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.

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.

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.

Tucked away inside the massive 285 acre Kit Carson Park, you'll find Queen Califia's Magical Circle…read moreGarden by renowned artist Niki de Saint Phalle. Completed and opened to the public on October 26, 2003, this whimsical, meaningful, and colorful sculpture garden is surrounded by an incredible 400 foot snake wall. Once you meander through the mosaic & mirrored mini-maze, there are nine freestanding sculptures: Cathead Totem Birdhead Totem Yelling Man Totem Bullhead Totem Untitled Totem (Bird on a Square) Kingfisher Totem Step Totem Snake Totem Each totem is something marvelous to behold, and de Saint Phalle's mosaic work is simply spectacular. There are also 3 freestanding benches faced in travertine marble by Pierre-Marie Lejeune that measure from 13-20 feet in length. In my opinion, the standout feature of the garden is the central structure called Queen Califia and the Eagle Throne. It is so beautifully unique, and the space underneath almost feels sacred with the golden egg (former) fountain and the spectacular celestial ceiling. Queen Califia was a legendary black Amazonian who was believed to rule a terrestial island of gold and riches "to the right of the Indies." It is only fitting that this special garden has been erected in her honor. In fact, this is the only American sculpture garden by Niki de Saint Phalle! The garden is surrounded by a locked fence and is only open on Tuesdays and Thursday from 9am-12pm, and on 2nd & 4th Saturdays from 9am-2pm. Docents were available to answer questions today, and they are usually onsite during the hours when the garden is open. This special space is certainly worth a visit, and it would be lovely to pair it with a hike and a picnic in the park for sure. Keep in mind that there is a short walking trail that you need to traverse to get to the garden after you've parked your car, Additionally, you can hike in from other areas of the park as well. Be sure to take a look at the story boards to the right of the entrance facing the snake wall before you enter to gain more history and context for this special installation that we are lucky to have in Escondido. Entry is free and parking is free. There are bathrooms in the park. I took about 20 minutes to peruse the area, and that was enough time for this visit (it was also 90 degrees), but do plan accordingly depending on your interests and needs. Peace.

When I knew I'd be spending a few days in Escondido, I started looking into all that this San Diego…read moresuburb comes to offer. After checking out TripAdvisor, Queen Califia's Magical Circle Garden stood out. I'm all about art, especially when the scale is impressive like it is here. We stopped by on a Tuesday morning around 9:30 a.m. Make sure to check out their website to see when they're open because their hours are quite limited (Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. when I was there and every fourth Saturday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.). It's located inside Kit Carson Park. I didn't have any trouble parking in their lot and then walking to the sculpture garden. Once you arrive, take in all the artist, Niki de Saint Phalle, created. It's weird, it's cool, and it's trippy all in one. There's some information you can read to learn more and while we were there, there were some members of the non-profit that is involved with the art installation there that told us more about it. Walk around and take it all in. You can easily do it in 10-15 minutes and it's a free attraction. Saint Phalle has other artwork in San Diego, but the Magical Circle Garden, is by far the most expansive one in terms of scope. And the most interesting in my book.

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.

Great wine selections and the staff is great. Located inside CoLab Public House, it's a great place…read moreto relax and hang out, especially if there is a band playing. We are regulars here and enjoy their wine club. They have the most amazing reds!

Nice wines and I love the wine glasses they use. They have an Alexander Valley Cabernet which is…read moresuperb! I always enjoy their wine when I am visiting Colab. We have also purchased some to take home which did not disappoint.

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.

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.

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.