Carlsbad is a coastal city in the North County region of

San Diego County, California San Diego County (), officially the County of San Diego, is a county in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,298,634, making it California's second-most populous county and the f ...

, United States. The city is south of downtown

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...

and north of downtown

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 114,746. Carlsbad is a popular tourist destination and home to many businesses in the golf industry.

History

Carlsbad's history began with the Luiseño people (the Spanish name given to them because of their proximity to Mission San Luis Rey), as well as some

Kumeyaay The Kumeyaay, also known as Tipai-Ipai or by their historical Spanish name Diegueño, is a tribe of Indigenous peoples of the Americas who live at the northern border of Baja California in Mexico and the southern border of California in the Unit ...

in the La Costa area. Nearly every reliable fresh water creek had at least one native village, including one called Palamai. The site is located just south of today's

Buena Vista Lagoon Buena Vista Lagoon is a freshwater lagoon adjacent to the Pacific Ocean in the South Coast region of Southern California within North County, San Diego County. The lagoon covers 223 acres of wetland habitat and serves as a geographic border betwe ...

. The first European land exploration of

Alta California Alta California ('Upper California'), also known as ('New California') among other names, was a province of New Spain, formally established in 1804. Along with the Baja California peninsula, it had previously comprised the province of , but ...

, the Spanish

Portolá expedition thumbnail, 250px, Point of San Francisco Bay Discovery The Portolá expedition ( es, Expedición de Portolá) was a Spanish voyage of exploration in 1769–1770 that was the first recorded European land entry and exploration of the interior of ...

of 1769, met native villagers while camped on Buena Vista Creek. Another Luiseño villages within today's city of Carlsbad was a village at the mouth of the San Marcos Creek that the

called 'Ajopunquile'. A Kumeyaay village that was visited by Portolá was Hakutl, in the Rancho Ponderosa area. During the Mexican period, in 1842, the southern portion of Carlsbad was granted as

Rancho Agua Hedionda Rancho Agua Hedionda was a Ranchos of California, Mexican land grant in present-day San Diego County, California given in 1842 by Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado, Juan Alvarado to Juan María Marrón. The name means "stinking water" in Spanish. T ...

Juan María Marrón Juan María Marrón (February 8, 1808 – September 17, 1853) was an early settler of San Diego, California. Life Marrón was a ship's captain before settling San Diego in the early 1820s. In 1834 Marrón, married Felipa Osuna (c. 1818 – Dec ...

. In the 1880s a former sailor named

John A. Frazier Captain John Aldridge Frazier (July 18, 1833 – July 16, 1899) was a merchant seaman and farmer who was one of the founders of the city of Carlsbad, California. His discovery of artesian springs with mineral water led to the creation of the Carl ...

dug a well in the area. He began offering his water at the train station and soon the whistle-stop became known as Frazier's Station. A test done on a second fresh-water well discovered the water to be chemically similar to that found in some of the most renowned spas in the world, and the town was named after the famed spa in the Bohemian town of Karlsbad (now Karlovy Vary,

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. Th ...

). To take advantage of the find, the Carlsbad Land and Mineral Water Company was formed by a German-born merchant from the Midwest named Gerhard Schutte together with Samuel Church Smith, D. D. Wadsworth and Henry Nelson. The naming of the town followed soon after, along with a major marketing campaign to attract visitors. The area experienced a period of growth, with homes and businesses sprouting up in the 1880s. Agricultural development of citrus fruits, avocados and olives soon changed the landscape. By the end of 1887, land prices fell throughout San Diego County. However, the community survived on the back of its fertile agricultural lands. The site of John Frazier's original well can still be found at ''Alt Karlsbad,'' a replica of a German Hanseatic house, located on Carlsbad Boulevard. In 1952, Carlsbad was incorporated to avoid annexation by its neighbor, Oceanside. The single-runway Palomar Airport opened in 1959 after County of San Diego officials decided to replace the Del Mar Airport. The airport was annexed to the City of Carlsbad in 1978 and renamed McClellan-Palomar Airport in 1982 after a local civic leader, Gerald McClellan. The first modern skateboard park, Carlsbad Skatepark, was built in March 1976. It was located on the grounds of Carlsbad Raceway and was designed and built by inventors Jack Graham and John O'Malley. The site of the original Carlsbad Skatepark and

