I went to the Summer Stampede in August. It was a fun thing to do on a Saturday night. It started…read moreat 7pm-ish. It's an amateur rodeo, so a lot of bronco and bull riders weren't completing their rides, but it was $20 to get in. Also several kid events that were pretty cute. The website said....no outside food or drinks. No one checked anything. It said to get there early to get a grandstand seat. There was plenty of seats, even in the shade. It also said they would have a burger pop-up restaurant. They did not. They had a concussion stand with $5 hot dogs and nachos, $3 waters, $6 lagers and seltzers. It was hot so we had a couple drinks, then did a late night dinner. Oh, parking in the rodeo lot was a nightmare. It was $20 and no one helped cars get out onto the road, so we sat in the lot forever. Rookie mistake.

First time at the Lakeside Rodeo. A friend from my weekend job offered me free ticket thanks to her…read morebrother working at Ford which is a sponsor. So we put the hats and the boots and enjoyed the horses, the bulls and the ambiance. My friend used to ride horses in her ranch in a Mexico so I was glad to be among aficionados and totally got in the mood. We parked pretty far and walked around 15 minutes to the place. Lots of young people, all very good looking! Maybe I should go often to this type of places and meet a cowboy . The show was great and the presenter was very entertaining. I liked the attendees too, pretty civilized, tons of young people and couples. Very pleasant and nice experience in and out.

This was such an amazing haunted house! Regular tickets are $31 credit, or $28 cash. It seemed…read moreexpensive to me but it was 100% worth it. We waited for maybe half an hour, but you can skip the line for an extra $10. The set and props are so detailed and the actors are amazing. You walk through on a designated path and there are different themed parts. They definitely make you jump and scream! It took us almost an hour to walk through the whole thing. Highly recommend for Halloween fun!

I saw an ad on Instagram (I know, beware) and we decided to go sort of last minute. Instagram ead…read moreof driving up North for some spooky fun I figured try something new and a little more local. And I am so glad we did! Can't believe we have been missing out all these years (I believe this is their 15th year) We had VIP entry for 7pm and at 1st I thought I could have saved some money and gone general entry but ended up the extra cost was well worth the money. The general entry line wasn't super long at 1st but for sure it started getting packed. We were 1st in line and eager to check everything out and get some good scares. The trial is a bit uneven but is well lit and actually not too bad to walk. The scareators were amazing, the props as well and the staff superb! The scares are enhanced knowing you are literally walking through the buildings and area of the old amusement park. We were in the first group to enter and what I liked not is we were spaced out. Even though there were roughly 8 of us we all got a chance to get scared. There was no overcrowding or trying to fit too many people through at once. It was perfect. Parking is free and easy in and out (dirt lot but we'll maintained). Depending on the time and date you go might help factor in which ticket option you want. There are three options, general line, fast pass, and VIP. Each allow you to stand in or bypass the line. Later in the season I would for sure go with fast pass at least. I can picture this haunt getting busier. Overall a great local haunt, well priced, easy to get to and awesome people. Can't wait to go back!

On February 28, 2026 we visited the Air and Space museum in Balboa Park…read more We definitely enjoyed the museum and all of the exhibits. One of the volunteers showed us how to start the messerschmitt jet engine. This was fascinating. While there, we also had the pleasure of visiting the flight path grill. The hamburgers were fantastic! We wanted to thank the person that grilled them but they are behind closed doors. We couldn't believe the hamburgers cost only $8. The hamburgers were far better than the $22 hamburgers we got at our hotel! We really appreciated having such an enjoyable experience and hope you will give the person that grilled those hamburgers something special.

