How to Plan a Trip to Temecula Wine Country
Temecula Wine Country surprised me.
I’m not sure what I was expecting, maybe something more desert-y? We scheduled two days there on a side trip from visiting the in-laws in Fallbrook, and it was not nearly enough time.
About an hour from San Diego, Temecula would be a great trip to combine with the city. If you like wine, but want to avoid the high prices that Napa demands, Temecula Wine Country should be on your list. This Temecula travel guide will give you the top details you need to plan your perfect wine tasting trip.
How to Get There
By Plane – If you are traveling from out of state, San Diego Airport is your best bet (around 1 hour drive). You could also fly into LAX as an option, but it would be quite the drive (around 2-3 hours, traffic depending). If you know anything about LA, the traffic is pretty horrible. Given the choice, San Diego is much more convenient. You will need a car to get anywhere.
By Car – If you are coming from somewhere in California, or even Arizona, you’ll want to make your way to the 15 freeway. From San Diego it’s a pretty straight shot up the 5 and then the 15, which will take you to the exits for Temecula and Murrieta. The wineries stretch along Rancho California Road, and then down smaller streets from there.
Don’t forget to sign up for Scott’s Cheap Flights to get flight deals emailed directly to you!. My favorite flight hack!
Seasons and Weather
Is there really a bad time to visit Southern California?
The weather there is almost always nice, so I think the “season” you pick to visit depends on what you personally prefer.
Temperature Range: Southern CA can range anywhere from a daily high of low 60’s in the winter to a high in the 90’s in the summer (Fahrenheit on average). July and August can hit sometimes 100°F, so sitting out on a patio may not be very comfortable.
Ideal: In my opinion the months of October, November, March, April and May are ideal. In the spring, you’ll get the lush leaf filled vines. In the fall, it may not be as picturesque, but the crowds are a little thinner. We went during the week after Thanksgiving weekend, and never had to wait for a tasting.
Where to Stay in Temecula
Temecula really has three main options, chain hotels in town, winery hotels, and Airbnb/private accommodations. The picture above is from the porch of our Airbnb, not bad huh?
I’ll outline a few options on the pros and cons of each area of town.
Temecula – Old Town, close to the majority of restaurants and shopping. If you want to be able to walk around at night to restaurants or a few bars, then staying close to Old Town Temecula is ideal. It’s not a huge area, but it’s fun to stroll around. Close by are major conveniences like chain stores, gas stations, etc. If you have a car, everything is easily accessible. You’ll need to drive or arrange a tour to the wineries, about 10-15 minutes away.
Temecula – Outside of town, close to wineries. There is something truly peaceful about staying out in the countryside. You’ll also be in the heart of the wineries with a small drive back to town for conveniences, depending how far out from town you are staying. There are a few wineries with hotels and/or restaurants on site. Read on to learn more about food in the area.
How to find Accommodations – Now, how to actually find a place to stay. There are a good number of Temecula full service hotels in this area, so if you want that experience it may be worth paying for a room. Some are even located at a winery, which is ideal so you can taste and relax. Click here to check out some of these options.
Personally, I wanted to save some cash for the tastings and went with Airbnb. Our apartment was connected to a home, with a locked door between, and we only saw the owners at check in. It was about half the cost of the hotels and we had a porch with a view out over their personal vineyard and the hills. Beautiful!
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Temecula Winery Guide
Temecula Wine Country has 40+ wineries with over 100 more on the way!
This region focuses on red and white wine varietals from Italy. We especially enjoyed the Sangiovese, Montepulciano, and Syrah.
If you have limited time and want to narrow down the choices, I would follow the tips below!
- Decide what kind of wine experience you want – Do you like bigger, well known wineries, or smaller up and coming ones? Maybe a winery that has a long history in the area like Hart, or one with a unique twist like Doffo (there are collectible cars all over the property)?
- Focus on one of the main roads – The wineries in this area are along both Rancho California Road or De Portola Road. You could even choose a road each day to help plan out your stops.
- Ask Locals – At each winery along the way, I ask the person serving us where they like to go. I also asked our Airbnb Manager and shop owners in town. This has taken us to some lesser know but great quality places.
Recommendations: Below are a few of my personal favorite wineries from our visit:
Hart: If you want to taste wine from the original winery in Temecula this is it! I really loved their Sangiovese, and still have a bottle (Update – we recently drank this bottle and it was amazing!).
Cougar: Their wine is really good, and they have a great view. Highlights include the on-site deli, and port wine served with a homemade truffle. We have been to Porto, Portugal, and this was some of the best Port we’ve had outside of there.
Palumbo: This boutique winery has an amazing view and great wines to go with it.
Chapin: Some really good wine at this location. A little on the pricey side, but honestly great quality. There is a nice deck out back to hang out on as well.
Hopefully we’ll get a chance to go back and explore more, so this list will be ever changing!
Winery Pro Tip!
If you are visiting during the weekdays and not the weekend, the Temecula Wine Tasting Passport is the way to go.
The passport is valid for 5 tastings at 30 participating wineries, and costs $45/pass.
When you start adding up individual tasting costs over a few days, the pass really does save you money. You can also split your tastings with your significant other or travel partner, which would make it really affordable.
Where to Eat in Temecula
If you have read my other Texas Hill Country wine destination guide, you might be starting to wonder if I really love pizza. The answer is yes (and don’t you??!)
Temecula isn’t known for a certain food genre that they specialize in, but there are some good options for dining. I’ll outline the places we visited below.
Restaurants in Old Town
The Goat & Vine – Delicious Neapolitan style pizza and meatballs. Pizza is always my go-to and this did not disappoint. You can add your name to the waitlist on their website.
Crush & Brew – The perfect combo for those who have both wine and beer lovers in their group. We went during happy hour for some great wine prices and delicious appetizers.
Le Coffee Shop – The perfect spot for a coffee and breakfast. We had yummy breakfast sandwiches on the front patio with a nice view of Old Town Temecula.
Wineries Restaurants
Sangio’s Deli – Located at Cougar Winery, this deli has affordable food you can order and eat with your wine. We had panini’s that were tasty.
Mama Rosa’s Trattoria – Located at Robert Renzoni vineyard, this is another somewhat affordable choice. We had the pizza pictured above. Yum.
Expensive Winery Restaurants – We were traveling on a budget, so didn’t go to the higher end places. A few that we heard people talk about: The Restaurant at Ponte, Flower Hill at Miramonte, & Avensole Restaurant.
Quick Shopping Tip: We LOVED the olive oil store in Old Town called Temecula Olive Oil Company. They let you taste oils along with balsamic vinegar, and they were all delicious!
Gift sets are available for purchase and we purchased a few to bring back home. (perfect Christmas gifts!)
If you are looking for a winery region that's laid back and still somewhat affordable, add Temecula Wine Country to your list.
This region is quickly growing, pretty soon the winery options will exceed 100 locations. I don’t know how you could even put a dent in that over just a few days!
What’s exciting to me is that you could plan multiple trips and almost never have the same experience.
I love to hear about your adventures, so leave a comment below!
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One Comment
chetirina1
Omg, you have to go! I promise you will love it. Its like its own little world out there. Nothing but vineyards for miles and miles and all the wineries are so close to each other.