Hilton Grand Vacations at MarBrisa

Hilton Grand Vacations at MarBrisa is in Carlsbad, California. This is the 3^rd resort in the area I have stayed at and I have to say I love the area.

Video by Jez Travel Vlog

Day One Travel & Arrival at Hilton Grand Vacations at MarBrisa

I am enjoying life on this vacation because I am just transferring from one resort to another to check them out for you as a Tzort reader and let you know about even more fun things to do in the area while on vacation.

Normally I would have flown into San Diego as I did almost a week ago now coming to my first resort. From the Airport to this location, it is only about a 40-minute drive. So, when you are getting a rental car, know that you are close to the resort location and the Carlsbad area already. San Diego International Airport is a large two-terminal airport. There are many small restaurants and a few shops as well as a large lounge in terminal 2.

Most car rental companies have a presence on-site and it is easy to locate your reservation and get assistance. You can take a shuttle to the rental car center where all the rental car agencies have representation and agents to help you.

I am still in the rental that I booked for this entire trip. It was not very expensive but more than renting in Florida recently, almost double for the same level of car I believe. I was staying at nicer resorts so I booked a full-size elite level which put me in an Audi A5. Strange in my years of travel I have never driven an Audi before. It is nice, no complaints. I just would not rush out and grab one. Perhaps I would like the convertible more. They were out of stock when I booked. Again, it handled well and had all the modern options, which was fine by me.

At home, I drive a convertible mustang and while still low in miles it is 10 years old now, so at some point, I will look to swap to a newer model something. I do love to drive with the top down on a clear day as long as it is 65+ that is how you will see me. Driving with the top down. It likely has more to do with me being tall than anything else. That feeling of not having the roof just an inch or 2 from my head is great.

The only downside of transferring from one resort to another is that from 10AM check-out times to 4PM check in times you do not have access to your room amenities. So, if you need to use the restroom you are using public facilities and so on. Most of the time, that is not an issue, but something to keep in mind if you plan on traveling and moving from location to location.

I myself typically spend some time before checking in going for a late lunch at a new restaurant near the resort I am traveling to. That way I can relax and spend some time just enjoying lunch instead of mentally watching the time.

When doing the resort to resort you save all that travel time you would normally lose so it makes the day more active and useful too. Today before eating the late lunch I went to Carlsbad Oyster Farm I grew up on the water and I am used to smaller Oysterman’s operations where they set up pots in many areas and then go out on their boats to pick them up when they have grown enough. Here, this is a dense commercial operation with many oyster pots set up in rows as a massive commercial operation. This is the only one of its kinds in Southern California, so I guess supply and demand mean it has to be a very large operation.

They do a nice farm tour and tasting here for only $10 and offer a 30-minute tour, 10 minute shucking class, and then 20 minutes to eat some fresh oysters. If you love oysters, this is a great tour to take, or if you are like me and will eat them but are more interested in the operation, you will have fun too. Ladies little tip, bring your fella here first thing on vacation.

Vigilucci’s Seafood & Steakhouse was next on my list for a late lunch. The oyster farm planted the seeds to want some more seafood for my big meal of the day. I was able to get a table here almost last minute for myself, but my guess is you want reservations. The food was great, and the service was good. They tend to offer special menus, and do special events. That is clever from a restaurant marketing perspective, but if I lived in the area, I might want a favorite versus something new often. I get the charm of that other , however.

I enjoyed their take on pasta with some local catch and prawns (shrimp priced higher–I had to say it). It was good. I saw some other items on an upcoming even meal that looked great, like a rack of lamb and other specialty items.

After my heavy pasta seafood meal, I headed to the resort to check in. I want to get settled and stretch out for a few with my full belly. I am a simple man.

I had booked a 1 bedroom king suite that was 778 sq ft so, very roomy and comfortable. This resort also has 2-bedroom suites in various layouts to meet your party’s needs. I have talked about this before recently when staying at Hilton resorts. I have become a fan. They do such a good job of cleaning and upkeep. Also, the Hilton brand properties like this one have a style and level of quality in the finishings that is dependable. In short, you feel you know what you are going to get. With other smaller resorts you hope for the best and hopefully you are impressed and surprised. For me, Hilton is dependable, clean, and professional. When you look at the Hilton Grand Vacations brand, it is a cut above the hotels and traditional accommodations.

