3 Delicious Carlsbad Food Tours to Check Out in 2024
Carlsbad is often remembered for its stunning beaches and enviable weather. However, the region is also renowned for its impressive culinary scene. And for those looking to inhale some seriously tasty food at locally known favorites, these awesome Carlsbad food tours are the way to go! So, if you’re to eat your way through Carlsbad’s unique culinary history, here are the top 3 tours I recommend going with 🙂 Oh, and I’ve included other fun activities I’ve done in case you need inspiration for your Southern California itinerary.
🌮 PRO TIP: If you’re pressed for time, jump to the comparison table. You’ll get a nice overview of all available tour options so you can easily decide!
3 Delicious Carlsbad Food Tours (2024)
1. Carlsbad Food Tour and Wine Tasting
⭐️ RATING: 5 out of 5 – 360+ star reviews! | ⏳ LENGTH OF TOUR: 3 hours
The Carlsbad Food Tour and Wine Tasting include:
- 3-hour walking tour through the historic Carlsbad Village & its landmarks
- 6 different gourmet tastings from local eateries
- Drinking prestigious California wines
- Personalized experience with a small group
Why Choose This Tour? This is both the highest-rated and most popular Carlsbad food tour available. It promises a one-of-a-kind experience, allowing you to sample everything from mouthwateringly good Al Pastor tacos and Italian cuisine to artisan donuts and creamy gelato.
Plus, rather than just walking from place to place, the guide will give you a behind the scenes look into the flourishing food scene and local history within Carlsbad Village. So, if you’re looking to dine at a few of Carlsbad’s most beloved eateries and sample excellent California wines, then this food tour is a perfect choice!
“David gave us an outstanding tour of Carlsbad Village. We really enjoyed learning about Carlsbad’s history, sampling great food and discovering very nice places to eat. Highly recommended!!!“
– Howard L. (seE MORE REVIEWS)
✅ 🌮 Check availability for this popular food tour through Carlsbad Village!
2. Cruise & Booze Brewery Tour
⭐️ RATING: 5 out of 5 – only has 5-star reviews! | ⏳ LENGTH OF TOUR: 4.5 hours
The Cruise & Booze Brewery Tour includes:
- Round-trip transportation from hotels in Carlsbad and Escondido in retro VW Vanagon!
- Visiting 3 North Coast craft breweries & sampling an array of beers
- Learning about the brewing processes used at the 3 breweries
- Drinks and snacks
- Limited to 6 people
Why Choose This Tour? This half-day tour is perfect for those who prefer a more laid-back tour — one where you can sit back, relax, and jam out to good music as you cruise along the scenic California coast and are chauffeured from place to place throughout the day.
You’ll also have the chance to taste a generous selection of craft beers while learning about the brewing process and touring one of the breweries! And don’t worry, you’ll also have the opportunity to eat real food. 😉 Thus, if you love tasting beers and are looking for a relaxing and intimate yet educational tour, definitely be sure to check out the Cruise & Booze Brewery Tour!
“WOW! What a fun day! Seriously, I cannot stress this enough… WHAT A FUN DAY! Sean is a great host and he scheduled a full day of brewery visits – most of them we had never been to. The van is clean and he had it stocked with water and chips for us. We brought our own beer and snacks so we ate and drank all day even when we were on the road. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!“
– Tour Guest. (seE MORE REVIEWS)
✅ 🍻 Check availability for this half-day tour of 3 awesome craft breweries!
