1. Pala Mesa Resort
City: Fallbrook, CA
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (760) 728-5881, (800) 722-4700
Address: 2001 Old Highway 395
Description: About a 90-minute drive north of San Diego and just off I-15, you’ll find one of the area’s nicest resorts. Peaceful and serene, the resort has 133 rooms, all with nearly 500 square feet of space for lounging about on the cushy pillow-top mattress or on the private patio. Bestowed with the coveted four-star rating by Golf Digest, the impeccable golf course is designed in a classic style that challenges players at every turn. There are also four lighted tennis courts, a workout room, dining at the hotel’s restaurant, and relaxing at the lounge.
2. Fallbrook Country Inn
City: Fallbrook, CA
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (760) 728-1114
Address: 1425 South Mission Road
Description: Popular as a getaway, the Fallbrook Country Inn specializes in wedding accommodations. In addition to the graciously appointed bridal suite, the inn offers 28 country-style rooms for family and friends. The garden, a riot of cascading annuals, makes a perfect setting for the ceremony.All rooms have king- or queen-size beds, cable and color television, spacious baths, and patios. Some of the rooms have kitchenettes, and one is designated for smoking. Children are welcome, but pets are not. You can spend your days lounging poolside, visiting the antiques stores that are aplenty in Fallbrook, or checking out the art galleries and handcrafted jewelry stores that dot the main street.
3. Pala Mesa Resort
City: Fallbrook, CA
Category: Golf
Telephone: (760) 731-6803, (800) 722-4700
Address: 2001 Old Highway 395
Description: Tucked away in Fallbrook, just off Interstate 15 in North County Inland, Pala Mesa is considered one of the best truly traditional courses in the county because of the stately trees, manicured greens, and extensive fairways. Lots of seniors and those with weekday flexibility come here Monday through Friday. Golf and overnight packages are available.The course is lush and especially delicious, we think, in the fall when the trees hugging the fairways change colors. Pala Mesa has rolling fairways, edged with pines and sycamores, and a challenge at every turn. The mountain views are spectacular on the 6,502- to 6,131-yard course. It’s a par 72 with a 131 slope.The signature hole is the 11th because of the view. You get a 360-degree panorama portrait of the area. Don’t be shy about admiring it. If you have room for a camera in your golf bag, it’s worth taking one along to take this shot back home.Prime-time greens fees (noon to 3:00 p.m.) are $59 Monday through Thursday, $85 Friday through Sunday. Reduced rates apply for morning, twilight, and supertwilight hours. A GPS-equipped golf cart is included in the price; the dress code (collared shirts, no denim) is enforced.
4. Fallbrook Hospital
City: Fallbrook, CA
Category: Health Care
Telephone: (760) 728-1191, (800) 647-6464
Address: 624 East Elder Street
Description: The Fallbrook Hospital, a 140-bed healthcare organization operated by Community Health Systems, Inc., has served the people of Fallbrook, Bonsall, Rainbow, De Luz, and Temecula Valley since 1950. It provides both high-tech care and loving high-quality caring to North County Inland residents.The staff calls it “a hospital without walls,” since it offers home-health nursing, a hospice program, private home services, and a nurse-monitored walking regimen (part of their Cardiac Rehabilitation program). At the hospital proper, you’ll find a women’s center and services, a skilled nursing facility, and emergency programs. You’ll also find active volunteers who bring a pet-therapy program to patients.