My friends and I weren't planning to come here but the mission we drove out here to see was…read moreunexpectedly closed today so we stopped by the nature center after a slice of pie. The facility is very clean and seems to be on the newer side, with lots of large windows and central A/C. There's a room with some taxidermy wildlife and informational boards to read about the various types of wildlife and plants in the area. There's a room with a projector and a ton of chairs that is probably used for teaching, but today they were just showing shots of a mountain Lion caught walking by a camera. Out on the patio there are seats and tables, as well as interactive gold panning and archeology installations. We spent some time at them and thought it was cool (as adults) so I'm sure kids love them. Then there's a short nature path you can walk down to get to a limited playground, and there is also stadium-like seating off to the side so maybe they do some sort of show here? Not sure. But that's pretty much it. Less one star because there's not much to see, but everything that is there is nice. There were only three other families we ran into while exploring, so not sure if it was an off hour or if this is typical.

Great place to visit. The center is full of information and exhibits showing the local plants and…read more wildlife. There are 12 miles of trails with different degrees of difficulty. Some of thrails are very step with long downhills, not good for people with bad knees. Hours of operation are from 8:00am to sunset.

My family and I drove up to Julian for a day trip but we knew we needed to let the kids get their…read moreenergy out and we stopped here to explore the playground. The playground equipment seemed newer and the kids loved it. What I loved was that it is completely fenced so I didn't have to be on top of my toddlers and they could explore a bit more on their own. We had a ton of fun climbing up everything and sliding down and using the swings. No one else was there for the majority of the time we were. One other family came for a short period of time and it seemed they were killing time before a photoshoot. Outside of the playground there is some picnicking areas and some sports areas as well. It seems like there can be a good use of space to do many different activities. There is a bathroom there however it is like a camping bathroom with a sink on the outside and nothing more than an outhouse on the inside. I opted to skip it and wait until we got to Julian to use a more modern bathroom. Overall, it was a great stop on the way to Julian for the kids and we will likely stop there again on future trips.

Yes, there actually is a playground! First of all it has…read morewood (pine?) chips and not sand and the play structures are all fairly new and in excellent condition! There is a swing set suitable for babies and a regular one for older kids and two other structures to climb up with a total of six slides.

Great trail for people and dogs. Some steep climbs can be rocky and you can easily loose your…read morefooting on the assent and decent. Recommending to arrive early as possible as the dry heat can be a bear. Bring lots of water to keep the pupers from overheating. There are a few picnic spots to rest. Once you have hit the lower creek you have hit half way. Cross the bubble creek and get your feet wet!

Great hike, some elevated climbs. We did it in August so it was pretty dry and hot, but we…read moremanaged! Take pictures next to cows by the creek.

We tackled Volcan Mountain Trail with an eight-year-old, so we didn't make it the full way but it…read morewas such a nice experience. We also brought along our dog as it is a dog friendly trail as long as your dog is on a leash. The trail starts out pretty steep, but it's well-marked with clear paths throughout. One thing I really loved was all the signage explaining local plant life and animal tracks so it made the hike feel educational and engaging. My kiddo was really into looking at the different animal paw prints. This trail is great for hiking enthusiasts and beginners alike but just know your limits and pace yourself if you're newer to hiking. I would definitely say if it's sunny to make sure you bring plenty of water with you, but there are a lot of shady spots on this trail so that is a nice change from the hikes that are closer to coastal San Diego.

It's a good hike to pair with a trip to Julian. My husband and I picked up sandwiches in town for a…read morepicnic on the trail. Parked next to the road and knew we were in the right place because of all the other cars. We made our hike a loop as we went up the mountain, taking the 5 Oaks Trail, and then came down using the Vulcan Mountain preserve trail. The 5 Oaks Trail has more of a view. There are a few seats to stop, sit (catch your breath) and enjoy the view. Sadly, we haven't had rain so it wasn't as green as I'm sure it would be on a normal January. Nevertheless, a great hike to work off all the apple pie you eat in Julian.

