This charming ranch is perfect for a peaceful getaway. When I visited, the on-site restaurant was…read moreunder construction, so bring your own food--mini-fridges are in the cottages. I stayed in the cozy Sparrow cottage, which was well-decorated and had a fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and dishes for two. I loved the rocking chair on the patio for coffee and reading. The pool is cute and relaxing, though unheated, but the hot tub is warm. There's a serene stream with frogs croaking at night, and the property is secluded, with a few nearby wineries to explore. This retreat is ideal for couples or a small group of friends. Cons: The hot water is only lukewarm. The bed had some dirt/sand. My TV didn't work, and the bonfire is only available until 4 pm. The animal sanctuary ($7) requires a reservation, but the front desk told me to just show up. When I did, the staff said same-day reservations weren't allowed--and she was a bit cranky--so I couldn't visit. However, it's small enough to view from outside the fence. TL;DR: This ranch is feels safe, peaceful and promising. Once the restaurant opens and cleaning standards improve, it will be a perfect nature escape.

We stayed at Bandy Canyon Ranch back in October to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. I sat…read moreon this review for far too long because it honestly just made me so incredibly angry and I didn't want to relive the experience. I've also seen how the manager responds to other negative reviews and didn't feel like dealing with the attacks. I had been following Bandy Canyon on Instagram and the experience they promote online nowhere meets the reality. We chose to stay at the Eagle cabin because it had more space for our 2 kids and dog and the other rooms available were much smaller in comparison. The cabin didn't look upgraded online but for $910 for 2 nights, I assumed it had to be nicer than the photos looked. It was actually much, much worse. The website touts upgraded and renovated rooms but the Eagle cabin had clearly not been updated maybe since it had been built. I cannot begin to explain how depressing the cabin felt walking in at night. Floor to ceiling brown shiny walls illuminated by harsh white lightbulbs, no art or decor on the walls, tacky fake plant from the 90s covered in dust, yellow stained and ripped curtains. The floor was ripped and worn. It felt like a prison. The TV was missing the remote so we couldn't even turn on the TV for some added ambiance. It was dead silent. We spent hours turning the place upside down trying to find a remote, my husband was hyperventilating from how suffocating and tacky the room felt with no escape. We almost left as soon as we arrived. I called the front desk over the course of several hours. The front desk couldn't get us a remote that worked and tried calling her manager but couldn't figure out what to do. We hadn't eaten dinner so my husband reluctantly grilled us some food on the sad bbq outside our room in almost complete darkness. It was intended to be a special celebration of our 10-year wedding anniversary and it ended up being a weekend from hell. Did I mention they prohibit you from bringing your own wine? Because they sell wine on site as part of their "winery." However I was told they only had rose when I asked for a red. What is this, a college dorm? I'm going to get in trouble for bringing my own wine to celebrate my 10 year wedding anniversary? Didn't find this out until we were packing our bags for the trip and my husband was looking at their website. I somehow managed to convince my husband to stay the night versus driving home immediately. I really wanted to salvage our milestone anniversary trip! I tried using the shower and the pipes screeched loudly, sounding like someone was screaming in your ear the whole time. I sent video to the front desk. The noise was so unbearable that we couldn't even use the shower. The sound echoed through the entire house, making it impossible to ignore. These elements greatly diminished the comfort and ambiance we had anticipated. Furthermore, a major reason for choosing the ranch was the promise of a pool for our toddler to enjoy, especially as it's promoted across the ranch's Instagram. To our dismay, the pool was not heated and was too cold to use, which was very disappointing. Adding to this inconvenience, the pool bar was closed, further limiting our recreational options.    All the ranch workers we interacted with were supportive and apologetic, agreeing that the Eagle cabin was outdated and unfit for guests. They acknowledged that it should not have been rented out in its current condition. They promised us the manager would make it right. I was told she's get in touch with me after the weekend. It took me messaging them for about a solid month for the manager to finally call me, which by that point I had zero interest in talking to her. We paid good money to stay here and it was a complete waste. For 2 nights we spent almost 1k ($910 to be exact). You'd think for that kind of money we'd get a much nicer experience!

We have been here a few times and enjoyed each time. The history of Rancho Guejito is pretty…read moreamazing! Starting as a 13,298-acre ranch, to now 23,000 acres (36 square miles!) The most Rockwood Ranch was purchased and added into the property in 2006, and the Rockwood farmhouse which was built in the 1890's is now the Rancho Guejito Vineyard tasting room! Because of the size of this property, they have the space to having amazing events! Check out their calendar for event details, but they do have a lot of events for kids as well as some street faire type events. I ama not certain if they always have live music, but the times that we have been here, they have had great live music playing. They have a great selection of wines (the sweet ones for me and the not sweet ones for my wife) as well as delightful Sangria's and wind slushies. The food was actually really good here too! They have Cheeseburgers, Bratwurst, Hotdog, veggie burgers, nachos, Bavarian pretzels, charcuterie box, churros. They also had sliders when we were there, and we opted to share sliders, charcuterie box and a Bavarian pretzel. The pretzel was massive and delicious, 100% would order again. The sliders were cooked perfectly and are made from beef raised on the property where they maintain a herd of over 2000 cows! You can also purchase a Box of their 100% grass fed on open pastures beef to take home for your freezer and cook at your leisure. This is an amazing place, always a lot of fun!

