This is one of the lesser mission outposts so not a main of the full 32 California missions. It is…read morea sub-mission or an adistenzia mission. I was thrilled to find this. It was a surprise down in Pala. It is located about 20 miles away from the Oceanside Mission, St. Louis Del Rey. It's a small area located on a Native American reservation in Pala. The grounds and gardens are very lovely. Serene and peaceful. The original cemetery is still there. The chapel was open on this Saturday that we visited. They had beautiful frescoes and their stations of the cross were really spectacular. There's a Bell tower which interestingly is one of the few that is separate from any building. It has two bells in it both made in Mexico. The stillness and serenity and opportunity for meditative reflection were exquisite. Sadly, the museum is only open on Saturdays and we were not there on the correct Saturday as it is only twice a month. If you want to go to the museum and gift shop, then you will need to plan ahead and call to make sure that they are open. But the church and mission were really the main thing that I wanted to see. What a treasure!

I made it a "mission" to visit all 21 missions & noticed in my passport that included mission San…read moreAntonio de pala. So I called during the week to confirm museum & gift shop hours/times. Was told it was open only the 2nd & 4th sat of the month 10-4pm. So I prepared to go the 2nd sat. Which is today. We only saw one car in the parking lot, but still walked around to the museum & gift shop. Door was locked. Knocked. No answer. Tried calling the number. No answer. I understand that it is one of the smaller missions but still they should have something written/updated on the door, website, &/or voicemail. Would love to give them another try, because I need this last stamp. but I'm afraid if I come on the 4th Saturday I would just be setting myself for disappointment. Please be more accessible. People would love to see this quaint mission!

Overall a fun time and we felt safe. I was disappointed that people checked in late and we had to…read morewait to confirm no shows. Also that we had to listen to a spiel about the $250 video package. All this took time and I hate waiting around. Once we got on the shuttle things progressed in a timely fashion, except we had to return to the starting point for our champagne toast. Would have been fun to do in the field. There was more time on the ground than in the balloon. Also noticed that other companies started earlier and were going much higher and lower than we were. The drone following us taking video was extremely annoying. Not the adventure I had hoped for, but enjoyable do do one time.

My boyfriend and I came to do a hot air balloon ride for the first time for my birthday!…read more The employees really had everything down to a science and I felt confident that they were experienced and knew what they were doing. It was SO early, and it really was good I had a jacket before we got into the balloon because it was chilly, but it is warm up in the air and in the balloon! Watching the set up and tear down ended up feeling like a part of the experience. The ride itself was amazing. It was unreal and so pretty!!! Our pilot had so much fun knowledge of the area and kept everyone engaged and entertained. At the end, they provided a champagne toast and certificates which was such a nice touch. I am definitely glad we went with this company and highly recommend them to anyone else interested in checking out a hot air balloon ride!

We came here again to look for stuff that we liked the last time. The town Main Street was very…read morebusy for Tuesday afternoon. We went to 4 spots and was pleased at all. We will be back again and hope the new steakhouse is ready.

We came from out of state for a few days stay right across the street. Definitely, a must go place…read moreif you're staying in the area and looking for things to do, eat, and shop! Cute town.. walk to all the little places on the road. Too bad they close so early..! Seems like a tourist spot. Unfortunately, the locals here are not that friendly or talkative. Seems odd since I'm sure it brings a lot of visitors to the area. Nonetheless, it's a nice morning stroll before anything is open. The gorgeous backdrop mountains. Lots of street parking, paid parking lots, and business lots. The streets feel super right. So drive slow and watch for pedestrians.

Old Town Murrieta has a seriously rustic and nostalgic look and vibe, with a couple of gems in the…read morerough for your dining pleasure. First and third Thursdays the street hosts a Night Market with local crafts and various food for purchase. Recommend having a visit if you are in the area.

If you want a break from the honky tonk that is Old Town Temecula, visit Old Town Murietta, its…read morecomplete opposite. Separated by only 5 miles, it may as well be 500. Where the former is loud and brash, the other is laid back and serene. Where the first requires a struggle to find parking, the later has space galore, even right in front of the half dozen or so bars and restaurants that are the local economy. We were staying nearby and drove through to get a feel for the town center. It was just three blocks square, with stately trees and a few small commercial developments. Some of the older places were closed down and abandoned, while three were open for business with outdoor seating and live acoustic music. Not in the mood for what was offered cuisine wise, we slowly drove out of town, passing a beautiful peacock jumping over a fence, until we found our way to Jefferson Avenue, the back route to Temecula that parallels Rt. 15. We joined the hoy polloi in the touristy hot spot for a short night of sensory overload. Old Town Murrieta seemed secure in its quietude, and maybe it was onto something in obviously not attempting to compete with big brother down the road. Still, with a little bit of effort and savvy marketing it could be the cool alternative to all that dusty sparkle nearby. Or, maybe, it already is.