Carlsbad Raceway Carlsbad Raceway was a motorsport facility located in Carlsbad, California. Carlsbad Raceway featured a ¼ mile dragstrip A dragstrip is a facility for conducting automobile and motorcycle acceleration events such as drag racing ...

was demolished in 2005 and is now an industrial park. However, two skateparks have since been developed. In March 1999,

Legoland California Legoland California Resort is a theme park, miniature park, and aquarium located in Carlsbad, California, based on the Lego toy brand. Opening on March 20, 1999, it was the third Legoland park to open and the first outside of Europe. The park i ...

was opened. It was the first Legoland theme park outside of Europe and is currently operated by Merlin Entertainments. Merlin Entertainments owns 70 percent of the shares, and the remaining 30 percent is owned by the LEGO group and Kirkbi A/S. Carlsbad is home to the nation's largest desalination plant. Construction of the Carlsbad Desalination Plant at the

Encina Power Station The Encina Power Station (EPS) was a large natural gas and oil-fueled electricity generating plant located in Carlsbad, California, in San Diego County. Constructed in 1954, it was one of the major suppliers of electricity for the region. On De ...

was completed in December 2015. The Encina Power Station is currently being demolished, despite efforts to preserve it as a historical landmark.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy An economy is an area of th ...

, the city has a total area of of which are land and are (3.55%) water, the majority of which is contained within three lagoons and one

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much lar ...

. The northern area of the city is part of a tri-city area consisting of northern Carlsbad, southern Oceanside and western Vista. The ocean-side cliffs fronting wide white-sand beaches and mild climate attract vacationers year-round. Types of Households in Carlsbad city, California in 2015–2019. 56.6% was Married-couple households, 5.1% was cohabiting couple households, 13.6% male householder no spouse, 24.7% female householder no spouse.

Climate

Carlsbad has a semi-arid

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...

(Koppen classification ''BSh'') and averages 263 sunny days per year. Winters are mild with periodic rain. Frost is rare along the coast, but sometimes occurs in inland valleys in December and January. Summer is almost rain free, but overcast and cool with fog off the Pacific. While most days have mild and pleasant temperatures, hot dry Santa Ana winds bring high temperatures on a few days each year, mostly in the fall.

Neighborhoods

For city planning and growth management purposes, Carlsbad is divided into four distinct quadrants.

Northwest quadrant

The northwest quadrant of Carlsbad (ZIP code 92008) includes the downtown "Village", "The Barrio", and "Olde Carlsbad." It was the first part of Carlsbad to be settled. Homes range from 1950s cottages and bungalows, 1960s ranch style houses, to elegant mansions on hills overlooking the ocean. It is also home to Hosp Grove Park, a grove of eucalyptus trees relatively untouched by development and now designated by the city for recreational use, in addition to the Buena Vista and Agua Hedionda Lagoons. It is located west of El Camino Real and north of Palomar Airport Road. "The Barrio" area is near downtown Carlsbad bordered by Carlsbad Village Drive to the north, Tamarack Avenue to the south, Interstate 5 to the east and the railroad tracks to the west. It was settled by Latinos in the early 20th century.New effort begins on planning for Carlsbad's Barrio area
, in
North County Times
', retrieved October 19, 2011. It is the site of the Centro de Aprendizaje, a Spanish division of the Carlsbad City Library.Las Bibliotecas de Carlsbad
, retrieved October 19, 2011.

Northeast quadrant

This quadrant (ZIP code 92010) is located east of El Camino Real and north of Palomar Airport Road and consists mostly of single-family homes, with larger lots found in the older area known as Chestnut Hills and the newer developments around Calavera Hills. The Northeast quadrant also contains the Lake Calavera Nature Preserve, a 110-acre space containing a 513-foot extinct volcano known as Mount Calavera. The preserve — notable for its small lake, wide dam, and mountain — was officially set aside in the 1990s as the surrounding land was being developed. The preserve is bordered on three sides by suburban single-family homes, and on one side by small farms and rural compounds. In 2012, Sage Creek High School was developed in the southwest corner of the preserve amid some controversy. Nature experts challenged the decision to construct the school on the preserve, but Carlsbad High School was reaching its capacity and there were few undeveloped areas that had sufficient space for an additional high school. Despite missing one of its original corners, the preserve still offers miles of hiking trails with ocean views.

