Things to Do in Carlsbad

Use your VCR to tape over old workout tapes with cherished episodes of AfterMASH. With today's Groupon, $50 gets you two private Pilates lessons and one mat group class at Bella Forma Pilates (a $145 value). Located above Borders at the Carlsbad Forum Shops, the sumptuous studio takes a personalized approach to toning, the kind rarely seen since the legendary Golem of Prague was blessed by his creator with rock-hard abs.

Although some of The Paintball Park's five locations are steeped in two decades worth of colorful paint and echoing battle cries, each arena brings in fresh equipment every season to keep paintballers on their toes. Barricades, bunkers, trenches, and tall trees provide ample cover for firing off shots at opponents, ducking from overhead fire, or meeting to discuss how to get the pizza-delivery man into the fortress unharmed. Games of capture the flag and speedball matches reinforce strategy-making skills, and elimination battles give players a chance to take out the other team while sprinting between the wreckage of tanks and helicopters.

Each of the Paintball Park's airsoft fields has a distinct feel. Running beneath dinosaur sculptures lends to a carefree sensation, and trying to find an entrance in endless, gray castle walls evokes the sense that one is an ancient warrior who left his keys somewhere.

Oceanside Boat Rentals outfits customers with the equipment they need to explore the coastline of quaint Oceanside Harbor, also known as the "Hidden Jewel of the Pacific." Day-trippers can climb into kayaks and slice the water with oars or power pedal boats with the same muscles used to jettison exercise bikes off their mounts. Electric Duffy boats with dining tables carry groups across the water on floating picnic trips, all while protecting them from the elements with a Surrey top or full enclosure. And waverunners quickly propel riders over the waves in the lagoon or out on the ocean.

Yoga Alliance, one of the yoga community’s larger training facilities, awards its E-RYT 500 certification to students who have completed at least 500 hours of training and 2,000 hours of teaching at a registered yoga school. Laurie Mort is one such student. Now, Laurie shares this wealth of knowledge and experience with students at her studio, Inner Strength Yoga & Healing Center. And Laurie’s business is aptly named. After a car accident in 1972 that nearly took her life, Laurie began on a path of healing that included yoga and meditation as a way of keeping her from spending her life in a wheel chair. That journey certainly took inner strength, and is the inspiration for her compassionate teaching style.

At her studio, she and her staff of experienced yoga instructors—two of which are fellow E-RYT 500 certified instructors—predominately practice the poses and breathing exercises of hatha yoga. Nearly all of their classes are open to beginners and experts alike, including flow yoga, restorative yoga, and ThaiSen, which uses stretching and self-applied acupressure kneads to boost energy. For further wellness, the center also offers healing services such as reiki sessions and hosts workshops and events including group psychic readings.

From the peaceful oasis of Camulos Farm—located on an 1,800-acre stretch of North County, San Diego—Sara Crafts dispenses equine knowledge amassed over a 40-year career to students ranging from novices to elite show riders. The facility boasts riding spaces surrounded by palm trees and flower bushes, set against views of rolling hills. During lessons, instructors review horsemanship principles, English and Western riding techniques, and safety measures, such as wearing a helmet and teaching horses not to play with matches. The farm also offers summer camps that provide kids with a comprehensive equine education and teach them about career options in the equestrian field.

When you can hear the gentle whoosh of the tides from your backyard, it's impossible to ignore the ocean's calling. What's Up Stand Up Paddleboard Surf Company happily embraces the calm Pacific waters that backdrop their three locations, beckoning passersby to hop on their standup paddleboards and skim across Mother Nature's aquatic playground. Each location's tranquil water conditions are ideal for visitors to learn and enjoy the paddle-powered sport, which situates riders atop paddleboards, where they'll propel themselves with oars. Standup paddleboarding not only strengthens an array of muscles but can also bring paddlers up close to the area's wildlife, which may include dolphins and sea lions.