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By Miriam Raftery
Lodging opportunities in San Diego’s inland region have dramatically expanded in recent years. Several Native American tribes have opened up elegant casino resorts, many also offering live entertainment, spas, and other amenities. Many national hotel chains have moved into East County and Northeast County cities.
Or opt for historic inns with rustic charm, cabins, forested campgrounds, or eclectic options such as staying in a yurt, floating cabin, covered wagon, or at a llama preserve.
There are also private vacation rentals available through companies such as Airbnb, Vrbo, HipCamp and Booking.com, as well as through realtors.
Below are highlights of lodging options, from luxurious resorts and spa retreats to mountain lodges, cabins, campgrounds and much more to assure an enjoyable and memorable stay.
East County’s Mountains
Experience history at the Julian Gold Rush Hotel. Built in 1887, this is the oldest continuously operating hotel in Southern California. Or retreat to the exclusive Orchard Hill Country Inn, a Craftsman-style establishment in historic Julian. You can also enjoy a unique stay at Wikiup Hummingbird Hotel and llama preserve in Julian. Find many more lodging options in the Julian area at https://visitjulian.com.
County parks such as William Heise County Park have cabins and campgrounds. There are also campgrounds within Cuyamaca Rancho State Park at Green Valley Falls and Paso Picacho.
Lodging and cabin accommodations are available at the Laguna Mountain Lodge on Mt. Laguna. Mt. Laguna also has campgrounds, such as Burnt Rancheria Campground, are renowned for dark skies great for stargazing. Reserve a camping spot on Mt. Laguna.
Ramona wine region
Ramona’s wine region has many lodging options.
San Vicente Golf Resort has a newly renovated championship course that is considered one of San Diego’s most scenic courses, as players navigate through the changing scenery that features beautiful oak trees, waterfalls and ponds. The resort also features lodging, dining, and the Riviera wellness spa.
Ramona Valley Inn is conveniently located in the heart of downtown Ramona on Main Street. Offering affordable accommodations, the inn’s rooms combine rustic charm with modern comforts. There’s a seasonal outdoor pool and pet-friendly rooms available.
Riviera Oaks Resort and Racquet Club is nestled in the San Vicente Valley. Riviera Oaks Resort and Racket Club features 16 tennis courts and a spa. Their spacious villas offer fully equipped kitchens and fireplaces.
San Vicente Golf Resort features lodging, dining at the Oaks Grille and Pa Lounge featuring California cuisine and local wines. You can also pamper yourself at, the Riviera wellness spa and tee off at a championship golf course complete with waterfalls, ponds and oak trees.
San Diego Country Estates is set amid rolling hills adjacent to Cleveland National Forest . It features apartment-style accommodations and many on-site recreational activities including basketball, tennis, pickle ball, and recreation room with games and movies. There’s also a spa, fitness center, pool and fire pits. Fun fact: the site once hosted the first “Battle of the Sexes” tennis tournament between Bobby Riggs and Margaret Court, before the famous match elsewhere when Billie Jean King defeated Riggs.
Ramona has a variety of eclectic vacation rental options. For example, you can try glamping in a yurt, go retro at Vintage in the Vineyard—a 1964 camper at Hatfield Creek Winery, search Air BnB or Vrbo for homes, condos and cabins available to rent, or even splurge with a stay in a castle!
There are also RV stay sites such as Ramona Oaks RV Park, as well as camping, cabins and RV sites at Dos Picos County Park.
Dos Picos County Park, Spanish for "two peaks," has cabins for rent, RV and tent camping, as well as a playground and lake for fishing.
Deserts
In the desert region, Borrego Springs is known for its hotels and resorts, including:
- La Casa del Zorro Desert Resort & Spa is a luxury resort with casitas that have private hot tubs or pools, as well as hotel rooms, spa services, several restaurants and a bar.
- Palm Canyon Hotel & RV Resort looks like a Western movie set complete with a saloon.
- Borrego Springs Resort & Spa is a comfortably appointed, dog-friendly hotel.
- Borrego Valley Inn is a Santa Fe-style, adults-only retreat with hot tubs and pools.
- Rams Hill Golf Club in Borrego Springs offers stay-and-play options and an 18-hole Tom Fazio-designed course with breathtaking views and challenging play.
