1. Cal-A-Vie
City: Vista, CA
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (760) 945-2055, (866) 772-4283
Address: 2249 Somerset Road
Description: Cal-a-Vie, nestled away in North County Inland, is a refuge from the stresses and strains of modern living. With only 24 guests and a staff that outnumbers their clients, the privacy and pampering are beyond compare. The low-calorie cuisine is an adaptation of classical gourmet foods, minus the fats. The emphasis is on flavor and the exquisite art of presentation.The fitness course, tailored for each guest, is invigorating. You’ll find classes from aerobics and body shaping to pool activities and stretching. There’s a long morning and afternoon hike within the 200-acre landscaped compound. Even the most indulgent guests feel spoiled by soothing European therapies such as massage, body scrubbing, and aromatherapy. A favorite is the seaweed wrap, said to promote detoxification and replenish nutrients in the skin.The main objective of Cal-a-Vie is to re-educate guests about the fundamentals of a healthier lifestyle. Evening lectures cover topics such as fitness, nutrition, safe and sane weight loss, and stress management. There’s also a class on cooking low-fat, highly delicious food.The Bath House at Cal-a-Vie features a hot-stone massage room, aromatherapy room, outdoor tented massage room, and a lounge with a vaulted wood-beam ceiling illuminated by a skylight, beneath which guests can rest on luxurious daybeds and sofas. The Bath House’s hand-hewn plaster walls are painted in cool blue and aqua colors and are dimly lit by 18th- and 19th-century gilded lanterns and chandeliers imported from France and Italy, while its pale stone Turkish floors lead guests to the Jacuzzi area.Cal-a-Vie offers packages for three, four, and seven nights, including spa cuisine meals, fitness classes, spa treatments—even workout clothes. Theme weeks, including one on women’s wellness and another on high-intensity fitness, are interspersed with regular spa weeks—make sure you choose a week that suits your expectations.Women-only and coed sessions are available, and there’s complimentary transportation from Lindbergh Field. The spa also offers package plans. The European Plan includes meals, accommodations, all therapeutic treatments, and fitness classes for about $6,595 a week. The California Plan includes meals, accommodations, all fitness classes, and six body treatments for about $6,095.
2. Obon Summer Festival
City: Vista, CA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (760) 941-8800
Address: 150 Cedar Road
Description: This classical Japanese festival features dances (odori) and displays of taiko (the incredible Japanese drums), along with ethnic foods and crafts. The festival is usually held between the end of July and the middle of August and begins about noon on Saturday and Sunday and continues to 8:00 p.m. The admission to this perfect outing is free.
3. San Diego Workout
City: Vista, CA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (760) 724-6941
Address: 1010 South Santa Fe Avenue
Description: Four racquetball courts are available for public play at this facility, and reservations are accepted up to a week in advance. Rates are $10 per person per hour for nonmembers. Hours are 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Saturday, and 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday. Their Del Mar club (Workout4Life, 2010 Jimmy Durante Boulevard, Del Mar, 858-481-6226) offers fitness classes for kids as well as kickboxing, yoga, Pilates, and more for adults. The Escondido branch (409 West Felicita Avenue, Escondido, 760-871-6600) offers the same classes for adults and babysitting for children.
4. La Paloma Restaurante
City: Vista, CA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (760) 758-7140
Address: 116 Escondido Avenue
Description: Located outside of the usual restaurant area, La Paloma serves up fresh, savory, and spicy favorites. Although it’s a struggle to name the best choices, we love the shrimp and lobster meat fajitas and the camarones con pollo cilantro (tender shrimp and sliced chicken breast sautéed in sauce and spices and topped with cheese, avocado, and cilantro). All meals are served with rice, beans, and tortillas. You can be cautious with tacos and tostadas and burritos or reckless with bistec vaquero, a large steak charbroiled and topped with mushrooms, garlic, and onions. La Paloma is open daily for lunch and dinner, and you can dine indoors or on the patio.
5. Ufo-Upholstery Fabric Outlet
City: Vista, CA
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (760) 941-2345
Address: 1120 North Melrose Drive
Description: No, you will not find E.T. at this store, but rather great bargains from the Upholstery Fabric Outlet. If you’re in the market for fabric or for the accessories it takes to re-cover or design anything, this is the store. At UFO you’ll be tempted by first-class merchandise. Although the sales happen rarely, the clearance table may hold a few finds.
