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East County

San Diego's wild and wonderful backyard

San Diego's East County wilderness is one of the most diverse areas in the county featuring rolling hills, majestic mountains, sparkling lakes, deep canyons and desert landscapes plus Indian casino gaming.

Photo By Lou Mora

Get outside and discover your wild side

In sharp contrast to San Diego's beaches to the west, the rolling hills, majestic mountains, sparkling lakes and deep canyons make east county one of the most diverse areas in San Diego County to explore. The area offers hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, fishing and camping in the vast and beautiful wilderness. Spend an afternoon hiking Cowles Mountain, mountain biking through Mission Trails Regional Park, strolling along Lake Murray or fishing on El Capitan Reservoir. For flower lovers, don’t miss the spring wildflower bloom in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, where a blanket of color covers the desert floor.

In addition to outdoor adventures, East San Diego County boasts plenty of entertainment. Sizzling Las Vegas-style Native American casinos, luxurious resorts tucked right into the rugged landscape, challenging golf courses built around natural obstacles, historic sites and highways, and annual festivals and rodeos can be enjoyed, all within the expansive landscape of this California wilderness country.

A favorite day trip in East San Diego is to the historic mining town of Julian. Set against the backdrop of the Cuyamaca Mountains and countless apple orchards, this friendly, walk-back-in-time town is as famous for its apple pie as it is for its collection of gold mines (several offer tours geared toward children). Julian has a variety of restaurants, bed & breakfast hideaways, antique stores, art galleries, nearby hiking and nature walks, along with the California Wolf Center for conservation.

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East County is an expansive region, encompassing more than three quarters of San Diego County. The area can be accessed by heading east on Interstate 8, and California highways 94 and 52, 78 and 76. If you have a few hours, head up to the mountains and into the desert - Julian and Borrego Springs can be accessed from Highways 78 (off Interstate 15) and 79 (off Interstate 8). A bit closer to the city center, Lemon Grove, La Mesa, El Cajon and Santee can be reached via the Orange or Green lines of the San Diego Trolley.

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San Diego Casinos

Try your had with lady luck at one of the many Indian Las Vegas style gaming casinos.

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Explore Julian

This historic mountain hideaway is rich with natural beauty and entertaining adventures, whether you want to take a day trip in search of sublime apple pie or get away for a romantic weekend in the tranquility of the great outdoors.

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Wine Tasting in Ramona

Eight great Ramona Valley wineries that are worth a try.

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PRIVATE CUSTOMIZABLE ICONIC CITY HIGHLIGHTS TOUR

Nov 4, 2020 - ongoing

Journey with award winning tour guide Julie around San Diego’s cultural and historic sites—on a private tour of fun and informative must-see sightseeing hotspots.

OLD TOWN: Take a trip into the past and learn about our rich Spanish and Mexican heritage and why we are the “Birthplace of California.” Experience our original city—colorful and festive now, but find out why it wasn’t always that way.

DOWNTOWN: Explore these San Diego Downtown essentials: scenic San Diego Bay’s Embarcadero waterfront, the famous and vibrant Gaslamp Quarter, hip and historic Little Italy, and Petco Park.

BALBOA PARK: The cultural heartbeat of our city; you will fall in love with the country’s largest urban cultural park and be dazzled discovering its origins as you take in its incredible vegetation, gorgeous flowers and ornate architecture.

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Friday Night Dive-In Movie

May 7 - ongoing

From May through August, Friday Night Dive-In Movie features a different movie out at Retreat Pool & Cabanas every Friday evening from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Guests can enjoy watching the movie from a massive LED screen from inside the pool or a reserved lounge chair, daybed or cabana.

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The Great Annual Pumpkin Festival

Oct 1 - Oct 31, 2021

Come join the Celebration! The Great Annual Pumpkin Festival begins Friday, October 1 and runs through the 31st, Thursday through Sunday, every week ! Check out our new amazing 6 foot live maze - an adventure for both kids and adults alike. Visit our pumpkin patch to pick your own pumpkin! It all starts October 1st at the Children’s Nature Retreat. Open 10 AM to 5:00 PM, Thursday through Sunday. Make your reservation online by pruchasing tickets or by calling 619-320-4942 or email at reservations@childrensnatureretreat.org. See you soon!

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PRIVATE SUNSET AND NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR

Nov 4, 2020 - ongoing

Learn how to capture the essence of the late-day light and magical nighttime beauty of America’s finest city, on an Instagrammable private photography tour. Whether mastering how to shoot our outstanding coastal scenery or our lit-up fairytale-like urban wonders, your private tour will be led personally by Julie Kremen, an award winning professional photographer and certified tour guide. Read the reviews and see why she is top-rated on TripAdvisor, and Yelp.

Julie works closely with you before the tour to nail down exactly what you want to concentrate on so you can get the most out of your experience. Contact us to book a private session, boost your shooting skills and make your friends say “Wow!” when they see your photos!

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San Diego Casinos

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Explore Julian

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Wine Tasting in Ramona

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PRIVATE CUSTOMIZABLE ICONIC CITY HIGHLIGHTS TOUR

Nov 4, 2020 - ongoing

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Friday Night Dive-In Movie

May 7 - ongoing

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The Great Annual Pumpkin Festival

Oct 1 - Oct 31, 2021

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PRIVATE SUNSET AND NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR

Nov 4, 2020 - ongoing

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East County on Instagram

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Activities

Receive 10% Off!

Children's Nature Retreat

Valid: Jul 19 - ongoing

Enter the coupon SAN10 at check out and earn 10% off!

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History & Heritage

Kids Go Free to the Warner-Carrillo Ranch House

The Warner-Carrillo Ranch House

Valid: Oct 1 - Oct 31, 2021

Built in 1857, the Warner-Carrillo Ranch House served as the Butterfield Stage Stop and was California's first regular overland stage connection with St. Louis. With its multilayered history, the...

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Tours & Sightseeing

Save 20% on an Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure

Amazing Scavenger Hunts by Urban Adventure Quest

Valid: Jan 1 - ongoing

Turn San Diego's Old Town or Balboa Park into a giant game board with this fun Scavenger Hunt Adventure. Combine the excitement of the Amazing Race with a three-hour city tour. Guided from any smart...

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Seven Best Mountain Hikes

Explore San Diego's Surprising Mountain Landscapes

These 7 best mountain hikes in San Diego County offer beautiful landscapes, spectacular views, and are just around an hour's drive from the beach.

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Hiking

Go Climb a Rock!

Taking adventure to the next level

San Diego climbers discovered long ago that the county has amazing climbing and some of the finest bouldering this side of Joshua Tree.

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Breweries

10 Stop Brew Hop in East San Diego County

East County craft beer itinerary

Try this eastern loop that takes you through El Cajon, Alpine, Julian, Ramona, La Mesa and Santee. If you want to do the full loop, you'll need the entire day, but you could also break it into just the northern breweries (Ramona and Julian) or just the southern breweries (Santee, Alpine, La Mesa and El Cajon). You might also want to consider booking a brewery tour that will chauffeur you around while you enjoy a few samples at each stop.

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Hiking

Hiking Safely in San Diego

Safety helps assure a great hiking experience

While San Diego County's environments are generally safe, there are some safety considerations that all hikers should be aware of while out on the trails.

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Visitor planning guide

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