When I knew I'd be spending a few days in Escondido, I started looking into all that this San Diego…read moresuburb comes to offer. After checking out TripAdvisor, Queen Califia's Magical Circle Garden stood out. I'm all about art, especially when the scale is impressive like it is here. We stopped by on a Tuesday morning around 9:30 a.m. Make sure to check out their website to see when they're open because their hours are quite limited (Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. when I was there and every fourth Saturday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.). It's located inside Kit Carson Park. I didn't have any trouble parking in their lot and then walking to the sculpture garden. Once you arrive, take in all the artist, Niki de Saint Phalle, created. It's weird, it's cool, and it's trippy all in one. There's some information you can read to learn more and while we were there, there were some members of the non-profit that is involved with the art installation there that told us more about it. Walk around and take it all in. You can easily do it in 10-15 minutes and it's a free attraction. Saint Phalle has other artwork in San Diego, but the Magical Circle Garden, is by far the most expansive one in terms of scope. And the most interesting in my book.

Very creative and interesting garden to observe and explore. The maze/ garden takes about 30…read moreminutes with picture options available. We were lucky to get the opportunity to speak with the docents and sign their guest book. A unique place to visit and worth a visit. Every Tuesday & Thursday open currently 9-12p and specific Saturday's. Make sure to review their site so you plan accordingly and the best part it's FREE!

I LOVE Old Escondido Historic District. This is my favorite part of Escondido. There are 900 homes…read morein this area, and they were built in the mid 1800s. There are so many beautiful Victorian homes here, as well as old, small homes; each one is different and unique. It is pretty peaceful, with not as much crime as other parts of the city. I highly recommend you check this area out if you like to see what a city was like long ago.

It is always so cool to see how towns looked like a long time ago! My favorite part of Escondido's…read moreHistoric District is the beautiful Victorian homes since all of them are unique. It is perfect for a very calm stroll

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.

A good place to transition from the Sprinter…read more This place has a decent bathroom so you can use the facilities during your transfer from Oceanside or downtown. The majority of the bissed going west and south are all waiting. No restaurants but it has a vending machine to quench your thirst.

Bus driver causing a hazard yesterday stopped in the middle off the road to unload passengers…read moreunsafe for drivers and passengers 5-21-26 6:04 pm

This freeway is much faster moving than many other ones in San Diego. There is also a carpool lane…read morefor people with 2 or more people in the vehicle and for those who pay for a fast pass. There are many lanes, so only traffic around 7-9 AM, and 4-6 PM. Again, it moves faster than the 5 or 805, for example.

They seem to be keeping up with the road it is a lot better then then interstate 5 going to Los…read moreAngels and back to San Diego

This adobe is so beautiful, and there's so much history to learn! It's free but they do allow…read moredonations. Walking in I was greeted by a really sweet lady who gave me a tour of the house and explained the story of the house in so much detail. All of the furniture was amazing and the house itself was beautiful. It was fascinating hearing the stories about what went on in each room. They even have a spot in the wall where you can see the original adobe, that was super cool! Check out this hidden gem if you're in the area, it's a great story and a beautiful property.

I highly recommend the walking excursion from Rancho Bernardo (starting from the Lake Hodge bridge)…read moreto the Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead. It takes around 45 minutes at a slow/normal pace and is not only a great workout on a sunny day, but also you will see how well connected is Rancho Bernardo with that initial portion of Escondido. I saw the Adobe house before and after remodeling and I have to say the job done is amazing. Besides, the volunteers and staff working there are very knowledgeable and explain all you want to know about the history of the house, the family that lived there and the incipient population of SD North County, without overwhelming you. The rooms are very nicely decorated and you feel like you are transported to another era, but they don't forget the modern times and I was impressed the first time I went to discover they had an elevator for wheelchair users, so that is a total plus for visitors with disabilities. Sometimes there is a farmers market on Sundays, so the whole thing makes a very nice excursion from-to Rancho Bernardo. By bicycle is also very pleasant, but be ready to find on the way tons of real bicyclists in groups, so watch out the traffic and you will see bridges with different eyes (you will pass below the freeway!).