3. Brothels, Bites, and Booze: A Culinary Tour
⭐️ RATING: 5 out of 5 – taken by 550+ guests! | ⏳ LENGTH OF TOUR: 2.5 hours
The Brothels, Bites, and Booze: A Culinary Tour includes:
- 2.5-hour walking tour through the heart of San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter
- Learning about the quarter’s origins and thriving restaurants and bars
- Sampling various types of cuisine at 4 eateries
- Tasting beers and wines at 3 local places
- Discovering the area’s previous life as a “red light” district
- Note: A minimum of 4 guests are needed for the tour to operate
Why Choose This Tour? This food tour is fantastic for those who are looking for a combination of culinary exploration, lesser-known history, and culture all in one! Over 2.5 hours, your engaging and knowledgeable guide will explain the more eclectic and seedy side of San Diego’s past as well as show you some historic landmarks in the area. And along the way, you’ll try a few different dishes and cocktail drinks! As such, if you’re staying further South and want a food tour that takes you outside of San Diego’s normal tourist sights and gives you a peek into the area’s complex history, then this is the tour for you!
“Excellent way to spend the afternoon! Raoul was an engaging and entertaining guide, also the food and alcohol was amazing!”
– Philip T. (seE MORE REVIEWS)
Carlsbad Food Tours Comparison
By now, there’s a decent chance that you’ve probably forgotten some of the differences and details of the food tours. To help you recall and quickly see the main highlights, I’ve made the table below!
🌮 PRO TIP: If you’re viewing this on your cell phone, I recommend turning your phone so the information reads across the long side. This should help improve readability!
| Tour Name | Duration | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad Food Tour and Wine Tasting | 3 hours | > Tasting food from 6 local eateries > Sipping wine from California vineyards > Learning the local history of the area |
| Cruise & Booze Brewery Tour | 4.5 hours | > Transportation in retro VW Vanagon > Visiting 3 fantastic craft breweries > Touring inside a brewery w/ owner |
| Brothels, Bites, and Booze: A Culinary | 2.5 hours | > Walking tour through Gaslamp Quarter > Sampling 4 dishes and 3 drinks > Discovering the seedy history of the area |
Other Carlsbad Tours
If the tours above aren’t doing it for you, there are other food tours in central San Diego that you can check out. Or, if you’re staying in Carlsbad and looking for activities closer to your housing accommodations, here are a few other excursions worth exploring!
⛵️ Carlsbad Surf Lessons
- Surfing Experience and Lessons — ⭐️ Rating: 5 / 5 | ⏳ Time: 2.5 hours
- Oceanside Private Surf Lessons — ⭐️ Rating: 5 / 5 | ⏳ Time: 1 hour
🐋 Carlsbad Whale Watching Tours
- Oceanside Whale Watching Tour — ⭐️ Rating: 4.5 / 5 | ⏳ Time: 2 hours
- Oceanside Dolphin & Whale Watching — ⭐️ Rating: 4.5 / 5 | ⏳ Time: 1.5 hours
🚴♂️ Carlsbad Bike Tour
- Local Guided Electric Bike Tour — ⭐️ Rating: 5 / 5 | ⏳ Time: 2.5 hours
🏄♀️ NOTE: If you’re staying near La Jolla or the main San Diego area and looking to begin your surfing journey, check out my local surf guide! It has all the best beginner surf spots and everything you need to know 🙂
What to Bring for Carlsbad Food Tours
So you’ve hopefully found the tour that suits you best and you’re wondering if you need to bring anything special? The short answer is not really…it’s not like you’ll be doing a strenuous hike in Tahiti or paragliding in the Swiss Alps lol. But, to ensure you remember everything, here is a short list of things to bring.
- 👟 Comfortable Walking Shoes — You’ll likely have to do a bit of walking, so wear comfortable shoes! Even for the Cruise & Booze Brewery tour, wear comfy shoes cause you might be a lil tipsy by the end and don’t want to risk falling on your face!
- 🌞 Sunscreen — Don’t forget to protect your skin! You will be in Sunny San Diego after all… Well, at least within greater San Diego! Avoid looking like a lobster by frequently putting on sunscreen.
- 😎 Sunglasses & Hat — Similarly, protect your face from the sun by wearing sunglasses and a hat!
- 💸 Wallet + ID — The ID is a bit more obvious given the nature of these Carlsbad food tours… But, I recommend bringing money to order additional food or tip your tour guide. Plus, for the Cruise and Booze Brewery Tour, only some of the drinks you’ll be tasting are included in the price. This way you pay for what you want to try since there’s a large selection.
