| If the last time you were in Temecula was | | | | annual balloon & wine festival! If you are |
| fifteen or twenty years ago, you wouldn't | | | | looking for another type of adventure, try a |
| recognize it now. People from all over have | | | | bi-plane ride - this area is well known for |
| made this beautiful valley home since then, | | | | these types of aerial tours as well! |
| and with it, has come the malls, plenty of | | | | |
| shopping and lots of housing developments. Of | | | | Old Town Temecula: The old town area is a |
| course, the other changes have happened in | | | | popular place to go out to eat, and enjoy |
| the hills to the east - the rise of the local | | | | some entertainment. Because this area has a |
| wine region and hot air balloon rides in | | | | long and interesting history, there are many |
| Temecula. In the past ten years, this area | | | | old buildings that are still standing. One |
| has become a "southern Napa" in many ways, | | | | such edifice is the Welty Building, which was |
| bringing people from all over the world to | | | | a store/saloon as well as a hotel in the late |
| see what this wine capital is all about. | | | | 1800's. In 1902 it became the "Ramona Inn". |
| Located in Riverside County, Temecula is a | | | | Today, it's an antique store. |
| fast growing city with lots of business | | | | |
| opportunity and family activities. Surrounded | | | | Antoher historic building is the Wine Cellar |
| by gorgeous hills, this area is a natural | | | | Temecula Jail, which was originally built as |
| wonderland. "Temecula" is a native American | | | | a wine cellar. Because it was built with |
| word ("ta-meck-you-la"), translated as "where | | | | granite from a local quarry, it became a |
| the sun shines through the mist. And here's a | | | | suitable place to hold criminals. If you've |
| strange Temecula fact for you - Granite from | | | | never been to Old Town, you should consider |
| its old early century quarries constitute | | | | going, its great to see such history in |
| most of San Francisco's street curbs. So, | | | | Southern California, where most of what you |
| what can you do here? | | | | see is recent development. |
| | | | |
| Temecula's Wine Experience: There are over | | | | Pechanga Casino: This entertainment hot spot |
| twenty world class wineries in the hills of | | | | has been big on the scene since the early |
| Temecula, and although its not as well known | | | | 1990's, where slot players can play 2,000 |
| as Napa, Sonoma, or France, its done very | | | | state-of-the-art slot and video poker |
| well, produced some excellent wines, and has | | | | machines, play table games on over 160 tables |
| come up from no where to win many awards in | | | | including Blackjack, Three-Card Poker, Let It |
| the industry. It all really started in the | | | | Ride, Mini-Baccarat, and Pechanga Craps. |
| early 1800's when Franciscan missionaries | | | | |
| planted the first grapevines here, but cattle | | | | The hotel, which opened in 2002, was designed |
| raising became more important. In 1971, the | | | | in the Frank Lloyd Wright style, and |
| first Temecula wines were produced and then | | | | showcases Native American art and culture. It |
| in the early 1990's the area took off. | | | | has been honored with a AAA Four Diamond |
| | | | rating award. Looking for a great place to |
| Ballooning & Aerial Tours: This area has a | | | | eat? There are eight restaurants, four of |
| long history as a hot air balloon capital. | | | | which are gourmet - Paisano's, The Grotto, |
| You can ride with friends, family or even | | | | Kelsey's and The Great Oak Steakhouse |
| strangers - it really doesn't matter, you'll | | | | |
| have a blast! The beauty of the valley and | | | | Temecula has a little bit of everything - and |
| the near perfect climate conditions make for | | | | there's no place like it in all of Southern |
| an ideal experience. There are a handful of | | | | California. Thousands of new residents have |
| hot air balloon ride companies in the area | | | | found this area to be a great place to raise |
| that take groups up for an hour ride above | | | | a family, and visitors can enjoy a number of |
| the Temecula valley. And don't miss the | | | | things to do. |