Ya’ll, have you discovered Southern California’s wine country? Temecula is about an hour's drive from San Diego, nestled into the rolling hills of southern California. Acre after acre is covered in grape vines (and olive vines - more on this later) and is perfectly picturesque. Temecula can truly be described as a hidden gem, which adds to it’s charm and like-ability for those that have visited.
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In addition to the tons of wineries scattered throughout Temecula Valley, Downtown Temecula has a ton of cute boutique shops, restaurants, and of course, wine tasting rooms.
Venture outside of town to the dozens of wineries to walk among the vines, sit outside, and enjoy a leisurely lunch. Or, if wine tours are more your speed, jump on a wine tour bus and visit several wineries in one afternoon. I have visited Temecula twice now – once with girlfriends on my bachelorette trip and once with my hubby. I loved visiting both times, and would love to go again.
One of the best things about Temecula was the size and lack of huge crowds. Downtown Temecula is very walkable, so finding parking was not an issue. Restaurants were busy but not overly crowded and shops weren’t busting at the seems with people.
Here are some of my favorite places in Temecula from both trips:
Temecula Olive Oil Company
Even though it has been a few years since my last Temecula visit, this shop is the one place I still think about. When visiting Temecula, one expects to taste wine, not olive oil. I didn’t even know “olive oil tasting” was a thing until we visited Temecula Olive Oil Company.
They have tons of different flavors of infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars, along with other items made from olive oils, such as soaps, lotion, and lip balms. I’m so glad I made this a stop on both trips. If you go, be sure to taste the Roasted Garlic Olive Oil – my fav!
Temecula Lavender Company
Another super cute shop in the Downtown area is the Temecula Lavender Company. We popped in here during our girls’ trip, and they have so many items made with lavendar. Our favorite was the lavender pepper - completely unexpected but really delicious.
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Lorimar Winery
Lorimar has a tasting room located conveniently right across the street from the Temecula Olive Oil Company, so that’s where we headed after our olive oil tasting. Lorimar is not a winery I went to on my first trip and I hate to say it girls, but we missed out! This place is fabulous.
Their wines were exceptional, and they had an abundance of charming little gifts as well. Everyone has a different taste when it comes to wine, but for my husband and me, Lorimar was our favorite. Despite visiting on a Saturday, we did not feel rushed through our tasting and the lady helping us was very knowledgeable and friendly.
Public House
After the shopping, wine tastings, and olive oil tastings, we headed to Public House for lunch. We chose to sit outside because the weather was nice, but they also have a lovely, converted old house. The service was excellent, and the food was even better. On my most recent visit, I ordered the mac ‘n cheese with pulled pork - and yes, it was just as delicious as it sounds.
Crush and Brew
This restaurant is conveniently located in Downtown Temecula, near the shops and tasting rooms. We enjoyed Crush and Brew for dinner. The food was very good and they have a large selection of beers (including beer flights) in case you want a break from wine.
South Coast Winery
Wow, this place is beautiful. It's a little bit of a drive outside of town, but well worth it. When I came to Temecula with the girls, this is where we started our Saturday. We did not regret our decision. We sat outside on their wrap-around porch and enjoyed a fabulous brunch before we started our wine tours for the day. The food, service, wine, and views were all stunning. It was quite crowded when we finally made it into the tasting room, but it was Saturday after all.
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Wilson Creek Winery
Mmmm…. Wilson Creek’s Almond sparkling wine. My husband and I drove out to this winery just to get a few bottles of this delicious bubbly beverage. I wish we could have spent more time out there to enjoy the grounds because this winery is gorgeous. Fortunately, we don’t have to go to Temecula every time we need to restock - their delectable Almond sparkling wine is now available at some liquor stores, including Goody Goody.
Have you visited Temecula? What were your favorite spots? I would love to hear your thoughts if you decide to visit!
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