Whenever we visit a new city, we always try to check three things off our list: visit a museum, do…read moresomething on the water (if applicable) & catch a sports game. The San Diego Air & Space Museum was our museum pick for this trip & it was a fun, educational morning! My husband is a retired Army veteran & enjoys planes, aviation history & anything military-related, so this museum was right up his alley. We could have spent hours exploring all of the exhibits, aircraft, artifacts & historical displays. One of the highlights of our visit was meeting a super outgoing docent shortly after we walked in. Somehow, he kept magically popping up throughout the museum during our visit, sharing fascinating tidbits & fun facts about whatever exhibit we happened to be looking at. You could tell he genuinely loved being there & his enthusiasm made the entire experience even more engaging & personal. (My apologies for not remembering his name. He was an Air Force B-52 pilot & bonded with hubby over their shared military service.) Another really cool aspect of the museum is its location directly in the flight path of the airport. Planes were flying overhead every couple of minutes, which honestly added so much atmosphere to the visit. Hearing & seeing aircraft constantly overhead while walking through the exhibits made the whole experience feel extra immersive. The vintage Pacific Southwest Airlines stewardess uniforms on display were awesome! The museum does a great job balancing serious aviation history with quirky, interesting pieces of airline culture & design history. This was definitely a worthwhile visit - whether you are an aviation buff or just looking for an interesting & interactive museum experience. We both had a great time!

Just recently went to the garden and it was beautiful. Very well kept and had great signage. Mostly…read moresucculents and water saving plants found here. Loved the gift shop, great gifts! A volunteer told me that most of the items in there are actually handmade by the volunteers themselves! How cool. I went around noon in July and it was HOT! They did have a cool zone with AC but highly recommend to bring water and a hat. Very helpful volunteers, great monthly scavenger hunt at the beginning for the kids, and we loved it so much we got a membership. Now my family can go all year to this garden but also they told us it includes over 300 other botanical gardens in the US. If you are looking for a fun thing to do in east county, check out this hidden gem.

Tim T and Yally did a great job telling us more about this beautiful garden. Was so excited to do…read morethe self-guided tour and enjoy the calm scenery. Plants were delight tolerant and blooming. Loved every minute of it! Can easily spend and hour or two here.

I saw an ad on Instagram (I know, beware) and we decided to go sort of last minute. Instagram ead…read moreof driving up North for some spooky fun I figured try something new and a little more local. And I am so glad we did! Can't believe we have been missing out all these years (I believe this is their 15th year) We had VIP entry for 7pm and at 1st I thought I could have saved some money and gone general entry but ended up the extra cost was well worth the money. The general entry line wasn't super long at 1st but for sure it started getting packed. We were 1st in line and eager to check everything out and get some good scares. The trial is a bit uneven but is well lit and actually not too bad to walk. The scareators were amazing, the props as well and the staff superb! The scares are enhanced knowing you are literally walking through the buildings and area of the old amusement park. We were in the first group to enter and what I liked not is we were spaced out. Even though there were roughly 8 of us we all got a chance to get scared. There was no overcrowding or trying to fit too many people through at once. It was perfect. Parking is free and easy in and out (dirt lot but we'll maintained). Depending on the time and date you go might help factor in which ticket option you want. There are three options, general line, fast pass, and VIP. Each allow you to stand in or bypass the line. Later in the season I would for sure go with fast pass at least. I can picture this haunt getting busier. Overall a great local haunt, well priced, easy to get to and awesome people. Can't wait to go back!

I had a really nice time with my friends... I think the…read moreticket price is worth it for the art you get to experience. Yeah we did have to wait a little after opening to actually get in, but it wasn't that bad, and it was opening night after all. One thing I would suggest is having some Halloween music to listen to while in the queue. All of the actors were so cool and did a great job. It was a nice long experience and I liked not being rushed through (at Seaworld and some other big ones they had security guards everywhere which kinda ruined the atmosphere). I'm so grateful that there were sections of the trail where I was just completely alone. The roominess of this haunt really helps sell it, along with the location in the mountains. It's a beautiful place to be even when you're scared.

