This year Carlsbad, CA is pulling out all the stops for a fun and romantic Valentine's Day weekend. Some of the resorts in the beach community are offering romantic strawberry infused dinners, special spa heart chakra treatments and a "Follow Your Heart" treasure hunt.
Barrio Glassworks has made 50 beautiful hand-blown glass hearts that will be placed throughout Carlsbad Village on Saturday, Feb. 12 and Sunday, Feb. 13. If you find a heart, it is yours to keep. They are visible on walking or local bike paths, near downtown murals and historic sites.
Nestled atop a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, golf course and Batiquitos Lagoon, Park Hyatt Aviara is offering beautifully appointed guest rooms and suites for couples looking to celebrate on Valentine's weekend. Splurge at one of the Park Hyatt's award-winning restaurants for a special prix-fixe Valentine's menu.
Walking into the elegant Mediterranean style Ponto Longe, diners will receive beef Machaca tartare with a quail egg and lime crema, before a plate of grilled romaine with cotija cream. There is a selection of wood-fired entrees that include charred and slow braised short rib barbacoa, Baja stripped bass with herb salad or 14 oz. Heritage pork chop with chimichurri. Each entree is served with roasted cauliflower, dried fruit and seeds, tortillas, guacamole, salsa, red rice and Mexican crema. Finish with dark chocolate, grapefruit, sable crumble and strawberries with honey cake. Reservations for this special dinner begin at 5 p.m., for this $150 per person multi-sensory meal.
At the resort's award-winning colf course is the newer Ember & Rye by television personality, restauranteur and Top Chef: All-Stars winner Richard Blais. This talented chef is preparing a creative Valentine's Day menu for $160 per person starting at 11:30 a.m. Items on the menu include snacks to share such as deviled eggs with caviar, a choice of appetizers, entree and dessert. Entrees to share include shortrib Wellington with lobster boudin and black lime crusted swordfish prime rib. Single entrees include bacon wrapped filet mignon and steelhead trout with a habanero hazelnut 'XO' sauce. Guests recevie a variety of sides with their entree.
The Omni La Costa Resort and Spa is offering a multitude of memorable experiences during the month of February. Guests can design their own dessert boxes to dazzle their loved ones. Children and adults have the opportunity to hand-dip and decorate four different desserts for $12 on Saturday from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Enjoy a romantic snd sensual side-by-side Omni spa experience and add a rose quartz antioxidant facial to reconnect to your heart chakra. The spa is also offering a wild cherry manicure this month. Enhance your spa experience with a bottle of champagne and berries with any service for an additional cost.
After your time at the spa, cozy up with the one you love for an intimate Love Story: A Meal in Four Courses. Executive chef Adam Solowitz prepares this special dinner at Bar Traza on Valentine's Day weekend, showcasing sweet, handpicked Carlsbad strawberries. Diners receive a strawberry gazpacho shooter with champagne caviar and lemon lace. There is a land and sea option with a 6 oz filet and gulf shrimp. Finish with a heartfelt flourless chocolate cake with Carlsbad strawberry mousse for this $89 per person meal.
For couples who bring their children on Valentine's weekend, childcare is available through Kidtopia Night Camp from 5 to 9 p.m., for guests with confirmed dinner reservations. The price is $20 for the first child, $10 per additional child, per hour. Reservations must be made directly through Kidtopia by calling 760-931-7543.
Bob's Steak & Chop House is also offering a festive Feb. 14 dinner starting at 4:30 p.m. Executive chef Justin Huntington's menu includes a choice of a shared appetizer, soups and/or salads, entrees that include grilled scallops, a dry aged pork tomahawk, the restaurant's signature cote de boeuf, or Australian rack of lamb. Finish with a lagniappe of truffles and dessert, all for $95 per person.
Afterwards guests and non-guests can reserve a firepit in the evening for two to 12 guests and receive a s'more board that includes homemade strawberry and vanilla marshmallows, heart shaped sugar and red velvet cookies, soda, waters and hot cocoa.
Perched up on the hills overlooking Carlsbad and the Pacific Ocean, Westin Carlsbad Resort and Spa features four pools and five Jacuzzis to relax in before or after a spa treatment at Ocean Pearl Spa for a romantic spa treatment. From full body exfoliations and hot oil massages to reef sugar scrubs, book a signature treatment in February and receive $30 off. All specials include use of the spa facilities including the steam room, relaxation lounge and resort pool.
Afterwards enjoy a romantic sunset dinner at 20|Twenty. The $85 prix-fixe menu includes port braised short ribs, pan seared sea bass and a strawberry balsamic pavlova. Diners receive a s'mores takeaway kit to roast by the hotel's flickering firepits.
Carlsbad in the spring is filled with 70 million flowers across 50 acres at The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch. Before leaving Carlsbad to return home, check to see if the blooms have come to life yet. Each year the ranch is open to the public from March 1, 2022 through early to mid-May. This Spring they will debut a Sunflower maze and offer blueberry picking. There is live outdoor music, the American Flag of Flowers, tractor wagon tour, artist gardens and aviaries, a sweet pea maze and cymbidium orchid greenhouse.
If the ranunculus aren't in bloom yet, come back to Carlsbad in March, April or May to see this one of a kind spectacular site.
