This place is an absolute gem hidden off of Melrose! You turn down in here and you see so many…read morebeautiful things. There are peacocks during the early morning time roaming around. They have a beautiful little movie theater where you can watch a show about how it all began and a tiny little gift shop. Then you can walk around and see all of the horse stables, houses, and beautiful reflection pool.

We got the opportunity to walk with a docent/guide during a light rain we had in May. It was s nice…read moreto walk in the rain and hear stories of the past at Leo Carrillo Ranch. The cacti were in blossom which was a unique treat! We saw peacocks, a wide variety of local biota and enjoyed talking story with a knowledgeable elder.

Been here once before and the volunteers are so nice and helpful. The models are so interesting to…read morelook at and to think they were all hand made. Ample free parking!

A total hidden gem for anyone! Tiny engines, motors, and other devices mostly handcrafted from…read morescratch. All sorts of model vehicles, ships and planes plus a fun dollhouse section. Lots of interesting details and background information to read.

A friendly staff gave us a quick history of the mission. Admission to the museum is $8. The…read moremuseum is packed with artifacts and history. We took our time looking around the courtyard, the oldest pepper tree...San Luis Rey is a working mission still, they hold masses here, have parish office, and also cemetery. The mission is impressive and the chapel is beautiful. Im not going to reveal too much with my photos, you need to appreciate its beauty in person.

My goal is to visit all of the missions in California. As an elementary school teacher, I find it…read moreto be fascinating to explore the locations that I teach about during the school year. It helps to personalize all that is taught in classrooms across California. Mission San Luis Rey is one of the prettiest missions that I've visited so far. The parking lot is large, and it also has an overflow to accommodate larger crowds during special events. There is a large, white church that is in the center of the parking lot. Due to its size and proximity, it immediately grabs your attention. Many people begin exploring at the church, but there's much more to see. If you walk to the far left side of the property, you'll see the actual entrance. There is small gift shop as well as a counter where you'll pay your entry fee to explore the museum. One thing that I liked about Mission San Luis Rey is that replicas of various artifacts looked pretty authentic. Also, the backstory for each item was described in detail. The mission was incredibly clean, demonstrating how much pride people take in the presentation of the property. There is a small cemetery adjacent to the church. You can walk around and pay your respects to people who had either a physical or emotional impact on the mission and the community. The grounds are well-maintained and it remains inviting to people who want to explore around. The church is large and inviting. You can purchase candles and place them near the entrance as well as the room off to the side or another room closer to the front of the church. The displays are beautiful and well-lit to draw your attention to details. People maintain a low tone in the church to allow guests to pray, have a moment to themselves, or to make a connection with a higher power. Before you leave, make sure that you stop by the small coffee shop. It's located near the bathrooms near the south side of the property. There is a little gated patio area where you can hang out with friends, family, or even your dog! Mission San Luis Rey is a great place to visit. People are very friendly and quite helpful. When we went to the mission, the weather was perfect and we had a clear view of the area. It was a great experience and I will definitely come back for another visit. I don't know which mission we will visit next, but so far, this is my favorite.

What a great place to hike to! I am glad there are many…read moretypes of paths up to Double Peak Park. Some days I feel like taking the paved of packed earth trails. Other times I enjoy scrambling on the many winding cross country trails. It's all good! Now if only someone would set up a coffee stand at the top

What a view! I came up for the Starwalk event hosted by the city of San Marcos through the Double…read morePeak Astronomy program. There was plenty of parking but we got there early just in case. We walked up to the check-in desk, provided our info, and were given instructions, star maps, and red lenses for our phones. We then walked to Mahnita Boyden-Wofford Amphitheater (a large cement amphitheater) and found seats facing the volunteer ranger presenting the night's info. Unfortunately, it was a bit too foggy to see much. The volunteer ranger (John Walsh) answered questions and explained differences between various stars, meteors, satellites and sky debris. Occasionally, the sky would open up for us to see a few stars. We did get to see the summer triangle and a satellite though. It was a good learning experience and I hope to do more in the future on a clear night. Tip: apparently it's tarrantula season so watch your step.

Nice little park with historic buildings from Oceanside. Shady trees and picnic tables. This is…read morepopular as a wedding venue as there's a gazebo for the ceremony, buildings to use for preparation, and the area is quiet (the nearby La Hacienda restaurant also has an area to host receptions). Dogs are allowed on leashes if you pick up after them. There are dog waste bag dispensers and trash cans in the park. Bikes / Skateboards are not allowed to be ridden inside the park but can be carried or pushed with you. There are also drinking fountains and restrooms. Park also contains the model railroad club which visitors can view. The caretaker John who lives at the connected house is very friendly and so is his dog. He's usually either sitting on his porch or doing something inside the park so if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask him..

