When I was selected to be April’s ‘Innfluencer’ for Temecula Creek Inn, I did a little girl scream and then went into planning mode. Temecula is about an hour and twenty minutes from my home, so I don’t get there often but I do love the area for wine tasting. Having a whole day and night in this cute inland town gave me lots of options for exploration, as well as time for relaxation at Temecula Creek Inn.
This post has been compensated by Temecula Creek Inn. All opinions are mine alone.
Old Town Temecula
We arrived into Old Town Temecula around 10 a.m. Most shops open between 10-11 a.m., so this is a great time to park and walk around. The ‘old-timey’ Western style town is bursting with antiques, crafts, restaurants, bars, play houses, wine, cheese and olive oil tasting.
We stopped at the Temecula Olive Oil Company to do some sampling. The flavored oils are very unique as they add fresh ingredients such as basil, jalapeno and garlic into their press with the olives. Everything is sourced locally, so your purchases support the community. Make sure to buy a fresh baguette, as they will bake one for you right there on the spot! Well worth the 7 minute wait. After picking up a few other provisions, we decided it was time to head out into wine country.
Wine Tasting
Next, we stopped at Wiens Family Cellars as they have a spacious patio (both covered and uncovered) surrounded by pretty landscape and grape vines. After sampling some tasty big reds, we took some wine outside to enjoy our picnic. Some wineries will not allow you to bring in outside food, but Wiens is one of the few that will let you do this. Don’t miss the Wiens Cabernet Sauvignon — and if you have time, check out their VIP tasting experience in their private sit-town tasting room. It’s an educational way to taste the very best wines that they offer in quiet, comfortable setting.
Alpaca Petting
Call me crazy, but when I am not in the city, I want to see farm animals. I called up Beth, the owner of the Alpaca Hacienda , to see if she could take us for a quick tour — thankfully she was able to accommodate us! The Alpaca Hacienda breeds and sells high quality alpacas, offers group tours, classes and has an on-site store with unique and luxurious alpaca products. Beth greeted us at her gate and she gave us some information on her farm and the fun tours (and birthday parties!) that she offers. As I was trying to absorb information, I couldn’t help but be distracted by the ridiculously adorable baby alpacas (three of them!) that were curiously checking us out from behind their mothers. These friendly alpacas were packing thick coats, but their valuable soft fiber will soon be shaved as the Spring days start to heat up. After my fill of alpaca pets and squeezes, it was time to head to Temecula Creek Inn for some relaxation and more fun!
Temecula Creek Inn
After a quick and friendly check-in, we headed to our spacious king room with a gorgeous view of the golf course! Temecula Creek Inn offers 27 holes of golf, so the lush green views are expansive.
Our bedroom was well-appointed and comfortable. There was plenty of seating (inside and outside on our balcony), and the room had great amenities such as a mini-Keurig, wine glasses and a corkscrew (which I always manage to forget!)
As we had plenty of time before dinner, my husband and I went down to the driving range and practice greens. My husband was on cloud nine hitting balls, and I soaked up the sun while admiring the rocky mountains and oak trees that populate the property.
The grounds have stylish touches throughout the resort from lighting to landscape. It’s truly a gorgeous property, and it’s easy to see why this is such a popular wedding location.
Dinner at Cork | Fire Kitchen
After a full day of shopping, wine tasting and alpaca petting, we had worked up a serious appetite so we headed to the Inn’s restaurant – Cork | Fire Kitchen. The restaurant is on the second floor and overlooks the golf course with green views that span forever. It’s a lovely location for a romantic dinner.
The Cork | Fire Kitchen sources ingredients from local farms, so as the season changes, so does the menu. Some of the herbs are actually grown right there at the Inn!
Everything looked amazing, so we asked our friendly server Hannah what was popular.
Based on our server’s recommendations, we ordered the Ahi Poke Bowl and the Roasted California Broad Beans & Brussels Sprouts as starters. Not only did everything taste amazingly fresh, but the portions were generous. Still in the wine tasting mood, we ordered vertical wine flights – three tastes from three consecutive years of the same wine from the same vineyard. I had the local Bordeaux, and it was amazing to taste the difference in each year’s version produced. I highly recommend doing the wine flight with a Cork | Fire Kitchen dinner!
Although the appetizers were filling, I still had room for dinner because again, I did a lot of alpaca petting. I ordered the popular Jumbo Shrimp & Grits. The dish offers thick cut bacon, green onions, heirloom tomato, roasted corn, crispy onions and green chile grits. This is comfort food on gourmet steroids. Every bite was delicious and addicting, right down to the creamy smooth style grits. My husband ordered Cast Iron New York Steak with Green peppercorn demi, crispy russet potatoes, citrus marinated grilled asparagus, gorgonzola & braised shallot butter. Needless to say he was a happy boy. I actually don’t make red meat dishes at home, so he was like a kid in a candy store. At one point he asked if we could MOVE to Temecula Creek Inn. 🙂
Good Morning
Although I told myself to sleep in, I couldn’t help but get up to admire the gorgeous sunrise over the golf course. Golfers were already teeing off for the day as mist was rising off the dewy grass.
I could have stared at this view forever, but sadly it was time to pack and go home. What a great mini-getaway, and I can’t wait to go back. I’m hoping my next visit will be with friends, as this is a fun group destination as well.
Thank you to Temecula Creek Inn for hosting my beautiful and relaxing stay. If you would like to visit the Temecula Creek Inn, now is a great time!
- Through the end of Spring (May 31) – stay at Temecula Creek Inn during the weekday for as low as $129/night!
- Enjoy Mother’s Day Brunch at Cork|Fire Kitchen – with made-to-order omelets, hand-carved premium meat stations & hand-made desserts