You can even stay in a covered wagon at Banner Ranch, located between Julian and Borrego Spring
Campsites abound at Anza Borrego Desert State Park, including:
- Borrego Palm Canyon Campground, with 120 campsites that offer scenic mountain views, hiking trails and amenities like potable water and flush toilets
- Tamarisk Grove Campground, with 27 sites offering manicured grounds, nature trails and cabin rentals
- Bow Willow Campground, with 16 “first-come, first-served” campsites offering vault toilets and scenic views
- Blair Valley Campground, with free, primitive campsites that have vault toilets
- Culp Valley Primitive Campground, with spacious sites, metal fire pits and pit toilets
The high desert town of Jacumba Hot Springs is a popular destination for relaxing, wellness-oriented overnight stays or longer at the dramatically renovated Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel. The newly revamped Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel features 20 “chic” rooms, including suites and private casitas with private hot spring soaking tubs, as well as poolside decks with firepits. There are also offsite properties, including guest houses for larger groups that can accommodate up to 12 people.
Native American resorts
Sycuan Casino Resort features a luxury hotel with live entertainment, gaming options, myriad restaurants and bars, a large spa; and a pool complex with a lazy river all owned by the Sycuan tribe.
Viejas Casino & Resort combines gaming, dining and entertainment. Both the luxurious onsite Viejas Hotel and the Willows Hotel & Spa at Viejas offer adults-only (21 and over) accommodations.
Jamul Casino Resort now includes a high-rise boutique hotel with spa, rooftop pool and fine dining plus live music and a variety of restaurants.
Barona Resort & Casino on the Barona reservation in Lakeside includes a 400-room hotel, award-winning golf course, day spa, five restaurants, and beautiful landscaped grounds including a lake.
The San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians operates the Valley View Casino and Hotel which also has restaurants, an all-you-can-eat buffet, plus live entertainment at the Main Stage Bar. The Native Oaks Golf Club nearby is also run by the tribe.
The Rincon Band of the Luiseño Nation owns Harrah’s Resort Southern California located in the newly named “Funner” community in the Valley Center area east of Escondido. The resort includes a hotel, pool with swim-up bar, wellness spa, golf, live entertainment and activities. You can also visit the Rincon Road Reservation Brewery.
The Pala Band of Mission Indians reservation 54 miles northeast of San Diego has Pala Casino Resort offering live indoor and outdoor entertainment at its events center and Starlight Theater, a hotel, RV park, and more. The resort features indoor and outdoor concerts, a hotel, pool with waterfalls and firepits, and an RV resort, too.
Rural areas
Ayres Lodge Alpine blends Western ambiance with modern amenities. A 97-room hotel, it offers scenic views and pet-friendly options. Red Hawk Ridge in Alpine bills itself as a quaint mountain escape and features luxury log cabins ideal for weddings and retreats. It is adjacent to the Cleveland National Forest.
Lake Morena County Park offers fishing, camping, picnicking spots and hiking/biking trails and is near the Pacific Crest Trail.
Dulzura Winery and Vineyard has a guest suite tucked upstairs from its tasting room in Dulzura, just south of Jamul. The winery is situated on a ranch dating back to 1885.
Vineyard Hacienda in rural Spring Valley a four-star adobe estate, doubles as a wedding venue and bed & breakfast inn.
Rivers and lakes
Lake Jennings offers picturesque camping in Lakeside, with recreational opportunities including fishing, hiking, and a wide range of boating rentals including glass-bottom canoes.
The Kumeyaay Lake at Mission Trails Regional Park has tent camping.
Cities
El Cajon has a Courtyard Marriot hotel downtown within walking distance of the Magnolia Performing Arts Center, shops and restaurants. There’s also Hampton Inn and Suites across the street from Parkway Plaza regional mall. A Holiday Inn Express offers lodging in La Mesa. Lemon Grove has basic but affordable lodging at the Rodeway Inn.
Santee Lakes has campgrounds, cabins and even floating cabins complete with firepits and shared pedal boats. Santee also has a Best Western hotel and the beautiful Carlton Oaks Lodge next to Carlton Oaks Golf Course.
Northeast County
In Northeast County, accommodation is plentiful, with many major hotel chains clustered in Escondido, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo, including options like SpringHill Suites by Marriott Escondido, Best Western and Holiday Inn Express.
The Rancho Bernardo Inn offers a distinctly country club atmosphere, complete with an acclaimed 18-hole championship golf course.
For unique and high-end retreats, the region is home to several spectacular getaways: the globally recognized four-star Golden Door spa retreat; the Hyatt-owned Lawrence Welk Resort and The Ranch at Bandy Canyon, for a rustic-chic event and lodging venue.
There are also camping options including at Palomar State Park, where you can also stay at the historic Bailey House lodge built in 1880. Cabins are available to rent in the vicinity through private companies such as Vrbo or Airbnb.
East County Magazine thanks the Conrad Prebys Foundation for its generous grant to fund our series of guides to East County's many attractions and activities, benefiting residents, visitors, and our local economy.
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