Carlsbad, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carlsbad, California
City
Downtown Carlsbad in 2020
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  Village by the Sea
Location of Carlsbad in San Diego County, California.
Carlsbad, California Location in San Diego County, California Show map of San Diego County, California Carlsbad, California Location in California Show map of California Carlsbad, California Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	San Diego
Incorporated	July 16, 1952
Named for	Karlsbad, Kingdom of Bohemia
Government
• Type	Council–manager
• Body	Carlsbad City Council
Area
• Total	39.08 sq mi (101.21 km2)
• Land	37.77 sq mi (97.83 km2)
• Water	1.30 sq mi (3.38 km2)  3.55%
Elevation	52 ft (16 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	114,746
• Rank	5th in San Diego County 56th in California
• Density	3,038.02/sq mi (1,172.91/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP codes	92008–92011, 92018
Area codes	442/760
FIPS code	06-11194
GNIS feature IDs	1660437, 2409984
City flower	Bird-of-paradise

Carlsbad is a sunny beach city in San Diego County, California. It's about 35 miles (56 km) north of downtown San Diego and 87 miles (140 km) south of downtown Los Angeles. In 2020, about 114,746 people lived here. Carlsbad is a fun place for tourists and home to many companies that make golf equipment.

History of Carlsbad

Rancho Agua Hedionda was granted to Juan María Marrón in 1842, covering the area of modern-day Carlsbad.

Statue of John Frazier

Carlsbad's story began with the Luiseño people, who lived near Mission San Luis Rey. Some Kumeyaay people also lived in the La Costa area. Many fresh water creeks had native villages, like Palamai near today's Buena Vista Lagoon.

In 1769, Spanish explorers arrived and met villagers near Buena Vista Creek. Another Luiseño village was 'Ajopunquile' at the mouth of San Marcos Creek. A Kumeyaay village called Hakutl was in the Rancho Ponderosa area.

Later, in 1842, a large part of southern Carlsbad became Rancho Agua Hedionda. It was given to Juan María Marrón.

How Carlsbad Got Its Name

In the 1880s, a former sailor named John A. Frazier dug a well in the area. He started selling his water at the train station. Soon, the train stop was known as Frazier's Station.

Another well was dug, and tests showed its water was like the famous spa waters in Karlsbad, Bohemia (now Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic). Because of this, the town was named Carlsbad.

A group of businessmen, including Gerhard Schutte, formed the Carlsbad Land and Mineral Water Company. They promoted the town to attract visitors. Carlsbad grew quickly in the 1880s, with new homes and businesses. Farmers also started growing citrus fruits, avocados, and olives. Even when land prices dropped in 1887, the community survived thanks to its rich farmland.

You can still see the spot of John Frazier's first well at Alt Karlsbad. It's a building that looks like an old German house on Carlsbad Boulevard.

Becoming a City and Modern Changes

In 1952, Carlsbad officially became a city. This was done to prevent its neighbor, Oceanside, from taking over the area.

The McClellan-Palomar Airport opened in 1959. It was later named after Gerald McClellan, a local leader.

Carlsbad was also home to the world's first modern skateboard park. It opened in March 1976 at Carlsbad Raceway. The skatepark closed in 1979, but now Carlsbad has two new skateparks.

In March 1999, Legoland California opened. It was the first Legoland park outside of Europe. It's a very popular theme park today.

Carlsbad also has the largest desalination plant in the United States. It turns ocean water into fresh drinking water. It was finished in 2015.

Carlsbad's Geography and Climate

Carlsbad covers about 39.1 square miles (101.2 km2). Most of this is land, but about 1.4 square miles (3.55%) is water. This water is found in three lagoons and one lake.

The city's northern part is next to southern Oceanside and western Vista.

Carlsbad has beautiful ocean cliffs and wide sandy beaches. Its mild weather makes it a great place for vacations all year.

Carlsbad's Weather

Carlsbad has a mild, semi-arid Mediterranean climate. This means it gets about 263 sunny days each year. Winters are mild with some rain. It rarely freezes near the coast.

Summers are mostly dry, but can be cool and foggy due to the Pacific Ocean. Sometimes, hot, dry Santa Ana winds bring high temperatures, usually in the fall.

Carlsbad's Neighborhoods

The Old Santa Fe Depot, built in 1907, is a local landmark. It now holds the city's Visitor's Information Center.

