This place fills up fast but we booked several months out and were able to choose our campsites…read morebased on proximity to the dumpsters, bathrooms, and even based on whether the sites had shade. We reserved campsites 89 and 90. Campsites were about $37 per night, after the reservation fee, and could fit a maximum of eight people in two tents. Several of us had car set-ups and when we called the reservation office, they confirmed that sleeping in the car wouldn't count towards the two tent limit. Each site also has two dedicated parking spots. If you have additional cars, it'll be $6 per car/night and there's overflow parking scattered around the campground. Quiet hours start at 10PM and all campfires must be out (no embers) by 11PM. The bathrooms were fine, considering this was a campground. Showers are coin-operated and you can get 4 minutes for 50 cents. Make sure to exchange your cash at the ranger station before the sun sets! From my friend group, I heard mixed reviews on the showers. It seemed like the girl's side had poor water pressure and usually was cold. But both times I showered, I had decent pressure and the water eventually turned warm. There's also potable water throughout the campground, with a specific spout with filtered water (for taste). Our campsites were pretty great especially site 90. It's flat and right under a huge tree so it was the perfect spot to hang out and escape the sun. For tents, the ground was kind of rocky so make sure to bring a pad or air mattress if you can. Each site comes with a table and a fire pit. For firewood, you have to purchase from the campground because they don't want you to accidentally introduce any invasive species. Overall, great campsite with decent bathrooms! We didn't get a chance to explore the campground and the trails around it so I would love to come back one day. Oh and dogs are allowed as long as they're on a leash!

We just got here today but overall we enjoy it. Pros- big…read morecamping spots, three trails, bathrooms that are clean with showers, water refill stations, water spigot at your camp site, and they allow dogs! Rangers are super friendly Cons- very close to neighbors, loud children at times, strict quiet hours at 10 and fires out at 11, loud hand dryer in women's bathroom you hear all day and night. Even with the cons we still enjoy it and will most likely come back. It's so nice to be in the trees and the rangers are so kind. It's also a very nice camping we can take our dog.

Very friendly ' helpful on the phone for reservations. I explained we and our friends who were also…read morereserving a site) are seniors and wanted shady spots in a more quiet area of the campground. They recommended a couple of spots away from the highway and the pond (due to kid action at the pond). The spots were just gorgeous, big & clean & lots of beautiful shady trees & backing up to the woods. Had a great time & will go back.

Nice, shaded, and quiet park. And most definitely the best part of our week here was the superb…read morestaff who were always very accommodating and helpful. Always cheerful and a pleasure to talk to. Special shout out to Valinda, Ashton, Sabrina and Javier! We'll definitely return in the future to this quiet respite from busy San Diego.

We had an amazing glamping experience and would definitely stay here again! Shantel was incredibly…read morefriendly and helpful. She met us on our first day, made sure we were settled in, and checked that we had everything we needed throughout our stay. The setup was in great condition, and the campsite itself was so much fun. We especially loved the hammock, all the shade, and how well-stocked everything was. They truly provided just about everything you could need except food and clothing, which made packing and camping so much easier. There was plenty to do around the campground, and we had a fantastic time exploring and relaxing. The only downsides were that a couple of the campground showers were closed and the bathrooms were a bit of a walk from the site. We were also a little disappointed that the zipper on the tree tent was broken, so we couldn't sleep in it. However, that didn't stop us from enjoying it during the day, and it certainly didn't take away from the overall experience. Overall, this was a wonderful glamping getaway, and we can't wait to come back!

Highly recommend. Shantel was very responsive and helpful…read moreduring our stay. All cooking and sleeping amenities included. All we had to bring was our own food and drinks. 100% will be back.

We had (are having) a great stay here at K.Q. Ranch Resort. The steak at the Saturday night dinner…read morewas great. John in sales gave us an informative presentation about Colorado River Vacations and their timeshare opportunity with no pressure to opt in. We like that the sites seem to be well taken care of, and at our site (118) it was level which was much appreciated. We have young children and they enjoyed the amenities, however many of them need maintenance. The playground equipment marketed for younger children needs servicing, repair, or replacement. I had removed boards from the playground area with exposed nails. Overall, we had a great time and may come back 1 or 2 more time as we were gifted 20 free nights as a promotion for buying our travel trailer.

