Over The Top Mommy

The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch®

I Shopped ’til I Dropped at The Carlsbad Premium Outlets®!

Carlsbad has become one of my favorite places to visit. It’s a beautiful city by the sea,  just south of where we live in Orange County, and has a lot to offer its visitors. Some of the fun day trips we’ve taken there recently were to visit LEGOLAND California and The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch.

carlsbad-premium-outletsnext-doorOn my last trip down to Carlsbad, I spent the morning touring The Flower Fields. Afterwards, I walked next door to The Carlsbad Premium Outlets for some lunch and shopping. (It’s literally next door as you can see in the picture) There are 90 outlet stores from the world’s largest leading designers and name brands there. It’s an outdoor shopping center, where you stroll through the sunny corridors, that are lined with palm trees. Among the shoppers, you’ll also find families with children at the play area, guests walking their dogs, and others taking a break, seated next to a fountain. I loved the vibe this center had.

Before I started my shopping, I grabbed some lunch at Ruby’s Diner. (Did I mention that The Carlsbad Premium Outlets also have a ton of food options?) As I was eating, I was also glancing over the store listings and center map, and began to create a list of stores I wanted to shop at. Since I’d already spent a good part of the morning roaming around The Flower Fields, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to shop at ALL of the stores, which was fine because it just meant I’d need a return trip, right?

I headed over to Nike first. There’s always something about that store that draws me in first. There were so many different shoes I wanted in there and they were offered at great prices too. They also had a ton of workout and active wear for the entire family.

nike-outlet-shoesNext, my eye caught the Sunglass Hut sign. I don’t think anyone can ever have enough pairs of sunglasses.

It seemed like every pair in the store was being offered at a sale price on top of the outlet prices.The girls working there were very helpful and made sure I picked out a pair that “made me look like a total rockstar“! (that was how they worded it)

glasses-on-sale

glasses-collageI practically skipped across the way from Sunglass Hut to Converse when I saw that sign! I’d been wanting to get myself a pair of Converse to go with all of my jeans but just hadn’t gotten around to it. Here was my chance!

Little did I know I’d spend over an hour and a half in that store! Not only were their regular outlet prices great, but they also had a huge sale rack in the back with so many adorable pairs of Converse. There were way too many to choose from and my “try-on pile” grew even larger when the guy working there pointed out that I could also fit into kids’ sizes for the girls section!  So many Converse, so little time!

converse-collageshoe-collagekeychainsI kind of ran out of time shopping and had to head back home to pick up my daughter from school that day, but I love that I’ve now found a fun place to shop in Carlsbad! Have you been to The Carlsbad Premium Outlets yet? If not, I suggest you do. I also suggest signing up for the VIP Shopper Club before you go, which will give you exclusive access to the online VIP Lounge with member benefits such as exclusive online coupons, a voucher for a free VIP Coupon Book, and other perks! Just stop by the Information Center when you get there. They can answer any questions you may have.

information-centerCarlsbad Premium Outlets® are located at:

 5620 Paseo del Norte, Suite 100
Carlsbad, CA 92008

Connect with them on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!

Thank you to The Carlsbad Premium Outlets who provided me with lunch and a gift card towards my shopping purchases. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch® Took My Breath Away!

welcome-to-the-flower-fieldsI recently had the opportunity to spend the day at The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch®, which is located in Carlsbad. They were a magnificent sight that I’d caught a glimpse of a couple times when I’d driven through Carlsbad, but I had never gotten to actually stop and go inside. The Flower Fields feature 50 acres of Giant Tecolote® Ranunculus flowers with colors that pop against the light blue sky. They’re just a hop, a skip and a jump away from the Pacific Ocean, so it creates this picturesque backdrop.

close-to-the-oceanWhen you first enter the front gates and are standing there in front of what seems to be an endless field of flowers, it’s absolutely breathtaking!  It’s a sight that everyone should get to experience annually when it’s in full bloom! I was there about 2 weeks prior to the full bloom. If it was already this beautiful then, I can’t imagine at full bloom!

