the stairs, and at the top near the street - Great views - Dog on leash friendly, especially if you dog loves the water. Saw plenty of people walking their down up and down Cons: - Not the kind of beach you would lay out on a towel on - Low tide left you only a few feet width of wet sad you could walk along - Bigger rocks piled had multiple signs saying how unstable they were and be careful, though I saw plenty of kids/adults risking it and climbing all over them to get a great spot Would I come again? Yes

I've been coming to this beach for 30 years..it's a great little spot..but very recently (like last…read morecouple weeks) someone somewhere somehow ? It's covered with little rocks..why? It makes it difficult for grannies like me to get our feet wet.. I don't like it..anyone got the scoop?

In the heart of Carlsbad Village, you will find Carlsbad City Beach. The beach is down below…read morestreet level, so you will need to take the path down below, best to take the paved path. This beach is well kept, and tends to be quite clean and safe. The sand is lush and soft on the feet. While visiting during the holidays- I saw dolphins! Keep your eyes open to spot wildlife! Parking can be found along the highway one or several of the public lots. During the height of the season, parking can be challenging. Enjoy and be safe!

I looove going to this public beach! I always enjoy myself....people watching, basking in the sun,…read moreR&R, sunset walks, practicing yoga, and doing other fun beachy stuff. There are plenty of restrooms around. If you need a bite to eat or in the mood for shopping, you have a lot of options downtown. It's a popular spot on the Coast for sure...always have people there. I'm sooo lucky to be nearby!! I definitely recommend this beach to the Yelp Community :-)

Such a cute park. Parked on the street and walked on over. The beach is covered in pebbles. So…read morebeautiful. Saw a bunch of people surfing and boogie boarding. It's a perfect place to chill. Very peaceful. Very clean.

DOG FRIENDLY (5 stars)…read more On the beach but not on the beach... if you know what I mean. Don't care for sandy feet, this location is great for a post up. Unfortunately dogs are not allowed on the beach area until after a certain hour. We arrived to watch the Surfer Girl Competition and right next to the beach is this grassy park where we were able to post up and watch as if we were in the beach. Occasional weirdos coming by but that's expected... it's Oceanside.

Beautiful spot to take a break on the drive down to San Diego. Take a good look at the wildlife and…read moreview but watch out getting pooped on by birds! The entire floor is just bird poo... so don't stop unless you gotta if you hate bird poo. Don't let the seagulls see you with food cause they will crowd up your car even if you didn't feed them. lol As an animal person, I enjoyed being there to watch the wildlife. Just don't bring a super nice car there unless you don't care you are risking scratches and bird doo doo on your baby.

If you're scared of potentially damaging your car or getting bird turds on it, this isn't for you,…read moreor at least park at the periphery away from people who are clearly feeding the animals and not following the signs. Saw a guy feed the gulls and he was swarmed INSTANTLY. All over his car, perched on it, orbiting around it, flying towards him. For those who are scared of birds too, not a great place either lmao. But if you want to pull over and get a view of the beach and ocean, especially around sunset, it's quite a nice place. You can see the shrubbery and grasses growing along the water's edge too, along with the rocky denizens. Lots of ground squirrels. If they think you have food, they may hold your hand (at your own caution). There's also lots of little shrub birds living near the ground too and other song birds, mixed in with the large gulls. Also saw some gull variations I don't see usually either. Neat goth looking one with muddled gray feathers and a bright red beak. Cool.

The Oceanside Harbor is another place to check out if you are near the pier and in the area. There…read moreis a lot of paid parking if you want to park steps away, but if you are willing to walk 750 feet or so, there is also free parking. The harbor has a mix of shopping, dining, whale watching, and other assorted businesses to check out. There are restaurants, coffee shops, boat rentals, jet ski and kayak rentals, places to store your boat, souvenir shopping, etc. There is a lighthouse, and there are sidewalks so you can walk from one end all the way to the other end out by the ocean. And down by some of the boats are plenty of seals / sea lions to check out. They like to hang out on the dock sunbathing, fighting, frolicking, and general shenanigans. During the holidays they have boat parades, and it is fun to watch them cruise by all lit up. Pictures and videos attached.

Oceanside Harbor is a fantastic spot to relax and enjoy the coast…read more The marina views are beautiful, and the fire pits make it perfect for evening hangouts although during summer get there early to secure a pit. Plenty of restaurants and shops nearby, and watching the boats and wildlife adds to the peaceful vibe. Great place for a stroll or just soaking in the ocean air! Lots of paid parking , if you want free parking you'll have to park by the restaurants.

Nice Beach but didn't expect that Rocks on the Beach. Lots of food to choose from if you get…read morehungry! Probably won't come back here to chill at the beach.

The strand is a sidewalk/road where people walk along the beach or cruise in their cars as well…read more It's a pretty long stretch that's a few miles long. There's also events that happen like the kids iron man walk/run that is actually taking place end of march. Along the way you can see food vendors and also a camper store where you can rent chairs and other amenities to be at the beach. It gets super busy during the week but it's a relaxing stroll either way!