What a beautiful venue!!!! We were guests for a wedding reception and Wow!! The caterer and venue…read moreboth did a great job and we really enjoyed the evening. One tiny thing I wanted to mention is myself and many other guests got bitten by mosquitoes as soon as we arrived. Maybe suggest some repellent wipes or something so the mosquitoes don't eat us for their dinner.

I am a wedding planner and am familiar with most of the venues in the area. This is one of the best…read moreI've worked at. The venue manager and owners are really kind and helpful. I can tell they actually care about each wedding and want it to be exceptional. The venue itself is beautiful. I love that it's a historic home with a gorgeous garden. It feels very warm and welcoming. I also like that it has built in market lighting, and includes many rentals.

This charming ranch is perfect for a peaceful getaway. When I visited, the on-site restaurant was…read moreunder construction, so bring your own food--mini-fridges are in the cottages. I stayed in the cozy Sparrow cottage, which was well-decorated and had a fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and dishes for two. I loved the rocking chair on the patio for coffee and reading. The pool is cute and relaxing, though unheated, but the hot tub is warm. There's a serene stream with frogs croaking at night, and the property is secluded, with a few nearby wineries to explore. This retreat is ideal for couples or a small group of friends. Cons: The hot water is only lukewarm. The bed had some dirt/sand. My TV didn't work, and the bonfire is only available until 4 pm. The animal sanctuary ($7) requires a reservation, but the front desk told me to just show up. When I did, the staff said same-day reservations weren't allowed--and she was a bit cranky--so I couldn't visit. However, it's small enough to view from outside the fence. TL;DR: This ranch is feels safe, peaceful and promising. Once the restaurant opens and cleaning standards improve, it will be a perfect nature escape.

We stayed at Bandy Canyon Ranch back in October to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. I sat…read moreon this review for far too long because it honestly just made me so incredibly angry and I didn't want to relive the experience. I've also seen how the manager responds to other negative reviews and didn't feel like dealing with the attacks. I had been following Bandy Canyon on Instagram and the experience they promote online nowhere meets the reality. We chose to stay at the Eagle cabin because it had more space for our 2 kids and dog and the other rooms available were much smaller in comparison. The cabin didn't look upgraded online but for $910 for 2 nights, I assumed it had to be nicer than the photos looked. It was actually much, much worse. The website touts upgraded and renovated rooms but the Eagle cabin had clearly not been updated maybe since it had been built. I cannot begin to explain how depressing the cabin felt walking in at night. Floor to ceiling brown shiny walls illuminated by harsh white lightbulbs, no art or decor on the walls, tacky fake plant from the 90s covered in dust, yellow stained and ripped curtains. The floor was ripped and worn. It felt like a prison. The TV was missing the remote so we couldn't even turn on the TV for some added ambiance. It was dead silent. We spent hours turning the place upside down trying to find a remote, my husband was hyperventilating from how suffocating and tacky the room felt with no escape. We almost left as soon as we arrived. I called the front desk over the course of several hours. The front desk couldn't get us a remote that worked and tried calling her manager but couldn't figure out what to do. We hadn't eaten dinner so my husband reluctantly grilled us some food on the sad bbq outside our room in almost complete darkness. It was intended to be a special celebration of our 10-year wedding anniversary and it ended up being a weekend from hell. Did I mention they prohibit you from bringing your own wine? Because they sell wine on site as part of their "winery." However I was told they only had rose when I asked for a red. What is this, a college dorm? I'm going to get in trouble for bringing my own wine to celebrate my 10 year wedding anniversary? Didn't find this out until we were packing our bags for the trip and my husband was looking at their website. I somehow managed to convince my husband to stay the night versus driving home immediately. I really wanted to salvage our milestone anniversary trip! I tried using the shower and the pipes screeched loudly, sounding like someone was screaming in your ear the whole time. I sent video to the front desk. The noise was so unbearable that we couldn't even use the shower. The sound echoed through the entire house, making it impossible to ignore. These elements greatly diminished the comfort and ambiance we had anticipated. Furthermore, a major reason for choosing the ranch was the promise of a pool for our toddler to enjoy, especially as it's promoted across the ranch's Instagram. To our dismay, the pool was not heated and was too cold to use, which was very disappointing. Adding to this inconvenience, the pool bar was closed, further limiting our recreational options.    All the ranch workers we interacted with were supportive and apologetic, agreeing that the Eagle cabin was outdated and unfit for guests. They acknowledged that it should not have been rented out in its current condition. They promised us the manager would make it right. I was told she's get in touch with me after the weekend. It took me messaging them for about a solid month for the manager to finally call me, which by that point I had zero interest in talking to her. We paid good money to stay here and it was a complete waste. For 2 nights we spent almost 1k ($910 to be exact). You'd think for that kind of money we'd get a much nicer experience!

