When the temperature drops, Temecula fills up with holiday spirit. Temecula Chilled features three distinct neighborhoods, Wine Country, Old Town and Pechanga Resort Casino; each celebrating its holiday traditions in a unique way.  With its rolling hills, beautiful vineyards, and historic charm, Temecula Valley has become an established destination for wine lovers, foodies, and travelers looking for new experiences and adventures. This holiday season, Temecula visitors can enjoy a variety of curated activities, festivals, ice skating, sleigh rides, and live performances. Shoppers looking for the perfect gift will find a treasure trove of unique and one-of-a-kind items. After a full day of tasting, toasting, and celebration, get the full treatment at one of our local inns and resorts. Shop Old Town Temecula among the festive lights and decor, dine al fresco, and enjoy outdoor recreation like hiking, horseback riding, golfing, and hot air ballooning. https://www.visittemeculavalley.com/temecula-chilled/

Celebrate December 1st-31st all around Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country with special Chilled-inspired menus. This is a perfect way to kick off the holidays and get a taste of Temecula Valley's emerging culinary scene. From special cocktails to delightful desserts, you will be sure to find something unique that you love this season. Season's Eatings begins December 1! https://www.visittemeculavalley.com/temecula-chilled/things-to-do/chilled-menu-items/ Get a user-friendly Digital Pass to start tasting Season's Eatings, collect points, and redeem your points for "chilled" prizes! https://www.visittemeculavalley.com/explore-temecula/  

Temecula Valley CraftHop November 10-12, 2023  https://www.visittemeculavalley.com/crafthop/ Enjoy signature drinks from our local breweries & meaderies, and collect a logo at each stop along the way. Temecula Valley is a destination that celebrates the makers of the community as much as their products and invites you to interact with them and their craft. No tickets are required for this self-guided tour!  1) Visit any or all of the participating locations and mention you would like to try their CraftHop special. While all locations are offering a signature drink as their item, some may also include a food item as well. 2) You will receive a CraftHop glass with that location's logo with your purchase. Experience all the participating location specials to collect all glasses. Hours vary by location. Please click on the logos below to link to each location's website or social media channel.  3) Share your experience with us on social media! Tag @visittemecula and each location in your posts and stories to be featured on the weekend of Nov 10th-12th! Use our CraftHop Giphy animation in your stories. Just search for "crafthop" when searching for a sticker #visittemecula #liveglassfull 

Pechanga’s first-ever Tacos and Tequila food festival will kick off on Saturday, September 16 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. The one-day event is filled with an afternoon of sampling gourmet tacos crafted by Pechanga’s acclaimed chefs, sipping on some of the best names in tequila and mezcal, a silent auction, and live entertainment. Four Ticket Levels are available: VIP – $150 and includes early entry at 11 a.m., a souvenir glass, unlimited sampling of gourmet tacos, assorted desserts, countless variety of tequila and mezcals, and a chance to speak with distillers, chefs, and bid on silent auction items before general admission attendees, plus live music.   Designated Driver VIP – $125 and allows early entry at 11 a.m., sampling of freshly made tacos and other bites, desserts, and bidding on silent auction items before general admission attendees, and enjoyment of live music   General Admission – $100 includes entry at 1 p.m., unlimited samplings of gourmet tacos, assorted desserts, a veritable variety of tequilas and other spirits, a chance to speak with distillers, chefs, and bid on silent auction items, as well as enjoy live music.   Designated Driver – $75 includes a sampling of the best tacos that Pechanga’s AAA Four Diamond chefs can craft, delectable dessert items, live music and bidding on silent auction items such as designer handbags, vacation packages, and more.

