Bike to Carlsbad Village
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 7 miles
Ride Type: Paved
Topography: Flat
Start Location: Oceanside Pier
Route Description
Make a day of it and bike from downtown Oceanside to Carlsbad Village to get a local’s perspective on the fun things you can see and do between these two popular North County San Diego beach towns.
A piece of Hollywood history- one block south of the Pier as you cruise down Pacific Street you will see the historical home used in the filming of Top Gun (1986).
As you cruise down Pacific Street, the road drops to almost ocean level welcoming you to Buccaneer Beach, home to a small beach, a relaxing park and a café serving breakfast and lunch.
As you cross over the Buena Vista Lagoon from Oceanside to Carlsbad, make sure you keep an eye out for the beautiful birds that fly around in this area or better yet, stop in at the Buena Vista Audubon Nature Center to take a tour and learn about the local habitat.
As you enter Carlsbad, you will pass the Army and Navy Academy which is the oldest military style boarding school on the west coast for boys in grades 7-12. A few short blocks further will take you to Carlsbad Village proper where your will discover restaurants, pubs, gift shops and a farmer’s market every Wednesday afternoon.
Step-by-Step Bike Route Directions
- From the Oceanside Pier, head south on N. Pacific
- Turn left on Cassidy and go over the railroad tracks
- Turn right on Broadway
- Continue on Broadway and turn left on Eaton
- Turn right onto Carlsbad Boulevard and continue to the Carlsbad Village area
- For shopping and restaurants: turn left on Carlsbad Village Drive
- For the beach: turn right on Carlsbad Village Drive
- Return to the Oceanside Pier by retracing your route
Interest Points Along the Route
Top Gun House
Located along Pacific Street, just one block south of the pier, is the historical home used in filming the movie Top Gun (1986) starring Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis. Make sure to stop and take a photo with our piece of local Hollywood history.
Buccaneer Beach
Cruising South on Pacific Street, you will come to a flat area known as Buccaneer Beach. With area is locally known as “South O” and features a sandy beach to the west and a large park area to the east. Within the park area resides local hot spot, Buccaneer Beach Café, serving breakfast and lunch.
Buena Vista Lagoon and Nature Center
As you cross over from Oceanside to Carlsbad, you will pass through the Buena Vista Lagoon. The Lagoon is known as one of the “birdiest” locations in the country, so take a moment to stop and see if you can spot any birds. Visitors are also invited to stop in and explore the Buena Vista Audubon Nature Center. The Nature Center hosts guided nature walks and educational programs.
Carlsbad Village
Carlsbad Village is the coastal downtown community of Carlsbad, offering a variety of restaurants, pubs, gift shops to discover. Every Wednesday afternoon there is a farmer’s market on State Street.
