Fun place for a quick drop-in. The host was very nice and the grounds peaceful…read more If you find yourself heading east past the Wild Animal Park, stop off if they are open! It's free. Or give a few bucks. These folks are doing a good service to the citizens of San Diego!

This place is cool, amazing and informative. 9/18/12 was free museum day and by the time we arrived…read more30min after opening they had already had several patrons visit... there was a few still walking around inside. They were taking down zip codes to see where everyone was coming from, a couple walked in right after us from Santa Rosa. We started with the kids learning treasure hunt. The questions line up with the numbers on the exhibit and the answers are within the reading. While the place is small we were there for about 1.5 hours reading and doing the activities along with the treasure hunt. They have an excavation section for kids (like a play/learning area) and an employee came over and starting showing munchkin the cool things you can find on the rocks, shells and even your fingers. That was super cool and interactive. After we were finished we ventured to the small gift shop inside towards the front and munchkin was able to get some obsidian, opal, thunder eggs rocks, iron pyrite, tourmaline, geode, Drury quartz, wonderstone, topaz, lavic jasper for his rock collection. Then he was informed of the free book section and we ventured over there and he grabbed a few national geographic books to take home and read. All-in-all a great learning experience and great friendly staff! A great choice for us on Musuem Day! Would recommend as it is very kid friendly! This place is literally right next to San Diego Wild Animal Park!

What a great place for anyone, young or old to visit. Come visit and see and learn some history of…read moreSan Marcos. They have some great collections of antiques and a few historical buildings as well. Please call to find out some info on some hands on craft, chores and lifestyle from 100 hundred years ago. The staff are wonderful and very informative. Great place to have a picnic too!

One of the highlights of my 8 days with my grand children who live in San Marcos was going to the…read moreSan Marco's Historic Museum. Catie had been there on her first grade field trip and really wanted to go back. It was an amazing tour of the history of their area led by Docent Mimi for just us. The kids loved it (me, too). We would highly recommend.

There's a cool authentic mastodon bone inside! The black light room is fun too!…read more The Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Society is such a hidden treasure in the community! If you've never been, it's absolutely worth stopping by. They have a fascinating collection of rocks, minerals, fossils, and beautiful handcrafted pieces that are both educational and visually stunning. The volunteers were friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about what they do. They took the time to answer questions and share interesting facts, which made the visit even more enjoyable. One important thing to know -- they receive funding based on visitor counts. So simply stopping in and supporting them with your presence truly makes a difference. It's a small effort that helps keep this unique place running for the community. Whether you're a serious rock enthusiast or just looking for something different to explore, this spot is definitely worth a visit!

Very much enjoyed seeing them at the San Diego fair! They had a lot on display! Also had a great…read moredeal on some pebbles. 4 for $10. I got that deal and my friend got the 2 for $10 deal. I'm not too sure if everything was from that company or there was a lot of different vendors. There was a lot going on. The lady was very nice.

I love the botanical gardens. We have a family membership and have gone at least 5 times. One day,…read morethey had a tour. The tour was lovely and lasted about an hour. We had always walked through and explored on our own, but the tour gave us great information and my 7th year old son was engaged and excited to ask questions. This last time we went we explored a new place, the children's garden which also has a train that runs occasionally. Unfortunately we missed the train but they had a little house that had a kitchen and my son enjoyed playing in it. All in all, this place is a great place to come and explore nature. Highly recommended!

I want to live here!…read more We came to visit here on a Friday before Christmas. It was not too busy and a beautiful stroll through all the plants from around the world. I dont even know how many times the words " OMG I want that plant" came from my mouth but I would guesstimate about 1,000 There is a gift shop on campus; but I showed a lot of restraint in not purchasing anything. Lots of parking. Around christmas time they also light it up with christmas lights for mile or so- will def come back to view it at night.