This is a great family-friendly winery and also a great spot for groups without kids!…read more The enormous estate grounds and surrounding views were beautiful. We visited midday on a Saturday and there were lots of people there, but it didn't feel crowded. There were many spaces to gather: the patio by the wine bar, a grassy area next to the bar, an air-conditioned room with a couple seating areas, and a massive front lawn with picnic tables and bounce houses. The setting was enhanced by the music from the guitarist. These grounds deserves 5+ stars! The kids in our group (ages 8-13) had fun going on the hayrides, exploring the estate, and playing on the bounce houses. Glad to see that one of the bounce houses was only for kids ages 4 and under. They also offer craft activities on Sundays. We adults enjoyed the music, ambience, and wine tasting, especially since the kids were occupied with activities. The winery served several types of wine and sangria. The adults in our group rated the wines 3 stars- not amazing but not bad either. They served burgers, sliders, hot dogs, bratwurst, and nachos with ground beef, all sourced from cattle raised on their ranch. The kids and adults gave the food 4 stars. Overall, Rancho Guejito Vineyards is a fantastic place to visit! We will definitely be coming back and we'll be bringing more family friends with us.

What a wonderful surprise at this last minute trip to the Rancho Guejito Vinyard. We took a blanket…read morejust in case and almost needed to use it. The place was pretty well occupied when we arrived as they had live music coming on at 2:30. The music was awesome and we pretty much sipped on mimosas the whole time. The Bavarian Pretzel was good and the charcuterie box was spot on! You can't beat the scenery, being surrounded by nature! If you're anywhere nearby take the trip!

The Grand Ritz is a small local theater with an intimate feel. It's smaller than the big theaters,…read morewhich makes the experience more relaxed and personal. It's my preference. There's even a rooftop lounge. There's plenty of public lots and street parking nearby, which makes getting in and out easy. There's never trouble finding parking during evening events. The theater is located downtown near some great restaurants and places to grab drinks. The concessions are simple and reasonably priced. The staff members are friendly and welcoming. They offer a variety of live events, films, comedy shows, and concerts. Check their website for upcoming events. Looking forward to returning for a comedy show.

This a a wonderful neighborhood venue. It's very accessible and they have top notch shows. This…read moreparticular night was no exception. We saw an Elton John tribute band and they were very entertaining. I always know it will be an enjoyable evening when I attend a show here. It's easy to get to and there is plenty of street parking available.

Orfila is a beautiful winery and I am a wine club member here. It is a Friday evening favorite to…read moreenjoy wine and good food while overlooking the view of the Hills and vineyard. One thing we love was their live music on Friday nights, but they have changed up their event calendars discontinuing music on Friday nights and only have it on Sundays. They added other things like trivia and line dancing during the week, which may be popular, but for us live music is what drew us there. I hope they bring it back.

What a beautiful winery we have that's not too far out of town. Located in Escondido and not too…read morefar off the freeway. I was here to do a race that came with a wine tasting event after. They have a huge tasting room where we got our wine and I tried a few of their reds and I especially loved the syrah and merlot. I'm not a huge fan of rosé but the friends who love rosé said that theirs were pretty good too.

This is a fabulous place to host an event in NCSD. The moonlight terrace view is one of the best…read moreyou will find in the county. We attended performances of three bands on a Thursday evening organized by the Six String Society. We were there to see the band, Daring Greatly. They won, Song of the Year at the 2023 San Diego Music Awards. The Centre is located above the Lexus dealership and attached to Vintana Wine + Dine, owned by Cohn Restaurant Group. A limited menu and cash bar was available. The food provided by Vintana was excellent, the beverage line much too long. As someone who has planned events in every career role I have had, I feel the space could have been better arranged. The Centre has various venue choices of different sizes. They are used for weddings, reunions and celebrations of all types. They may not need to be booked but it would be great to see more non- profit, charitable and flex functions here in the future. Note: Rocket not included. On the night of the event a rocket was launched into space from Vandenberg that could be seen through parts of SoCal., Go see Daring Greatly & eat at Vintana. #TheCentre #VintanaWineDine #MoonlightVerandah #RocketNotIncluded #DaringGreatly

After visiting several venues where to have my daughter's quinceañera, we fall in love with the…read morecentre! On top of that we wanted to have delicious food and they succeeded our expectations. Genevieve was our event coordinator and we had great communication from day one. At the day of the event Rebecca and Holly were amazing in control of things making the night stress free for us. Garret our bar tender made delicious drinks and kept the schedule smooth according to plan. There were no surprises since everything was very clear in our contract. Thank you for making a memorable night for my daughter!

