Things to Do in Temecula

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.

Uncorked Tours Megan Franks does all she can to separate stuffiness from wine connoisseurship. For tours of Temecula's wine country, she dispatches a limo party coach with two flat-screen TVs and a dancer's pole, which she gaily poses next to in a photo on her website's About page. She also launches tipplers into the air during morning hot air balloon rides that begin, like the chauffeured tours, with a complimentary champagne toast. To contribute to the party vibe during each trip, a staff member continuously works a camera's shutter, producing digital photos that are then uploaded to Facebook for sharing and downloads.

Situated along the meandering Moosa Creek, the fairways of Castle Creek Country Club sweep gracefully through the foothills of Temecula Wine Country and located near three major casinos. The 1948 Jack Daray blueprint escorts players through a 6,638-yard labyrinth, hemmed in by oak-forest barriers and mottled with bunkers of white sand. After completing a testy front nine that includes the 624-yard par 5 sixth hole, players embark on the most difficult stretch of the course in holes 10, 11, and 12. These holes—a 450-yard par 4 followed by back-to-back par 5s—demand that players demonstrate an ability to hit the ball far, leaving many contestants exhausted, bleary-eyed, and swinging at golf balls that don’t exist.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course

• Total length of 6,638 yards from the back tees

• Course rating of 72 from the back tees

• Course slope of 134 from the back tees

• Five sets of tees per hole

• Scorecard

• Gopher Hole Sports Bar

As the head trainer of Pony Express Riding School, Teri Cagle draws upon more than 40 years of equine experience when teaching both novice and experienced riders. She begins her lessons by helping students establish a solid riding foundation so that they can control horses while maintaining proper form in the saddle. They're also taught the stable-management practices of grooming, feeding, and promoting horses to the role of best friend. Pony Express Riding School offers lessons every day of the week except Monday.