- 🌮 Empty Stomach — Lastly, to ensure you experience maximum enjoyment, bring an empty stomach! When I do food tours, I avoid eating the entire day until the tour… ok, maybe I’ll eat an apple. But, you want enough room to feast and fully enjoy everything! 🤠
Where to Stay in Carlsbad
If you haven’t locked down your housing, there are plenty of great options for where to stay in Carlsbad. Whether you’re looking for a room with a stunning ocean-view, or something more affordable… Carlsbad has it! And to hopefully save you some time reading through the bazillion hotel reviews, here are the ones I recommend checking out.
Low-Cost Stay
- West Inn & Suites — Lovely 3-star hotel near Legoland | ⭐️ 8.7 / 10
- Staybridge Suites Carlsbad — Modern 3-star hotel w/ pool & free breakfast | ⭐️ 9 / 10
Mid-Range Stay
- Southern California Beach Club — Laid-back 3-star hotel on beach | ⭐️ 9.2 / 10
- Hilton Grand Vacations Club MarBrisa Carlsbad — 4-star family-friendly resort| ⭐️ 8.4 / 10
Fancy Stays
- Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara — Luxury 5-star hotel with 2 pools & spa | ⭐️ 9.4 / 10
- Park Hyatt Aviara Resort & Spa — Excellent 5-star hotel w/ 3 restaurants & spa| ⭐️ 9.4 / 10
Feel free to click these buttons to head to your favorite booking platform and see additional housing options.
Alternatively, you can use this little interactive map to see housing options across various booking platforms. The prices are up-to-date and more accurate if you enter your specific travel dates.
Visiting Carlsbad: FAQ
Aside from the gorgeous coastlines and amazing year-round weather, Carlsbad, California is special for several reasons. For one, it’s located conveniently near Legoland, making it a great place to stay for families with kids. The coastal town is famous for its massive flower fields that full bloom during the Spring. And if you’re a running enthusiast like myself, there’s also a giant annual race along the Carlsbad coastline in mid-January. They offer 5ks, half marathons, and marathons and each of the courses is extremely pretty, you *almost* forget that you signed up for pain!
I wholeheartedly believe Carlsbad is worth visiting. It’s not exactly a big metropolitan city like Paris, Montreal, or Barcelona, but, it is amazing for a relaxing getaway! So, if you’re keen on visiting a coastal destination with stunning views and plenty of activities to do during your stay, then Carlsbad is worth checking out. Plus, it’s only a short drive away from the San Diego Airport, making it fairly accessible for anyone flying in!
Although most people like to visit the beach during the peak summer months, and that’s all well and fine, I think the best time of year to visit Carlsbad is during the spring and fall, specifically May/June and September/October. There are way fewer crowds and the surf is better. 😉
To see and hit up all the main attractions, I recommend at least a full 3-days. But, if you want to add some extra excursions and tours, participate in Goat yoga 🐐, or maybe do a dedicated wine-tasting tour to some nearby vineyards I suggest 4-5 days!
Wrap-Up: 3 Delicious Carlsbad Food Tours (2024)
With its thriving and diverse food scene, Carlsbad is an incredible destination for foodies and beer and wine lovers looking to indulge in delicious cuisine! That said, it can be hard to spot the standout restaurants and local eateries that will deliver an unforgettable culinary experience. For this reason and a few more, I always recommend my foodie friends embark on one of the awesome Carlsbad food tours offered! You’ll not only get to eat and drink your way through the city, but you’ll also get to learn some of the hidden stories and gain an insider’s look into the ever-evolving culinary scene. So if you have a chance, check them out!
Discover California
- 🍊 Looking for a small town to visit that’s only a little over an hour away from Carlsbad? Consider visiting the historic town of Redlands for a day or two!
- 🌴 Making your way to Palm Springs? Here are some things to do and activities you won’t want to miss out on in this desert oasis! This area is even home to one of the largest sporting events in California! 🎾
