Located a short distance from San Diego is the beautiful city of Carlsbad. I had the pleasure of visiting after booking an impromptu getaway. Needing a destination in Southern California that I hadn’t previously visited I decided on Carlsbad after landing a great hotel deal. It was only a short drive to the beach and had a small kitchen, perfect.

On day one I drove to Carlsbad State Beach, “also known as Tamarack Beach,” and quickly found a great parking spot. The place was brimming with morning walkers, mothers, their toddlers, and a few surfers who were still catching waves. I breathed in the fresh ocean air knowing I’d made the right decision. It was the perfect location for relaxation and contemplation.

On the second day, I did something I’d never done before. I woke up early and drove to the same beach and watched the sunrise. There was only one other guy there when I arrived and he wasn’t bothered by my arrival. With coffee in hand, I found a beautiful spot near the cliffs and soaked it all in. My efforts were rewarded by a beautiful sunrise coming up over the ocean. A quiet morning filled with skies of pink, purple and blue. It was more beautiful than I could’ve imagined.

I spent the rest of the day at Oceanside Pier which was only a twenty-minute drive from the hotel. It culminated my experience perfectly with surfers galore, lots of other beachgoers, and the much-anticipated guy making a spectacle of himself. This particular person rode around on his bike with music blaring and dancing the entire time. Grabbing hold of the occasional vehicle as others drove by which no one seemed to mind. His noticing my watching only encouraged more of his antics. Eventually, I lost interest and moved toward the pier.

I stood there for quite a while watching the surfers and enjoying the ocean views. Soon my view was obscured by fog, which came in and blanketed the area. So much so the lifeguards had to call the swimmers in from the water. With nothing else to see I decided to leave, but not without breathing in the fresh ocean air one last time.

I reminded myself that it was all worth it as I prepared to leave the next morning. I’d accomplished my objective which was to enjoy myself and relax. I returned home feeling refreshed, renewed, and ready to plan my next adventure.

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