South Ponto Beach — Attraction in Carlsbad

​A Calm Spot with a Few Caveats

​Carlsbad State Beach offers a wonderfully calm and relaxing atmosphere, perfect for a quiet day by the ocean. While the vibe is peaceful, the shoreline is often covered in a significant amount of seaweed, which can detract from the overall cleanliness. ​Parking is a definite challenge; although free street parking is available along the boulevard, finding an open spot requires both patience and luck. ​Perhaps the most important factor for families is the beach's steep slope. The shoreline drops off quickly, creating strong waves and currents that might not be suitable for young children or inexperienced swimmers. It’s best to stay close to the shore and be mindful of the conditions. Overall, it's a nice beach for sunbathing and enjoying the view, but be prepared for the seaweed and cautious about the...

Wanted to go somewhere close to my work and google suggested this place. I fell in love. Parking is off the highway, on the sand and is free. Short trip to the water after some sand, and a hill of rocks. The water is an amazing turquoise, clear, and had fun sun bathing and swimming. Pretty active but not too crazy around 245pm-3pm. Only bummer is that the bathrooms are kind of far from where I parked. My new favorite beach...

This was a case of not reading recent reviews. I’m sure this was a good beach at one point, but it isn’t anymore. They trucked in loads of rocks to help prevent erosion and the sandy beach is no more. My son enjoyed collecting rocks, but that was all this beach had to offer. A major disappointment after driving all the...