Things to Do in Lakeland Village

The owners of Corona Pumpkin Farm weren’t setting out to build a business in the fall of 2009. They just wanted to cultivate fresh, healthy produce for their family. So they began sowing seeds in box gardens, nourishing the soil with compost from chickens that also bore fresh eggs, and the occasional golden one. Eventually, the chickens’ bounty outgrew the boxed gardens, and the humble family endeavor flourished into Corona Pumpkin Farm, which sits atop more than an acre of land. Now the farmers nurture more than 50 types of pumpkins for eating and carving, as well as a cornucopia of fruits and veggies that includes three types of corn and pick-your-own boysenberries. Along with the produce, they raise chickens and turkeys for meat, gather eggs from the coop, and sometimes barter with neighbors for beef and pork.

To show their respect for Mother Nature and their own health, they never use hormones, additives, or chemicals on their garden grub. But visitors don’t flock to the farm just for the fresh, healthy fare; they come to pick their own pumpkins, meander through the 10-foot-high stalks that fill a half-acre corn maze, and enjoy other seasonal activities, such as cuddling baby chicks, scouring the fields for scavenger hunt clues, zooming down an inflatable slide, painting pumpkins, and crafting personalized trick-or-treat bag.

Combatants duel in epic, color-filled skirmishes to conquer one of 12 expansive, themed fields designed to resemble a Wild West thoroughfare, dinosaur-infested ruins, the Amazon, and other environments. After suiting up in masks designed to protect faces from paint-filled orbs and rogue plastic surgeons, soldiers spray opponents with water-soluble pellets from behind authentic military vehicles and terrain-based obstacles during an all-day series of approximately 20-minute games. Participants take cover behind buses and cars on the city field before trekking to the outback area's foxholes and mountainous terrain to stealthily splatter enemies. Competitors at the trench field meander through a dugout labyrinth, combining the fighting style of WWI soldiers with the painting style of WWI expressionists. The park is open on Saturday and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m., and from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday nights.

Sunrider Wine Tours' knowledgeable guides⎯all of whom are or have been local-winery and vineyard employees⎯cart tourists through Southern California wine country's rural terrain in open-air or covered Jeeps. The guides share information on Temecula's history and first-hand knowledge of vino-making processes while shuttling guests to tastings at local wineries and answering questions, such as what tannins are and who invented grapes.

After 20 years of event planning, Amy Brewen decided to take her show on the road—literally. With a map of Inland Empire's best venues, event spaces, and wineries already in her mind, she connected them all together into packaged experiences with the aid of a little creativity and a classic 32-passenger trolley. The antique vehicle, which maintains all its quaint charm from the wooden seats to the brass bells, was put to work running daily tours through Temecula wine country. As the fleet grew, Brewen added more tours to her repertoire. Today, she conducts excursions to local wineries, microbreweries, and eateries; holiday events; and transportation for tourists or wedding guests.