The Perfect Family Retreat: Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara Resort in San Diego
The Fall is an amazing time to visit San Diego, because the weather is perfect and feels summery and most of the crowds have gone home. So you get to experience the beauty of the city, attractions, beaches and more and still enjoy the summer feels. And in the month of October, kids eat and stay FREE!
North County San Diego is our favorite part of the city because it’s so beautiful and family-friendly, amazing beaches, restaurants and is very accessible. Situated in the city of Carlsbad, the Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara is a sprawling resort featuring high-end of villas.
The resort has two common areas with the villas surrounding them, each featuring pools and a kid pool, jacuzzis, a restaurant and store. Golf carts are waiting at your beck-and-call to escort you around the property, or to just give your kids a fun ride!
Even though this is a Residence Club, it has every incredible feature that the Four Seasons brand is known for, and that I simply love. The staff is superb, and usually know your name within a few minutes. Requests are met with cheer, and staff are happy to accommodate every request.
Heading to the pool? An attendant will prepare your lounge chair and bring you towels, water, sunscreen and snacks every so often. The Four Seasons always goes above and beyond, for instance, when we first went to the pool a manager saw us walking over and told Grayson that the pool door worked only if he shared his favorite color.
So he walked to the pool door, yelled out “Gold!” and the door magically opened. He was amazed and came and showed us all! The only problem was, I had to make sure to have my key ready to secretly swipe it every time he approached the door 🙂
The Villas
We love the Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara because each villa has all of the features of home like a full kitchen, dining room, living room with a full entertainment center, a bathroom in the main space, washer and dryer, and separate bedroom with en suite.
Each villa also has a patio with a table and chairs where we ate breakfast each morning and stunning views of the rolling hills. There’s nothing like being able to have the conveniences of home while traveling with kids! I love having a full fridge so we can minimize hangry moments and store my kid’s favorite foods like yakult and greek yogurt, and to do a few loads of laundry so we don’t come home with a full suitcase of dirty clothes.
It’s also nice not having to eat every meal out while traveling, and kids appreciate being able to play while waiting for room service to arrive instead of having to wait in a restaurant booth. Because honestly, they can only eat out so many times in a row without getting really cranky!
The Pools
The Four Seasons pools are always a highlight. Clean, oversized pools greet you that are the perfect temperature. Large, oversized lounge chairs are situated all around the pool with plenty of umbrellas, so the kids can nap and eat snacks in the shade. And there are always amazing cabanas that I could hang out in all day! Because honestly, I never get to finish a magazine, let alone read a book.
As I mentioned earlier, there are two pool areas. Each pool area has a kid pool that is about one foot deep, jacuzzis, ping pong tables, fire pits and poolside food and drink service.
Sunscreen and water are plentiful and free, as are snacks that are brought around every 30-60 minutes.
The Food
The food was sooooo delicious, healthy, thoughtful and did I say delicious? Just looking at the pictures makes me want to drive down and eat there again!
For breakfast, my favorite was the Acai Bowl with a green juice from Juice Served Here, which is available throughout the property. It was incredible!
And the coffee shop made AMAZING almond milk lattes. Almond milk was not an afterthought like in many cafes, but rather a central element.
Eating healthy in San Diego is pretty easy like this veggie and fruit California plate with fresh hummus.
The Spa
The spa at the Four Seasons Resort Club Aviara is absolutely heavenly! I had the most interesting, unique treatment, an herbal poultice massage that I cannot recommend enough.
Wonder what a an herbal poultice massage is? Unbleached muslin, cotton or linen bags are filled with herbs and then tied into tight pouches, steamed, rhythmically stamped, kneaded and rocked over the body. The technique can be used as part of a regular massage or in place of traditional strokes. The heat helps relax muscles, while the potent herbs have therapeutic effects.
Basically poultices can reduce inflammation, promote circulation, relieve joint pain and stiffness, calm muscle spasms, improve mobility and flexibility, boost the immune system and tone the skin. The warmth of the pouches, rocking motion of the therapy, and aroma of the herbs combine to create a deeply soothing experience.
If you’ve ever tried a hot stone massage, it feels somewhat similar, but the poultices are not as hot and feel more like the touch of a hand. You will leave feeling like your muscles have melted anmd turned into butter.
After your massage, you will be taken into this gorgeous room to make your own fresh tea from Rishi, a high-end delicious tea company, water and champagne. Healthy snacks and magazines also await you!
** Sponsored post by the Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara. Please note I was provided with many amazing features like a Villa, meals, massage and more. However, all views expressed in this post are my own and are not impacted in any way by receiving complimentary amenities. I only partner with resorts that may family would pay to vacation at, and I share the real experiences, tips, tricks and more so you can wisely plan your trip loaded with information. I am kind of a research and google queen myself. I needed to allow my legal brain something to do every once in awhile, so for me, that’s research 🙂