Jess Martin Park is on highway 79 in Julian California. This is a really nice county park has base…read moreball fields skate park some exercise equipment. Has shade in some spots. Has bathrooms. Had wash station. BBQ gril. Perfect for picnics gathering. Birthday parties. Take a dog for a walk. Has handicap parking and accessibility. Would I recommend this county park yes highly would. I go every chance I can since I live in Julian and it's our local park. Thank you

My family and I drove up to Julian for a day trip but we knew we needed to let the kids get their…read moreenergy out and we stopped here to explore the playground. The playground equipment seemed newer and the kids loved it. What I loved was that it is completely fenced so I didn't have to be on top of my toddlers and they could explore a bit more on their own. We had a ton of fun climbing up everything and sliding down and using the swings. No one else was there for the majority of the time we were. One other family came for a short period of time and it seemed they were killing time before a photoshoot. Outside of the playground there is some picnicking areas and some sports areas as well. It seems like there can be a good use of space to do many different activities. There is a bathroom there however it is like a camping bathroom with a sink on the outside and nothing more than an outhouse on the inside. I opted to skip it and wait until we got to Julian to use a more modern bathroom. Overall, it was a great stop on the way to Julian for the kids and we will likely stop there again on future trips.

Great Camp. Well organized. In a beautiful location in Julian. What more can you wish for?read more

My kiddo and I have gone with our Adventure Camp group 2 years in a row! Cabins are clean and…read morecomfortable, with plenty of space to play. Activities are fun and well run, staff are wonderful and food is simple but yummy and kid friendly.

WE STOPPED AT DESERT VIEW PARK, on our way to Julian Pie Company. It is something that we do every…read moreXMAS. It is a beautiful LOOK OUT SPOT, see forever and a day!!! AT XMAS, count on it being a little bit cooler, and sometimes WINDY. However, on this particular day, it was pretty warm, AND SUNNY!!! I would say, PIES ASIDE, IT'S A MUST SEE.

Just out side Julian California on hot 79 headed to Lake Cuyamaca. Is the desert Viewpoint…read more This is a peaceful spot during the day to have lunch or just come to relax and check out the view. You can see Banner grade and Shelter Valley from here. Just a amazing wonderful view . I highly recommend coming and checking it out if you never been. 5 stars for the area 5 stars for the view 5 stars for the peaceful area. I enjoy coming here when I take my SnowBall for a ride. She loves it. Amazing mother nauter spot

We tackled Volcan Mountain Trail with an eight-year-old, so we didn't make it the full way but it…read morewas such a nice experience. We also brought along our dog as it is a dog friendly trail as long as your dog is on a leash. The trail starts out pretty steep, but it's well-marked with clear paths throughout. One thing I really loved was all the signage explaining local plant life and animal tracks so it made the hike feel educational and engaging. My kiddo was really into looking at the different animal paw prints. This trail is great for hiking enthusiasts and beginners alike but just know your limits and pace yourself if you're newer to hiking. I would definitely say if it's sunny to make sure you bring plenty of water with you, but there are a lot of shady spots on this trail so that is a nice change from the hikes that are closer to coastal San Diego.

It's a good hike to pair with a trip to Julian. My husband and I picked up sandwiches in town for a…read morepicnic on the trail. Parked next to the road and knew we were in the right place because of all the other cars. We made our hike a loop as we went up the mountain, taking the 5 Oaks Trail, and then came down using the Vulcan Mountain preserve trail. The 5 Oaks Trail has more of a view. There are a few seats to stop, sit (catch your breath) and enjoy the view. Sadly, we haven't had rain so it wasn't as green as I'm sure it would be on a normal January. Nevertheless, a great hike to work off all the apple pie you eat in Julian.

My father in law has been attending Always Sunny since it opened its doors. The staff is very…read moreprofessional and respectful towards the clients. Their program gives him a purpose and a structure. He enjoys going there and socialize with others, engages in various activities. He's still able to live at home because of Always Sunny. I cannot recommend this business highly enough.

Always Sunny has provided such a homey, warm atmosphere at their Senior Day Club. I love the…read morelayout of the great room and the big yard with a safe walking track, and bocce ball and other outdoor activities. It is so important for people to be able to get outdoors and a lot of our elders are shut-in and don't get enough sunshine which contributes to depression. With the social aspects, the games and activities and the outdoor exposures, Janna has created a wonderful space that can really help seniors to thrive. More than just a senior center, staff here do the hard stuff for seniors with limited mobility, including toileting and bathing. This is really a wonderful resource and I'm glad to have found them!