Yesterday (March 18th, 2025) we made the drive up to Mt. Palomar Observatory, something my…read more93-year-old father-in-law said he wanted to do. Seeing this wonder had been in the back of my mind as well, so I said, "Let's do it!" Having only recently lost his wife, through tears he explained to our amazing, friendly and knowledgeable guide Christi that he'd hoped to bring her up to the observatory someday, but she passed before he'd had the opportunity to do so. To Christi, he said, "I'd love to look through that 200" telescope and try to find my wife in Heaven." Definitely a tug on the heartstrings moment... and she responded with the sort of compassion one would expect from a family member. As other reviewers have noted, the public is not allowed to look through the scope; that privilege is reserved for nighttime astronomers. News to this 70-year-old reviewer... learn something new every day! That said, Christi explained to us the intricate construction of the telescope, the "re-mirroring" every two years, how the entire dome rotates to accommodate the different astronomers' needs, why the inside of the observatory is kept at a chilly 40°, and so much more. She told us she was "...new here..." but would answer as many questions as she could. Well, I'm a questioner, especially when seeing an incredibly complicated device such as the Hale Telescope (named after astronomer George Ellery Hale). Christi was able to answer most of my inquiries, and I have no doubt she will research the answers to any questions that stumped her. I cannot recommend this young woman highly enough to the powers that be at Mt. Palomar Observatory. Next to the gift shop is a small but very informative room for visitors thirsting for more information. The infinity of the Universe has always fascinated me, along with the mind-boggling intelligence of those who wish to explore its vastness. This tiny room is bursting with their stories. To those who posted "glass-half-empty" reviews here, I'm sorry the wonder of this landmark was lost on you. Perhaps you'll give it another look sometime. Getting a feel for how tiny our little planet Earth is when compared to the infinite puts our very existence into an entirely new perspective.

I called the gift shop and told the date we were bringing our grandsons to the observatory. I knew…read morePalomar had no tours on weekdays but I did not see one staff member in the hour we were there. The gift shop was closed so we could not buy souvenirs of anything to drink. The observatory was cool but we had to look through glass into a dark room again not a staff member anywhere. I'm sure the weekend is a better time to visit but we went the only day available to us. There was no cost but for our experience maybe a fair price.

Must stop! You can tell they put a lot of heart and thought into keeping this Historic Landmark…read morearound stop by and support!! Kathryn was the most knowledgeable tour guide thank you for sharing!

Really didn't know what to expect with my visit but I love history and wanted to know more about…read morethe Warner Springs ranch history. I was so impressed with Ms Katharine Fletcher tour. She truly knows the history and loves what she is doing preserving and giving tours at the ranch house museum. I would highly recommend anyone to visit and learn more about the past of the Warner Ranch. Thank you so much, Dennis Smallwood

The La Costa Film Festival Gala was the pinnacle of a fantastic day for me. I enjoyed Spin, yoga, a…read morebeach swim and even a haircut before receiving a coveted invitation at the eleventh hour. I got my second wind, rustled up some festive attire and joined a group of friends for a night filled with outstanding food and drink from some of the best restaurants in San Diego. The effervescent crowd was dressed to the hilt in summer couture. Crowds mingled while sipping wine and beer and sampling the best that San Diego's restaurants have to offer. Urban plates colorful vegetarian salad was finished with a delightful dressing. I also really enjoyed the squash ravioli from Vigilucci's and the shrimp empanadas from BlueFire grill. Omni San Diego is a spectacular venue, it is one of the premier resorts in the nation with a panoramic and breathtaking view. As twilight settled to darkness I jumped into my pumpkin chariot and did not stay for the movie screening. I was exhausted and filled with gratitude for life's pleasures and great friends.

A four-day film festival based at the beautiful Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad?? Yes yes yes -…read moresign me up for that! This festival is definitely the place to be. Showing over 50 films & holding world-class galas & after parties, the La Costa Film Festival is all-around amazing. The event is perfect for everyone - whether you are a movie lover, a local food & drink connoisseur, or just a fan of a little nightlife, the festival truly has it all. Opening Night's 'Sip & Savor' Gala is hands down the best way to kick off the weekend. A perfect excuse to dress up and get a little fancy, the Gala is held on the resort's Great Terrace overlooking the estate's sprawling green acres and beautiful Carlsbad landscape. Local food and drink are flowing, and a great live band plays all the hits as the summer sun slowly sets over a truly five-star event. *Tip* - keep your eyes peeled for the many films' stars and crew - so chic! The films themselves are of the highest caliber. One look at the film list, and it is immediately clear that this event handpicks it's selection to create a stellar all-encompassing program. Documentaries, dramas, love stories, foreign films, sports and action... Every category is here and in good form! With three venues showing films around-the-clock the entire weekend, you will be starry-eyed and basking in movie-euphoria by the end of every night! The festival is on until Sunday evening, so jump in & join the party :)

This faire is kid friendly- lots of vendors have kids activities at their booths (making art with…read moreleaves, games, etc). The Cystic Fibrosis group was awesome. They had a little cotton candy cart and were taking donations in exchange for jolly rancher made cotton candy. They were super sweet too! Make sure you stop by and donate. All the little shops on Main Street were open. Including the candy shop where you can get avocado fudge. The dark chocolate avocado fudge is vegan friendly. There were some food vendors and the kettle corn popcorn is amazing but cash only. Lots of other vendors are selling clothes, marinades, soaps, jewelry, sauces, etc. Dog friendly and family friendly.