A big thank you to The Cassara Carlsbad for hosting our stay so we could write this detailed review of our experience. Also, this post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Disclosure, visit this page.
My family and I recently returned home from a fun weekend away in Carlsbad. Just a one and a half hour drive from Los Angeles, Carlsbad is a favorite getaway destination for me and my family because there’s so much to do there, especially if you’re looking for family-friendly activities for young children. On this trip, we had a chance to check out the new Dino Valley at Legoland as well as the famous Flowers Field. While in Carlsbad, we stayed at The Cassara Carlsbad (you can book here), a Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel. Here’s what the hotel was like:
1. Great location
You know the saying: Location, location, location! And yes, when booking a hotel, location is a prime consideration. What I love about The Cassara Carlsbad’s location is that it’s situated about as close to both Legoland California and The Flower Fields as you could hope (more on both later). On top of that, there’s plenty of shopping nearby, should you need it. Just three tenths of a mile away is a Costco and sixth tenths of a mile away are the Carlsbad Premium Outlets, along with a whole slew of places to eat like Blaze Pizza, Rubio’s, Ruby’s Diner, etc. Bonus: The freeway is just half a mile away, which makes for easy access to nearby San Diego or Los Angeles.
2. It’s a Hilton Hotel
The Cassara Carlsbad is a Hilton hotel and part of their Tapestry Collection. Tapestry Collection hotels are known for being boldly designed, stylish hotels that are uniquely positioned to offer guests authentic, local experiences. And of course, it supports the Hilton HHonors program so you can use and earn your Hilton points here.
3. It’s family-friendly
As one would expect (and hope!) of a hotel situated this close to Legoland, it is indeed family-friendly. As Legoland is geared towards kids between the ages of 2 and 12, this hotel is a nice complement. They offer spacious family suites, there’s a mini splash pad near the pool, which my kids loved, and an activity center.
4. Family suites
Traveling with two little kids, we always appreciate a little extra room and the Karlsbad Family Suite at the Cassara Carlsbad was just perfect for our family of four. At about 575 square feet, there was plenty of room for everyone with an entry lounge featuring a couch and TV, an open parlor area with a king bed (love the wallpapered feature wall!) and a separate bedroom for the kids.
The kids’ room has two twins bed, a 42-inch TV and a shelving unit where the kids immediately unpacked all the markers, crayons, paper, activity book and toys they’d brought along.
Our room had a spacious closet and a built-in work desk area with another television, which provided plenty of space to work …
… and the bathroom vanity was lovely, with a wallpapered accent wall that looked like tile.
But best of all was the view outside our window of the Flower Fields. It was a gorgeous, expansive vista of vibrant purple and white flowers.
5. The kids activity center
I mentioned the kids activity center above but it deserves a bit of elaboration. The kids activity center is really great. The room it’s in is clean, bright, spacious and inviting.
They offer daily activities. My kids did a painting class and loved it.
And I have to mention Ryan, who was working while we were there. After speaking with him for just a minute, it’s obvious how much he loves his job and kids. He was extremely friendly, helpful and enthusiastic. At the activity center, guests can pick up things like beach chairs, umbrellas, boogie boards, ping pong balls or basketballs to shoot on the courts. It’s all included in the hotel’s Urban City Fee (resort fee), which is $25 a night. I know, everyone hates resort fees but at least here, it’s covering the cost of something you may enjoy using and includes a free e-bike hour and a $25 food credit.
6. Proximity to the beach
We didn’t go to the beach since we didn’t have a lot of time on this trip but the beach is only about a mile or two away.
7. Free shuttle
If you do plan to visit the beach, you don’t need to worry about finding parking once you get down there because the hotel offers a free shuttle to anywhere within 5-mile radius of the hotel. The shuttle seats up to six passengers and child car seats are available. Note: It is available on a first come-first served basis but you can make a reservation.
8. Pools
There are two hotels on the property and they are connected. Both The Cassara Carlsbad and Grand Pacific Palisades Resort (you can book here), each have a pool but guests from both hotels can use either one.
The one next to the splash pad is the family-friendly one we spent time at and the other is a quieter lap pool. Note: Both hotels share the same lobby but there’s a separate check-in for each. The Cassara check-in is on the left hand side when you enter.
9. Parking
Parking costs $32 a day and it’s underground. There’s no valet so it’s all self-park. If you park to the left, you will have a shorter walk to the lobby.
10. The Flower Fields
As I mentioned previously, our room overlooked the Flower Fields, which are absolutely beautiful when in season from March to mid-May.
Weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) are always the busiest days to visit the Flower Fields but we had to visit on a Sunday since we were just there for a quick weekend trip. If you want to avoid the largest crowds on peak days, arrive (and depart!) before noon. That’s what we did and just as we were leaving, a number of tour buses were just arriving.
If you haven’t been to The Flower Fields I highly recommend you plan a trip because they’re gorgeous, with 55 sprawling acres of vibrant, colorful ranunculus in full bloom.
Once you’ve taken in the flowers and snapped a gazillion photos, there are lots of other things to do like a tractor ride, a butterfly garden, a sweet pea maze and lots of good eats. It’s fun for the whole family. Find everything you need to know about the Flower Fields here.
11. Legoland
Legoland is so close to The Cassara Carlsbad that you can just walk over, which is precisely what we did. It was so much easier than driving and parking. Guests can also take the shuttle but again, it’s just so close that it took us five minutes to get there from the hotel’s front entrance. Note: The pedestrian gate we used closes two hours after the park closes.
We love visiting Legoland; it’s the perfect theme park for our kids, ages four and seven. On this trip, we checked out the newly launched Dino Valley, a new land that includes dinosaur rides, a dino build and play area and meet and greets.
12. Dining
There are plenty of dining options near the hotel, including Karl Strauss Brewery, located right on site. Serving lunch and dinner, mostly American classics, guests can get takeout and kids meals are a reasonable $8.50, including a drink.
Inside the Cassara is a lovely restaurant, the Cassara Kitchen & Bar. It’s located in the hotel’s grand and spacious lobby and you can’t miss the vaulted ceilings and the gorgeous Mediterranean tiles and vibes. You’ll feel like you’re a world away here as you enjoy everything from an early morning breakfast to a late night cocktail and everything in between.
The Cassara Carlsbad checked all of our boxes when looking for a family-friendly place to stay. With lots of amenities for the kids like the activity centre and the splash pad, plus the added comfort and convenience of spacious family suites, this hotel is a no-brainer for families. Plus, given its proximity to both Legoland and the Flower Fields, it was perfect for our weekend getaway in every way. Find more information here and book your stay here.
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