I can see how this is a destination spot. Very decent wine, live music, 2 kids bounce houses,…read moreactivity center, very family friendly. For us, it's far, we live in San Diego proper. The population density gets high. Kids everywhere, balls hitting you, dogs sniffing you. I also don't drink too much so it's like... sober hellish. The bathrooms. Wow. Trailer based. Parking can also get scarce. The food here... the burger is raised here and ground on site but there is no seasoning and the burgers are tiny. Service is decent. This would be okay for our north county friends to visit for us? This may be our second time but our last time. Not super into it.

We have been members for three years, through past and new ownership, and every visit levels up to…read morea better experience. The wine is incredible, the new food experience with Amalfi is delicious, and the staff is so kind and attentive. The views are so beautiful, both on the vineyard and grass field sides of the property. Truly versatile and incredibly welcoming of small and large parties. Such an incredible investment to have a membership here, we love our home away from home at Orfila!

We love Orfila! We come almost every week for trivia and occasionally for line dancing, and it's…read morebecome one of our favorite places to hang out. The ambiance is beautiful, the property is gorgeous, and we really appreciate all the free events they offer. The food truck is always a solid choice with pizza, burgers, sandwiches, and even gluten-free options. If you're just looking for a snack, they also have items available inside. The wine selection is excellent, and one of our favorite things is that it's dog-friendly, so our pups can join us. My only suggestion would be to improve the wine line. It can take 10-15 minutes to get a refill, especially during trivia, which sometimes means missing the next question. It would be awesome if there were a separate line for guests who just want to order a glass of wine instead of doing a tasting. Overall, Orfila is a beautiful winery with a fun, welcoming atmosphere, great wine, and events that keep us coming back week after week. Highly recommend!

My husband and I had our wedding at Rancho Guejito in early November 2025, and they truly made our…read morebig day one of the most wonderful and memorable days of our lives. We worked closely with Nicole Park throughout the entire planning process and cannot thank her enough. Her flexibility with communication, accommodations, and attention to detail made everything feel seamless. She genuinely cared about making sure everything was perfect for our actual wedding day, and it showed in every way. Nicole and the entire Rancho Guejito team are exceptional at what they do. Everyone is incredibly friendly, professional, and solution-oriented, with an impressive network of resources and vendor connections. From start to finish, it truly felt like the team had our backs on all fronts. Their level of care, organization, and professionalism made the planning process feel far less stressful. The property itself is absolutely stunning -- vast greenery, rolling vineyards, citrus trees, and the most incredible natural scenery. It even smells amazing on site! We were lucky enough to be one of the first couples to host our wedding at the new venue location after originally booking the former space, and we couldn't be happier with how everything turned out. The new venue is breathtaking and perfectly complemented our moody, romantic wedding vision. The new getting-ready suites are beautiful and thoughtfully designed, and having the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception spaces so close together was a huge plus for our guests. Even months later, our guests still talk about how magical the Rancho Guejito property is. Between the lush landscape, expansive views, and countless photo locations across the property, it truly feels like an exclusive and intimate experience for you and your partner. My husband and I couldn't be happier with how our wedding day turned out at Rancho Guejito and highly recommend them for your wedding or any special event.

Recently got married at Rancho Guejito and I couldn't recommend this venue more!! First off it is…read moreBEAUTIFUL!!! You are surrounded by mountains and vines and it made for amazing photos! We also loved that the space really provided a blank canvas and we had so much freedom to do whatever we wanted with the space. We brought in live music, churros, our own alcohol, our own caterer, and our own rentals so our vision was really able to come to life!! At first I was nervous about the 10pm cutoff but most outdoor venues in San Diego also comply with this rule and after actually going through a wedding as the bride I was exhausted by 10pm lol! The office manager was very easy to work with throughout the entire process. The vendor recommendations were awesome as well as I found a lot of great people that helped bring the party to life. My wedding had a total of 240 people which made me nervous but we fit comfortably in the space and there was room for more. Overall great experience and great views!

What a beautiful venue!!!! We were guests for a wedding reception and Wow!! The caterer and venue…read moreboth did a great job and we really enjoyed the evening. One tiny thing I wanted to mention is myself and many other guests got bitten by mosquitoes as soon as we arrived. Maybe suggest some repellent wipes or something so the mosquitoes don't eat us for their dinner.

I am a wedding planner and am familiar with most of the venues in the area. This is one of the best…read moreI've worked at. The venue manager and owners are really kind and helpful. I can tell they actually care about each wedding and want it to be exceptional. The venue itself is beautiful. I love that it's a historic home with a gorgeous garden. It feels very warm and welcoming. I also like that it has built in market lighting, and includes many rentals.

