Things to do in Temecula Valley

So Much to Do, So Little Time!

Where to begin? The Temecula Valley offers so many wonderful opportunities that you would need to take an early retirement and dedicate yourself full-time to having fun – which doesn’t sound like such a bad idea!

First Things First

Most visitors planning a trip to Temecula for the very first time are coming either for the wine or a festival – coming back time and time again and, eventually, choosing a location for their wedding comes later – so let’s take a look at the king of motives first: wine.

Ah, a weekend in wine country… it’s perfect for romantic getaways or a weekend with a friend, it’s even a pleasant way to pass a little time in your own company for a change, just sipping lush vintages and gazing out over the sun-drenched vineyards. And Temecula is fast becoming one of California’s premier wine country destinations.  It’s easy to see why, the Temecula Valley is a veritable paradise encompassing an area that includes over 35,000 acres of rolling hills, oak trees, stables and vineyards.  Sustainable practices in farming are the word of the day and the valley boasts an agricultural preserve known as the Citrus Vineyard zone – which mandates that only 25% of the land can be developed while the remaining 75% must be planted with vineyards – which secures the Temecula Valley as an American Viticulture Area. With over 30 member wineries to choose from, there is sure to be just the right one waiting to suit all tastes – from resort-wineries that can offer luxury lodging, dining, on-site wedding planners, balloon rides and more, to small, family-run operations that welcome visitors with the friendly warmth that can only be found when the person pouring your glass is the proud winemaker himself.

Temecula wineries do more than just pour out sips of award-winning wines, all throughout the year you can find fantastic events being held on the grounds. From jazz concerts to Shakespeare in the Vines, from harvest festivals to holiday specials, Temecula’s beautiful wineries go out of their way to not only ensure that you come for a visit, but also that you have such a great time that you will go back again and again for the wine, the food, the atmosphere, views… for the whole experience.

The events are, naturally, concentrated in the warmer months, but there are actually great offers and events throughout the year, so to stay on top of what’s going down at the winery of your choice you should make sure to always check in with our events calendar and sign up for our great little newsletter – Tales of Temecula – which will send the scoop straight to your inbox.

Not Just Wine

With such fantastic, award-winning wines beckoning from the left and the right and all through the valley, it can slip your mind that it’s not the only reason people flock to the region! But Temecula offers much, much more – though, yes, you can usually count on wine being present at all the fabulous festivals and events that make up Temecula’s second biggest claim to fame.

Even the teetotaler in your family is sure to fall in love with events such as the Temecula Hot Air Balloon and Wine Festival – an exciting, exhilarating festival for the whole family with great live music, food, an endless blue sky full of colorful hot air balloons, a separate Kids Faire area chock-a-block with fun activities for the under-14 crowd and wine, wine, wine. Another superfun family-friendly festival is the Temecula Rod Run, which is so much fun it’s actually held twice a year! This treat for the eyes sees the streets of Old Town Temecula lined with an amazing assortment of classic cars of every shape, color and year. The festival is held right downtown so your choice of bars and restaurants is well beyond satisfactory – every last one in town has been preparing their best dishes and drink specials for your arrival! And don’t go thinking that just because you’ve left the glittering lights of Hollywood behind and come out to the countryside you’ve also left behind the Hollywood Glam – because Temecula also hosts the Temecula Valley International Film and Music Festival, a great event for film buffs or even just those that want to rub shoulders with the stars, you can count on seeing plenty of them as they come in from all over to see screenings of select films from across America and the world – not to mention listen to some first-class music! Lesser known events , but very popular amongst those in the know, include Western Days, The Temecula Bluegrass Festival, the Street Painting Festival, Hot Summer Nights (free live entertainment!), the Summer Concert Series, Santa’s Electric Light Parade…. you get the picture?

There’s really only one good way to stay on top of what’s going on – you guessed it – check our events calendar and sign up for Tales of Temecula, our free online newsletter, to be delivered right to your inbox.

There’s Plenty More To Do In Them Thar Hills!

Wine and festivals are a given – it’s what Temecula is famous for, but there is much more fun awaiting you in the Valley! There are some first-class golf courses just begging to be played, horses to be ridden, hot air balloons – and even biplanes – longing to waft you from one end of the valley to the other (ahem, not a bad scenario for a proposal to that special someone), RV resorts in which to lounge away the summer while making new friends and maybe heading over to the Pechanga Casino to flirt a bit with lady luck, laugh yourself silly at the comedy club, watch a couple of top-name fighters lay into each other at one of the many championship boxing tournaments held throughout the year, see some amazing concerts – everyone from the Goo Goo Dolls to Julio Iglesias to Paul Simon to the B 52′s! – or catch a lounge act. The Casino has it’s own RV Park and also offers everything that makes visiting casinos such a draw – buffets, great restaurants, lounges, Spa treatments, shopping and more.

If you’re more of an outdoorsy type you might prefer to head over to one of the Temecula Valley’s awesome motocross tracks! There are tracks for all levels, from Pee Wee tracks for kids and beginners to high-octane competitive racing, which everyone should go see at least once! Or, for quieter outdoors activities you might want to get one of the wineries or town deli’s to prepare a gourmet picnic lunch for you and take it down the Santa Rosa Reserve Ecological Plateau Trial or maybe the Historic Adobe Trail – these are just a couple of favorites, there are plenty more trails to choose from, all leading you and yours through a beautiful territory just waiting to be discovered. If you love the great outdoors, but hate hiking, you can also head over to Skinner Lake (you may remember it from the Temecula Hot Air Balloon and Wine Festival), which offers camping, boating, fishing, BBQ picnic areas and, of course, the tranquil beauty of the lake itself.

More rollicking family fun can be found at Mulligan Family Fun center, which offers plenty of great activities like lazer tag and minigolf, go kart racing and an arcade, or at Pennypickle’s Workshop in Old Town, an award-winning children’s museum that skillfully blends learning with having too much fun.

Temecula Nights

If you’ve left the kids at home or haven’t gotten around to having any yet, you are in a perfect position to take advantage of Temecula’s stupendous nightlife. Aside from the many wonderful wine bars and pubs offering great happy hour specials, there is nearly always one or two serving up evenings full of live music, with jazz, country rock and blues filling the various locales with atmosphere. Check out the Temecula Stampede, one of the West Coast’s biggest country bars, for line dancing, dance lessons, great live music and even karaoke! You can also get your musical fix at the Temecula Theater (inside the historic Mercantile Building) where you’ll find a steady flow of first-rate concerts, theater productions and even workshops and seminars being offered. And, of course, when talking about Temecula’s nightlife we should remind you again to check out the Pechanga Casino for great comedy, dancing, lounge acts, concerts, boxing and more.

Temecula is a truly overflowing with things to do, and they change constantly, so don’t forget to check our events calendar to see what’s going on – you may even decide to change the dates of your visit to coincide with some not-to-be-missed concert or event! And, of course, if you’d like to be extra-sure not to miss out on anything fantastic, just subscribe to our free newsletter – Tales of Temecula!