Floating 5,200 feet above ground in a basket with 15 other people is not how I usually spend Saturday mornings.
As we pulled up to the open field in Temecula,
Calif., before 6 a.m. and I watched a large red balloon
inflate to the equivalent of an 11-story building, I
wasn’t sure why I had committed to this excursion.
Once the initial anxiety wore off, though, I was able to
enjoy the calm ride and serene views of the vineyards
below and surrounding mountains.
As I learned on the Pechanga Resort Casino fam
trip, this hot air balloon adventure is just one of the
many off- and on-site experiences offered groups at
the resort.
Pechanga Resort Casino is located in Temecula,
which is 60 miles north east of San Diego and one of
Southern California’s largest wine growing regions. I
spent the weekend at the property taking in the new
amenities thanks to the $300 million expansion that
wrapped up earlier this year. The resort, owned and
operated by the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians
and first opened in 2002, debuted its new 568-
room Resort Tower, Spa Pechanga, a 4.5-acre pool
complex, new restaurants and an additional 68,000
square feet of meeting space, making it the
largest casino resort on the West Coast.
When I arrived after the hour
drive from San Diego I took ad-
vantage of the complimentary
valet service, headed to
the front desk and was
quickly in my Resort Tower
room. I then realized, I
never saw the casino floor
and almost forgot this
was a gaming destina-
tion. The new function
space is also located in
the Resort Tower, while
the 200,000-square-foot
casino, additional restau-
rants, bars and entertainment venues are located in
the 522-room Casino Tower, just on the other side
of the brand-new lobby. It’s the best of both worlds
and gives attendees and guests the option to have a
resort experience, a Vegas-like casino experience or a
combination of both.
The fam started Friday evening with a Taste of
Pechanga reception at The Cove, the new pool
complex. Food from the resort’s 13 restaurants, wines
from Calloway, a local vineyard and winery, and an
impressive dessert station provided fuel to get the
weekend started. We also got a taste of the new spa
with an Aromatherapy Bar where we got to curate our
own body oil or body cream. The night ended with
laughs at Pechanga’s own Comedy Club located a
level below the casino floor.
On Saturday, after our early morning wake-up call and
my first hot air
balloon ride,
I toured the
expansive property. There was
a beer festival
setting up in the
40,000-square-
foot Pechanga Summit
ballroom, giving
us a look at the
flexibility of the
space. In March
Steve Tyler played the Expansion Grand Opening in this
same room. There are bleachers hidden in one wall
that can be used to for concerts and the second floor
terrace overlooking the room is often used as a VIP area.
Pechanga Summit can be divided into five separate
rooms and has ample prefunction space outside the
doors. The resort also boasts an Event Lawn, another,
nearly 24,000-square-foot ballroom, and additional
meeting and event venues provide a total of 274,000
square feet of indoor and outdoor space.
At the standalone, two-story Spa
Pechanga, I enjoyed a few relaxing
minutes by the facility’s own pool
before indulging in a 50-min-
ute message. I could have
easily spent the whole day
there, but lunch poolside
at The Cove was calling.
Coveside Grill overlooks
the adults-only pool and
adjacent is the all-ages
pool with two waters-
lides and water features
—really topping off the
family-friendly options at
the resort.
As a “foodie,” I was
pleasantly surprised by my culinary experience
at Pechanga. I knew there was a diverse array of
restaurants with all types of cuisines on-property, but
I wasn’t expecting the level of service and quality of
food I received. Especially impressive was the Lobby
Bar & Grill, and its name doesn’t do it justice. Set in
the first level of the Resort Tower, the new restaurant
and bar’s Californian-meets-Mediterranean menu in-
cludes Ahi Poke
Cones, Kurobuta
pork chops and
two options for
Steak & Frites,
while the wine
list is full of local
and International
bottles. I also
enjoyed brunch
the next day at
Journey’s End,
located in the re-
sort’s Golf Club.
The restaurant,
which overlooks
part of the on-site championship 18-hole golf course, is open to all guests and the
public for breakfast and lunch. After five in the evening, it can be used for private events and receptions,
and is the resort’s most popular wedding venue.
In just a couple of days, I discovered a property
and destination that is just an hour north of home but
feels a world away. And now I can say I have been in a
hot air balloon and not just survived, but actually kind
of liked it. m
By Kate Cripe
PECHANGA RESORT CASINO
AN EXPANSION MAKES THIS SOCAL RESORT A DESTINATION
PECHANGA CASINO RESORT
www.pechanga.com
951.770.8551i
More PECHANGA...
MeetingsToday.com
HOT AIR BALLOON OVER
TEMECULA, CALIF.
ON the SCENE
THE COMEDY CLUB, PECHANGA RESORT CASINO
BUDDY, PECHANGA’S
SECURITY ROBOT
SPA PECHANGA
AROMATHERAPY BAR,
PECHANGA RESORT CASINO
PECHANGA’S NEW RESORT TOWER
