Drive from Belmont Park to Carlsbad
This drive is featured in our Driving Routes section but there’s so much to check out and see along the way that we decided to do a blog post on it too.
If you’re looking for lots of gorgeous ocean views, cute towns, and fantastic beaches, then this is the drive for you. It’s best done when you have plenty of time to stop and check things out.
The drive starts off in Mission Beach at Belmont Park. Belmont Park is a beach front amusement park that opened in 1925. It is home to the famous wooden roller coaster, the Giant Dipper, and also includes a huge indoor pool called The Plunge. You can walk down the boardwalk past some of San Diego’s most iconic beaches.
The route continues through Pacific Beach (very popular for younger generations) to La Jolla and La Jolla Cove. Park here and enjoy the seals at the Children’s Pool, get some great food at George’s at the Cove, or walk through the many shops that La Jolla Village has to offer. The ocean views in this area are spectacular.
Continue the drive north, you’ll pass the Torrey Pines State Reserve (great hiking with amazing views), the Torrey Pines Gliderport (right next to the world renowned University of California, San Diego), and the famous Torrey Pines Golf Course. The drive will take you right past the Del Mar Fairgrounds (where the Del Mar Race Track is), and you might even pass by the Amtrak Surfliner train that goes up to San Luis Obisbo. The city of Del Mar is quaint and very cute and worth a walkaround.
You’ll continue on the drive through Solana Beach, passing the beautiful Cardiff State Beach. On this drive you’ll see various surfing spots all the way to Oceanside. The City of Encinitas is just north of Solana Beach and is well known for all kinds of festivals and competitions including April Street Fair, the Fall Festival, and the Switchfoot Bro-Am, which is a free surf competition and outdoor music festival at Moonlight State Beach.
Carlsbad is another SoCal beach town you’ll pass through that’s home to numerous well-known companies including ViaSat, TaylorMade, and Calloway. Also in Carlsbad is Legoland California.
The drive ends in Oceanside. Don’t forget to check out the Oceanside pier, first built in 1888, and the California Surf Museum. Oceanside has been the background for numerous films and tv shows, including Top Gun, Animal Kingdom, Veronica Mars, and Bring It On.
The trip takes about 2-4 hours total (depending on part of town you're coming from and how many stops you make). Let us know if this post gets you to try the drive, or if it doesn’t, let us know how we could make it more appealing. E-mail us – feedback@drivesanddetours.com or DM us on Insta @drivesanddetours.