Southeast quadrant

The southeast quadrant (ZIP code 92009) is located east of El Camino Real and south of Palomar Airport Road and features several newer expensive master-planned communities set among hillsides, golf courses, Alga Norte Community Park and permanent open spaces. It includes Bressi Ranch and the La Costa neighborhoods of Rancho La Costa, La Costa Ridge, La Costa Oaks, La Costa Greens, La Costa Valley, and Rancho Carillo. In 1965, La Costa gave its name to the Gold Medal Golf Resort, La Costa Resort and Spa, now known as the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa. Residents here are served by the

Carlsbad Unified School District The Carlsbad Unified School District is the school district for Carlsbad, California, USA. The Superintendent is Dr. Benjamin Churchill. The district manages two high schools, three middle schools and nine elementary schools. In addition they ope ...

, San Marcos Unified School District and the

Encinitas Union School District Encinitas Union School District is a public (elementary) school district in San Diego County, California, United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a count ...

Southwest quadrant

This quadrant (ZIP code 92011) extends along the Pacific Ocean to the south of the center of Carlsbad. It includes the

Aviara Aviara is an Isoko region, Isoko town in Delta State, southern Nigeria. Populated places in Delta State {{deltaNG-geo-stub ...

neighborhood, which is home to the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort. It is located west of El Camino Real and south of Palomar Airport Road.

Demographics

Carlsbad is part of the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

2010

As of the 2010 United States Census Carlsbad had a population of 105,328. The population density was . The racial makeup of Carlsbad was 87,205 (82.8%)

White White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 1,379 (1.3%)

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 514 (0.5%) Native American, 7,460 (7.1%) Asian, 198 (0.2%)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Ocea ...

, 4,189 (4.0%) from other races, and 4,383 (4.2%) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 13,988 persons (13.3%). The Census reported that 104,413 people (99.1% of the population) lived in households, 459 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 456 (0.4%) were institutionalized. Out of 39,964 households in 2011, there were 26,992 (67.5%) families, of which 12,345 (30.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 21,705 (54.3%) were married-couple families, 1,489 (3.7%) had a male householder with no wife present, and 3,798 (9.5%) had a female householder with no husband present. There were 12,972 (32.5%) nonfamily households, of which 10,198 (25.5%) were made up of a householder living alone and 3,299 (8.3%) were a householder living alone who was 65 years or over. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.10. The population was spread out, with 25,366 people (24.1%) under the age of 18, 6,718 people (6.4%) aged 18 to 24, 28,073 people (26.7%) aged 25 to 44, 30,373 people (28.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 14,798 people (14.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males. There were 44,673 housing units at an average density of , of which 26,808 (64.8%) were owner-occupied, and 14,537 (35.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.6%. 69,855 people (66.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 34,558 people (32.8%) lived in rental housing units. In 2011, the median household income was US$85,743 and the median family income was US$102,254, with 11.9% of households and 14.9% of families earning US$200,000 or more. Males had a median income of US$80,590 versus US$54,159 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was US$42,712. About 6.8% of families and 8.4% of the population reported income below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 10.1% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over. Of the population 25 years and over, 95.7% graduated from high school and 51.3% held a bachelor's degree or higher. 65.2% of the population 16 years and over was in the labor force.

2000

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2000, there were 78,247 people, 31,521 households, and 20,898 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 33,798 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 86.6%

Caucasian Caucasian may refer to: Anthropology *Anything from the Caucasus region ** ** ** ''Caucasian Exarchate'' (1917–1920), an ecclesiastical exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Caucasus region * * * Languages * Northwest Caucasian l ...

, 1.0%

, 0.4% Native American, 4.2% Asian, 0.2%

, 4.7% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 11.7% of the population. There were 31,521 households, out of which 30.7% contained children under the age of 18, 54.3% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of single individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The mean household size was 2.46 and the mean family size was 2.96. 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. Among those 18 and older, there were 92.8 males for every 100 females.

