Travel Guide: The Perfect Bachelorette Weekend in Temecula, California
Looking for a fun bachelorette party destination within two hours of Los Angeles? We highly recommend considering Temecula! We recently returned from Kelcy’s amazing bachelorette weekend & we already want to go back.
Kelcy’s getting married in June in Montana, so we wanted the vibe of the bachelorette to be similar to the wedding as a little pre-cursor to the main event. We originally had an Airbnb booked in Joshua Tree for the festivities, but after Coachella announced their dates with weekend two being the same weekend as the bachelorette, we knew we had to pivot if we didn’t want to be sitting in 4+ hours of traffic to & from the destination. Fast forward to a beautiful weekend with 14 amazing women in beautiful Temecula – wine country just 90 minutes from LA and an hour from San Diego! We predict it will be a bachelorette hotspot among the likes of Santa Barbara & Palm Springs in the coming years, so we hope you get inspired by our itinerary below!
the Bachelorette Weekend Itinerary
Friday: Arrivals & Old Town Temecula
The day had finally arrived! We piled into the cars with trunks filled to the brim with drinks & snacks and headed to Temecula! We arrived just in time for lunch at PUBlic House in Old Town Temecula. We didn’t have a reservation since we weren’t entirely sure how long the drive would take us, but luckily our group of six didn’t even have to wait. When we arrived, there was a whole section of the restaurant being taken up by a wedding party & their families, so the bachelorette vibes were already kicking in from the get-go. After lunch (and a couple of drinks!), we headed to our Airbnb to check-in, unpack, get settled & await the arrival of the other girls driving in.
Once everyone was ready, we hopped in Ubers/Lyfts to Old Town Temecula for dinner at 1909. After dinner, we decided to hit the town! We tried to stop into Old Town Pub & Grub since our Lyft driver had recommended it, but they were charging a $10 per person cover which we were really surprised by. We ended up walking up the street & into Adelaide – a cute restaurant/bar with a dance floor, great music & cute décor. After a couple of hours, some of the girls went home to get their beauty rest, while the rest of us headed outside & toward the music for more dancing at Baily’s – a huge outdoor bar with a live DJ on stage. We shocked ourselves by staying out until almost 2am, an obvious sign of a good time.
Saturday: Pool Party & Wine Tasting Tour
Saturday morning was the perfect slow start that we all needed. We made breakfast in our Airbnb’s beautiful kitchen & enjoyed coffee, Bloody Mary’s and mimosas on the backyard patio. Side note: We absolutely loved Target’s new Favorite Day Bloody Mary mix (can’t find the mix online, but here’s their margarita mix so you can get a sense of what the bottles look like)! Next, it was time for a Love Island-themed pool party complete with pool floaties via FUNBOY, drinks & plenty of the bride’s favorite snacks. Before long, it was time to head back inside & get ready for an afternoon of wine tasting!
At about 2:15pm, we were picked up in a private shuttle led by SoCal Wine Tours! Our tour guide & driver brought the energy & took us to three different wineries. Our first stop was Danza Del Sol where we had a typical tasting of six wines (the reds were our favorite!). Next up was a semi-private tour at Somerset where we were able to have two tastings during the tour (including one directly out of a barrel!) and six tastings at our leisure by providing tickets to the two bartenders while we enjoyed the sun & atmosphere. Our last stop was Lorimar where we were seated outside for dinner, more wine, and dancing to a live band that was so good & entertaining! By 9:30pm, we were back at our Airbnb to change into our comfies and play bachelorette games.
Sunday: Farewell Brunch & Final Tasting
After a wonderful sleep, we all woke up & started going through the Airbnb’s checkout list. Some of the girls headed home in the morning while some of us wanted to make one last stop at Ponte Winery before driving back to LA. We arrived to the beautiful grounds shortly after 10am, and their main restaurant hadn’t opened yet. We ended up walking through the rose garden to the adjacent hotel on their property for brunch at Bouquet.
If you’re looking to create your own itinerary, we hope our curated list of recommendations helps you plan the bachelorette weekend of your bride’s dreams!
Where To stay
“wine Country Estate” Airbnb
We absolutely loved our Airbnb! The house was situated on a hill with a working vineyard right outside, which really made us all feel like we were living in luxury. The single-story home featured three large bedrooms with plenty of comfortable beds so that all fourteen of us had our own single bed (or shared a King with another person), and there were even beds to spare! The living room and kitchen were arranged in an open concept, complete with a kitchen island & plenty of seating. The backyard patio had a couch, grill, and expansive grassy yard with a pool and pool chairs.
The house was located only minutes from nearby wineries and about a 20-minute drive from “downtown” Temecula. It was quiet, serene & such a pleasure to stay there! We had no idea how comfortable 14 girls could be in a single house until we stayed here. And like the reviews mention, the pictures are gorgeous but don’t even do the décor & property justice!
