Day Tripper: Vista, California
Next time you’re cruising Highway 78 between Oceanside and Escondido, stop in Vista and stay a while. Little known to many San Diego County residents, yet much beloved by its more than 100,000 citizens, this incorporated city—only seven miles from the sea and boasting a Mediterranean-like climate—is home to a variety of distractions.
As one might expect from a township whose official flower is a lilac, bird is a hummingbird, and tree is a palm, Vista’s history is somewhat romantic. It begins with the Luiseño Indians, the original inhabitants, followed by the 1798 founding of the San Luis Rey Mission, and continues to the Hispanic era and the Mexican government’s land-grant ranchos. Today, Rancho Buena Vista Adobe and Rancho Guajome still stand and are cherished examples of this historic walk back in time. So, allow me to introduce you to Vista in 2018.
Rendezvous With Ranchos
Tours available Thursday & Friday, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm (Please Note: Last tour starts at 2:15pm) and Saturdays 10:00am - 1:00pm, Last tour starts at 12:15pm. The 45-minute tour includes a short video presentation. Cost is $3 for Vista residents or seniors, $4 for non-residents, $1 for students, and 50¢ for children.
Though ensconced in a tiny enclave surrounded by the activity of a bustling suburb, a short stroll along a brick walkway leads to the serenity and charm of the fabled days of the Rancho Buena Vista Adobe—“the birthplace of Vista.” A hitching post, a colorful mosaic, and a gnarled California pepper tree signal your arrival to the hacienda estate, whose previous owners include a Hollywood film producer and his silent-screen star wife, as well as a private in the U.S. Calvary.
Day-use Hours: Sunrise to sunset, daily, Museum Hours: 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Wednesday – Sunday, Guided Adobe House Tours: 12 p.m. Wednesday – Sunday and 2 p.m., Saturday – Sunday, Self-Guided House Tours: 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Wednesday – Sunday
Surrounded by a bit more land, it’s not difficult to imagine the lifestyle and happenings of the twenty-room adobe rancho house, Rancho Guajome (pronounced “Wah-hoe-meh”), in its heyday—from elaborate fiestas to spirited rodeos. Known for its Anglo-Hispanic architecture, it has been recognized as a National Historic Landmark.
Shop Apothecary Off Main
Hours: Tues-Sat: 11:00 am - 6:00 pm; Sunday & Monday: 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
In the shopping arena, a standout for its uniqueness is Apothecary Off Main, whose owner Traci Lawson seeks out products (preferably local) that are not found elsewhere. “I try to find items no one else carries, and when they do, I move on,” explains the homegrown Vista resident.
Eat, and Eat, and Eat
A food aficionado as well, Lawson recommends the sweet potato pancakes at Curbside Cafe; buffalo chicken nachos at 508 Tavern; Partake Gastropub for “the best hamburger in North County—no, make that San Diego County”; URBN Coal Fired Pizza for the only pizza this non-pizza lover eats; and Flying Pig Pub & Kitchen for its prime-time atmosphere and everything pork.
Plan Your Eats
Breakfast at Curbside Cafe, open 6:30am-2:30pm daily
Lunch at 508 Tavern, open Sunday 12pm-8pm; Tuesday to Thursday, 1pm-9pm; Friday and Saturday, 1pm-10pm; closed Monday
Lunch at Partake Gastropub, open Monday to Thursday, 11:30am-8:30pm; Friday and Saturday,11:30am-9:30pm; Sunday, 10am-8:30pm
Lunch at URBN Coal Fired Pizza, open Sunday to Wednesday,11am-9pm; Friday and Saturday, 11am-10pm
Dinner at Flying Pig Pub & Kitchen, open Monday to Thursday, 4:30pm – 9:00pm (Bar til’ 10:30); Friday, 4:30pm – 10:00pm (Bar til’ 11:00); Saturday, 1:00pm – 10:00pm (Bar til’ 11:00); Sunday,11:00am – 9:00pm *Monday to Friday happy hour from 4:30pm-6:00pm. Kitchen opens at 5:00pm
Drink
Add to the lineup 15 breweries, one meadery, one winery, and San Diego County’s oldest farmers’ market and Vista’s food and beverage scene is deliciously complete.
Check out the Vista Brewers’ Guild website to plan your tasting tour.
Go to Market
Open every Saturday from 8 am to 1 pm, rain or shine, the Vista Farmers Market is known for such local produce as artichokes in winter, Asian pears in the fall, and boysenberries every summer. The market also features handicrafts, a gardener’s market, and food vendors serving up specialties such as stuffed hash browns and Belgian fries (accompanied by mayo, of course). Its mission: “To create a place where, whenever possible, you can buy food from the person that grew, caught, made, collected, or otherwise fostered its creation.”
Go to a Show
Though it’s not Broadway and it’s not even Off Broadway, this place is not to be missed. Imagine sitting on a lawn under the stars and watching a performance of “Mamma Mia!” or “Chicago”—this is a night at Vista’s Moonlight Amphitheatre.
The perfect complement to this open-air venue is the AVO Playhouse, a little theater known for its big productions. Located on the city’s historic Main Street, it’s housed in the town’s former movie theater and projects a back-in-the-day vibe expected of a place featuring an old marquee above its entrance.
Nature Calls at the Alta Vista Botanical Gardens
Hours: Monday to Friday, 7:30am-5pm; Saturday and Sunday, 10am-5pm
Located near the Moonlight Amphitheatre is a completely different outdoor experience found within the many acres of the Alta Vista Botanical Gardens. Attracting hikers, walkers (dogs welcome too), and lovers of nature, a stop at the covered picnic table near the entrance that oversees the sprawling grounds is a must for everyone. The goal of this land, known for its art installations, butterflies, and assorted trails, is “to bring together people, nature, and art.”
Remembering Times Past
Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum
Hours: Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm; Saturday and Sunday, 9am-3pm
Located at the end of a dirt road is the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum. Known for a bevy of treasures including operational steam engines, antique gas and diesel tractors, and a vintage Firestone sign, it is also noted for its annual events, such as Civil War reenactment each March.
Commemorating another time and another war is the Veterans Memorial Park, which opened on April 24, 2016, in honor of Marine Pvt. Ernie Pinamonti who was killed in Vietnam. The poignant centerpiece of this one-acre park is a bronze sculpture of Pinamonti reading a letter, and embedded in the walkway leading to the statue are letters to and from Pinamonti—the last one referring to his death (tip: bring tissues).
While San Diego County is a mosaic of municipalities—all different, all special—just one visit to this North County town reveals that the “V” in Vista stands for variet