So glad we checked this off the bucket list. We had a great experience. Despite the morning being…read morevery foggy from having warm weather the day before, the company did a great job of finding clear skies to take off from. Pilot Denni (the owner of the company with almost 40 years of pilot experience) was great and landed in the same place we took off, which is likened to a hole in one in golf. The whole experience was less than 3hrs. The ride itself lasted about an hour. We were transported to and from the launch and landing sites. They took some pictures for us and provided a balloon ride certificate at the end with discounts for local wineries and businesses. Mimosas and a bag of snacks were provided at the end. It was a great experience and would recommend to anyone willing to wake up before sunrise.

What a magically dreamy adventure! Can't believe it's taken me (a thrill seeker) so long to go on a…read morehot air balloon, but better late than never! It was actually a lot more calm and peaceful than I thought it would be! Even my friend, who's afraid of heights, did it! Sure, she was pretty scared at first and stayed close to the center of the basket, avoiding to look out and down, but she started feeling more comfortable the longer we were in the sky. We booked on their website and used the promo code "Groupon" for a discounted price of about $180 per person. The meeting point was in the parking lot of a shopping center in Temecula at 5:30am. There, they went over some rules, info about hot air ballooning and there was a photographer/videographer, Wesly Cajuste, selling packages for stills and a video. He has a drone that follows the balloon. My friends and I decided to go for it since it was our first time and it was a special occasion (friend's birthday). We were very happy with the way the video and the photos came out. Then, a couple shuttle vans took us to where they were setting up the hot air balloons, which varies depending on the wind. Before getting in the basket, we got to go in the balloon while they were inflating it. It was chilly in the morning, but it gets pretty warm being under the propane tank, so hats and layers are suggested. We were 4 groups of 4 and were assigned to a huge balloon with 4 separate compartments we were snug in. The knowledgeable and experienced pilot, Brian, was in the middle. I read that the baskets have doors but we had to climb in ours. The ride was about an hour long and we had a spectacular view of Temecula valley. I was a little nervous about the landing, but Brian is clearly a pro and did a magnificent job with a smooth landing on an open field. No mimosas in the air since there are no restrooms, but they busted out the Crooks when we got out! The website said breakfast, but they actually just give out ziplocked bags of snacks. Lol! Totally not necessary. The balloon ride was the ultimate highlight! They also give a certificate, which includes a list of wineries you can get discounts at for having done the hot air experience.

Okay so I've been to Temecula before, but I've never done a wine tour. So very last minute I did a…read moregoogle search and found this company. Honestly absolutely loved every minute of it! Pros: 1. They will pick you up from your hotel and drop you off afterwards. They are basically a fun designated driver for you. 2. You will have a lot of wine included for the ride. 3. In-between wineries our driver Joe gave us history and fun facts about Temecula and the wineries we were visiting. 4. Super unique experiences you wouldn't expect on a standard walk in tasting. We got to enter a cave, drink directly from a barrel, and see the production area of some wineries. Con: 1. The only con and it's nothing against the company. It's I just wish we had a little longer at each winery. However I also understand why we can't. We got picked up right at 11am and dropped off at 4:30pm. That was with an hour long stop at each winery. It just can be fun when all the tastings gave me 6 tastings. So you really have to down them quickly. It would be nice to have 5-10 minutes more, but again not a huge problem. Overall this company is absolutely fantastic! I truly enjoyed every minute and I will book them again in the future!

My first winery tour and it was simply the best experience. Our family from Big Island Hawaii came…read moreinto town and they wanted to tour wineries in Temecula! I started doing my research and Best Coast Temecula Tours had the highest marks for fun time, wineries tour, great atmosphere, clean bus, and of course the amazing tour guide, Joseph! I quickly selected Best Coast Tour Temecula Winery and my whole group had the best time!!! We went to 4 wineries!! Overall one of the most amazing experiences for me, my husband, and our family. I highly recommend Joseph and Best Coast Winery tour!!!

So many great hiking trails for easy hikers up to some intermediate. Enough options for the whole…read morefamily and specifics ones for your furry friends too!

Great hiking place! You can find easy trails and harder ones. It's beautiful there. Make sure, if…read moreyou can to make it,go to the haciend an teresting part of history.

Cute little back to the future town square food and entertainment stop. We initially came for the…read morecoffee but ended up exploring this little area. Dirt path leads around the quaint town square. Vintage store had some cute finds, books records and household items. Staff were friendly and welcoming. Crafting center in the building towards the back. Great for hosting parties or special occasions. Check out their events page when we went they were having a renaissance faire with food trucks and pop up vendors, petting zoo and train ride for the kids. Winery is tucked away in the back corner. Outside stage for live performances. Large shared parking lot in front.

This is a great historic place in Temecula. I really enjoyed my visit. It is home to shops…read moreboutiques, restaurants a playground a grassy lawn area , some picnic tables a stage, historic buildings, and farm implements and such. Regarding the picnic tables, they are for customers of the nearby restaurants as no outside food is permitted. It's a great spot for people watching and photo ops. I reccomend this historic gem in Temecula as a good place to visit..