6. Orchid Source
City: Vista, CA
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (760) 727-2611, (888) 727-2760
Address: 2426 Cherimoya Drive
Description: If you’re hooked on orchids, you’ll have to include this place on any plant-seeking expedition. Here you’ll find cymbidiums, oncidiums, phalaenopsis, cattleyas, and dendrobiums by the score. All plants are of premium quality, and the helpful staff will tell you what each one requires to keep it happy. They’ll also give you plenty of instruction on how to get started in the exotic world of orchids.
7. Avo Playhouse
City: Vista, CA
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (760) 724-2110 (for tickets)
Address: 303 East Vista Way
Description: Owned by the city of Vista, this 382-seat neighborhood playhouse was elegantly restored in 1948 in art nouveau style. The proscenium stage has a modified thrust, which allows actors to get closer to their audience. During the winter season, November through March, a small handful of productions are staged here. It’s also an important North County venue for youth and community productions.
8. Moonlight Amphitheater
City: Vista, CA
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (760) 724-2110
Address: 1200 Vale Terrace Drive
Description: An outdoor theater in North County Inland that rivals the Hollywood Bowl, the Moonlight hosts musicals, comedies, and dramas that you can watch under the stars. The theater has recently produced Seussical the Musical, The Sound of Music, and Singin’ in the Rain. There is some seating, but for a truly memorable experience, plan to sit on the grass (which is terraced). Arrive early and stake out a picnic spot. Bring low chairs and blankets and pillows, and of course a picnic supper. Adults and children love this, and if the little ones tucker out, they can nap on a blankie.
9. Antique Gas And Steam Engine Museum
City: Vista, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (760) 941-1791, (800) 587-2286
Address: 2040 North Santa Fe Avenue
Description: Located about an hour’s drive from downtown San Diego, this museum is devoted to early engines and early-20th-century farm equipment. If you want to see what early farm life was like, this is the place. Located on more than 40 acres, most in cultivation, the museum collects and displays working historical gas-, steam-, and horse-powered equipment. Period displays include a blacksmith shop, gristmill, country kitchen and parlor, steam-operated sawmill, and small gas-powered train. Fairs are held the third and fourth weekends of June and October, with demonstrations of how the engines and apparatuses on-site actually work. During these events visitors of all ages can enjoy food, crafts, and music. The museum is open 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. daily. Admission is $3.00 for adults, $2.00 for children.
10. The Wave Waterpark
City: Vista, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (760) 940-9283
Address: 101 Wave Drive
Description: It’s a strange feeling to put on a swimsuit or grab your beach towel for a day in the waves and then head away from the ocean, but Insiders do it all the time. The Wave Waterpark is a dynamite place to cool down on any San Diego day from May through September.This $3.8 million state-of-the-art aquatic park is municipally operated and geared to families. Its attractions include the Flow Rider, four waterslides, a Crazy River, a competition pool, and a children’s water playground. Admission for those taller than 42 inches is $14.00; it’s $10.50 for seniors and kids under 42 inches tall. Children younger than age 2 are welcome at no charge. The park is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. June through the end of August. Throughout the year it’s available for kids’ parties and swimming lessons; in summer there are weeklong day camps for kids age 7 to 15.
11. The Wave Waterpark
City: Vista, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (760) 940-9283
Address: 161 Recreation Drive
Description: This is a wet and wild adventure for kids and parents. Be sure to read all about it in the Attractions chapter, then come sample the fun at this $3.8 million, state-of-the-art, municipally operated family aquatic park. It’s open from May through September. If you’re interested in swimming lessons for the kids, it’s wise to reserve a space ahead of time.The attractions include the Flow Rider, four waterslides, a Crazy River, a competition pool, a children’s water playground, and drive-in movie nights. Admission for those taller than 42 inches is $15; it’s $11 for seniors and kids under 42 inches tall. There’s no charge for kids age 2 and younger. During the summer (June through the end of August) it’s open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., though the park admonishes that hours are subject to change.