Government

Local government

In 2008, Carlsbad voters passed a measure to become a charter city (as opposed to the general-law municipality they had been before), approving the proposed charter by 82% and officially becoming such that same year. Before the 2018 elections, city government was led by an elected mayor and four council members, elected at large; however, in July 2017, the city council voted to transition to district elections (except for the mayoral office, which remains an at-large position). Elections for Districts 1 and 3 were held in 2018, and in 2020, elections were held for the remaining Districts 2 and 4. As was the case before changing to district elections for the city council, city council members and the mayor are elected to 4-year terms. See the official district ma
here
(not to scale). Carlsbad's current mayor is Matt Hall, who has served since 2010 and was re-elected in 2018. In May 2018, the Carlsbad city council voted 4–1 to back the federal government's lawsuit against California sanctuary state law SB 54. The city has drafted ordinances protecting sensitive wildlife habitat, becoming one of the first municipalities in California to do so. The city has also pledged to protect about 40 percent of the city as permanent open space.

Federal and state representation

In the

California State Legislature The California State Legislature is a bicameral state legislature consisting of a lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members; and an upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members. Both houses of the Legislatur ...

, Carlsbad is in , and in . In the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...

, Carlsbad is in .

Politics

Carlsbad was a powerfully Republican stronghold during the 20th century, a classic bastion of suburban conservatism in Southern California. However, the GOP's edge in Carlsbad started to narrow in the 1990s and 2000s, with the city shifting Democratic. In 2008,

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

, then the

Democratic Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

nominee for President, carried the city with a plurality. In 2012,

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusett ...

, the GOP nominee, carried the city by a 9% margin. In 2016, the city flipped back to the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

, voting for Hillary Clinton by a 10.4% margin over

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of ...

. Joe Biden expanded that margin to 17.6% over Trump in 2020.

Economy

Carlsbad's core industries include information technology, video game development, manufacturing, robotics, medical devices, life science, wireless technology, clean technology, action sports, tourism, design development and real estate. In 2013, Google named Carlsbad the digital capital of California with the strongest online business community. Carlsbad is also known as the "Titanium Valley" because of its golf manufacturing industry. Callaway Golf Company, TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company, Cobra Golf, Titleist, and

Odyssey Golf The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major Ancient Greek literature, ancient Greek Epic poetry, epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by moder ...

are all located in Carlsbad.

Top employers

According to 2021 figures, the top employers in the city are:

Notable corporate headquarters

Applied Spectral Imaging Applied Spectral Imaging or ASI is a multinational biomedical company that develops and manufactures microscopy imaging and digital analysis tools for hospitals, service laboratories and research centers. The company provides cytogenetic, patholog ...

, multinational bioimaging technology company * Arkeia Software, network backup solutions * Atticus Clothing, Apparel *

Business.com Business.com is a digital media company and B2B web destination which offers various performance marketing advertising, including lead generation products on a pay per lead and pay per click basis, directory listings, and display advertising. ...

, online B2B marketing platform * Callaway Golf Company, Golf equipment and apparel manufacturer * Clear-Com, owned by HME; an electronics manufacturer of intercom systems * Cobra Golf, Golf equipment and apparel manufacturer *

Fallen Footwear Fallen Footwear is an American skateboarding footwear and apparel brand founded by professional skateboarder Jamie Thomas in 2003, after leaving Circa. The company which was out of the market for almost two years (2016-2017) has now been acquire ...

, Shoe company * Gemological Institute of America, Gem Nonprofit * Hay House, New Age Publisher * Hot Dog on a Stick, Restaurants * Islands Fine Burgers & Drinks, restaurant * Jazzercise, International dance fitness program * Jenny Craig, Inc., Weight management * Kisco Senior Living, senior living *

Macbeth Footwear Macbeth Footwear, is a Southern Californian footwear, apparel, and accessories brand. Founded in 2002, It sells many vegan and organic products. One of its founders is Tom DeLonge, a member of Blink 182. Since June 2014, Macbeth Footwear h ...

