JILL WEINLEIN

After graduating from UCLA, JIll traveled the world looking for unique destinations. She’s been writing about her travels for almost 30 years in various publications.

She writes a weekly restaurant review for the Beverly Press and Park LaBrea News. It’s inserted into the Los Angeles Times every Thursday and delivered to subscribers from Hancock Park to Beverly Hills, Hollywood Hills to the Wilshire Corridor.

Blooming Ranunculus at The Flower Fields

BY JILL WEINLEIN

Now is the time to see the rainbow-colored Giant Tecolote Ranunculus blooming at The Flower Fields in Carlsbad. Not only  will their beauty raise your mood, it will change how you see the world for a day or two.

The day I visited The Flower Fields, a 90 year old gentleman was sitting on one of the tractor props in the middle of pink ranunculus. A family member told me that it was his birthday, and he chose a visit to The Flower Fields as the way to celebrate his special day.

Now through May 8, 2022, Visit Carlsbad invites guests to walk, drive or “Pedal2Petal” to an array of floral-inspired events during Spring. Some of the hotels are offering floral culinary specials and free tickets into The Flower Fields.

If you sign up at Visit Carlsbad, you will gain access to a web app pass. There is an easy to follow map listing all of the locations participating in their Spring Pedal2Petal promotion. Visit at least three venues for the chance to win a two-night stay in one of the hotels, $300 food credit, Pedego electric bike rental in Carlsbad Village, and tickets to the Museum of Making Music. Each time you check-in after visiting three venues, your chance to win increases.

I stayed at one of the four hotels located above The Flower Fields. They are all participating in the Pedal2Petal promotion. The Cassara Carlsbad is offering a â€œStay and See Flower Fields” package that includes two tickets to The Flower Fields, an overnight stay, bike rental, waived parking fee and free shuttle to and from the fields. After a day exploring Carlsbad, we enjoyed a bloom-inspired cocktail at Cassara Kitchen & Bar. The bar is making a refreshing Hibiscus Sour made with tequila, grapefruit juice, Aquafaba, lemon juice, agave nectar, and hibiscus bitters. It’s shaken and garnished with a lemon twist.

Attached to The Cassara Carlsbad is the Grand Pacific Palisades Resort offering a “Petals and Palisades” package. Guests receive two tickets to The Flower Fields, an overnight stay in condo-style accommodations with full kitchens, plus the nightly resort fee waived and free shuttle to and from the Flower Fields when available.

The Westin Carlsbad and Sheraton Carlsbad are also participating in the Pedal2Petal promotion. At both resorts, they offer inviting swimming pools, onsite dining, two tickets to the Flower Fields, plus a free one hour bike rental per day. They also have a complimentary shuttle to and from the Flower Fields based on availability.

One of the only participating hotels near the beach is the Cape Rey Carlsbad, A Hilton Resort. Guests can start their day with a floral-inspired lavender latte. Later after a day of biking and sightseeing, stop into Chandler’s Oceanfront Dining and Bar for a Lavender & Lemon cocktail, and be sure to order the lavender and lemon bar for dessert for floral inspired sweet ending.

While some of the Carlsbad hotels offer rental bikes, I recommend renting a pedal-assist electric bike from one of the participating shops on the Pedal 2 Petal map. Pedago Electric Bikes in Carlsbad Village offers all types of pedal-assist and electric bikes to get around town easily. Other bike rental places include Beach Vibe Rental and Sales, Ride GDS, and Happy E-Bikes.

We rode to the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation Discovery Center to view native flowering plants in the Native Plant Garden. They offer an informative and educational scavenger hunt on the grounds of the Discovery Center to discover native flora and and some beautiful flowering plants. They bloom from March 1 to May 8, 2022. When we completed the scavenger hunt, we received 10% off a matching t-shirt featuring some of the flowering plants branded with a AHLF logo and Pedal2Petal.

For those who enjoy yoga, Yoga Your Way is offering a Flower Power Stand Up Paddle Board, and each participant receives a flower crown upon arrival to the class. Also, participants receive a refreshing hibiscus tea.

The Goods Doughnuts is making Rose Petal & Hibiscus donuts to eat, and lavender lemonade and lavender lattes to drink.

For those less active, sitting by the pool at The Cassara Carlsbad, while sipping a floral-inspired beverage and looking out to the ranunculus is also an ideal getaway.

Go to Visit Carlsbad to learn more https://visitcarlsbad.com.