Cassara Carlsbad Review

I am very excited to tell you all about our latest family vacation to The Cassara Carlsbad (Tapestry Collection by Hilton)! This is my family’s favorite California vacation spot and we have been here, even before The Cassara was built, many times. The other side is the Grand Pacific Palisades Resort. The Cassara being the more modern side of the hotel is where we have stayed the last couple of times.

Now… why do we love this hotel so much? There are many reasons, and I will detail them one by one for you. I know you will be booking your stay after you get through this list because it really is an amazing property for the whole family.

Proximity to where we live
We are originally from the east coast but now live in Arizona, the East Valley. The drive is super easy. Just about 5 ½ hours. We are a special needs family, and our special needs son loves car rides. This works perfectly for us.
The trip is very scenic and little traffic until you get close to San Diego. But if you plan well, traffic is flowing the whole time.
We normally take I-8W and stop in Yuma, about 2 ½ hours in, for gas and lunch. So yes, we leave around 9:30 am. This gets us at the hotel right after check-in time. This allows us to get into our suite, relax for a while and later head out to dinner.

The rooms and suites
We stay in a family suite because it is four of us. We love that my husband and I get our own space. The kids get their own room with 2 beds. There is a coffee maker with pods. Extra tv’s. In my family, that is sometimes needed. There is a fridge, and you can request a microwave. A couch. A balcony (facing The Flower Fields during our last stay). Plenty of space for our family of 4.

Quiet Pool
This pool is awesome and our favorite place to relax without the kids. It’s just off the lobby bar and restaurant and pretty much all adults, which is why it is called a quiet pool. Although we can bring our kids there, we prefer to just have the kids enjoy the kids pool and we enjoy this quiet pool at later times.
There are beautiful cabanas and a lap pool. The views are also beautiful and very relaxing. In the evening, we enjoy the fireplace and meeting new people. It’s incredible how friendly other guests have been every single time we have been there. We find ourselves going back and forth between the hot tub and the fireplace. Oh! and they play awesome music too!

The Kids have their own pool!
We love that the Cassara has a kid’s pool with a really cool splash pad, a playground area and even their own hot tub. Yes, quite the entertainment for them. The splash pad, of course, is the highlight for my kids and my nieces.

There is an arcade room and activity center
In the activity center there is a pool table, tv, jukebox, etc. and they schedule activities for the kids as well. I’ve seen bracelet making amongst other things. Ask for the schedule when you check in. In the arcade room, you will find arcade staples. The kids can be entertained for hours at any of these two spaces. Trust me, I know!

Legoland is across the street  
Legoland is literally across the street! Seriously! No driving necessary and the walk is between 5 to 7 minutes and that truly depends on how excited your kids are because they turn into marathoners trying to get there. Hahaha! Just look at how excited my nieces were!
I suggest you wear sneakers because you will need them. There is a lot to do at Legoland.

Shopping!
The Carlsbad Premium Outlets are just minutes away and there you can find all the top brands you love. I find way more than I am looking for each time. The Le Creuset outlet is my favorite place to shop at, of course. Left with a super cute pan! And because we drive in, I don’t have to worry about any heavy items in my luggage. This last time, I went with my mom, and she got the cutest travel bag at Michael Kors priced just perfect! She left feeling like a winner.

The Food
The Cassara Kitchen and Bar is in the lobby. There, you can get small bites and drinks. You also have the option of walking 2 minutes or less, depending on where your room or suite is located, to Karl Strauss. It’s on the right on site of The Cassara Carlsbad. You can have indoor, outdoor dining and to-go options. We go there quite a lot as the food is delicious!
We also love dining at 7 Mile kitchen (Sheraton Carlsbad) and 20/Twenty (Westin Carlsbad). Both hotels are sister properties to the Cassara. You can expect amazing food there too.

Carlsbad Village
In about 10 minutes you can be at Carlsbad Village. There is shopping, dining, cool murals, the beach and so much more. Of course, being a food blogger, I needed to have some good food and we also got to do that. I try to visit a new restaurant during each visit. This time we went to 264 Fresco, the tortellini dish you see in the video above is from there. Boy was it delicious! I highly recommend dining there because everything we ordered was delicious!

The beach
We love to spend time at the beach when we visit. We take the Trolley, provided by the hotel to Carlsbad State Beach. We love it because it is so cute and feels like we are in the 50’s somehow. They run at certain times, also during certain times of the year, so check with the front desk for schedule.

The Flower Fields
It’s only open for a specific time frame of the year, but it is so worth it! It is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen! And because it is right there, in your backyard, it is even more stunning. You can take rides around The Flower Fields or walk. They have these really cool giant chairs you can take those very needed selfies at. It is a truly inspiring experience. The Cassara has rooms with views right on to it so ask if you can book one of those rooms or suites.

A few more things I must mention
*San Diego is a quick drive, about an hour. We have been to the San Diego Zoo and other attractions in san Diego when staying at the Cassara.
*Costco is also right across the street. We like to pick up necessities to bring back to our suite. Having a special needs child has us needing very specific items.
*Not only do they have the Trolley, but they also have a shuttle to take you where you need to go to.
*There is a small shop in the lobby where you can get sandwiches, snacks, coffee and more throughout the day. Comes in very handy when you don’t want a big breakfast, lunch or just need a bottle of water.
*Look out for movie nights! They have them periodically and its super cool!
*Grills are provided by the kid’s pool! Get your ingredients, like we have done at Costco, and grill away!
*Bikes are available for rent. There are bike riding areas overlooking the ocean and the Flower fields. Just beautiful!
*Look for designated selfie spots. They have great views!
*There are several fireplaces and hot tubs around the property, look for them. One of the hot tubs is private and you have to reserve. Something we find great for private time with friends, family or your spouse.
*Spaces you can rent for private functions like weddings, parties, etc. overlooking the ocean.
*Courtesy shuttle to Ocean Pearl Spa at their sister property The Westin Carlsbad.
*Courtesy shuttle to The Crossings at Carlsbad public golf club.
*The Carlsbad Lagoon is also minutes away. You can enjoy water activities like boat, kayak, stand-up paddle board, aquacycle, swan pedal boat rentals and more. It’s fun for the whole family! The Cassara has a vacation package too!

As you can see, there is a lot that makes the Cassara Carlsbad one of our favorite places to vacation at. I could go on and on but for now, here is the link for more info: https://thecassaracarlsbad.com/