Quality Inn Wine Country

TEMECULA VALLEY BALLOON & WINE FESTIVAL

by travelgourmet

Once a year, Temecula Valley puts on a festival that will excite anyone who has a desire to fly up, up, and away all the while enjoying great tasting wines from the vineyards of the valley. The 25th Festival had the added delight of seeing a rare 5 balloon formation lift off. I captured this not only on the photo but in a video. If you wondered how a balloon becomes airborne, I have a travelogue from getting to the site, to setting up, to in the air. Besides watching hot air balloons lift off in the morning or see the balloon glow at night, top named entertainers will delight everyone in the family. The entertainment takes place on two stages, the wine stage and the main stage.

2008 was no exception to great talent on the two stages and the 25th Balloon and Wine Festival took place on June 6th through June 8th. The headliner, music wise, on the main stage was Kenny Loggins. The grass field in front of the stage was filled with thousands of fans who roared their approval of Kenny and his band. Many other entertainers delighted the crowds, on both stages, as well.

Taking place at Lake Skinner, only a few minutes away from the vineyards of Temecula, this is quite a show of over 40 hot air balloons. Free lift offs while tethered are available for all to enjoy a taste of hot air flight. You can even get a full hot air balloon experience , free flight with the pilot, for a set price. Plenty of different types of food was available at the huge food court. I counted about 30 vendors selling everything from snow cones to sit down chicken dinners. Most of the Temecula Valley vineyards had wine tasting booths where for a set fee, you not only got the sample tastes but got to keep the etched souvenir glass.

If in the area of this part of California in early summer, which is about a 1 hour drive from San Diego on the I-15, try to make it to the Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival. It doesn't happen in too many cities and you don't get the opportunity to see so many balloons aloft in one place as here in Temecula Valley.

Sam Hick's Memorial Park

by Yaqui

This lovely park has lots to offer. A really wonderful play area for kids, picnic tables to sit on and relax, plus there is this wonderful rock sculpture that is a wonderful centerpiece of the park. This 150-ton granite monument honoring frontier people who brought the town its very proud heritage.

Sam Hicks Monument Park
41970 Moreno Road
Temecula, CA 92592

Amenities:
Children's Play Area
Picnic Tables
Restrooms
Handicap Accessible
1.8 acres

To visit the cultural district of Old Town Temecula take the 15 Freeway to Rancho California Road or Highway 79 south and follow the signs leading to Old Town Front Street.

Temecula~Old Town

by Yaqui

I have passed by this wonderful gem of a city. I finally took the opportunity to stop and explore old town Temecula. It was suggested by a wonderful fellow VTer travelgourmetthat I take the time to explore and I am so glad I did.

The Legend~A thousand years ago, as the mist rolled over the hills Nahachish, an Indian leader spoke word the words "Temecula" as the rays of the sun broke through the mist. From that day, the valley has been know as Temecula, sunlight through the mist.

A New Era~The first Butterfield arrived in Temecula 1858, the Post Office was established on April 22, 1859, and later, the Railway signified a new era in Temecula. Just after the turn of the century, Walter Vail began his cattle ranch the eventually covered 87,500 acres that covered in and around Temecula. The Temecula of today began in 1964 when Kaiser Industries purchased the ranch and started the Rancho California master plan. The City of Temecula was incorporated on December 1, 1989.