Old Town Front St’s turn-of-the-last-century storefronts and wooden sidewalks make for an attractive stroll – pick up the Historic Old Town Temecula leaflet with building descriptions. En route, sample local agricultural bounty at shops like Temecula Olive Oil Company and Front Street Jerky. Dozens of antique dealers populate the neighborhood, most agglomerated into large antique halls.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby San Diego attractions

1. Temecula Valley Museum

0.12 MILES

Just off Old Town Front St, this one-room museum tells the history of the region through artifacts from the Native American Luiseño people through to the…

2. Longshadow Ranch

5.19 MILES

A nice stop if you’ve got children in tow; the kids can look at Clydesdales at this 'Old West'-style tasting room, while mommy and daddy sip. They have…

3. Wilson Creek

7.06 MILES

This place makes almond champagne (infused with almond oil in the fermentation process) and a chocolate-infused port.

4. Leoness Cellars

7.89 MILES

Twenty minutes' drive from Front St, this winery offers award-winning viognier and melange de rêves, plus sweeping views from its sort-of-Teutonic tower.

5. Palomar Observatory

19.47 MILES

High on Palomar Mountain, at an elevation of 5500ft to avoid light pollution, the Palomar Observatory is simply spectacular – as large as Rome’s Pantheon, with…

6. Palomar Mountain State Park

19.76 MILES

To stretch your legs after visiting the ridgetop Palomar Observatory, nearby Palomar Mountain State Park has forested hikes along panoramic-view trails…

7. Mission San Luis Rey de Francia

20.58 MILES

About 4.5 miles inland from central Oceanside, this was the largest California mission and the most successful in recruiting Native American converts. At…

8. Oceanside Museum of Art

24.35 MILES

This museum underwent a recent revamp and it now stands at an impressive 16,000 sq ft in a modernist, white shell. There are about 10 rotating exhibits a…