January 2025

Escondido CA

A chance to get away in January to the North County of California.
We'll be staying just outside Escondido and hope to explore the surrounding area as well as visit San Diego Read more

Follow Insights Calendar Share

Newest first

Footprints
Photos

Traveler Escondido CA
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Day 5–7
- January 8, 2025 at 10:46 AM - January 10, 2025
- 2 nights
- ☀️ 64 °F
- Altitude: 1,440 ft
- United States Valle de los Caballos 33.518228, -117.02242233°31’6” N 117°1’21” W
Oak Mountain Winery
Jan 8–10 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F
Oak Mountain Winery is a fun, family owned winery on the De Portola Wine Temecula’s wine country. Home to Southern California’s only mined wine caves, Oak Mountain offers tours and tastings and is known for their famous raspberry and strawberry champagnes as well as over 30 award winning wines.

We took the Tasting tour. which turned out to be a "private" tour as the other people scheduled didn't show up. Our guide, James was very knowledgeable and entertaining..and quite easy on a pour 😋🥴Read more
TravelerThey sound like they are very good!
1/10/25Reply
TravelerWe'd definitely recommend 👌
1/10/25Reply
2 likes
Traveler Escondido CA
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Day 5
- Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at 11:52 AM
- ☀️ 64 °F
- Altitude: 1,473 ft
- United States Valle de los Caballos 33.518566, -117.02310933°31’7” N 117°1’23” W
2
OMW 2
January 8 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F
We tasted about 8 wines and had a nice charcuterie board while at it.
The Cave is actually a restaurant as well perhaps if we ever come back to the area we might consider dining there too.
Traveler Looks great
1/9/25Reply
TravelerIt was quite yummy 😋
1/9/25Reply
2 likes
Traveler Escondido CA
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Day 5
- Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at 2:05 PM
- ☀️ 68 °F
- Altitude: 997 ft
- United States Sam Hicks Monument Park 33.497373, -117.15117833°29’51” N 117°9’4” W
Temecula Valley Museum
January 8 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F
Temecula is well known for its championship golf courses, a climate perfect for serene and beautiful hot-air ballooning adventures, and award-winning wineries nestled in 3,000 acres of picturesque wine country, but that's just the beginning.

Taking a step back in time and experiencing the rich history of the Temecula Valley from its discovery to today we visited the Temecula Valley Museum.

Exhibits represent life in the Temecula Valley through time and different cultures that influenced the development of the area. Displays contain handcrafted artifacts, cultural items, ranching and farming equipment, documents, photographs, and more, Exhibits depict key stories, including the Luiseno Indians, Mission San Luis Rey period, establishment of the ranchos, and transportation influences including the stagecoach and railroads.Read more
TravelerNeed to visit the museums!
1/10/25Reply
TravelerWell... we didn't feel like digging for gold in those CA mountains 😉
1/10/25Reply
2 likes
Traveler Escondido CA
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Day 5
- Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at 2:37 PM
- ☀️ 68 °F
- Altitude: 997 ft
- United States Sam Hicks Monument Park 33.49757, -117.15103733°29’51” N 117°9’4” W
1
Peanuts
January 8 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F
For millions of Americans, it really isn’t Christmas until they have watched A Charlie Brown Christmas at least once! This seasonal exhibition examines the making of this animated classic and celebrates the anticipation, joy, and pitfalls of the holiday season in 50 framed and matted Peanuts daily and Sunday comic strips.Read more
Traveler Indeed, Snoopy, never listen to the reviewers.
1/9/25Reply
TravelerLove Peanuts! And you're right, I watch it every year.
1/10/25Reply
2 likes
Traveler Escondido CA
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Day 5
- Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at 3:12 PM
- ☀️ 68 °F
- Altitude: 1,001 ft
- United States Sam Hicks Monument Park 33.49736, -117.15089433°29’50” N 117°9’3” W
Perry Mason
January 8 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F
The Erle Stanley Gardner Collection: A Man of Many Talents

