Rancho La Costa, Carlsbad, CA

The Omni La Costa Resort and its 36 holes of golf sit near the middle of Rancho La Costa, the big, hilly southeast quarter of Carlsbad often just called La Costa. It stretches from El Camino Real east to Rancho Santa Fe Road and from Alga Road down to the Encinitas line, so it holds several distinct areas, from the fairway streets near the resort to La Costa Valley and La Costa Canyon in the hills. Homes cover a wide range. Older houses near the resort look out over hillsides and the North and South courses, while newer tracts and custom hillside homes climb the ridges farther east, with condos in the mix. Streets wind and end in cul-de-sacs, and some backyards face the Rancho La Costa Preserve or the San Marcos Creek corridor. Trails are never far. The Ridgeline Trail has an access point on El Fuerte Street, La Costa Canyon Park and Cadencia Park serve the canyon streets, and the preserve's slopes rise behind many homes. On the western edge, the east trailhead for the Batiquitos Lagoon trail sits off Spoonbill Lane. Shopping centers along El Camino Real handle most meals. At The Forum on Calle Barcelona, Casa de Bandini makes tortillas on the griddle, serves carnitas Michoacán style and stocks more than 60 tequilas in its cantina. Nearby, The Beacon La Costa has Lofty Coffee for the morning and Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams for later. Bob's Steak & Chop House inside the resort is where people go for a bigger night out. Groceries come with options. Jimbo's at The Forum leans organic, and Gelson's and Ralphs share a center on El Camino Real. La Costa Avenue connects to the freeway and on into Encinitas, and Palomar Airport Road is the other route to the freeway. Size works against easy errands. Getting from the eastern ridges of Rancho La Costa to the shops near El Camino means a drive on winding roads, and the southern streets fall into the Encinitas Union and San Dieguito school districts rather than Carlsbad Unified, which matters when comparing addresses that are only a ridge apart. Golf carts roll along the resort fairways at first light while commuters head down La Costa Avenue toward the coast.