Love vacationing in small towns? Have you heard of San Jacinto? Well, I’m here to give you some reasons why you should visit a small town called Hemet, located in the San Jacinto Valley area. I’ll share three specific reasons why a small town vacation should be on your bucket list this year!
Why A Small Town Vacation Should Be On Your Bucket List {hemet}
I first fall in love with “the Valley” back in 2015 on a press trip to the San Jacinto area. During our trip then and now, we toured the Valley area, including a little town called Hemet. I have mentioned before how I love small towns.
Coming from a smaller city where everyone knows everyone, I get small towns. However, the pride you find in small towns is something to treasure. I’m not saying people in the major cities don’t have a love for their city, but small towns– its different.
Let’s dig into the reasons why small towns are cool and WHY you should put the San Jacinto area and Hemet on your travel bucket list.
1. Foodies Will Love It
In Hemet (and the surrounding SJV area) you will find some amazing foodie spots. If you know me, you know I LOVE to find good places to eat. You will find places like authentic Mexican food at Emilio’s, to La Michocanna’s for a sweet Mexican treat.La Michocana makes dairy-free ice cream (made with water) much to my heart’s desire.
Love BBQ? Then Sweet Baby Janes is the place to go for Baby Back Ribs and Pork Ribs with BBQ sauce. The meat was cooked perfectly with pieces just falling off the bones. And the sauce had a mix of a sweet and tangy taste. Perfection. For lunch, you have two great choices, Destination Coffee House or The Downtown Deli and Coffee Co. Both spots offer great choices, including healthy options for those vegans and gluten-free foodies.
For a night out with your sweetheart and you want something fancy, head to The Country Club at Soboba Springs. It’s the perfect place for quiet, elegant dining. And if you love golfing, this is the best place to go for a top-notch golfing experience. I had their Salmon and it was juicy, tender and seasoned to perfection.
And because you’re in California, you are surrounded by beautiful views and wine country. There are several vineyards you can visit in the San Jacinto area, with wine tastings and food. Get more information here.
During my trip out to California I had plenty of time to get acquainted with the 2017 Sportage SX AWD. I was able to test out the gas mileage, which allowed me 23-24 on the highway and about 20 in the city. Although not as high as I would have liked, the gas mileage was about average for a midsize SUV like the Sportage. Although it was just me on the trip, the Sportage would make the ideal car for anyone with a small family or someone who is looking to purchase their first car, and although it’s classified as an SUV, it drives more like a car, which I enjoyed.
2. The Views
Let’s talk about the gorgeous views you will find in the San Jacinto area. Yes, you can find gorgeous views all around the country. But in SJV, it’s beautiful, and it’s quiet. Many times I like to find down time during my travels to just rest and reflect. I think a lot of what’s going on in my life, things that need to be done, goals I need to achieve, and time to recharge before going back home to a busy life. Hemet and the SJV come through every time. We went out on a boat ride around Diamond Valley Lake. Trust me, the photos you see here does not give this Lake any justice. You need to see it in person.
When you take a ride throughout wine country, you will find breathtaking views as well. We stopped by Monte De Oro Winery and Bel Vino Winery. The views around the valley are just beautiful! All of them are breathtaking.
See what I mean? You can’t go everywhere to find gorgeous views of the mountains.
3. Quaint Things To Do
There are quite a few things to do in the Hemet and SJV area. I am just going to list them since I talk more in-depth about them in my Visit Hemet post.
- Do you love to hear stories about what the ladies wore during the Victorian age? Head to Hemet Bridal Museum and meet Eve. She is the sweetest thing and loves to share stories about what the women wore back then. Plus, you will get to look at beautiful bridal dresses.
- Tour the Historic Hemet Depot. This Depot is one of the oldest structures in the area, with artifacts and exhibits about the Native Americans, local history, and even a Thomas Kinkaid print.
- The Western Science Center. Be sure to check out their mastodons discovered during the excavations, affectionately known as Max, Xena, and Little Stevie.
- Simpson Park is a great place to go hiking.
- Love art? Be sure to check out the DeMoss orchid and art gallery and the Diamond Valley Art Gallery.
- The Estudillo Mansion was built in 1884 and housed over 26 families. It was listed as a historic landmark in 2001. After leaving the museum, but sure to stop by the San Jacinto Museum for a quick tour and check out more memorabilia from this era.
- The Equine Retirement Center will bring joy to your heart. You will love to hear what they are doing to save Championship Racing Horses. And they rely on donations to keep their doors open.
- And you must go to the outdoor play, the Ramona Bowl. This is truly a gem located in the heart of the San Jacinto Valley. Know as “America’s longest-running drama since 1923,” Ramona Bowl is more than just a place to be entertained. History happened, and it’s played out live on the hills of San Jacinto Valley. If you’re not familiar with the novel Ramona, Helen brings attention to the plight of the Native Americans.
There are so many more places I could squeeze into this post about things to do and places to eat. I will mention, as you’re planning a trip to the Hemet area, check out the Golden Village Palms RV Resort. Not only can you get a feel of a fantastic and fun place to retire (or have a second home in an RV community), you can also rent out a cottage while you’re enjoying your stay in this quaint little town.
As I wrap this up, here’s a little more information about the things I liked about driving the 2017 Kia Sportage while staying in Hemet:
- Panoramic Sunroof with Power Shade
- Heated and Cooling Seats
- Smart Power Liftgate which is great for when you have full hands.
- Lane Departure Warning which is a great safety feature that tells you when you drift into a new lane.
- AM/FM/CD/MP3/SiriusXM Audio System
- 7″ Color Touchscreen
- Voice-Command Navigation System
- Rear Camera Display
- Parking Assist with Front and Rear Sensors
- Blind Spot Detection
As I sit and reflect why I love this small, quaint town, I always come back to the people. It’s obvious the pride shown on their faces, in their hearts, and throughout their work of how much they love their community. I see people working together, collaborating on how to make their town better. How do they bring the fast-moving technology, jobs, a better economy, and reasons for people to move to Hemet? By putting aside, the “I” and working together as a team. From the Mayor down to a small business owner, everyone is aware of the moving parts around their town, and contribute to the awareness of putting Hemet on the map.
Yes, Hemet may not be Disney World. And it’s not San Diego. But it’s a Hemet. A place to go for a different type of vacation. Trust me; you will have fun, but you will have to take off your regular diva travel glasses and open your eyes to possibilities.
Once you see it, you will start to see travel in a whole different light.
“People don’t take trips; trips take people.”
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