Carlsbad is more of a destination like feeling with small niches to quiet access routes to the beach. There is a lot of shopping and commerce. There are many small shops for ice cream and sandwiches. An ocean is more of a flat beach and has a greater military presence.
Is CA Carlsbad a nice area On the flip side, Carlsbad was named one of Niche.com's â € œBest Places to Liveâ € in 2020, coming in at # 29. Carlsbad was also No. 4 for Cities with the Best Public Schools in America , No. 21 for Best Retirement Cities and No.