Wonderful day of exploring the desert . Some trails were empty others near the visitor center had a…read moreconstant flow of people . we regret missing the early spring flowering but lucky to see some

Yes! This is the second time I have visited the Visitor Center and hiked the Palm Canyon trail from…read morethe parking lot. Didn't see bighorns this time but last April they rams were out showing their prowess while the females and young-in's watched from the surrounding cliffs. Action was around #10 marker. Enjoy!

Supposedly the oldest park in San Diego, and it is a nice little park…read more There are picnic tables in the shade and plenty in the sun. There is a public bathroom, which was clean and nice, only 2 of the 4 doors seemed to be unlocked but short wait. There is a concrete walking trail, where you can tour around and look at all the different flora including plants and cacti. It looked like a tennis court or pickle-ball court was there too.

Fine park to walk. There's a covered playground for kids. A small climbing bounded with padding…read moreground. Great plants and garden section with a native plants section. Great place to walk the dog. Bathroom was clean enough.

Tons of people try to come here to hike down to the water and enjoy nature. It has been so dry any…read morewater that is left is stagnant and attracts bugs obviously. People do not know how to park against the wall which makes the road super dangerous. I've also seen cars go over the edge and people being lift flighted out of the canyon.

My friends and I found this killer spot to let loose in early 1974. It was our go to weekend…read moredestination that we could hitchhike to from east county. It turned out to be the beginning of our world travels. I'm exited to return, and see if there is any water left:)

The Desert View Tower, built in the 1920's, offers a stunning view of the Anza Borrego Desert. It's…read morealso currently available on a short-term rental website listed as "Lighthouse in Jacumba, CA"! If you're driving by, it's worth a stop. Free to look around the grounds and giftshop; but there is a fee to climb to the top for the best and most expansive view ($9.50 as of this writing). The tower is next to "Boulder Park" featuring some truly hideous sculptures created by an unemployed engineer during the depression. The boulders are much more notable for what may be cupules created by Native Americans, cups that are carved out of rock as part of ceremonies and rituals. A smattering of animals live on the grounds including chickens and peacocks. Free parking.

I've been trying to figure out what to write about this fun little stop an hour east of San Diego…read more It's a wonderful piece of history and definitely worth exploring. My husband and I enjoyed our visit quite a bit. We paid the fee to climb to the top of the tower and go exploring the boulders on the property as well. The tower interior is home to a magical shop full of antiques and second-hand treasures. The boulders next to the tower are fun to explore and have lots of animals painted onto the boulders in the shapes of various animals. As you can tell we really enjoyed our visit BUT... The one road in and out of the Desert View Tower property is absolutely littered on both sides with (maybe) abandoned motor homes, shanties, and whole collections of god-only-knows-what! And the road itself is like driving on the surface of the moon. I felt like I was driving into a scene of "The Hills Have Eyes" (kids ask your Gen X parents about that one). Seriously... I thought we might be murdered and eaten! But if you're feeling brave, come well-armed, and are willing to pop a tire and ruin your suspension, it's a GREAT place to visit!

The 2nd Annual 80s Rewind Music Festival hosted by Cota Vera in Chula Vista, CA was AWESOME!!…read more The event was FREE and had tribute bands: Talking Threads-Tribute to Talking Heads; L.A. vation-Tribute to U2; Strangelove-Tribute to Depeche Mode. The festival had food truck vendors, radio stations Magic 92.5 and 91X giving away goodies. DJ Hurricane Andrew played a lot of great 80s music. They also had a Beer & Wine garden and 80s arcades for the kids. People were able to bring their beach chairs and enjoy the live music. The new park at Cota Vera had a beautiful kids playground and event entertained adults and kids. This was one of the best events I've been in a while and look forward to next year's festival. Happy Yelping :)

As a toddler mom - I love this park. There's something for all ages including parents!…read more Huge grassy field, picnic tables for you and the family, play structures for all ages, swings, and more. The area is safe and there's plenty of space for everyone. A lot of Côta Vera (neighborhood community) events are held here. Plenty of parking surrounding the park itself. There's even a bathroom and I can happily report that it's clean! There's also a gas station walking distance (across the street) and a gated dog park nearby. 10 out of 10 recommend Central Square Park :)