flowers-for-daysThis year, The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch are open for the 2015 season from March 1-May 10 ( Mother’s Day). The fields are extra vibrant this year and bloomed a little early, most likely attributing this to the mild fall and winter we’ve had. Needless to say, they are a spectacular sight and a must-see for anyone visiting the area.

antique-tractor-ride

Visitors have the opportunity to take an open-air ride in an antique tractor wagon, through The Flower Fields, for a nominal fee. The ride is accompanied by an audio commentary of the history of The Flower Fields. It provides for a relaxing ride through the fields and is perfect for picture taking. Guests also have the option to exit the wagon and walk around. The cost for a wagon ride is $5.00 for Adults and $3.00 for Children 3-10.

take-a-ridedrivingProbably the most special part about my visit to The Flower Fields was getting meet Paul Ecke III. He’s the owner of the Flower Fields and the man behind the entire operation. Mr. Ecke has extensive family history tied to the agricultural history in this area, dating back about 100 years. Both Mr. Ecke and Mr. Fred Clarke, the General Manager of The Flower Fields, rode around the fields with our group and provided us with some really wonderful information about all that goes on there on a year-round basis, to produce the spectacular landmark. The flowers were so beautiful, each plant an individual, just like us.

070076pinkGuests who opt to exit during the wagon ride in the middle of the field, have access to walk through certain parts of the Flower Fields where carefully constructed bridges have been added. This is to avoid any damage to the plants themselves but allows a closer look and photo opportunities among the flowers. It’s the perfect setting for some family photos.

067As if I wasn’t already in total awe of what seemed to be an endless field brilliant flowers, I was in for another treat that was waiting for us on one of the hillsides. I guess that’s part of the fun about being a “first-timer” but I was WOW-ed when they took us to see the American Flag of Flowers! It was so beautiful and listening to how it’s produced was amazing. This flag is made up of 8998 Petunia plants, is just under 1 acre and is exactly to scale of our own American flag!

flagAfter the conclusion of our wagon ride, we spent some time walking the grounds with Mr. Ecke. He was very passionate about taking us to see the area he referred to as “Santa’s Playground”.

santas-village-sign

welcomeI had NO IDEA it was a play area on the grounds, almost entirely made up of authentic pieces from the original Santa’s Village, that had been in San Bernardino, years ago! Mr. Ecke told us the story about how he’d visited Santa’s Village as a child with his own family. Years later, when his own children were small, he attended an auction where he acquired several original pieces from that property.

at-santas-village

 

some-santas-village-originalsHe transported them to San Diego County and transformed an entire area at The Flower Fields to create “Santa’s Playground”, an area for children to run around and play. You can see how well he’s maintained the original colors of the pieces and he shared that his wife changed the designs of some of the mushrooms, but strived to maintain their authenticity by choosing designs that meshed well with that era.  As a child, I’d seen commercials for Santa’s Village, but never had the opportunity to visit before it closed down. Santa’s Playground is such a magical area to visit.

mushroomsIn addition to walking around The Flower Fields and taking a wagon ride, there are several other exhibits and attractions to see and do on your visit.

Some of those include:

  • Cymbidian Orchid Greenhouse
  • The Artist Gardens
  • Sweet Pea Maze
  • Carlsbad Mining Company
  • Organic Demonstration Garden
  • Historic Pointsettia Display
  • Water Wise Farming

 

The Flower Fields are adjacent to Armstrong Garden Center and have a partnership set up with them. Fresh cut flowers are available for purchase along with potted plants, bulbs and a variety of other items in the Armstrong Garden Center Gift Shop.

The Flower Fields also host a variety of events throughout the season, including Sunrise Easter Services, which start at 6:30 a.m. You can find the entire calendar of events here.

Admission for The Flower Fields is as follows:

  • Adults: $12.00
  • Seniors 60+: $11.00
  • Children 3-10: $6.00
  • Children 2 and under are free

To purchase your tickets online, click here.

the-flower-fields-signThe Flower Fields are located at 5704 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad, CA 92008. You can also reach them at 760-431-0352. For more information about the Flower Fields, click here.

Have YOU visited The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch®  yet? If not, it’s a must-see in my opinion!

Connect with The Flower Fields on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Disclosure: I was invited to attend a media day at The Flower Fields and was provided with admission in order to write my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.