leo carrillo ranch historic park

Feetstreet

Having never heard of Leo Carrillo this was a surprise- to find a ranch that a Hollywood actor had set up to be ecologically correct-astonishing and very interesting to walk through

kevinbM9719DP

We learned a lot abut the history of the area, even though we have lived here for 15 years. It is well maintained, and the peacocks are everywhere. We had 4 land on our roof one day.

523CarolynR

This was such a beautiful property, with so much rich history of the area, of Leo Carrillo and his background. I had no idea he had such an acting career before becoming Poncho. His family history is something to be proud of. I highly recommend putting this on your list of things to do!

LandJ06

We visited the ranch on a Saturday. This is a great day to go because free tours are given twice during the day on Saturdays. The tour guide will open the buildings so you can see inside. Very interesting tour and information. I remember watching Leo Carrillo in reruns of the Cisco Kid when I was a child. Otherwise I would have had no idea who he was. It's amazing to think he used to own 2500 acres there. Now it's down to 10. Kids might be a bid bored, but the adults would love it.

carlsbadexplorer

As a Carlsbad resident, we understand that years ago, you could visit the park and tour some of the buildings. Today, you have access to only the small park area. Nice shade trees, plenty of loud birds, and a dash of rustic charm. Certainly a place that grown ups would want to visit for an hour or two to brush up to a bit of regional history. Given Carlsbad's enormous inventory of wonderful parks, families with young children probably would better enjoy any of those community parks that feature plenty of trees, expansive grass lawns, and playgrounds designed for tots and young kids. To be sure, the Leo Carillo Ranch has rustic charm and is worthy of a visit for adults and couples.

JuttaS314

Historic Rancho used to be owned by Leo Carillo, the actor.Lovely example of old California construction and lifestyle before we had everyone moving into the county.

chuckm47

Lovely grounds.Important-try to take a docent tour.It brings the ranch to life. The visit is free. This is a lovely way to spend several hours. The road signs leading to the ranch are inadequate. The ranch is inside the park.

Dixielily

My husband remembers Leo Carrillo as Poncho on the 1060's TV show, The Cisco Kid....uhem...I on the other hand, much too young...anyway, this was his ranch. We enjoyed walking around the grounds admiring the beautiful CA foliage, blooming cacti and peafowl. A film at gift shop near the entrance starts you out with a short film, giving you some history. It's a quick jaunt from downtown Carlsbad, and a good place for a nice, easy stroll.

CarolB446

I love this place, and feel fortunate that I can walk here (if I'm feeling energetic) from my house. It is a great place to picnic, walk around, sketch, write. My drawing groups come here a few times a year (which isn't nearly enough to capture the wonderful buildings and plantings). What makes it special (to me) is the flock of peacocks on the site. I believe they originated from the peacocks on the property when Leo Carrillo purchased the rancho. There is one white one, and a bunch of flirty males who will show their magnificent feathers to ANYBODY by Valentine's Day. They make a sound like cats being murdered - it's the first thing you hear as you approach - but they are great to watch.Pay attention to the gate. Although it is open when the park is open, it is a beautiful ironwork gate that includes a film motif in its rendering to remind us of Mr. Carillo's film career.

visualt

Overall the staff was ok. The food was pricey and the overall experience was just ok. We paid a fee to pretty much wait in line and waste 1hr to see "Santa Claus." The lady who was taking pictures of you did not purchase the pictures you where literally shushed away after 10 seconds of your child sitting with Santa... They had a pool that was not gated or supervised. No sign that stated no lifeguard and they had a play pen next to the pool. Word of advise. Move the kids playpen elsewhere.

hobbes63069

I know this guide meant well, but she was very boring and long winded. We only went with the guide because previous reviews said you couldn't get into the buildings without the guided tour. It turned out the buildings were all open and had photos and posters that had all the same info the guide provided, only done much better. The buildings were interesting but not remarkably so. At least it was free.

spirited22

great for photo shoot but go in late afternoon . Fun for kids, families and photo snobs...closes at 5 pm

727ethana

Leo Carillo Ranch is a pleasant enough place to stroll around and soak up some historic ambiance. Kudos to the City of Carlsbad for preventing it from becoming just another upscale subdivision like what surrounds it.That said, there isn't all that much to see here, a short video on Leo's life, several old buildings, some still in pretty rough condition, and a few peacocks walking around. You can do it all in 45 minutes max.The ranch is adjacent to a segment of Carlsbad's extensive trail system so after finishing with Leo Carillo we went for a nice four mile hike. That wasn't a bad way to play it.

ReneeRejean

If you are a photographer with an hour of spare time don't miss this little gem. Staff was super helpful and friendly and I knew I was in for a treat when they looked at my camera and asked me if I had a model with me that I wanted to photograph. Beautiful authentic grounds and lush landscaping.

joyfuljourneys26

Leo Carillo Ranch is a fun place to visit to experience what life was like on a ranch in Southern California in the 1950's. Ranch buildings and grounds are well-maintained, and the volunteer staff is very helpful. An added attraction is the numerous peacocks and peahens running around and perching on roofs. You can walk around on your own or go on an informative tour.