Carlsbad is divided into four main areas for city planning.

Northwest Carlsbad

This area includes the downtown "Village," "The Barrio," and "Olde Carlsbad." It was the first part of the city to be settled. Homes here range from older cottages to large mansions with ocean views. It also has Hosp Grove Park and the Buena Vista and Agua Hedionda Lagoons.

"The Barrio" is a historic area near downtown. It was settled by Latino families in the early 1900s.

Northeast Carlsbad

This part of Carlsbad has mostly single-family homes. You'll find older areas like Chestnut Hills and newer ones around Calavera Hills.

The Northeast quadrant also has the Lake Calavera Nature Preserve. This 110-acre (45 ha) area includes a 513-foot (156 m) extinct volcano called Mount Calavera. The preserve has a small lake and hiking trails with ocean views.

Calavera Lake and Mount Calavera on the eastern boundary of Carlsbad

Southeast Carlsbad

This area has many newer, planned communities with hillsides and golf courses. It includes Bressi Ranch and the La Costa neighborhoods. The famous Omni La Costa Resort & Spa is located here.

Southwest Carlsbad

This quadrant runs along the Pacific Ocean south of central Carlsbad. It includes the Aviara neighborhood, home to the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort.

Carlsbad's Population

Carlsbad is part of the larger San Diego metropolitan area.

In 2020, Carlsbad had a population of 114,746 people. Most residents were White (69.02%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (15.08%), Asian (7.85%), and people of two or more races (6.04%).

The city has a mix of families. Many households are married couples, and about 30.9% of households have children under 18. The average household size is 2.55 people.

Carlsbad is a well-educated city. About 95.7% of adults have graduated from high school, and 51.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Carlsbad's Economy

Carlsbad is a hub for many different industries. These include technology, video games, manufacturing, robotics, and medical devices. It's also known for clean energy, action sports, and tourism. In 2013, Google even called Carlsbad the "digital capital of California" for its strong online business community.

Carlsbad is sometimes called "Titanium Valley" because of its golf industry. Big golf companies like Callaway Golf Company, TaylorMade, Cobra Golf, and Titleist are all located here.

Top Employers in Carlsbad

Here are some of the largest employers in Carlsbad:

Schools in Carlsbad

Carlsbad has several school districts and many schools for students of all ages.

School Districts

• Carlsbad Unified School District
• Encinitas Union School District (for elementary schools in South 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 Schools

• Carlsbad High School
• La Costa Canyon High School
• Sage Creek High School

Public Middle Schools

• Aviara Oaks Middle School
• Calavera Hills Middle School
• Valley Middle School

Public Elementary Schools

Private Schools

• Army and Navy Academy
• Carlsbad Christian Academy
• Pacific Ridge School
• St. Patrick School

Public Libraries

• Carlsbad City Library (with three different branches)

Sister Cities

Sign of Karlovy Vary's sister cities

Carlsbad has two sister cities, which are cities that form a special bond to promote cultural exchange:

• Futtsu, Japan
• Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic (the city Carlsbad was named after!)

Fun Things to Do in Carlsbad

Carlsbad offers many attractions for visitors and residents.

Amusement Parks

• Legoland California

Aquariums

• Sea Life Aquarium at Legoland California

Beaches

• Carlsbad State Beach
• South Carlsbad State Beach

Campgrounds

• South Carlsbad State Beach

Golf

• Aviara Golf Club
• Omni La Costa Resort & Spa
• The Crossings at Carlsbad
• Rancho Carlsbad Golf Club

Nature and Open Spaces

• Agua Hedionda Lagoon
• Batiquitos Lagoon
• Buena Vista Lagoon
• 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

Getting Around Carlsbad (Transportation)

The North County Transit District (NCTD) helps people get around Carlsbad. They offer:

• The Coaster commuter train (with stops at Carlsbad Village station and Carlsbad Poinsettia station)
• Breeze bus service
• The Carlsbad Connector (a special ride-sharing service)
• Lift (a service for people who need extra help)

Interstate 5 runs through the western part of Carlsbad. California State Route 78 is also nearby.

McClellan–Palomar Airport is about 7 miles (11 km) southeast of downtown Carlsbad. It's used for general aviation and some commercial flights.

Famous People from Carlsbad

Many interesting people have lived in or are from Carlsbad:

See also

In Spanish: Carlsbad (California) para niños