As Temecula’s most famous resident for 35 years and known to many locals as “Uncle Erle,” Gardner is widely recognized for creating the character in the murder mystery novels made famous in the “Perry Mason” television series from the 1950s. He was a prolific writer and wrote 81 Perry Mason novels and a total of 181 books, including many nonfiction books.
The museum collection focuses on Gardner’s multifaceted career as a writer, attorney (mostly in Ventura), amateur photographer, adventurer, fisherman and explorer (in the Baja, Mexico area). Thousands of photographs taken by Gardner, his signed first-edition books, “Perry Mason” memorabilia and items from his extensive travels and adventures have been preserved and catalogued.Read more
2 likes
Traveler Escondido CA
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Day 5
- Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at 3:31 PM
- ☀️ 68 °F
- Altitude: 991 ft
- United States Sam Hicks Monument Park 33.496287, -117.15231533°29’47” N 117°9’8” W
Historic Downtown
January 8 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F
Old Town District
Located in the heart of Temecula, the Old Town district blends historic buildings with over 640 antique dealers, unique shopping, and restaurants.
TravelerIt must be really pretty at night with the Christmas lights on.
1/9/25Reply
TravelerProbably. These little towns usually are
1/9/25Reply
2 likes
Traveler Escondido CA
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Day 5
- Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at 4:29 PM
- ☀️ 66 °F
- Altitude: 1,007 ft
- United States Long Canyon 33.50275, -117.14942833°30’10” N 117°8’58” W
Dinner
January 8 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F
The best place to dine 🙂
We went for Campfire Feast
Garden Salad
Loaded Potato Skins
Top sirloin with Rice pilaf for Laurie
NY strip with Steamed Broccoli for me

We took the carrot cake out
TravelerLooks delicious!
1/10/25Reply
2 likes
Traveler Escondido CA
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Day 6
- Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 8:08 AM
- ☀️ 46 °F
- Altitude: 663 ft
- United States Escondido 33.120915, -117.08276333°7’15” N 117°4’58” W
Early morning in Escondido
January 9 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F
At the suggestion of one of The Cave servers we decided to go into Escondido and had l'petit-déjeuner at A Delight of France restaurant.

Pain perdu brioché au café au lait pour moi.

Crêpes aux fruits avec café au lait pour Laurie

Absolument délicieux !Read more
2 likes
Traveler Escondido CA
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Day 6
- Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 10:11 AM
- ☀️ 115 °F
- Altitude: 30 ft
- United States South Embarcadero 32.709183, -117.16360732°42’33” N 117°9’49” W
San Diego waterfront
January 9 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 115 °F
Breaking of the Chains (1995)
Melvin Edwards

Maritime Museum of San Diego has a good collection on hands including 555 USS Dolphin - The deepest diving submarine in the world
Steam yacht Medea - Medea has served in two world wars, under three navies and six national flags
HMS Surprise - Detailed Re-Creation Of A 24-Gun British Frigate used in the academy award winning film, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
A replica of The San Salvador n,the original der tunder uhecommand of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, arrived at the port we now call San Diego on September 28, 1542,
The Star of India - The world’s oldest active sailing shipRead more
2 likes
Traveler Escondido CA
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Day 6
- Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 11:38 AM
- ☀️ 66 °F
- Altitude: 26 ft
- United States USS Midway Museum 32.713798, -117.17416132°42’50” N 117°10’27” W
Navy Pier
January 9 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F
USS Midway (CN-41) Museum

Taffy 3 Memorial - Granite plaques remembering Battle of Leyte Gulf warships & a bronze bust of the commanding admiral VADM Clifton Albert Frederick "Ziggy" Sprague

"Embracing Peace" (aka Unconditional Surrender) sculpture

Salute to Bob Hope and Military
Artist: Eugene Daub & Steven Whyte - Outdoor bronze statues depicting armed forces personnel listening to comedian Bob Hope.Read more
1 like
Traveler Escondido CA
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Day 6
- Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 11:53 AM
- ☀️ 66 °F
- Altitude: 16 ft
- United States Tuna Wharf 32.71274, -117.17563332°42’46” N 117°10’32” W
Flattops and more
January 9 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F
USN Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) on the right and USN Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) on the left.

USS San Diego Memorial - historical landmark honoring soldiers of WWII, with maps and names carved into the ground.

The Homecoming - life-size sculpture of a family embracing the return of a sailor from sea (Stanley Bleifeld's sculpture in honor of all sea service personnel is a copy of his original installed at the United States Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C.)

Aircraft Carrier Memorial MonumentRead more
1 like
Traveler Escondido CA
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Day 6
- Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 12:37 PM
- ☀️ 68 °F
- Altitude: 30 ft
- United States Locomotive Square 32.716207, -117.17321332°42’58” N 117°10’24” W
Waterfront Park
January 9 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F
Fast lunch of Marinated beef steak tacos and pink lemonade

"Guardian of Water" by Donal Hord - woman holding an olla on her left shoulder." (San Diego Union-Tribune, June 11, 1939). The pool is encircled by a formed concrete rim depicting a sea of dolphins and skipjack tuna.

