Carlsbad, CA
A fun Staycation
Carlsbad, CA
As you all know, I work and save money to travel. Every day, I think about exciting new destinations. But, due to Covid-19, we have not traveled this year. The only place we have gone was Sequoia National Park where we stayed in an Airbnb with family for two nights. It was getting super exhausting and stressful working as a dental hygienist with patients every day, following the new Covid protocols of wearing an N-95 mask and face shield, as well as plastic gowns. And, even with all of that, I am still nervous because I know that a patient could be asymptomatic and still pass the virus to me. I needed a relaxing break, even if it was somewhere close to home and for just a weekend.
I looked into hotels and places that take Covid seriously and follow all the protocols. I noticed that Hilton is doing a great job with cleaning and disinfecting their properties. So, I decided to spend a weekend in Carlsbad (California) with a friend. It was not as exotic as some of my previous vacations, but it offered a well needed break from home and work, and maybe some relaxing time by the pool.
Hotel:
We picked Hotel Cassara which is part of the Hilton Tapestry collection. This hotel opened its doors at the end of December 2019. They were closed for almost two months due to Covid, so the property is almost brand new. Even though everyone in the hotel is wearing a mask, they also have a shield at the front desk to make sure you are protected at check in. When you get to your room, there is a sealed sticker on the door indicating that the room has been disinfected. They do not serve breakfast and their bar and lounge area is closed. These small things all indicate that the property cares about its guests’ safety.
We got a one bedroom family room, which is ideal for families with kids. The room has 2 twin beds, and there is a king size bed as well. The hotel’s location is also ideal for families, within walking distance of Legoland. Some of the rooms even have a view of Legoland Castle. And, it is only a few miles from shopping and restaurants.
Unfortunately, the restaurant and lounge area are currently closed, so we could not try out their food. It is definitely inconvenient for guests to have to order food from other restaurants and not have room service. But, this is only due to Covid and protecting guest safety, so I actually appreciated this. There is also the Karl Strauss restaurant right next to the hotel, so you can easily walk there and order food and drinks.
Restaurants:
333 Pacific For our first night’s dinner, we headed to 333 Pacific. This was a repeat visit for me. The staff are nice and friendly, and they all had masks on. As always, the food was amazing.
Casa de Bandini:
The next day we skipped breakfast and went straight for lunch, where we had amazing Mexican food. The place was packed, but maintained social distancing. People were waiting for seats, even at lunch, and unfortunately, you cannot make reservations. I wanted to add this place to my blog as a place to visit in Carlsbad, so I messaged them to make sure that I would have a seat. Yes, they made an exception for us and gave us a table, and for that, I thank them. If you visit Carlsbad, you should definitely try out this place. One of their dishes won first place at the International Ensenada Seafood Competition. And don't let me start talking about their margaritas. They are so freakin good. Can someone take me back, please? LOL!
Just a reminder to everyone who is reading this. Since it is Covid and we are all taking precautions on things we want to do, from restaurants and hotels to hiking and walking destinations, I did my research before my trip on standards of cleanliness and where I felt comfortable eating. All these spots at the time of my visit were super clean and they all followed social distancing guidelines.
The Plot Restaurant
I had been dying to try out this place, and yes I loved it. This restaurant is vegan. To all my meat loving friends (and I am a meat lover too), you will become a vegan after visiting this restaurant. Ok, maybe only for a few days. We all love our meat. But all jokes aside, where should I begin. The service was exceptional. That in itself deserves a few paragraphs, if not more. Our server was so passionate about vegan food and food in general. This made the entire experience so much better. We loved everything about her and how informative she was about every single menu item.
This place reminded me of my trip to Norway. It offers a farm-to-table concept that is frequently seen in Europe. The way each dish was presented was so elegant and yet earthy and fresh. Our dishes were made to perfection, each with unique flavors and aromas.
And to top this off, this is the only American restaurant with a zero waste concept. Nothing is trashed here! They reuse everything. Leftover food is either boxed and given to customers, or it is composted and used to feed their plants, vegetables, and trees.
Clara:
Our last stop before heading home was an early dinner in Carlsbad Village at Clara. This cozy place offers a variety of dishes, some simple, some unique and fancy. We tried a bruschetta. Even though it looked super simple, it was so fresh and tasty that I finished all of it. We also enjoyed scallops and steak as our main course. This location is super central in Carlsbad Village, so if you are on a vacation, I would recommend spending some time in this area, checking out neighborhood boutiques and stores.
Carlsbad Flower Field
This is one of the most well-known places in Carlsbad and a must see when the flowers are blooming. Some rooms at Hotel Cassara face this flower field, by the way.
Carlsbad Outlet Mall
Into shopping ?? This mall is definitely for you.
Legoland: I haven't been to Legoland myself, but my sister has two kids and they love it. Definitely a fun way to entertain the whole family.
Windmill Food Court
A newly opened food court with a variety of restaurants inside. This place is right across from the outlet mall. We grabbed burgers and some drinks here and it was actually pretty good.
