Located in northeast San Diego county, the town of Ramona is a good choice for visitors to the area who want to get off the beaten path. Wineries, horse activities and golf are all available right in Ramona, which also offers good access to better-known San Diego attractions, like the Wild Animal Park, Sea World or Legoland.
Wineries
A recent addition to California's wine industry, the Ramona Valley wineries specialize in handcrafted wines grown on relatively small vineyards. There are four wineries in the Ramona Valley, most planted in the 1990s or later, that offer tours and have tasting rooms. Eagles Nest has a wide selection of grapes in a spectacular setting, Mahogany Mountain focuses on red wines, Pamo Valley is strictly a syrah producer and Schweasdall makes a wide variety of wines, aged in European-style barrels.
Eagles Nest Winery & Cottage
18261 Chablis Road
Ramona, California 92065
(760) 505-8229
eaglesnestwinery.com
Mahogany Mountain Vineyard & Winery
14905 Mussey Grade Road
Ramona, California 92065
(760) 788-7048
mahoganymountain.com
Pamo Valley Vineyards & Winery
20849 Burma Road
Ramona, California 92065
(760) 271-3090
pamovalleyvineyards.com
Schwaesdall Winery
17677 Rancho De Oro Road
Ramona, California 92065
(760) 789-7547
schwaesdallwinery.com
Horses
Set in a valley with rolling hills, cool weather and riding trails, Ramona hosts horse events throughout the year. There is an annual rodeo in May and shows featuring riding or dressage are frequent. If you have a horse, you can take advantage of the public riding trails that dot the area and enjoy views of the local scenery. Horses are available to rent at stables throughout the area and you can get information about local vendors at Livery Feed & Ranch Supply.
Livery Feed & Ranch Supply
2537 Main St.
Ramona, California 92065
(760) 789-5582
Ramona Trails Association
ramonatrails.org
Golf
The Ramona area's two golf courses are hidden treasures, tucked into a valley with rolling, wide fairways. The course at San Vicente is a hilly Ted Robinson design with water cutting across half of the fairways and serious bunkering around many greens. Though the fairways are generally wide, accurate shots are a must, particularly around the greens. Rates start at $57. At nearby Mount Woodson, elevation changes define this resort course, which is a par-70. This scenic course has a 450-foot wooden cart bridge that winds through the course, giving golfers a treetop view of the course and the area. Rates start at $82. There are many other courses within a reasonable drive from Ramona.
San Vicente Inn & Golf Club
24157 San Vicente Road
Ramona, California 92065
(800) 776-1289
sanvicenteresort.com/golf/proto/sanvicenteresort/
Mount Woodson Golf Club
16422 North Woodson Drive
San Diego, California 92065
(760) 788-3555
mtwoodson.com
About The Author
J.D. Chi is a professional journalist who has covered sports for more than 20 years at newspapers all over the United States. She has covered major golf tournaments and the NFL as well as travel and health topics. Chi received her Bachelor of Arts in professional writing from Carnegie Mellon University and is working toward a master's degree in journalism.
