While Temecula has been home to the Pechanga band of Indians for centuries, the area around the Old Town portion of Temecula began to attract outside settlers in the 1850s when Butterfield Overland Stage Company created a coach stop for it’s west coast mail delivery service. The stop drew newcomers, who established farms and ranches, as well as support services for the stage coach like supply shops, inns, and Temecula’s first official U.S. post office. The Civil War put the stage coach service out of business, but the area continued to develop.

Historic yet ever-evolving, the picturesque buildings are today home to Temecula’s City Hall, performing arts venues, shops, gastropubs, breweries, tasting rooms, and museums. This one-day itinerary guides you through a day where you’ll visit the town’s museum, browse local specialty shops, visit tasting rooms, and dine at the top spots around town.

Breakfast in Old Town

Since much of the activity in Old Town revolves around eating and drinking, I’d start off on the lighter side with a latte and a mini quiche or croissant at Le Coffee Shop on 4th Street. It’s coffee shop owned by a couple from Provence, and the treats there are authentic and always fresh. If you prefer a heartier meal and table service, visit the Swing Inn Cafe. It’s a diner and BBQ joint that’s been serving locals since the 1920s, and now owned by actor Dean Norris from Breaking Bad. On Saturday mornings you could also try the weekly Farmers Market, where they sell fresh pastries, coffee drinks, and food gifts. One could make a breakfast out of that. 

Need more breakfast ideas? There’s a whole list of Old Town brunch suggestions in our dining guide.

Explore Temecula’s History

When breakfast is complete, stroll up 4th Street to admire City Hall and grab a map from the visitor center. Then, walk over to the nearby Temecula Valley Museum. They have a permanent photography collection that showcases the history of the area, plus a few rotating exhibits as well. The museum also offers walking tours of the historic buildings in Old Town. One just happens to be right next to the museum. St. Catherine’s Catholic Church, built in 1917, is the first church building in Temecula. The museum also puts on free “culture days” on the 2nd Saturday of every month, that celebrate a specific region or culture’s history, food, and music.

Another way to tour the town is to wait until evening and go on a ghost tour with Old Town Temecula Tours. You’ll visit the old jail and other haunted spots with a local historian and “paranormal investigator.”

A few historic buildings to take note of as you make your way around town:

• The Welty Building at Old Town Front St. and Main St., built in the 1890s and now the home to the Temecula Olive Oil Company.
• The Burnham Store on Main Street, also built in the 1890s, which now houses The Merc.
• The Hotel Temecula on Main Street, built in 1891.
• The Bank on Old Town Front Street, built in 1914.
• The Palomar Inn Hotel on Old Town Front Street, established in 1927.
• St. Catherine’s Catholic Church off Mercedes Street, next to the Temecula Valley Museum.

Lunch – Pizza, BBQ, and More

Before you get too hungry, put your name in at the stylish Goat & Vine, one of the most popular joints in town. With crisp salads, sandwiches, and fresh-from-the-oven pizzas, there’s something for everyone on the menu. If BBQ is more your speed, try Texas Lil’s, an Old Town classic for almost 40 years, serving up plates of baby back pork ribs, St. Louis ribs, and beef ribs. Small Barn is another favorite. It’s a casually elegant outdoor restaurant with the kitchen housed in a historic building. You’ll find items like a Farm Quiche, Ahi Tuna, Seared Scallops, and a Barn Burger on their elevated brunch menu Fridays through Sunday.

Explore Temecula’s
Unique Boutiques

In the afternoon, browse the shops for locally made gifts, antiques, and specialty boutiques. A popular spot is the Temecula Olive Oil Company on Front Street, where you can taste their homemade, locally grown, and produced olive oils and vinegars. The Temecula Lavender Company carries dried lavender, bath goods, and other items made from the harvest of local lavender farms. Taos Traders, right next door to the lavender shop, is a gorgeous gallery of jewelry, sculpture, and artwork by Native American artists not to be missed. 