San Diego Administrative BuildingRead more
1 like
Traveler Escondido CA
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Day 6
- Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 3:20 PM
- ☀️ 64 °F
- Altitude: 39 ft
- United States Tuna Wharf 32.714753, -117.17351832°42’53” N 117°10’25” W
2
San Diego Bay cruise
January 9 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F
Traveler Soooo cute.
1/10/25Reply
TravelerHe really was.. and he was sort of curious looking at the boat... you'd think he'd be used to it by now
1/10/25Reply
2 likes
Traveler Escondido CA
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Day 6
- Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 4:17 PM
- ☀️ 63 °F
- Altitude: Sea level
- United States North San Diego Bay 32.716117, -117.20233832°42’58” N 117°12’8” W
Cruise 2
January 9 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F
San Diego downtown off the bow

Back to the flattops

Looking at Tijuana Mexico on the other side of the Bay

Coronado Bridge
1 like
Traveler Escondido CA
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Day 6
- Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 5:06 PM
- 🌙 61 °F
- Altitude: 26 ft
- United States Amtrak Terminal 32.715477, -117.17089132°42’56” N 117°10’15” W
Walking through Gaslamp Qarter
January 9 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 61 °F
The Gaslamp Quarter is a historic neighborhood in downtown San Diego, California. It extends from Broadway to Harbor Drive and from 4th to 6th Avenue. The neighborhood is listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places as the Gaslamp Quarter Historic District. It includes over 90 historic buildings,most of which were constructed in the Victorian era; many are in use as restaurants, shops,

Pacific Soul sculpture- Internationally-renowned artist Jaume Plensa’s first public sculpture in San Diego. The Barcelona native, who is known for creating monumental sculptures in cities across the world, said his 25-foot-high San Diego work is inspired by the nearby ocean

Santa Fe RR station (Depot)

One of minerals in front of an office building

The US Grant HotelRead more
2 likes
Traveler Escondido CA
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Day 6
- Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 5:48 PM
- 🌙 59 °F
- Altitude: 52 ft
- United States Balboa Theatre 32.713657, -117.16101132°42’49” N 117°9’40” W
2
Dinner at Mimosa Mediterranean Restauran
January 9 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 59 °F
Finished our day with scrumptious dinner at Mimosa Mediterranean restaurant.
Red sangria for Laurie ang nice local Pilsner fir me as drinks of the night
Cheese Borek for a shared app.
2 Grilled Kofte medallions with salad and rice. (We just felt the yearning fir the same) Tzatziki sauce on the side.
Shared Kunefe ... but 1/2 went back home and in retrospect we were just ... "cheesed out" 😉😆.

A short walk to where i parked my car (the night was hopping everywhere in the Quarter) and uneventful 45-minutes ride back to resort ...Read more
Traveler Looks good.
1/10/25Reply
TravelerVery yummy 😋
1/10/25Reply
2 likes
Traveler Escondido CA
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Day 7
- Friday, January 10, 2025 at 12:17 PM
- ☀️ 68 °F
- Altitude: 1,027 ft
- United States Twin Oaks 33.187178, -117.16428533°11’14” N 117°9’51” W
Sunshine Mountain Winery visit
January 10 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F
And so on this last incredibly gorgeous sunny afternoon we paid a visit to Sunshine Mountain Winery in San Marcos for some more wine tasting and cheese eating (OK maybe we are not as cheesed out as we thought :))

Situated on the hilltops of North San Diego, the vineyard boasts panoramic views of the city and its own unique soil that creates a perfect blend of California wilderness and European finesse.

Laurie's Sunshine Riesling.
Our Charcuteríe board and my Sunshine Cuvee Red Blend
Panoramic views
Now... of course we climbed all those steps from "way down there" and OF COURSE there is a parking lot right next to the building
Not sure if this is the owner's house but I would not mind living there
Come to think of it I wouldn't mind living in that top-of-the-mountain one either
Fruit trees of lower gaarden: Lemon, Pomegranate, Grapefruit, Avocado & tangerines.
I can't imagine how nice it must be to just go into the orchard every morning and pick a fresh lemon and avo.... YUM!Read more
TravelerGlad you had a good time and good weather. Safe trip home!
1/11/25Reply
2 likes
Trip end
January 11, 2025