Carlsbad Flower Fields Palomar Airport Rd. This annual event is greatly anticipated by half the population of San Diego and the surrounding areas. You'll see acres of ranunculas in brilliant whites, yellows, oranges, pinks and reds. There are also rows of mixed colors. Plan to stay at least an hour.
Parking is free, but there's a small entrance fee.
The flowers you'll see are produced for their bulbs and tubers so you won't be able to actually walk in the beds. However, you can buy bouquets, tubers, and flower-field boutique items at the gift shop on the grounds. Kids explore a fishing boat, create crafts, laugh at themselves in the magic mirror, and experiment on computers. Favorites are the Castle Play area and the Kids Market where children can learn the workings of a supermarket, including how groceries are moved along on a conveyor belt. See the Kidstuff chapter for more details.