This place fills up fast but we booked several months out and were able to choose our campsites…read morebased on proximity to the dumpsters, bathrooms, and even based on whether the sites had shade. We reserved campsites 89 and 90. Campsites were about $37 per night, after the reservation fee, and could fit a maximum of eight people in two tents. Several of us had car set-ups and when we called the reservation office, they confirmed that sleeping in the car wouldn't count towards the two tent limit. Each site also has two dedicated parking spots. If you have additional cars, it'll be $6 per car/night and there's overflow parking scattered around the campground. Quiet hours start at 10PM and all campfires must be out (no embers) by 11PM. The bathrooms were fine, considering this was a campground. Showers are coin-operated and you can get 4 minutes for 50 cents. Make sure to exchange your cash at the ranger station before the sun sets! From my friend group, I heard mixed reviews on the showers. It seemed like the girl's side had poor water pressure and usually was cold. But both times I showered, I had decent pressure and the water eventually turned warm. There's also potable water throughout the campground, with a specific spout with filtered water (for taste). Our campsites were pretty great especially site 90. It's flat and right under a huge tree so it was the perfect spot to hang out and escape the sun. For tents, the ground was kind of rocky so make sure to bring a pad or air mattress if you can. Each site comes with a table and a fire pit. For firewood, you have to purchase from the campground because they don't want you to accidentally introduce any invasive species. Overall, great campsite with decent bathrooms! We didn't get a chance to explore the campground and the trails around it so I would love to come back one day. Oh and dogs are allowed as long as they're on a leash!

First time at this campground! It's been a while since I've been camping, but this campground seems…read moreto be much nicer compared to what I remember from campgrounds I've been to in the past. The bathrooms were clean and fully stocked with toilet paper and free tampons on the women's side. There were 2 men's and 2 women's showers at the bathroom closest to our site. One of the women's showers didn't have the best water pressure and sprayed more of a mist...but the other was fine. Neither appeared to have warm water, but it wasn't freezing either, so it was bearable. We heard the men's showers did have warm water though. Showers were 50 cents for 4 minutes, and then you could add additional quarters to add on 2 minutes each. There were spigots and bottle refill stations too near the campsites. I'd probably avoid the sites right next to the restrooms unless you want to hear toilets flushing, the loud hand dryer, and foot traffic throughout the night.  There were plenty of trees so most of the campsites around us at least had at least some shade during the daytime. The only issue I really noticed was that some campgrounds were pretty close together so you will probably hear noise from neighboring sites. There was plenty of parking too, but these were also close to the sites, so one night we heard the sound of cars constantly locking throughout the night. Not the biggest issue though and you should probably bring earplugs while camping if you're a light sleeper. Overall, these campgrounds are nicer than a lot of other ones I've been there where you have to drive into town to shower. The tradeoff though is that with the nicer facilities and proximity to neighboring sites, it doesn't feel as remote and sort of feels like you're one step away from civilization. So maybe not the best place to camp if you're looking for a more true camping experience.

My friends and I weren't planning to come here but the mission we drove out here to see was…read moreunexpectedly closed today so we stopped by the nature center after a slice of pie. The facility is very clean and seems to be on the newer side, with lots of large windows and central A/C. There's a room with some taxidermy wildlife and informational boards to read about the various types of wildlife and plants in the area. There's a room with a projector and a ton of chairs that is probably used for teaching, but today they were just showing shots of a mountain Lion caught walking by a camera. Out on the patio there are seats and tables, as well as interactive gold panning and archeology installations. We spent some time at them and thought it was cool (as adults) so I'm sure kids love them. Then there's a short nature path you can walk down to get to a limited playground, and there is also stadium-like seating off to the side so maybe they do some sort of show here? Not sure. But that's pretty much it. Less one star because there's not much to see, but everything that is there is nice. There were only three other families we ran into while exploring, so not sure if it was an off hour or if this is typical.

Great place to visit. The center is full of information and exhibits showing the local plants and…read more wildlife. There are 12 miles of trails with different degrees of difficulty. Some of thrails are very step with long downhills, not good for people with bad knees. Hours of operation are from 8:00am to sunset.

Been here a few times . Its has hiking trails bathroom pick nick tables shade …read more Nice park great parking lot. And view of the Santa ysabel valley from were you come into the parking lot. If you like hikes this would be a great one to come check it out. Would i recommend this spot yes i would. Great for pick nicks and just hanging out.

I was curious to see this trail-park, but didn't know the history till I read the board, (which I…read moreterribly forgot to take a full photo of). It memorializes 11 men that died while digging a fire line on steep canyon - three Forest Service firefighters, seven inmates firefighters & their correctional officer (from the Viejas Honor Camp (prison camp), died at approximately 8:00 PM (part of the blaze looped below their position and overran the crew) The fire, (which was started by arson on November 24, 1956), burned 43,611 acres before containment on the evening of November 28. This is from the National Forest Service Library website. It's has quite a few picnic tables, a couple grills by them but I personally wouldn't want to bbq out there. There are restrooms that are like porta pottys and a short trail (trails) but I didn't walk too far because of my knee. It's a beautiful, peaceful & scenic spot to go to if you live in the area or if you want to add to a pit stop while venturing out here. Main Street in Julian is down from here where you can grab a bite to eat at anyone of the restaurants/cafes.