Hey, El Cajon ain't no Pasadena or New York, so don't be expecting too much from the Mother Goose…read moreParade. And although it's far from being the perfect shindig, I had a jolly good time nevertheless. Seeing all the celebrities and marching bands and little horses and shriners and people on stilts and poodles pulling a sleigh and so much more was just too amusing. Since this is my first parade, I decided to shell out $15 for grandstand seating. Here, you sit semi-comfortably in the bleachers (bring a cushion!) so you get a good view of the parade. However, I think it's better to get VIP seating for only a few dollars more, because the performers and celebrities only perform for the VIP crowd. And the commentators are over in that area, too. The 61st Mother Goose Parade this year had some interesting guests - mostly network TV and Disney celebrities. Greg Grunberg of Heroes fame came, so did Erik Estrada (CHiPS), Mario Lopez, American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee, Hannah Montana sidekick Emily Osment and Roselyn Sanchez (Without A Trace), to name a few. They were handed microphones so they could greet the spectators, but none of the mics worked! A major slip-up on the parade organizer's part. They should've made sure this was fixed ASAP. But anyway, lessons I've learned and tips I'd like to share: Please don't go to the parade on an empty stomach. You might want to bring snacks with you, too. Empty your bladder before heading out. Prepare to spend at least four hours at the parade. What Mother Goose needs are more concession stands. I had to stand in line for about 20 minutes for a $3 hotdog. But I'm so glad I didn't have to use those Spanky's porta-pottys. So pack a hat, sunglasses, put on some sunblock, bring your energy and patience, and I'm sure you'll be just fine at the Mother Goose Parade.

I started going as a child. It still is a great parade. You don't have to spend the night to get…read moregreat seats. Just bring your own! Love it!

Awesome! I love this event. This was my second year going and it keeps getting better. The price…read morefor the tickets are extremely reasonable, especially for an all you can eat and all you can drink event! The food is amazing!! I love food and the variety and quality of food that is offered at the annual Santee Bluegrass Festival is a perfect match for food lovers. They have everything for every type of craving. The carnivores (me) were able to have our palettes satisfied by Slaters 50/50 signature patties, which is 50% ground bacon 50% ground beef and topped with more bacon. Life doesn't get any better than bacon. There were plenty of other food vendors but nothing tops bacon, sorry other vendors. Ok, so there were other vendors other then our lovely bacon providers. There were vendors that solely had sweets (cupcakes, pies, cakes, etc.) there was Mexican food, Italian food, and fish. I'm certain there was more food but I only cared about one food vendor and that is what I mostly ate while there. In addition to all the bacon that was provided there were plenty of wine tasting opportunities. One of my favorite wine tasting tables was by PRP Wines located in San Diego. I have personally been buying from PRP Wines for several years and I'm a little partial to them. They import wines from all over the world, they do not carry anything domestic which gave them an advantage compared to the other wine vendors who locally grow their grapes. There is something special inside a bottle of a South African Cab. One of the things I was most impressed by was the fact that PRP Wines brought not only their $20 bottles of wine but their $80 bottles too and they did not hold back on their pours of their most expensive labels. This is not a quality most wineries have. Food (bacon), wine, and now beer. There was a plethora of beer vendors that gave out free shirts, hats, etc. I'm not much of a beer drinker so I have nothing to say other than there was beer and those vendors were friendly. Music, a Bluegrass Festival is not complete without music. There was a band that played great tunes to wash all our food and drinks down with. I have no complaints. I look forward to going again next year!

Great east County folks bring the best local wine, craft beer, and food. And guess what all for the…read moregreat cause of santee! The vendors bring there own free food and feed you. Everything is donated! Awesome event I'll always be there!

VFW Post 1774 "The Ship" in La Mesa is your typical VFW hall. It is old, dark and the furnishings…read morewill remind you of your grandma's living room. Tables on one side of the room, bar on the other, dance floor/stage in between. Our friend's band was playing at the VFW (a gig's a gig, right?), so we thought we'd check it out. Upon entering we quickly realized that we were easily two of the youngest people in the place - awesome! Everybody was so nice and welcoming. We were made to feel comfortable right away. For a requested $5 donation we could've enjoyed a pork roast dinner with mashed potatoes and all the fixin's. We opted not to, but it looked delicious. Homemade for sure Drinks were incredibly cheap! $3.50 for a bottle of Pacifico or a Bud Seltzer. Trish was our outstanding, super friendly bartender. We loved Trish! Good times aboard The Ship.