Villa Amenities

Resort Amenities

After getting settled in my room, I did my tour of the resort. I like to get the lay of the land where I am staying. This location has a lot to like. As I began, I cleverly made my way to the bar. One of the poolside bars has a nice setup with a few frozen items on tap, and several beers as well. The Cove Bar and Grill is open 6 hours a day, 7 days a week, from 12:30 PM -6:30 PM and that is a smart schedule. It is still open after you check in on your check-in night for a few hours, and it is open for lunch every day. That makes it convenient. It is a simple menu but they offer choices for most diets, which is a great way to cover the bases.

After a few cocktails and viewing the pool area, I continued my walkabout. I saw the Fitness Center and the Business Center. I guess these days the business center still exists. If you got in a bind with a bad laptop or phone, it could certainly be helpful.

Day Two Visiting Carlsbad Village

Carlsbad Village is a small town located near San Diego, California. The population of Carlsbad Village is approximately 4,000 residents. Carlsbad Village has a number of restaurants, shops, and other businesses. There are also several parks and recreation areas available for residents. The best thing to do in Carlsbad village is to go for a walk along the beach, visit the shops, eat at one of the restaurants, or just relax. If you want to spend some money, you should try going to the spa, or visiting the museums.

In addition to being a great place to live, Carlsbad Village offers many things to do. The beaches are beautiful, and they offer a wide variety of activities including surfing, swimming, fishing, boating, and hiking. The area is home to many types of wildlife, so if you like animals, this is a great place to visit. The Carlsbad Village Library is a wonderful resource for books, movies, music, and games. It is a great way to pass the time and keep yourself entertained.

The village feels like a short step back in time. It has a west coast quaint feeling which is different from the east coast vibe. Instead of small-town Americana, you can make small-town California vibes. It is neat for what it is and worth a visit.

I went to the Compass for lunch and was happy with the menu and options. I saw a burger on their menu that was a blend of meats and I had to give it a try. They call it the beast burger, but it was more of flavor heaven. If you make it during happy hour, try the shrimp tacos and enjoy the discount on adult beverages.

After lunch, I did some more shopping in the area. There is an old record store here not many of these are left anymore. I know of another in Onancock, VA. I have seen a few in other places, but these are a rare treat when you can find them.

I then walked a few blocks to Carlsbad Village Music a cool music store that had a nice locally run feel.

If you love old-school print books, there is a local bookstore here called Fahrenheit 451 Books. Felt a bit like you might find a rare copy of something fun here.

After a day of browsing, shopping, eating, and visiting little locally-owned places, I felt a tad more confident in the little guy being able to make it still in business.

Day Three Museums

I started my day at the Museum of Making Music, in Carlsbad, California. The museum has a collection of instruments from various genres, such as classical, jazz, rock, blues, folk, world music, and pop. There are also exhibits about famous musicians who played at the venue. Visitors can listen to live performances, watch video clips, and learn how to play musical instruments.

It was a cool spot for music fans to spend some time. I would think this museum is for an older crowd, like the people that would have gone to the local records shop as I did yesterday. Or a place to check out if it was raining.

My next stop was the Craftsmanship Museum. The Craftsmanship Museum in Carlsbad, California is a museum dedicated to preserving the history of craftsmanship. This is one of the best museums in San Diego County. The museum has a large collection of tools used for different crafts, such as woodworking, metalwork, glassblowing, pottery, leatherwork, etc. There are also exhibits about famous artists who use these tools.

I am not super crafty, but I paint and I do like to learn new things with my hands. So seeing all of these trade skills in one location was very cool, and interesting. I also spent some years in manufacturing, so the CNC and tooling stuff was of interest to me as well.

There is a great deal to do and see in the area, and I am in town for many more days since I am staying at one resort after another. So, I called it a day after the second location just because I was tired and wanted to get back and relax around the pool and do dinner at the pool bar at the resort.

For an amazing stay, you can stick with the Hilton Brand here just book it through Tzort to save.

P.S. If you are staying here with kids or a Lego fan, remember you are within walking distance (almost the same parking lot) as Legoland. So, put that on your list as a possible stop on your trip as well.