Attention all wine lovers, party enthusiasts, and grape-stomping fanatics! Get ready for the most epic event of the season at Callaway Vineyard and Winery's annual Sip, Stomp & Play grape stomp and harvest festival! It's time to let loose, get your feet dirty, and have a blast at the winery! Be a Vintage Diva at the Lucy Look-Alike Contest! - Calling all Lucy’s! Dress up as our beloved grape-crushing legend, Lucy, and you could wine fantastic prizes! Show off your charisma and channel your inner Lucy as you stomp your way to glory. Get ready for a grape-smashing good time that Lucy herself would be proud of! Grape-Stomping Contests: Crush It Like a Pro! - Think you've got what it takes to be the ultimate grape-stomping champion? Prove your skills in our exhilarating grape-stomping contests! Squish, squeeze, and stomp to your heart's content as you compete for bragging rights and fabulous prizes. Get ready to release your inner grape stomper and leave no juicy grape uncrushed! Get Down to the beats with DJ LANZ spinning your favorite tunes all night long! - We're turning up the volume with the ever-popular DJ LANZ from Los Angeles, who will be spinning tunes all night long! Feel the beat, show off your moves, and dance the night away amidst the picturesque vineyards. Let loose, shake it up, and create memories that will have you grooving until the next harvest season! Indulge in Delectable Food and Wine! - What's a harvest festival without incredible food and, of course, award-winning wines? Treat your taste buds to a mouthwatering array of gourmet delights, expertly crafted. Mark your calendars and gather your friends for the grape-stomping extravaganza of the year! Join us at Callaway Vineyard and Winery's Sip, Stomp & Play festival, where the grape-stomping action, live music, mouthwatering food, pie eating contest, hoola hoop contest, cornhole tournament and delicious wines come together for an unforgettable experience. Hurry and secure your tickets now, as this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to stomp, sip, and play like never before! Get ready to stomp your way to a day filled with laughter, joy, and memories that will linger long after the last grape has been crushed! Tickets include: Admission to the event, one glass of Callaway wine, dinner, dancing, games and grape stomping competitions! Tickets are not mailed out. There will be a reservations list at check-in. Please bring your receipt with you. Purchase Tickets: https://shop.callawaywinery.com/res-417137/Sip-Stomp-Play-2023.html

With nearly 50 wineries in Temecula Valley, there's no better place to celebrate National Red Wine Day. May we suggest tastings at Leoness Cellars, Chapin Family Vineyards, or Palumbo Family Vineyards.

Autumn is arguably the most exciting time of the year in Temecula Valley, as the region's farmers and winemakers prepare for the harvest. Visitors can take delight in this beautiful valley's bounty as we celebrate the joy of great food and wine. Visit Temecula Valley also just released the results of its Resident Sentiment Tourism Survey. Temecula area residents report that they support tourism, and in a big way: 8 in 10 said that it's good for the region.

