Things to do in Temecula for golfers: wine, Old Town, balloons and rain-day plans

Things to do in Temecula between rounds start with wine country, Old Town's Front Street and dawn balloon flights, then fill out with Pechanga, Lake Skinner and a few hiking and museum stops for rainy days. None of these were price-checked for 2026-27, so confirm hours before you go.

Descriptions come from our research files, which are limited to what each place is, where it is and how far it sits from Old Town.

Quick facts

• Wine country: Rancho California Rd and De Portola Rd, east of Old Town. Busiest weekends April to October.
• Old Town: Front St at Main St, walkable, a few minutes from I-15.
• Balloon festival: Lake Skinner, about 20 minutes from Old Town, date for 2027 unconfirmed.
• Rainy-day option: most tasting rooms have indoor space (not verified).
• Rule: if you taste, use a driver, tour or ride service.

Things to do in Temecula at a glance

Wine country with a driver

Dozens of wineries line the ridge-and-valley route east of Old Town. Commonly named estates include Wilson Creek, Callaway, Thornton, Ponte, South Coast, Temecula Hills, Leoness, Europa Village and Bottaia, though the list was not verified for 2026. Weekends are busy, and reservations are recommended for groups.

The safe pattern is golf in the morning and tasting in the afternoon, with a driver, tour van or ride service for the tasting. Do not drive between wineries. Our Temecula golf and wine trip guide lays out a full day. If you want to sleep among the vines, three stays are on the map: South Coast Winery Resort & Spa, Ponte Vineyard Inn and The Inn at Europa Village. See Temecula wine country hotels.

Old Town Temecula

Front Street has Western-style storefronts, shops, restaurants, bars and weekend events. It is walkable and a few minutes from the I-15, so it works as the natural dinner stop for a group staying nearby. The Legends at Temeku Hills is eight minutes from it, and Redhawk ten. See where to eat in Temecula for after-golf dining.

Balloons and the festival

Dawn balloon flights over the vineyards are sold by several operators; we did not check operators or prices. The Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival at Lake Skinner is the main annual event. One aggregator lists June 19 to 21, 2027, with tickets from $35 to $250, and another says the date is not announced. Past editions ran May 17 to 19, 2024 and June 3 to 5, 2022. Hotels and the wine roads fill that weekend. See the Temecula events calendar.

Pechanga Resort Casino

A large casino resort on the Pechanga Band's reservation, with gaming, restaurants, a spa, pools and entertainment. It is also home to Journey at Pechanga, whose guide is at Journey at Pechanga course guide. Staying there unlocks the $175 hotel-guest golf rate against $215 public. Details in Pechanga Resort golf.

Outdoors

• Lake Skinner Regional Park: county park, about 20 minutes from Old Town, with camping, fishing, boating and hiking.
• Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve: several thousand acres west of Murrieta with oak woodland, vernal pools and hiking trails.
• Vail Lake: reservoir in the hills east of Temecula for camping, mountain biking and fishing; access varies, so check.
• Lake Elsinore: boating, fishing and skydiving on the north edge; water levels vary.

Rainy days

Wine tasting indoors, Pechanga under one roof, or the Western Science Center near Diamond Valley Lake in Hemet, which holds fossils from the lake excavation including mammoth and mastodon remains. Winter rain averages five to six days a month; see Temecula weather by month.

A longer side trip

Borrego Springs is about 100 minutes and 66 miles east of Old Town and has Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. See Borrego Springs golf from Temecula and the Palm Springs Borrego Springs golf guide.

What we could not verify

Topgolf, Five Iron Golf, PopStroke and Drive Shack locations in the Temecula valley were not found. Club rentals are generally available at area courses, but rates were not read.

Building the days

Pair each activity with a round. For a full plan, see the Temecula golf trip itinerary and Temecula golf trip. For off-season ideas, see Temecula golf in winter.

Planning around a non-golfer

If part of your group does not golf, split the day. Golfers tee off at 8am; non-golfers can do a morning at a winery with reservations, a balloon flight at dawn, or Old Town shops and cafes. Meet at midday for lunch, then everyone tastes together in the afternoon, with a driver. South Coast Winery Resort & Spa lists a spa on site, and Pechanga has a spa, pools and entertainment.

By time available

By season

Winter vineyards are dormant and tasting rooms quiet midweek. Spring brings green vines and busy weekends. Summer is hot, with early harvest late in August. Fall is crush and the busiest weekends of the wine year. Wine-country hotel rates rise on Friday and Saturday from April to October. See Temecula events calendar.

Plan it on the map

Open the Temecula golf map to see the courses against wine country and Old Town. The $49 plan fits tastings, balloon mornings and rounds into a day-by-day schedule.