Ponte Vineyard inn
Adjacent to Ponte Winery, we walked through the halls of Ponte Vineyard Inn on the way to breakfast at it’s Bouquet restaurant. According to their website, the 90-room boutique hotel offers elegant interiors, fine amenities, and a relaxing ambiance. We felt like we were transported to a faraway destination (not 1.5 hours from LA!) thanks to the gorgeous vineyard views and easy access to an amazing tasting room & gorgeous grounds.
Temecula Creek Inn
For those that like to golf or enjoy being around a golf course, we suggest staying at Temecula Creek Inn. With 300 acres of natural scenery & sprawling oak trees, the inn is a bit secluded and located outside of the downtown area. The property’s farm-to-table restaurant, Cork Fire Kitchen, is a favorite among many that we cannot wait to try next time we’re in Temecula!
wineries to visit
Ponte Winery
We didn’t want to leave Temecula before stopping into Ponte Winery, and we’re so glad we did! Not only are the grounds gorgeous, with blooming rose gardens & vineyard views, but the tasting room is huge & includes an expansive gift shop. We enjoyed walking up to the counter & sampling the wines while standing. It felt very much like what we’re used to doing in Santa Barbara and Carmel tasting rooms, and we absolutely loved it! They also have a great restaurant where they make their own bread, but we arrived before the restaurant opened at 11am.
lorimar Vineyards & winery
We visited Lorimar Vineyards & Winery as the last stop on our wine tour, and we were incredibly impressed! While we didn’t visit the tasting room for a typical wine tasting experience, we enjoyed dinner al fresco & ordered delicious food and, of course, bottles of wine. They have live music & the band was so young, fun & good! They performed mostly rock classics, and it was so much fun to hit the dance floor in between bites!
somerset Vineyard & winery
We visited Somerset Vineyard & Winery for the second stop on our wine tour! We didn’t stop into the tasting room, but we did enjoy wine on their expansive outdoor seating area. There were two outdoor bars set up where guests could either get a single tasting, or a full glass of wine. We were lucky enough to take part in one of their vineyard and winery tours that they offer on weekends. We were able to taste wine taken straight from a barrel right in front of our eyes – something we can cross off our bucket lists!
Callaway Vineyard & Winery
Founded in 1974, Callaway was the first winery to open it’s doors in the Temecula Valley. Although we haven’t had the chance to visit yet, one of our friends is a sommelier & suggested this winery! We’ve been told that it’s good for big groups considering it’s a large property with beautiful vista & hill views. They offer serve yourself options – simply order & grab wine from a window and find a spot outside to enjoy. According to their website, it looks like they also host live music events!
Leoness Cellars
Another winery suggested by our friend who is a sommelier, Leoness Cellars also offers stunning views. They have multiple wines that have been rated 90+ points by Wine Enthusiast Magazine and other major wine publications, and we’re excited to see how they compare to the other wines we tried while we were there. We’ve also been told they have a great restaurant, although it may be hard to get into!
Monte de Oro
This was the third winery recommendation by our sommelier friend, primarily due to their great restaurant. Unlike the other wineries that have more of a quaint feel, Monte De Oro looks like it could have been plucked from the hills of Italy or Spain! We’re eager to go back to see what it has to offer.
where to eat
PUBlic House (yelp)
We dined here for lunch at the very start of our trip, and it may have been our favorite meal of the trip! The outdoor patio is enclosed enough to give it that perfect indoor/outdoor feel. We loved the hummus, jalapeño Caesar salad, and mac n’ cheese, while our friends really enjoyed the burgers & sandwiches. There is so much more on this menu that we can’t wait to try next time – including the goat cheese toast & portobello compote pasta!
1909 (Yelp)
Recommended by our Airbnb host & our banker (who grew up in Temecula!), 1909 had a fun, busy vibe. Next time, we’ll definitely opt to sit inside versus on the street patio. The menu includes what would initially appear to be a classic American food menu, but with a twist that incorporates global flavors! We really enjoyed the falafel burger on a naan bun (why aren’t there places in LA that have this?!), and we’d love to come back for brunch.
The Goat & Vine (Yelp)
We didn’t make it to The Goat & Vine this time around, but we definitely want to make sure to visit next time we’re in Temecula! While they’re not the best choice for large groups since they only have one table they reserve for parties of 6-8 people, we’ve heard amazing things from friends who have visited. They make their own bread, pizza dough, sauces & dressings from scratch every single morning starting at 3am, and we absolutely cannot wait to try their pizzas & sandwiches.
We’re already looking forward to going back to try all of the other restaurants & wineries on our list. If anyone has any other recommendations, please share them in the comments! We’ll definitely be making a trip to Temecula again soon & would love to try out your favorite spots.