Most of the people I encountered at KQ Ranch were wonderful. The majority of the staff genuinely…read moreseemed to care about ensuring guests had a positive experience. My negative experience stemmed from an interaction with the sales department. After purchasing my rig, I had been offered complimentary nights at the ranch. I wanted to stay one additional night beyond that offer and left a voicemail for the sales department asking whether I could pay for an extra night. The following morning, I received a voicemail informing me that they do not extend stays for guests who are there under a sales promotion. While that answer would have been perfectly acceptable, the tone of the message was unnecessarily harsh and could have been delivered much more professionally. When I later spoke with other staff members, I learned that this individual has a reputation for being unkind. That was disappointing because it contrasted sharply with the attitude of nearly everyone else I met at the ranch. Unfortunately, it left me with the impression that, within the sales department, closing deals and earning commissions may take priority over customer service. Having worked in sales myself, I understand the importance of commissions. I also understand that prospective customers are free to decide whether a product is right for them. Ultimately, I chose not to purchase a membership at KQ Ranch. During the sales presentation, the salesperson made several unnecessary negative remarks about competitors, which I found unprofessional. In addition, the only option presented was a lifetime membership, which did not fit my circumstances. I am currently living the van-life lifestyle on a temporary basis and explained my travel plans in detail. However, despite our conversation, the salesperson seemed more focused on following a script than understanding my needs. Within minutes, it became apparent that he had not retained basic information about me, my vehicle, or my travel goals. For example, I specifically mentioned that I do not enjoy hot climates, yet he repeatedly emphasized that several of their locations are in desert areas. That was not a compelling selling point for me and suggested that he was not listening carefully to what I had shared. Outside of the sales experience, I enjoyed many aspects of the ranch. The facilities were well maintained, the store carried useful items, and the laundry facilities were convenient. Overall, the property itself was quite good. The reason I will not return is the customer service I received from the sales department. Before making my request for an additional night, three different staff members kindly helped me determine who to contact. Each of them indicated that asking about an extension would likely not be a problem and wished me well during my stay. Their friendliness made the voicemail I later received feel even more out of place. I also spoke with another guest whose trailer had bats enter it during their stay. They were directed to the same sales representative for assistance but felt they received little support. Instead of using the complimentary night included with their membership, they chose to leave and spend the night in Julian. Experiences like these suggest that the sales department's approach to customer service leaves much to be desired. There is only so much discourteous behavior I am willing to overlook from a sales team. It is unfortunate because the actions of a few individuals can influence whether guests choose to return, despite the efforts of many hardworking staff members who clearly care about the guest experience. One point emphasized during my sales presentation was that competing organizations have locations that are not well maintained. Based on what I observed, however, I found some areas of KQ Ranch's own RV storage facilities to appear less polished than the image of exclusivity and prestige that was being presented. Overall, KQ Ranch has many positive qualities and many excellent employees. Unfortunately, my interactions with the sales department overshadowed those positives and ultimately influenced my decision not to return.

We rented their Spartan Mansion vintage trailer for 2 nights in July. The trailer was really cute…read moreand decorated in a Hawaiian theme. Very clean. Full size fridge with freezer though lacking ice cube trays. They provided charcoal and fire wood which I did not expect and was a nice surprise. Very quite and peaceful while we were there (Wednesday-Thursday). The community room was retro decorated and the bathrooms were very clean. My only complaint about the pool was the temp of the water. It did not seem heated even though they advertised as a heated pool.