As dining out has become reinvigorated around the world, more than 3,500 restaurants earned honors for excellence in their wine programs.   The art of hospitality is alive and well, with restaurants finding new and exciting ways to satisfy both their regular clientele and attract broader audiences. With sophisticated AI and other technologies spreading more broadly throughout our lives, restaurateurs and wine professionals are proving to be indispensable, offering advice, guidance and a sense of connection and community that the likes of ChatGPT cannot achieve. You can see evidence of that in our newly revealed list of more than 3,500 restaurants that have earned Restaurant Awards from Wine Spectator in 2023. This year's winners, each offering outstanding wine programs, hail from all 50 states and more than 75 countries and territories. The awards are given across three categories: Award of Excellence, Best of Award of Excellence and Grand Award. This year, we are excited to add a new country to those represented in our list of winners: Ivory Coast. “We are incredibly proud to be the first restaurant in the Ivory Coast to receive such recognition. It is our hope that this achievement will inspire other establishments in the region to elevate their wine offerings to international standards,” said Nicolas Delsuc, owner and wine director of new Award of Excellence winner Gina by Zanoni, in Abidjan. “The ultimate joy for me is witnessing the delight of our patrons as they rave about our wine selection, often exclaiming, ‘Who would have believed that such an exceptional wine list exists in West Africa!’” Even while dealing with the challenges that linger from the pandemic, restaurants around the world have found ways not only to excel and distinguish themselves with wine, but to exceed their previous accomplishments. At newly upgraded Best of Award of Excellence winner Hermitage Inn, in West Dover, Vt., owner and wine director Mary Lou Ricci had been nervous about taking over a restaurant with such a storied history. She and her husband purchased Hermitage Inn in April 2021, despite the continued spread of COVID-19, after it had been closed for over three years. “After only 18 months after opening,” she said, “to receive the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence is not only completely rewarding, it is truly our dream coming to life!” The Hermitage Inn more than doubled the size of its wine list in the past year since earning the Award of Excellence in 2022. “We are passionate about wines,” Ricci added. “It is an extraordinary honor to be able to share our passion with every guest that drives over our covered bridge and enters the historic Hermitage Inn.” The Award of Excellence is given to restaurants offering well-curated lists with approximately 90 selections or more. These lists feature quality producers and wines that diners wouldn’t easily find at local wine stores and drink at home. These wine selections also match the restaurant’s cuisine in both style and pricing, giving guests a well-rounded experience. This year, 2,001 restaurants achieved the Award of Excellence. The Best of Award of Excellence winners, of which there are 1,411 in 2023, take their efforts a step further. These lists include around 350 selections or more, representing a breadth of wine regions and styles, as well as vintage depth through vertical collections of notable wines. These restaurants also provide training and educational opportunities for staff so that they can help customers make well-informed wine choices. The program’s highest honor is the Grand Award—the ultimate recognition for restaurants with world-class wine programs. This hard-to-achieve award is bestowed upon restaurants that show unwavering passion and perseverance in strategically building thoughtful, impeccable wine programs, then maintaining and even growing them year after year. These wine lists, which typically have 1,000 or more selections, deliver an incredibly thorough range of leading wineries and outstanding depth in mature vintages, along with bottles in multiple sizes. Along with superior presentation of their wine lists and excellent harmony with their menus, these restaurants offer the highest level of wine service. Wine Spectator reviewers inspect all candidates for the Grand Award to evaluate the overall dining experience and cellar conditions. In 2023, we honor 93 Grand Award winners. To explore these great dining spots for enjoying wine, head to WineSpectator.com’s free-access Restaurant Search, which features all of Wine Spectator’s 2023 Restaurant Award winners searchable by name, location, cuisine type, wine strengths, pricing and award level. To access restaurant recommendations on the go, try Wine Spectator’s Restaurant Awards app, available free in the App Store. All award winners are also featured in the Aug. 31, 2023, issue of Wine Spectator (available on newsstands July 11), which goes into more depth on how restaurants are securing their livelihoods in the face of technological advancement.