, apparel * MaxLinear, Semiconductors * No Fear, Apparel * Osiris Shoes, Shoe company * PC Power & Cooling, PC power supply manufacturer * Rockstar San Diego, Video Game Developer * Rubio's Coastal Grill, Quick-serve Restaurants * TaylorMade Golf Company, Golf equipment and apparel manufacturer * Upper Deck, Sports and entertainment trading card manufacturer * ViaSat, Satellite communications

Schools

;School Districts *

-for Elementary schools South of Carlsbad * San Dieguito Union High School District-for Junior High and High schools in South Carlsbad * San Marcos Unified School District-for schools in southeast Carlsbad ;Public High * Carlsbad High School *

La Costa Canyon High School La Costa Canyon High School (LCC) is a public high school located in Carlsbad, California. Established in 1996, it is a member of the San Dieguito Union High School District and serves the communities of Encinitas, south Carlsbad, Leucadia, O ...

Sage Creek High School Sage Creek High School is a public high school in Carlsbad, California. It opened in the fall of 2013 and is located in a coastal suburb of San Diego. Sage Creek specializes in the STEM fields and was created to alleviate growing enrollment at Car ...

;Public Intermediate * Aviara Oaks Middle School * Calavera Hills Middle School * Valley Middle School ;Public Interlevel * Carlsbad Seaside Academy (Independent Study) ;Public Elementary * Aviara Oaks Elementary School * Buena Vista Elementary School * Calavera Hills Elementary School * Carlsbad Seaside Academy (K-6 Alternative Education) * El Camino Creek Elementary School * Hope Elementary School * Jefferson Elementary School * Kelly Elementary School * La Costa Heights Elementary School * La Costa Meadows Elementary School * Magnolia Elementary School * Pacific Rim Elementary School * Poinsettia Elementary School * Mission Estancia Elementary School * Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary School * Rancho Carillo Elementary School ;Private Schools *

Army and Navy Academy Army and Navy Academy is an elite private college-preparatory military boarding school for boys in Carlsbad, California. Founded in 1910, the academy admits boys in grades 7 through 12. History The academy was founded by Colonel Thomas A. Davis a ...

: College Prep Middle and High School * Carlsbad Christian Academy * Montessori Arts and Sciences School * Pacific Ridge School * Palisades Point Christian Academy * St. Patrick School * The Academy by the Sea: Camp Pacific *Nautical Oceanside Achievement School

Public libraries

* Carlsbad City Library (three branches)

Sister cities

Carlsbad's sister cities are: * Futtsu, Chiba, Japan * Karlovy Vary, Karlovy Vary Region, Czech Republic

Attractions

;Amusement Parks *

;Aquariums * Sea Life Aquarium at

;Beaches *

Carlsbad State Beach Carlsbad State Beach is a protected beach in the state park system of California, United States, located in Carlsbad. It is a San Diego County beach with coastal bluffs. Popular activities include swimming, surfing and bodyboarding several n ...

* South Carlsbad State Beach ;Campgrounds * South Carlsbad State Beach ;Golf * Aviara Golf Club and The Aviara Golf Academy. * La Costa Resort and Spa * The Crossings at Carlsbad. * Rancho Carlsbad Golf Club ;Open Space * Agua Hedionda Lagoon *

Batiquitos Lagoon The Batiquitos Lagoon is a coastal wetland and estuary located between southern Carlsbad and Encinitas, in the North County region of San Diego County, California. The lagoon itself consists of 610 acres with a drainage basin of about 55,000 ac ...

* Lake Calavera Nature Preserve *Rancho La Costa Preserve ;Museums * Carlsbad Historical Society Museum * Museum of Making Music * Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum ;Gardens *

The Flower Fields The Flower Fields is a flower garden in Carlsbad Ranch in Carlsbad, California Carlsbad is a coastal city in the North County region of San Diego County, California, United States. The city is south of downtown Los Angeles and north of down ...

Transportation

North County Transit District (NCTD) provides public transportation services in Carlsbad, managing '' Coaster'' commuter rail (with stops at Carlsbad Village station and Carlsbad Poinsettia station), ''Breeze'' bus service, ''Flex'' on-demand transit service, and ''Lift'' paratransit service. ''Sprinter'' hybrid rail, also managed by NCTD, does not pass through Carlsbad. While it passes through Carlsbad, the

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada ...