If you’re looking for a new look to show off in wine country, stop in at Weld + Wool  to design a custom cowboy hat, then ladies, head over to Under the Willow on Front Street, or Kim and Cloth on 6th Street to find the perfect outfit to go with it. Gentlemen should check out River and Roads for clothing with a western bent. It’s in the same building as the Press Espresso coffee shop if you need an afternoon pick-me-up.

Visit Old Town Tasting Rooms

Wine country isn’t the only way to place to taste in Temecula. Several fantastic new wine bars have opened in the last couple of years. La Fata Cellars pours terrific wines from the Temecula and Santa Ynez Valleys in a chic tasting room on 5th Street (try the Estate Syrah). Big Nose Winery is a charming family winery located at the historic Hotel Temecula on Main Street and offers 13 award-winning wines. Pamec Winery recently opened a patio bar right out on Front Street and serves beautifully made natural wines. Stone Church Brewing has 18 beers on tap and the perfect patio to sit and people-watch from on Front Street. Visit Crush & Brew if your group is a mix of wine and beer lovers. They serve local varieties of both as well as expertly made craft cocktails.

If you’re with young kids, and tasting isn’t an option, Pennypickle’s Workshop is Temecula’s Children’s Museum and has lots of fun ways to keep the kids entertained.

Dinner
Fusion Small Plates, Steak, or Italian

For an evening of elegant dining and wine pairings, make a reservation at Corbeaux Wine & Tea House across from City Hall on Mercedes Street. The chef curates a seasonal menu of French-Asian small plates that are perfectly prepared and plated—it’s the best food in town. Steak lovers and those looking to stick with an Old West vibe should mosey over to The Gambling Cowboy. It’s an old-school “chop house & saloon” with a grand wooden bar and walls teeming with deer heads, cowboy-themed nostalgia. Steak is the star of the show here, with filet, prime rib, and ribeye. But like most steakhouses these days, they have fresh seafood options as well, including lobster, salmon, and king crab legs.

Italian food-lovers might opt for Bottega Italia. It’s a bright and cheerful café owned by local entrepreneurs, Alex & Charity Prestifilippo, who also run two other Italian restaurants in town and Poggio Leano Winery & Vineyard. They have freshly made pizzas and pastas, and their seafood options are some of the best in town.

Finally, for a more casual night, or an evening with your kids (or pooch) in tow, try 1909. They’ve an eclectic, crowd-pleasing menu, tons of outdoor seating, and a fantastic cocktail list. I’ve never had a bad meal there.

Old Town Nightlife:
Dancing, Live Music, or Wine Bar

On Friday and Saturday nights, bars transform into nightclubs, especially at the south end of Front Street, where you’ll find live music at Baily’s, a rooftop view at Luke’s, and line dancing at The Stampede. In the center of town, there’s more live music at The Old Town Blues Club, and jazz concerts at The Merc. For those, plan ahead and get tickets. A unique late-night spot in Old Town is a dark and sexy speakeasy called Thompson and Twain. They have an extensive cocktail menu, and their bartenders are some of the most skilled in town. They’re located inside Crush & Brew, seating is first-come, first-served.

For a quieter evening, step into Two Travelers Wine Bar and Merchant at the corner of 5th Street and Mercedes. It’s a personal favorite, with a wine list hand-selected by their staff sommeliers and cozy seating nooks. On Sundays, they open up cellar selections of older wines. It’s a nice way to end the day. 

Getting Around

Old Town Temecula is entirely walkable. The whole town is about 8 or 10 blocks long—depending on where you start counting from—and 3 long blocks deep. There is free parking along the streets and in public lots all over town, and a covered parking garage next to City Hall on Mercedes Street that is also free. It’s also an easy 20-minute Uber or Lyft ride from wine country, which is probably the way to go if you plan on enjoying a few of the bars or tasting rooms.