Visit Temecula Valley (VTV) recently announced the winners of the 12th annual Xenia Hospitality Awards, honoring outstanding employees and local businesses that contribute to the growth of tourism in Temecula. One of the most highly anticipated hospitality industry events of the year, the Xenia Awards ceremony was held at Pechanga Resort Casino with over 300 guests in attendance including government officials, local businesses, and hospitality workers. “We’re grateful for the commitment of over 7,000 employees in the tourism sector who provide exceptional service every day and help us promote our beautiful destination,” said Scott A. Wilson, President/CEO of Visit Temecula Valley. The awards program is inspired by the Greek word “Xenia,” which is defined as the concept of hospitality or generosity shown to those who are far from home. The Xenia Awards include Spotlight on Service, Xenia Hospitality Award, and the Welty Award. “Tourism is one of Temecula’s leading industries, and it’s important to honor the outstanding employees and businesses that inspire our guests to want to return,” said Michael Feeley, Chairman of the Board, Visit Temecula Valley. “On behalf of the VTV Board, I’d like to congratulate all of the winners.” The Spotlight on Service Award identifies and honors front-line hospitality employees who are “spotted” providing exceptional service to Temecula Valley visitors. Nominations are submitted by Visit Temecula Valley board members. 2022 Spotlight on Service Award Winners Angela Vredenburg: Goat & Vine Restaurant Arian Kemp: 1882 cantina at Pechanga Resort Casino Aspen Snider: Crush & Brew Brittany Russell: Be Good Restaurant & Experience Cathy Hits: Wilson Creek Winery Hanna Mill: Staples 79 South Jake Cruz: The Customer Service Experts (Promenade Express train) Jeff Beck: Be Good Restaurant & Experience Kalie Sauceda: Lazy Dog Café Lester Sunga: Crush & Brew Kandi Kramer: Public House Ramon Ascencio: Journey's End Restaurant at Pechanga Resort Casino Selena Flint: Small Barn Restaurant Sharon Bonham: A Grape Escape Balloon Adventure Zachary Laufer: Bolero at Europa The Xenia Awards are divided into six categories: Social Media, Culinary, Ambassador, Brewery, Hospitality, and Cilurzo Winery of the Year. 2022 Xenia Award Winners Social Media Award: Temecula Life Magazine Champion Culinary Award: Matt Steffen of Cork | Fire Kitchen Ambassador Award: John Kelliher Golden Tap Brewery of the Year Award: Ironfire Brewing Company Xenia Hospitality Award: Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival Cilurzo Award for Winery of the Year: Bottaia Winery 2022 Welty Award Winners The 2022 Welty Award for tourism professional of the year was initially presented last month to John and Kim Kelliher, owners of Grapeline Wine Tours, during the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce’s annual Gala. It was highlighted once again during the Xenia Awards program. More information on the Xenia Awards can be found at: https://www.visittemeculavalley.com/xenia-awards/ About Visit Temecula Valley Visit Temecula Valley is the region’s official destination marketing organization dedicated to promoting tourism. The organization partners with local businesses including wineries, restaurants, breweries, retail and specialty boutiques, hotels, short-term rentals, and more. For more information, go to http://www.visittemeculavalley.com

If you have plans to travel with a pet or service animal, you’re not alone! New research indicates that the majority (54 percent) of dog and cat owners plan to travel with their pet in the next year. As a result, hotels and restaurants are re-evaluating policies and welcoming travelers with four-legged friends.  Here in the Temecula Valley, we love pets! There are several pet-friendly hotels and resorts that offer services and amenities for furry friends including luxurious pet beds, in-room treats, and even room service and restaurant menus. Many merchants in Old Town and throughout the greater Temecula Valley offer water bowls and treats. Here’s a list of pet-friendly places in Temecula:  Lazy Dog, also has Dog Menu  1909  Bluewater Grill  Texas Lil’s  Cork Fire Kitchen  Carol’s Restaurant at Baily Winery  Swing Inn Café  Devilicious  California Pizza Kitchen  8 Bit Brewing  Journey’s End at Pechanga  Spuntino Pizzeria  Akash Winery  Baily Vineyard & Winery  Carter Estate Winery  Chapin Family Vineyard  Cougar Winery, also offers K-9 Wine Club  Doffo Winery  Falkner Winery  Gershon Bachus Winery  Leoness Cellars  Lorimar Vineyards and Winery  Maurice Car’rie Winery  Miramonte Winery  Mount Palomar Winery  Oak Mountain Winery  Somerset Winery and Vineyard  South Coast Winery Resort & Spa  Thornton Winery  Vindemia Vineyard & Winery  Vitagliano Vineyards & Winery  Here are four tips to help make traveling with pets a little easier:  Create a packing list. Before you leave, make a list with every item your pet will need: safety seat, travel crate or harness, bowls, food, medications, water, toys, leash, poop bags, pet bed, etc. Keep all pet items in one backpack or tote for easy access.   Check pet policies. For hotels, ask for a room on ground level and find out about extra pet fees.   Call ahead when booking meals or experiences. If you plan to visit a restaurant or winery, contact the business first and ask about pet policies. Some businesses cannot allow pets because of insurance issues. BringFido and DogTrekker offer information and tips, as well.  Research Pet/Doggy Day Care at your destination. Most hotels and Short-Term Rentals do not allow pets left alone in the room. With day care, you can drop off your pet and enjoy yourself without worrying about whether they are distressed or barking and disturbing other guests.  We look forward to seeing you and your buddy in Southern California Wine Country!