I just got back from an afternoon at the Forgotten Barrel Winery. What an amazing time we had. No…read moreonly so they have a wide choice of wines to choose from, by the glass and by the bottle, but the prices are reasonable. They also offer tasting menus, so you get healthy pours of different wines to try. They also offer some premade food for sale, charcuteries, hummus, crackers, cheeses. Plus there's a food truck that sells amazing burgers starting at 3. While we were there, there was live music being played in the Central courtyard. Guests could sit on their provided seating under a large shaded tree and some had their small dogs with them on leash. Because we were a medium size group and had made a reservation, we were placed in a separate room with plenty of inside and outside covered seating. The winemaker even gave us a tour of the facilities. Showing is the process from the grapes, to the hopper and ending with the barrels where they age. It's definitely worth driving out to visit this beautiful winery in Escondido.

We stumbled upon this nice venue while searching for another winery online. We enjoyed an evening…read moreof music and comedy called, Jazz & Jokes. The staff are very friendly and efficient. It turned out to be a very nice place to visit. We enjoyed ourselves.

Great craft beer sold on premises now. Eric puts on a great beer tasting event…read more Friendly recreation staff. Security guards focus on serious issues and support folks just having a good time. Broadway and Harmony pools should have more umbrellas and shaded areas. Those pool areas need a remodel. Canyon Grill food is ok. Could use a gourmet chef boost to move it out of diner-food mode. Beautiful fun property.

The service at the canyon grille is great especially if your server is Nicky, very patient, and all…read moreover your needs very knowledgeable ask for her on way in work breakfast and lunch top notch

As a wedding photographer, I get to experience venues from a very unique perspective--and Ethereal…read moreGardens in Escondido truly lives up to its name. From the moment I arrived, I was struck by how intentionally the space is designed. It was a rainy November day and the gardens felt lush and intimate without being crowded, and every corner offers beautiful, natural backdrops that photograph effortlessly. Even though it was raining the greenery and gray sky created the softest light that felt romantic and dreamy. What really stood out to me was how smoothly the day flowed. The layout of the venue makes transitions--from getting ready, to ceremony, to cocktail hour and reception--feel seamless, which is a huge gift for both couples and vendors. The team at Ethereal Gardens was wonderful to work with. They were organized, calm, and clearly experienced, which made it easy for me to focus on capturing genuine moments rather than navigating logistics (This is HUGE for a photographer). Not all venues experiences are created equal and this team stood out. They were ready with umbrellas and fresh drinks for the Bride and Groom at every moment. As someone who photographs weddings regularly, I can confidently say this is a venue that supports both the couple's experience AND the creative process. I am honored to get to photograph another wedding here in May and HIGHLY recommend Ethereal Gardens to couples looking for a naturally beautiful, well-run venue in North County San Diego.

Ethereal Gardens delivered an absolutely incredible wedding experience. The venue is stunning, the…read moregrounds are impeccably maintained, and both we and our guests felt very well cared for throughout the day. The food deserves a special mention.. from cocktail hour to dinner to late-night bites, everything was delicious and widely raved about. The dining experience to choose our menu was such a fun highlight and something we highly recommend. Bar service, valet, and overall guest experience were seamless and elevated. We selected our DJ from the venue's preferred list and Greg with SD Party Time DJs was phenomenal -- he live spun our wedding and somehow blended Taylor Swift with heavy metal flawlessly. The dance floor was packed all night. While there were a few things we wish we'd known ahead of time (design option clarity, food not being boxed at the end of the night, and end-of-night teardown logistics), none of these detracted from how magical the day was, but would have been nice to know before hand.. With a bit of advance planning, these are all easily managed. Overall, Ethereal Gardens felt like a true luxury wedding experience. We're so grateful for our day and would absolutely recommend this venue to future couples. Posted some personal images but the Professional Photos from Sierra Dawn Photo. Please do not download or reuse images for personal or professional page use/advertising. Reach out to sierradawnphotos@gmail.com for permission or better, hire her as your photographer she's fabulous!

Beautiful wedding venue! Not huge place but just lovely with a very romantic feel with twinkling…read morelights, tunnels and a tree swing that sets the stage for an amazing wedding. The bathrooms are very clean but small with only two stalls for women and a powder room for one. Somehow I never had to wait long so that's good. Loved the unique seating under the trees and the overall environment is breathtaking The food was yummy and loved the appetizers. The family style dinner was fun and made you talk to other people as you passed food around. I really enjoyed the wedding and this venue did not disappoint.

The most beautiful venue for a wedding with stunning indoor and outdoor photo opportunities and…read moreelegant decor. However, I was very unimpressed with the food. There were at least six guests who requested vegan meals and were served a simple curry over rice. The salad was not vegan, the dessert was not vegan, and even the vegetables were cooked in butter, making them unsuitable as well. Meanwhile, other guests had multiple dish options to choose from. For such a high end wedding venue, the lack of consideration for dietary restrictions was extremely disappointing. The food overall felt like the weakest part of an otherwise beautiful experience, and it is the only reason I would hesitate to recommend this venue.