Pacific Surfliner does not stop within the city.

Interstate 5 Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels through the states of Calif ...

runs through the western part of Carlsbad, while California State Route 78 passes close to its northern border. McClellan–Palomar Airport is located about southeast of downtown Carlsbad, and allows general aviation and limited commercial service to the city.

Notable people

Frank Alesia Frank Alesia (January 4, 1944 – February 27, 2011) was an American actor and television director. He was best known for his work in the beach party film genre during the 1960s, including such films as '' Pajama Party'' (1964) and ''Riot on Sun ...

, character actor and

television director A television director is in charge of the activities involved in making a television program or section of a program. They are generally responsible for decisions about the editorial content and creative style of a program, and ensuring the pro ...

* Marcus Allen, college and professional football star *

Brian P. Bilbray Brian Phillip Bilbray (born January 28, 1951) is an American Republican politician who represented parts of San Diego County in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2001 and again from 2006 to 2013. Bilbray was Chairman of the House ...

, U.S. Congressman * Ron Blair, bassist for

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were an American Rock music, rock band from Gainesville, Florida. Formed in 1976, the band originally comprised lead singer and rhythm guitarist Tom Petty, lead guitarist Mike Campbell (musician), Mike Campbell, ...

David M. Brahms David M. Brahms (born 1938) is an attorney and retired Brigadier General who served in the United States Marine Corps.Adam Brody, film and television actor; played Seth Cohen on '' The O.C.'' * Francesca Capaldi, child actress *

Ron Capps Ron Capps is a writer, US Army and Foreign Service veteran, and founder of the ''Veterans Writing Project'', a nonprofit organization that hosts free writing workshops for veterans and others. Capps also wrote the book ''Seriously Not All Right: ...

, Current NHRa Funny Car Driver Former Top Fuel Driver 2016 NHRA Funny Car Champion * Leo Carrillo, actor, cartoonist, conservationist and preservationist, and owner of Leo Carrillo Ranch in Carlsbad * Aaron Chang, surf and ocean photographer *

Brandon Chillar Brandon Chillar (born October 21, 1982) is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He also played for the Green Bay Packers, with whom he won Super Bowl XLV over the P ...

, linebacker for the

Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. It is the th ...

* Jim Cochran, pioneering organic strawberry farmer * Jonathan Compas, center for

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...

* S.E. Cupp, journalist and political commentator * David Díaz, Caldecott-winning illustrator/author * Thomas Eshelman (CHS Grad 2012), MLB Pitcher for Baltimore Orioles *

Drew Ferris Drew Ferris (born March 7, 1992) is an American football long snapper who is currently a free agent. He played college football at the University of Florida. Early years Ferris was born in Carlsbad, California, and is Jewish.Raphael Gellar (May ...

(born 1992), football player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League * Jon Foreman, lead singer of alternative band Switchfoot * Tim Foreman, brother of Jon Foreman and bassist for Switchfoot *

Robert C. Frazee Robert Chauncey Frazee (September 1, 1928 – January 24, 2009) was an American businessman and politician. Born in San Luis Rey, California, Frazee graduated from Oceanside High School. Career Frazee served in the United States Marines ...

, businessman and politician *

, city founder * Ryan Gallant, professional skateboarder * Sid Gillman, professional football player * Troy Glaus, baseball player * LeRoy Grannis, photographer * Ryan Guy, football player for

St. Patrick's Athletic St Patrick's Athletic Football Club ( ga, Cumann Peile Lúthchleas Phádraig Naofa) is a professional Irish association football club based in Inchicore, Dublin, that plays in the Irish Premier Division. Founded in May 1929, they played origin ...

* Tony Hawk, professional skateboarder and entrepreneur * Taylor Knox, professional surfer * Ted Johnson, professional football player *

Michellie Jones Michellie Yvonne Jones ( ; born 6 September 1969) is an Australian triathlete. She has won two ITU Triathlon World Championships, an Olympic silver medal, and the 2006 Ironman World Championship. She won a gold medal at the 2016 Summer Paraly ...