This review is in regards to the vintage trailers. Pinecrest is a beautiful location, and the…read morevintage trailers have a lot of potential. We stayed in September and it definitely was very hot. I wish that all of the trailers had AC. I was disappointed to learn that the trailers don't lock from the outside. They tell you to keep your valuables in your car. A. This is inconvenient, B. I am not sure if the spartan locked from the inside either. I feel like the locks are something that they should definitely invest in fixing. The spartan also has a very small water heater. I think that they told us 2 gallons when we called. I couldn't even get through a shower without it running out. We called because we thought maybe it could be fixed but they let us know the water heater is small but they have public showers available. Since it was hot I toughed it out. My brother stayed in the mansion and it had a bad smell in it. It bothered his girlfriend a lot. They did have AC and their hot water was fine. Their trailer also did not lock from the outside. The trailers are cute, and we liked the vintage decor but they need some work done. I feel like their trailers have a lot of potential if they would just invest in them a bit. My husband and I stayed at another location that had vintage trailers. They were definitely nicer. AC, hot water, new linoleum, locks and keys, and did not have a bad smell. I hope that pinecrest can improve their vintage trailers. I think that if they improved them they would have a lot more return business.

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.

Jess Martin Park is on highway 79 in Julian California. This is a really nice county park has base…read moreball fields skate park some exercise equipment. Has shade in some spots. Has bathrooms. Had wash station. BBQ gril. Perfect for picnics gathering. Birthday parties. Take a dog for a walk. Has handicap parking and accessibility. Would I recommend this county park yes highly would. I go every chance I can since I live in Julian and it's our local park. Thank you

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.

Just finishing up a women's retreat here at Whispering Winds. It has been a lovely, blessed…read moreweekend. Friendly faces and warm smiles from the time I checked in. My friend and I had a cozy cabin, great meals, so many opportunities for recreation! We even went on the zip line!! We had an inspiring speaker, and opportunities for socializing. I will leave with a full heart!

Been going to camp in Julian since 2016 for different groups and love the food and amenitiesread more

Whenever we travel, we try to do a trail ride. As more experienced horse people, we've found that…read moreit can be hard to find tourist trail rides that are for fun for people who already know how to ride. After a lot of research I picked Integrity Stables and I'm so glad I did! Horses are well loved and cared for, the ride was very private (just us and our guide), the scenes were beautiful, and our trail guide (I'm blanking on his name he was young--maybe it was Luke?) was super knowledgeable and easy to talk to. Would recommend to anyone (experienced horse person or not) and definitely plan on going back next time I'm in San Diego! While it is a little drive from San Diego (45 min - 1hr), the little town of Julian was the perfect place for us to stop afterwards for lunch before we made the drive back!

What a fun time!!…read more Coming from someone who rides horses daily, this was a wonderful experience! I took my friends here for a bachelorette weekend ride and it was perfect! One of them had never been on a horse before and Luke was so kind and willing to make her feel the most comfortable when riding! He explained to her how to safely ride and have a comfortable ride, at that. Not only was it fun learning about the Julian mines along the tour, the horses were very happy! I avoid doing these kind of things because typically the horses are ridden so often that they just become robots and you can tell they're unhappy. That was NOT the case with these ones. They get well-rested and have a lovely space in the shade to relax when they're not on trail. Each of our horses were also very well trained and rideable for even the most inexperienced person. All very sweet temperaments and happy to get their apple slices at the end. Overall, the ride was wonderful, our guide was so respectful and informative and we had a wonderful day riding through the countryside of Julian!

We had a wonderful time here and did all the adventure stuff with the kids! We especially loved the…read morereptile show where Ursula and her gang went above and beyond to make us feel welcomed. She was so friendly and informative, she was able to answer all of our questions about their animals and made us feel comfortable holding them too. We also had a great time with Jesse- playing kick the can and jamming on makeshift musical instruments, the kids had a blast! We can't wait to visit again :) Such a great time outdoors! PS- the ghost tour guide was also super friendly and hilarious too! Pretty much the whole staff on the large property was super nice!

This Jubilee was exactly what we wanted and more than we expected!! This was a very fun area and a…read moregreat adventure for us for our anniversary trip up to Julian. Finally got to do ax throwing from my bucket list at a reasonable price along with some archery and slingshot paintball. Spent about a hour at the event, walked over and participated at the hoedown and got to see my husband dance for the first time in a long time! Very well organized event.