Model train lovers will enjoy this park if they come by on the weekends when the enthusiasts are…read morethere to show off their model trains. We were riding our bicycles along the nearby river trail and made a pit stop at this park. I was surprised no one was enjoying this small but peaceful park with its shaded trees.

A nice strawberry picking place but not very refined. Dirt paths and quite a bit of walking from…read morewhere you pay to the actual picking area. Very spread out space. Lots of opportunity woth photo ops which is nice. The petting zoo part and tractor ride is additional charge. They hand out scissors to cut the strawberries off the vines. Get the really red ones, even if they're small because they're sweeter. It was a nice experience but just okay.

The Carlsbad Strawberry company offers a fantastic U-Pick experience during strawberry season. For…read more$18 per adult, I got admissions and a reasonably sized bucket for picking strawberries. It's easy to fill up the bucket with ripe strawberries quick. Although it doesn't seem like there's a lot of strawberries at first glance, there's a lot as I walked through the rows of strawberry plants - that was part of the fun! One thing I wasn't prepared for was the dirt and how muddy the strawberry rows were. I'm not sure if it was always that wet. Perhaps it was because it rained earlier in the day? My shoes got extremely dirty and there wasn't a convenient way to wash it off there. I recommend wearing rain boots. In addition to strawberries, there was a sunflower maze and a separate section for a simple sunflower field. For those who don't want to worry about food, there's vendors and food trucks on site. They also sell jam and fresh strawberries at the stand, which doesn't require an admissions ticket. Service wasn't anything special. The staff there were efficient and friendly. Overall, I enjoyed my time there and I recommend visitors trying out the U-Pick experience!

I love finding cool historical spots in the local area! I went on a Sunday and it looked like there…read moreweren't any real tours happening, so I just walked around the outside by myself. It was very cool seeing how well preserved everything was and they even had a gift shop. They had lots of dirt parking, a public restroom, and lots of picnic tables. I also got to see a humming bird!!!

I walk the "Sports Park" at least 5 times a week. I love the trails and its rural feel. The…read moreactual adobe is amazing with a lot of historical features and fun to tour. I want to give a shout out to Tom, one of the volunteers who lives on site. You will see him working around the trails and adobe on any given day. He takes pride in his work and it shows! Thanks for making Rancho Adobe such a beautiful place to visit.

We love this park! More natural kind of vibe (you can see the ocean in the distance and the sunset…read moreviews are 10/10) - the play structure is wooden, there's a large wooden seesaw, and the swing (pictured) is always a favorite for the littles! Big beautiful grass field right down from the playground. 4 stars only due to there being no bathrooms! So come prepared or small a short visit!

This park is definitely a hidden gem. We were here for the playground. It's designed for ages 5-12…read more It's got fun and different elements, including a swing, seesaw, and balance beams. There are lots of picnic table seating areas, both in and out of the shade. Everything was impeccably clean. The view is beautiful as it sits high and you can see the ocean. There is limited street parking only and there no restrooms.

On this visit we had dinner at the Tavern first. I really liked this restaurant and I would come…read moreback here when not attending a show. The menu has an option for everyone. So many good choices I had a hard time deciding what to order. Great trivia and history on the walls with pictures of past performers from many years back. So fun! I look forward to coming back and trying different things

One of our long-time local favorites. In warm weather, we enjoy the patio and watching the…read moreever-changing array of characters ambling along South Cedros, some destined for shows at The Belly Up. The inside dining room and bar is cozy and decorated with posters from musical acts. Tavern is popular before shows and we go early on weeknights to beat the crowds and enjoy the food. The menu is reasonably priced. The tasty pan seared lemon and butter scallops on linguine was $29. The lobster tacos are $28, with the lobster chunks in a bowl with a subtle tomato sauce, and choice of torillas, with Spanish rice and black beans. Tavern has a full bar and a short but excellent wine list, reasonably priced, and mostly from California. Wines by the glass start at $11 and go to $14. A bottle of William Hill, Central Coast, Chardonnay, wsa $42 and the Rombauer Carneos, $65. Corkage is $25. Most cocktails are $15. It has local beers on draft and in the cans. Service is always fast and friendly. They check regularly for water refills, and any thoughts on the meal. We enjoy the casual, neighborly feel to the Tavern. A California beach town classic.

This is THE MOST AMAZING HIDDEN JEWEL of San Diego County! The History is so very deep,…read moremulticultural, humbling and beautiful. A small remnant of our distant past here in Southern California. You and your Family are blessed to have the opportunity to visit. AND it is just beyond BEAUTIFUL. Peaceful. Deep. Spirit filled and spiritual. Full of stories, ghosts and history. This should be something that everyone in North County knows and Loves!!!! Just a Godsend and Blessing!

This is a a great place to take portraits, the staff is friendly. It's also a great place to just…read moresimply go for a walk and enjoy the nature that surround you.