"Carlsbad and Oceanside options" Topic

Tagging along while wife has a four day seminar next week – one day I'm driving over to San Diego Safari Park but wondering what else there is to do in and around Carlsbad (or Oceanside).

Good hobby shops?

Okay, I know, the beach, probably one of those days.

How about a cool used book store?

Any movie theaters that are open during the day earlier enough to take in movie after lunch on weekdays?

Appreciate any good ideas. Thanks!

Brookhurst up in Garden Grove for hobby stores.

Go up to one of the overlooks and watch the Marines invade?

In all seriousness, I've seen some amazing exercises underway.

There are some Vietnam-era AMTRACS parked along buildings next to the freeway, but that area may not be open to the public. I think that you can see them from one of the streets, but again, I'm not sure.

Drive southbound on I-5 with someone else driving and you can look back into the LCAC compound for a moment. link

Game Empire is the only hobby shop reasonably close, and it's a good drive away.

Pair a Dice games is in Vista, right next to Oceanside. It's a decent game store. Not really Brookhurst level for all the variety but the normal stuff plus FoW.

At Ease Games is in Miramar right in front of the entrance to the base. They have a bunch of Saga stuff if you're into that but otherwise normal stuff and some FoW again. The Miramar Marine air museum is right there too. Not super big but it's free and can get close to the planes/helicopters.