Temecula Valley, a boutique, picturesque wine country just about an hour from every major city in Southern California, is everything you dream a destination should be for the holidays. Carolers, horse-drawn carriages, twinkling lights, outdoor ice skating, live theater performances…the entire town gets into the festivities themed “Temecula Chilled” and decorated with winter snowflakes. The hotels offer fresh baked cookies and hot cocoa that can be enjoyed next to their beautifully decorated tree in each hotel lobby.
Temecula Valley features three distinct neighborhoods, all beckoning guests with their authenticity. Temecula Valley Wine Country consists of over 40 award-winning wineries, including restaurants and live entertainment. Old Town Temecula is a 12-block foodie district with specialty shops, wine tasting rooms and live entertainment. Pechanga Resort & Casino wows its guests as California’s largest casino, with 11 casual to fine dining award-winning restaurants, 3800 slots, 130 tables games, an expansive spa, exciting nightlife, and a top rated golf course.
Each of these neighborhoods celebrates Temecula Chilled with “chilled” menu items, holiday decor, special events, and picture perfect settings. Wine Country welcomes guests with a tree of lights as the centerpiece of its round-about on Rancho California Road. Many wineries decorate their entrance signs in hopes to win the Wine Country Chilled decorating contest. The wineries boast their creativity with beautifully adorned trees and festive wine tasting rooms. Also, carriage rides with decorated draft horses offer a light tour at selected wineries. Special events include signature wines, special dinners and live entertainment.
Old Town Temecula fills with holiday music, giant snowflakes and twinkling lights. A 30-foot “chilled” decorated tree on Main Street makes for a beautiful photo opp. Just behind the tree at Town Square Park is large, outdoor ice skating rink. The Santa’s Electric Light Parade travels down Old Town Front Street greeting bundled up families with holiday cheer. Pennypickle’s Winter Wonderland celebrates the season with real snow, a kiddie train, visits with Santa and a night of “chilled” holiday fun. A Holiday Taste of Old Town invites couples, friends and families to food and wine samples, as well as discounts at the specialty shops, while walking through Old Town and taking in the “chilled” spirit of the season. Stage productions like A Christmas Carol and the beautiful Nutcracker ballet play at the Old Town Temecula Community Theater.
Pechanga Resort & Casino displays more than 500,000 lights. There are 24 holiday trees and the 10 nine-foot topiaries to enjoy on the property. Santa also makes several stops at Pechanga. The resort’s team of in-house bakers build, display and sell hand-made gingerbread houses. Visitors can also gawk at, but not eat, the 55-square foot, entirely edible winter wonderland village on display outside the Pechanga Buffet. A Temecula Chilled cocktail special at all bars and restaurants is the Blue Velvet Cocktail, handcrafted with Tito’s handmade vodka, elderflower liqueur, locally sourced lemons, and blue curacao. The Brian Setzer Orchestra performs Christmas Rocks Extravaganza in the Pechanga Show Room.
Each neighborhood brings Temecula Chilled to a culmination with grand New Year’s Eve celebrations. Many wineries offer themed dinner parties with live music and special menus, these are ticketed events that sell out early. Old Town fills with live entertainment and counts down to midnight with a 10-foot grape cluster at City Hall that drops at midnight for both eastern and pacific time. Pechanga Resort & Casino offers special dinners at many of their restaurants and several New Year’s Eve celebrations at the night clubs and on the casino floor, its recommended to arrive early to get your spot at any of their very popular count down areas.
To see all the special event details and holiday activities in each of these neighborhoods, please visit TemeculaChilled.com.