Vacation spot within 1 hour of San Diego? (Orange, Carlsbad: fit in, 2013)

[GoHuskies]

Hello SD forum,

Jan 2018 trip to SD that will last a week, looking to finish it off with another 3 days relaxing somewhere more remote yet within an hour drive of the city center (willing to push that to 1.5 hours).

Not particular about setting so long as it's less crowded. Rural woody areas, wineries, and beach towns are all on the table. No kids involved.

What small towns or getaway locations do SD residents recommend?

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by GoHuskies

Hello SD forum,

Jan 2018 trip to SD that will last a week, looking to finish it off with another 3 days relaxing somewhere more remote yet within an hour drive of the city center (willing to push that to 1.5 hours).

Not particular about setting so long as it's less crowded. Rural woody areas, wineries, and beach towns are all on the table. No kids involved.

What small towns or getaway locations do SD residents recommend?

Anza Borrego State Park.
http://www.visitcalifornia.com/desti...ert-state-park

Stay in Borrego Springs. We like the Borrego Valley Inn(https://highwaywestvacations.com/pro...regovalleyinn/), but there are other options in town.
This is a good guide:
http://www.abdnha.org/anza-borrego-state-park.htm

It's a tad over an hour and a half from downtown, but the drive there is itself incredibly beautiful.

Other options might include Julian, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Laguna Beach or Temecula.

But, let's face it, you can see beaches, woods, and wineries (and suburban sprawl) in New Jersey, where you're from.

What you can't see in New Jersey is a wide open, uncrowded desert landscape as radically amazing and different as Anza Borrego.

And, January is the perfect time of year to visit Anza Borrego.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by GoHuskies

Hello SD forum,

Jan 2018 trip to SD that will last a week, looking to finish it off with another 3 days relaxing somewhere more remote yet within an hour drive of the city center (willing to push that to 1.5 hours).

Not particular about setting so long as it's less crowded. Rural woody areas, wineries, and beach towns are all on the table. No kids involved.

What small towns or getaway locations do SD residents recommend?

Temecula for wineries, Fallbrook for a Rural area and any number of beach towns maybe Encinitas. There are other places like Julian that are nice but a longer drive.

[Axxlrod]

SD doesn't really have rural wooded areas. We have rural desert areas.

We have wineries in Temecula, and plenty of beach towns of course. You might even want to go a little further up the coast into Orange County to with Laguna Beach or Newport Beach. Those are more crowded though.

[Jenkay]

Originally Posted by Axxlrod

SD doesn't really have rural wooded areas. We have rural desert areas.

Laguna Mountain and Palomar Mountain areas don't count? They're wooded. Lots of Oak woodland in Santa Ysabel and other areas as well. They're not going to be deep pine woods like you'd find on the East Coast, but it's a completely different climate, so...

[Axxlrod]

Originally Posted by Jenkay

Laguna Mountain and Palomar Mountain areas don't count? They're wooded. Lots of Oak woodland in Santa Ysabel and other areas as well. They're not going to be deep pine woods like you'd find on the East Coast, but it's a completely different climate, so...

Not to somebody from New Jersey whose backyard is most likely a forest compared to those mountains. It's all relative.

[tstieber]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

Anza Borrego State Park.
Spotlight: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park | Visit California

Stay in Borrego Springs. We like the Borrego Valley Inn(https://highwaywestvacations.com/pro...regovalleyinn/), but there are other options in town.
This is a good guide:
Anza-Borrego State Park - Planning Your Desert Trip

It's a tad over an hour and a half from downtown, but the drive there is itself incredibly beautiful.

Other options might include Julian, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Laguna Beach or Temecula.

But, let's face it, you can see beaches, woods, and wineries (and suburban sprawl) in New Jersey, where you're from.

What you can't see in New Jersey is a wide open, uncrowded desert landscape as radically amazing and different as Anza Borrego.

And, January is the perfect time of year to visit Anza Borrego.

Good point!

[tstieber]

Originally Posted by Axxlrod

Not to somebody from New Jersey whose backyard is most likely a forest compared to those mountains. It's all relative.

I also think our local mountains and woods are pretty awesome! We have more than just desert (ever notice the weather forecast on TV? Mountains vs Desert?) You gotta cross the mountains to get to the desert! And both are beautiful in their own right. Whether or not it's 'as wooded' as New Jersey, it's still wooded:

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by tstieber

I also think our local mountains and woods are pretty awesome! We have more than just desert (ever notice the weather forecast on TV? Mountains vs Desert?) You gotta cross the mountains to get to the desert! And both are beautiful in their own right. Whether or not it's 'as wooded' as New Jersey, it's still wooded:

Good post

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by tstieber

I also think our local mountains and woods are pretty awesome! We have more than just desert (ever notice the weather forecast on TV? Mountains vs Desert?) You gotta cross the mountains to get to the desert! And both are beautiful in their own right. Whether or not it's 'as wooded' as New Jersey, it's still wooded:

Absolutely agree that our mountain areas are beautiful -- Mount Palomar, Mount Laguna, Julian. I love them!

However, in January, when this poster is visiting, chances are it will be cold and possibly even snowy (as one of your great pictures shows) in the mountains. Someone from New Jersey might have had enough of cold and snow by January and be looking for a more warm weather get away.

That's one of the reasons I suggested Anza Borrego. Depending on which route he takes, he can still get a taste of the mountains by passing through Julian (or Mount Laguna) on his way out to the desert. He could even stop at a few of the wineries in Ramona on the way. But, then, he can enjoy the warm, sunny weather and fantastic scenery out in the desert, which really is something he can't see in New Jersey.

Speaking of weather, I also think the beaches in Southern California are beautiful any time of year. However, unlike Florida or the Caribbean, the poster may or may not be aware that the ocean here is usually too cold for swimming in January (unless you have a wet suit, of course). So, if the poster just wants to stroll on the beach, a beach town would be great. But, if he's picturing laying out in the sun and swimming, the desert may be a better option in January (there's always Palm Springs too). He also requested uncrowded and rural; I wouldn't call any Southern California beach town "uncrowded" or "rural" really, although they're all lovely.

Another possibility for the poster that hasn't been mentioned yet: just stay put for a few nights at the same hotel, and do day trips. All of the places mentioned above are all very do-able as day driving trips from downtown. That way, you can fit in a little of everything.