Ok so I will split this into two reviews:…read more 1: the ships and actual adventure 2: the reservation process and customer service 1: booked a trip for the Spanish replica ship adventure the San Salvador and really loved it. The ticket also got you access to the other ships to walk around which was cool. But the coolest part was that San Salvador was sailed like they would have sailed it waaay back when. We got to see real rigging masts sails steering all being done by a crew and it was a totally amazing experience and such a perfect day. Bonus: we saw dolphins and it was a perfect day. Drawback: the gentlemen speaking throughout didn't talk into his mic often so missed a lot but oh well - who's really going for history?! such a good time!!. 2. I had a good with my tickets and called and tried to talk to folks in person and could never get someone. The tickets were cancelled but not refunded which was a bummer and staff in the kiosk even said they phone lines were messed up. A bummer. :(

The Maritime Museum of San Diego is honestly one of the most impressive history museums I've…read morevisited because the artifacts are the museum. You aren't just looking at history -- you're surrounded by ships that actually survived it. The Star of India, launched in 1863, survived mutiny, violent storms, collisions at sea, and decades carrying immigrants across dangerous oceans. Some sailors believed the ship was cursed after captains died during early voyages, yet somehow she survived long enough to become the oldest active sailing ship in the world. HMS Surprise shows the brutal reality of naval warfare during the Age of Sail. Ships like this once carried enough cannon firepower to destroy enemy vessels while sailors lived packed below deck surrounded by gunpowder, disease, and fear of battle. The Berkeley steam ferry even helped evacuate survivors during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake while much of the city burned. One of the most fascinating exhibits is the Soviet B-39 submarine from the Cold War. The inside is unbelievably cramped and gives you a real sense of what life was like beneath the ocean during one of the most dangerous periods in modern history. The USS Dolphin may have been my favorite. This experimental deep-diving U.S. Navy submarine helped test advanced underwater technology and launched the deepest-fired torpedo in naval history. The museum also includes the San Salvador, recreating the ship that explored California's coastline in 1542 -- long before America existed as a country. What makes this place incredible is the timeline it creates: 1500s exploration... 1800s global sailing... steam-powered industry... world wars... Cold War submarines... All sitting together in one harbor. This place doesn't just teach maritime history -- it shows how ships shaped exploration, immigration, trade, warfare, and entire empires.

Our company is a member of the San Marcos Chamber. We have really enjoyed the variety of events…read morethus far to connect with other business owners, civic leaders, and more. The Chamber is not only great about helping businesses connect, but also providing fun community events such as the weekly Tuesday Farmer's Market, the Taste of San Marcos, and both a Spring and Fall Festival. Keep it up!

Rick and his team are awesome to work with! Thank you SMCC for the wonderful referral network in…read moreand around the San Marcos Community!

This was my first time visiting the Escondido Public Library and I had a great experience! While…read morewaiting for the library to open, they have couches and chairs outside so you can sit comfortably. The library itself is very organized and has a calm, enjoyable atmosphere that makes it a nice place to spend time. Signing up for a library card was quick and easy, and the staff were very helpful & kind throughout the process. There's also a section specifically for kids located on the left side, which makes it a great space for families as well! It's easy to see how this library serves as an important and welcoming space for the whole community! Overall it was a really welcoming and engaging library, and I'm glad I was able to check it out!

The San Marcos library has been closed for renovations for a few months now and even though they're…read morereopening pretty soon, I've been meaning to check out the Escondido library in the mall. I remember taking my kids to the original location when they were babies! Cowboy Charlie by the big tree was always their favorite activity there! The library isn't hard to find in the mall. It's close to Target. From what I could tell, the library took up 4 storefronts- let me walk you through it: There are three sections near each other and one is across the walkway- that's the used bookstore. Definitely check it out- you never know what you'll find! Now, as for the three attached storefronts: 1. Main section- lots of options! 2. Kids section- I peeked in and it looks great for the little ones! 3. Event center- there wasn't anything going on but look online, they have a ton of activities for all ages! My kiddo found tons of young adult books in the main section (the librarian said sometimes they overlap in the kids section so if you don't see what you're looking for, ask!). It's really easy to get a library card. You can check out books for 3 weeks and if you need to renew them, you can renew them up to 3 times. Returns are easy- in the library, a drop box in the mall, or a drive up return box outside the mall. Long live libraries! 5 stars!