Carlsbad Village Center is one of the most vibrant towns you can find around Carlsbad Beach. It is where shopping and entertainment happens.

It is here where you go to eat when you get hungry.

It is here where you go on a walk after having a nice long swim in the ocean.

It is here where you get to exercise your fur baby.

It is here where you go to get some fresh air.

Don’t forget to grab an ice-cream while your at it.  

Of course it’s important to see what makes up Carlsbad Village Center and what you can do there. I had to check it out for myself before ever writing about it.

For all those newbies (if your local skip ahead), who are looking for a nice beach town with availability to restaurants then look no further.

Carlsbad Beach is your beach vacation destination you need to be at this summer vacation.

After all, it was voted one of the top beaches to visit in San Diego County.

First and foremost, like many of you, when I first arrived I had no idea what to do and where to go, shop and eat.

I, like many of you, was a completely lost tourist scourging the web to find stuff to do and how to plan.

And this is what I learned…

Where is Carlsbad Village Center located

Carlsbad Village Center is actually in Carlsbad City, not too far from the beach itself.

According to apps like Google maps, it can take anywhere from 40-60 min to arrive.

It is approximately 36 miles north of the International Airport of San Diego. So of course during peak hours, your drive can take a little longer.

What to Expect at Carlsbad Village Center

Carlsbad Village Center has a lot to offer for both the tourist and local. If you are a pet owner, then you can walk your dog here.  You’ll find many people walking their dogs around Carlsbad Village.

Some people even decide to drive there, since there is plenty of parking along the streets with metered parking.

You can find all sorts of stores here. Including boutiques, beach attire, clothing stores, local ice cream eateries, restaurants, and even beach rentals.

You can most definitely take time to stroll through Carlsbad Village Center because of the variety of stores available.

The cool thing is that most of these shops are mom and pop shops so not only are you shopping, but you are also supporting local businesses.

There are plenty of stores with enough variety to shop from and even more on the adjacent streets.

Many people decide to window shop because there is a lot to see.

Shopping at Carlsbad Premium Outlets

You’ll be happy to know that the Carlsbad Village is not the only place you can do some shopping.

If the Carlsbad Village Center did not have what you were looking for then don’t worry there are more places to shop.  

One of my favorite places i came across was the Carlsbad Premium Outlets.

This is the same place where you can find the Flower Fields of Carlsbad.

The premium outlets have a lot of clothing shops and it seems more like an outdoor mall. It also has plenty of places to eat such as fast food restaurants and others.

Whether your here to shop or experience the beach vibe of Carlsbad, there is something for everyone.

How to Plan your Vacation in Carlsbad Village and Beach

Here is a simple 3 day itinerary:

Day: 1

Rest up after your long flight. If you have anytime feel free to walk to the beach closest to your hotel.

If you want to know which Carlsbad Beach to visit then be sure to check out the article of all the nice beaches of Carlsbad right here.

Day 2:

Explore Carlsbad Village Center. Check out the beach village for nice restaurants to eat. Walk around the Downtown. Check out the Carlsbad boardwalk.

Day 3:

Explore Carlsbad Beach and check out other local areas such as the Flower Fields (if in season) or the Carlsbad Premium Outlets

Conclusion

Carlsbad Village Center is actually one of the most common and best known places to get some shopping done after your beach day.

You can do some shopping at the local mom and pop shops and find plenty of restaurants to eat at.

If your craving a treat then make your way to Carlsbad Village where you can find ice-cream and candy shops.

It is also the perfect place to take your pup since many people enjoy walking their dogs there.

You can definitely do window shopping or stop at a local coffee or ice cream shop after you beach day.

Carlsbad Village is not the only place to do shopping, but it is within walking distance from the Northern Beaches of Carlsbad.

If you are looking for other beaches to check out near Carlsbad, then do not forget to check out this article where it breaks down the best beaches of Carlsbad.

Within driving distance you can find the Carlsbad Premium Outlets where there is even more clothing stores to shop from.

Even though Carlsbad Premium Outlets is more of an outdoor based mall you can definitely find a lot of nice branded stores with fair prices.

There’s a lot of variety here including places to eat, clothing stores, makeup stores and more.

Whatever kind of vacation you are planning on, then be sure to check out the Carlsbad beaches.

If you want to find how you can take your pup around Carlsbad Beach then check out our other blogs for that.

There are also plenty of San Diego Beaches that you can also enjoy. Find them out here.

Have you any favorite activities around the beach that you love doing?