This is a fabulous place to host an event in NCSD. The moonlight terrace view is one of the best…read moreyou will find in the county. We attended performances of three bands on a Thursday evening organized by the Six String Society. We were there to see the band, Daring Greatly. They won, Song of the Year at the 2023 San Diego Music Awards. The Centre is located above the Lexus dealership and attached to Vintana Wine + Dine, owned by Cohn Restaurant Group. A limited menu and cash bar was available. The food provided by Vintana was excellent, the beverage line much too long. As someone who has planned events in every career role I have had, I feel the space could have been better arranged. The Centre has various venue choices of different sizes. They are used for weddings, reunions and celebrations of all types. They may not need to be booked but it would be great to see more non- profit, charitable and flex functions here in the future. Note: Rocket not included. On the night of the event a rocket was launched into space from Vandenberg that could be seen through parts of SoCal., Go see Daring Greatly & eat at Vintana. #TheCentre #VintanaWineDine #MoonlightVerandah #RocketNotIncluded #DaringGreatly

After visiting several venues where to have my daughter's quinceañera, we fall in love with the…read morecentre! On top of that we wanted to have delicious food and they succeeded our expectations. Genevieve was our event coordinator and we had great communication from day one. At the day of the event Rebecca and Holly were amazing in control of things making the night stress free for us. Garret our bar tender made delicious drinks and kept the schedule smooth according to plan. There were no surprises since everything was very clear in our contract. Thank you for making a memorable night for my daughter!

We came to see a Patio Playhouse summer show here. They had decorated the property well, there were…read moreplenty of first come first serve seating options that had a good view of the stage. You can bring your own food and drinks. An evening show is pleasant and not too hot. Bring a cushion to sit on the stone seats, or Patio Playhouse had also set up patio chairs in front of the stone seats.

Attended the play last night. Everything was excellent. Showing till July 30 is "RENT"…read more My first time at the Escondido, Kit Carson Amphitheater. Nice place. Friendly staff. Recommend a light jacket, seat cushion and maybe some insect repellant. Event did have cushions for rent, refreshments and clean bathrooms. Plenty of free parking. LGBTQI friendly. ADA accessibility.

I just got back from an afternoon at the Forgotten Barrel Winery. What an amazing time we had. No…read moreonly so they have a wide choice of wines to choose from, by the glass and by the bottle, but the prices are reasonable. They also offer tasting menus, so you get healthy pours of different wines to try. They also offer some premade food for sale, charcuteries, hummus, crackers, cheeses. Plus there's a food truck that sells amazing burgers starting at 3. While we were there, there was live music being played in the Central courtyard. Guests could sit on their provided seating under a large shaded tree and some had their small dogs with them on leash. Because we were a medium size group and had made a reservation, we were placed in a separate room with plenty of inside and outside covered seating. The winemaker even gave us a tour of the facilities. Showing is the process from the grapes, to the hopper and ending with the barrels where they age. It's definitely worth driving out to visit this beautiful winery in Escondido.

A friend was having a gathering here recently and invited us to join. I have been hearing about…read moreForgotten Barrel for a few years now, but I assumed it was pretty far out there in Escondido. I was wrong. It's not far off the 15 freeway in a small unassuming neighborhood. If you didn't know it was there you would never discover it. We arrived and took the last spot in the front parking lot. There is another parking lot, it seems like there's plenty of parking around. We found our party in a courtyard next to the tasting room. There was plenty of seating and tables for everyone, and it was sectioned off from the rest (if you need a private area). We went in the tasting room and tasted several wines before deciding. The staff were friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable about their wines. After we got our wine, we decided to walk the property. It's a very quaint, unique piece of property with old buildings and new ones made to look old (bathrooms). You can walk through the vineyards and there are various areas where you could have parties. There is a barn, which is beautifully decorated and lit inside. It would be perfect for a wedding reception or any other type of party. There are several areas where you could put multiple groups of people or use the whole facility for a giant party. When we were there, there was live music. The band was really good and we enjoyed sitting under the umbrellas and trees while listening. There was also a pizza food truck whilst we were there. I ordered a pepperoni pizza and they delivered it to where we were sitting. I shared it and we all enjoyed a slice. I can't believe I didn't know this existed here before, but I'm so glad to have discovered it. I will definitely come back and bring friends. It's just the perfect little spot to spend some time. Maybe listen to some music, eat some food and drink some wine.

The Grand Ritz is a small local theater with an intimate feel. It's smaller than the big theaters,…read morewhich makes the experience more relaxed and personal. It's my preference. There's even a rooftop lounge. There's plenty of public lots and street parking nearby, which makes getting in and out easy. There's never trouble finding parking during evening events. The theater is located downtown near some great restaurants and places to grab drinks. The concessions are simple and reasonably priced. The staff members are friendly and welcoming. They offer a variety of live events, films, comedy shows, and concerts. Check their website for upcoming events. Looking forward to returning for a comedy show.

This a a wonderful neighborhood venue. It's very accessible and they have top notch shows. This…read moreparticular night was no exception. We saw an Elton John tribute band and they were very entertaining. I always know it will be an enjoyable evening when I attend a show here. It's easy to get to and there is plenty of street parking available.