, triathlete, 2006 Ironman world champion, 2000 Olympic silver medalist * Josh Kalis, professional skateboarder * Rod Laver, former world #1 Australian tennis player, retired in La Costa * Fred Lynn, baseball player * Sal Masekela, son of musician Hugh Masekela.

CHS CHS may refer to: Businesses and organizations Healthcare bodies * Canadian Hemophilia Society, a non-profit * Center for Healthy Sex, a therapy center in Los Angeles, U.S. * Community Health Systems, an American hospital network Other businesses ...

graduate. TV host for Winter X Games on

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...

* Tim Miller, an original student of Ashtanga-yoga founder, K.P. Jois, and teacher of Ashtanga in the US. * Martin Milner, television actor, Route 66 and Adam-12 * Dale D. Myers, former Deputy Administrator of NASA, three NASA Distinguished Service Medals * Gregory R Nelson Sr., co-founder of DonJoy, Inc., CEO of United Orthopedic Group * Emily O'Brien, ''

The Young and the Restless ''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City ...

'' actress; 2003 graduate

* Ron Packard, U.S. Congressman * Kevin Pearce, snowboarder, public speaker and advocate for

traumatic brain injury A traumatic brain injury (TBI), also known as an intracranial injury, is an injury to the brain caused by an external force. TBI can be classified based on severity (ranging from mild traumatic brain injury TBI/concussionto severe traumatic b ...

and

Down syndrome Down syndrome or Down's syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. It is usually associated with child development, physical growth delays, mild to moderate ...

research and education; extreme sport commentator * Jean Peters, actress and wife of

Howard Hughes Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American business magnate, record-setting pilot, engineer, film producer, and philanthropist, known during his lifetime as one of the most influential and richest people in t ...

John Pugsley John Allen Pugsley (January 5, 1934 – April 8, 2011) was an American voluntaryist libertarian political, economics commentator, lecturer, and best-selling author. Early life Pugsley was born in Minnesota. He attended El Camino Junior College, t ...

, libertarian political activist * Bridget Regan, actress known for her role as Kahlan Amnell on '' Legend of the Seeker'' * Allard Roen, co-founder and the on-site Manager of the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California. *

Gene Roddenberry Eugene Wesley Roddenberry Sr. (August 19, 1921 – October 24, 1991) was an American television screenwriter, producer, and creator of ''Star Trek: The Original Series'', its sequel spin-off series '' Star Trek: The Animated Series,'' and '' S ...

, creator of ''

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vario ...

'' * Kerry Rossall, stuntman, actor and producer * Boris Said,

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and h ...

Sprint Cup Series driver * Steve Scott, champion miler * Pancho Segura, former professional tennis player and coach * Brian Simo, NASCAR Nationwide Series driver * Sebastian Soto, professional soccer player for SC Telstar and the

United States national team The United States national team or Team USA may refer to any of a number of sports team representing the United States in international competitions. Olympic teams Additionally, these teams may compete in other international competitions such as ...

Staciana Stitts Staciana Stitts Winfield (born September 12, 1981), née Staciana Stitts, is an American former competition swimmer and breaststroke specialist. She is a 2000 Summer Olympics and 1999 Pan American Games gold medalist, and 1998 Goodwill Games si ...

, 2000

Summer Olympics The Summer Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'été), also known as the Games of the Olympiad, and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The ina ...

gold medalist swimmer; graduate

* Brett Swain, professional football player. * Joe Toledo, American football player *

Victor Villaseñor Victor Villaseñor is an American writer, best known for the national bestselling book '' Rain of Gold''. Villaseñor's works are often taught in American schools. He went on to write '' Thirteen Senses: A Memoir'' (2001), a continuation of ''Ra ...

, author * Barbara Werle, actress and dancer * Shaun White, professional snowboarder, skateboarder, 2006, 2010 and 2018

Winter Olympics The Winter Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'hiver) is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were h ...

gold medalist

References

External links

*
Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce

Carlsbad Historical Society
{{Authority control Cities in San Diego County, California North County (San Diego County) Populated coastal places in California San Diego metropolitan area Incorporated cities and towns in California Populated places established in 1952 1952 establishments in California