We had (are having) a great stay here at K.Q. Ranch Resort. The steak at the Saturday night dinner…read morewas great. John in sales gave us an informative presentation about Colorado River Vacations and their timeshare opportunity with no pressure to opt in. We like that the sites seem to be well taken care of, and at our site (118) it was level which was much appreciated. We have young children and they enjoyed the amenities, however many of them need maintenance. The playground equipment marketed for younger children needs servicing, repair, or replacement. I had removed boards from the playground area with exposed nails. Overall, we had a great time and may come back 1 or 2 more time as we were gifted 20 free nights as a promotion for buying our travel trailer.

Most of the people I encountered at KQ Ranch were wonderful. The majority of the staff genuinely…read moreseemed to care about ensuring guests had a positive experience. My negative experience stemmed from an interaction with the sales department. After purchasing my rig, I had been offered complimentary nights at the ranch. I wanted to stay one additional night beyond that offer and left a voicemail for the sales department asking whether I could pay for an extra night. The following morning, I received a voicemail informing me that they do not extend stays for guests who are there under a sales promotion. While that answer would have been perfectly acceptable, the tone of the message was unnecessarily harsh and could have been delivered much more professionally. When I later spoke with other staff members, I learned that this individual has a reputation for being unkind. That was disappointing because it contrasted sharply with the attitude of nearly everyone else I met at the ranch. Unfortunately, it left me with the impression that, within the sales department, closing deals and earning commissions may take priority over customer service. Having worked in sales myself, I understand the importance of commissions. I also understand that prospective customers are free to decide whether a product is right for them. Ultimately, I chose not to purchase a membership at KQ Ranch. During the sales presentation, the salesperson made several unnecessary negative remarks about competitors, which I found unprofessional. In addition, the only option presented was a lifetime membership, which did not fit my circumstances. I am currently living the van-life lifestyle on a temporary basis and explained my travel plans in detail. However, despite our conversation, the salesperson seemed more focused on following a script than understanding my needs. Within minutes, it became apparent that he had not retained basic information about me, my vehicle, or my travel goals. For example, I specifically mentioned that I do not enjoy hot climates, yet he repeatedly emphasized that several of their locations are in desert areas. That was not a compelling selling point for me and suggested that he was not listening carefully to what I had shared. Outside of the sales experience, I enjoyed many aspects of the ranch. The facilities were well maintained, the store carried useful items, and the laundry facilities were convenient. Overall, the property itself was quite good. The reason I will not return is the customer service I received from the sales department. Before making my request for an additional night, three different staff members kindly helped me determine who to contact. Each of them indicated that asking about an extension would likely not be a problem and wished me well during my stay. Their friendliness made the voicemail I later received feel even more out of place. I also spoke with another guest whose trailer had bats enter it during their stay. They were directed to the same sales representative for assistance but felt they received little support. Instead of using the complimentary night included with their membership, they chose to leave and spend the night in Julian. Experiences like these suggest that the sales department's approach to customer service leaves much to be desired. There is only so much discourteous behavior I am willing to overlook from a sales team. It is unfortunate because the actions of a few individuals can influence whether guests choose to return, despite the efforts of many hardworking staff members who clearly care about the guest experience. One point emphasized during my sales presentation was that competing organizations have locations that are not well maintained. Based on what I observed, however, I found some areas of KQ Ranch's own RV storage facilities to appear less polished than the image of exclusivity and prestige that was being presented. Overall, KQ Ranch has many positive qualities and many excellent employees. Unfortunately, my interactions with the sales department overshadowed those positives and ultimately influenced my decision not to return.

What a great time in a very relaxing place. The grounds are charmingly rustic and inviting. Loved…read morethe lilac maze and the petting corral, especially Darla the pig. Staff were very nice and helpful. We thoroughly enjoyed being able to have a picnic on a table under a tree. I'm sorry that lilac season was cut short for Fort Cross this year but we will do our best to be back next season. A gem nestled in the East County and worth the drive on a beautiful Easter Sunday.

I honestly wasn't sure what to expect before we got here. When we arrived, the parking was full…read more There was a woman in a golf cart that ended up helping us park. We also checked in with her for our wristbands (this is if you park in the back). Upon entering the grounds, I was a bit confused on where each activity was located. We could have really used a map, but after walking through once, I realized it's actually small and manageable. I thought we would only stay for 2 hrs, but my 4 year old wanted to do EVERYTHING and we ended up spending 4 hours there! Our favorite was the reptile show. We were able to HOLD snakes and a gecko, something I can't say that I've done anywhere else (domestically anyways). Pro tips: - pack a lunch - bring your own soap / sanitizer (the wash stations were out of soap) - get to the reptile show early! They have to cap the number of people they let in to not scare the animals. Highly recommend if you have kids. Was well worth our $$.