SoCal Family Fun at the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa

Over Mother’s Day weekend my family was invited by the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa to stay at their beautiful property and experience their eco-fun Metrolink Summer Memories Package running now through October 2012. Happy Mother’s Day to me!

This package includes a (minimum) two-night stay at the Sheraton Carlsbad, up to 4 roundtrip Metrolink passes good from destinations throughout LA, OC and Riverside, transportation to and from the Oceanside Metrolink station to the resort, kids 12 and under eat free with paid adult entree at Twenty/20 Grill and Wine bar on property and two adult LEGOLAND California Resort Hopper admission tickets for a super great deal!

Click HERE for details and to look at pricing online.  The value of the LEGOLAND tickets alone is $190!

The beauty of this package for SoCal families? You can pack up, get on the train, and can have a completely action-packed fun-filled getaway without ever needing a car!

The property is lovely; gorgeous Mediterranean style architecture and my favorite part…full of families!

We were treated to one of their spacious suites, the Pacific Studio Suite which, at 915 sq ft gave us room to spread out and BREATHE!  With a comfy king-sized bed and a sleeper sofa that was perfect for my girls, they loved being able to watch a video on the flat screen TV from their bed on the complimentary DVD player included in this package after a busy day.

The hotel featured beautiful golf course and coastline views, a mini fridge for kiddo snacks, and included with the resort fee, a 24 hour fitness center, WIFI and in-room Starbucks “One Shot” Coffee Maker with Tazo Tea and Starbucks Coffee.

But my very favorite had to be the KID SIZED ROBE in the bathroom!  How cute is THIS? I don’t know if it is offered in every room, but they do have them on property, so if you visit you can call and ask for it.  My girls thought it was hilarious for all of us to hang out in our Sheraton robes!

I love a resort that offers some “roaming space” for little ones, and there was a great grassy area adjacent to the lobby where the girls loved to run around after breakfast, while my husband and I could chill out with our morning Starbucks on the adirondack chairs.

The property also featured cute little seating areas to relax and the expansive pool area delighted the kids with a giant-sized Jacquzzi, air hockey table and ping pong. Complimentary water noodles were also available at the pool. Big hit.

Now let me tell you a little about the restaurant on property, Twenty/20 Grill & Wine Bar,which was soooooo amazing!

The outdoor patio had panoramic views of the coastline and there is nothing I love more than eating outside on a spring night with the ambiance of fire pits and space heaters. So cozy.

It was very upscale, yet because it is such a family-friendly resort, it was obvious they are accustomed to catering to little ones. Little things like kid-cups with lids and crayons with the menus go a long way when dining out with the whole family!

As luck would have it, my babysitter was in San Diego that weekend visiting her family, and was able to come to the resort for a couple hours to play with the kids, so after they were done eating, my husband and I actually got to enjoy the exquisite cuisine at a leisurely pace.

For starters, we split a delicious rock shrimp appetizer and Greek salad. Absolutely delish!

I am not usually a huge fan of Greek salads, but there was something about the flavor of the dressing that was so light and yummy, I could have added a protein in and called it dinner.  But that would have been silly when there were so many delectable entree items to choose from!

For me, halibut from heaven, for the hubby, perfectly cooked filet.

And their breakfast was equally as amazing. They even catered to my little one with food allergies and got her soy milk with her cereal. Plus, every table at the 8am hour was filled with children, particularly refreshing as my antsy two-year-old climbing around in our booth did not warrant any of “those looks!”

So with all of this alone, the property would be an amazing destination, but to put the cherry on top, the Sheraton Carlsbad has it’s own PRIVATE entrance into LEGOLAND, which was only about a five minute walk from the lobby!

For families, this is ultra-convenient and super spectacular. No lines, just show your key and tickets, and we could walk right smack into the middle of all the action!

Our girls (almost 3 and almost 6) had the time of their lives at LEGOLAND. As a bonus, we got there right when it opened and there were not that many people, which meant we got to do a lot of the rides with a very little wait.

If you have kids under 5 or 6, I would suggest bringing the jogger or stroller with you.  It can get to be a lot of walking for those little legs.

Overall, we had the best time, making so many family memories. I love time to get away from the same old weekend routine, and because it is so close, you can fit in a lot with even just a two-night stay.

Many thanks to the Sheraton Carlsbad for treating my family to this exquisite visit, and the best Mother’s Day I could have asked for!

For more information on this special Metrolink Summer Memories Package, click HERE.

[Disclosure: My family received complimentary accommodations, two meals and LEGOLAND tickets to facilitate this review. All my opinions are 100% my own. I would highly recommend this package to Southern California families looking for a fun eco-friendly getaway!]