Rancho Guajome Adobe — Attraction in Vista

We paid for the tour of the Rancho Guajome Adobe as my son is in 4th Grade and learning California History. First the ranger gave a presentation/intro, then we were explained the self-tour process. The binders given out show the actual images of what we were looking at and without too many words to follow along - this binder is returned at the end of the tour. They also give pamphlets with lots more words and explanations - we chose to keep one pamphlet to read more in depth later, but returned the rest to be re-used. The only reasons this site lost any stars is because: First, part of the house was furnished by Hollywood for a movie so its not the original furniture/style of the Rancho. Second, the stairway to and from the guard tower is very low and I hit my head and got a concussion. I am only 5'9" but forgot to remove my hat indoors so never saw the warning colors on the low hanging ceiling. Lastly, some artifacts have not been maintained and are in slow decay thus losing heritage - I wish they could be restored or better preserved.

Overall, this was a great learning experience and gave insight into the Rancho period of Californian history. We were very glad to...

It is so nice to have historic and natural spaces within the urban/suburban sprawl. I need a place to walk without cars and noise. We were the only people in the park when we arrived midmorning on a Thursday. The museum store was open. We walked around the Hacienda and then followed the trail, looped around the sports park and headed back. There were several people at the sports park, but we passed only one solitary jogger on the trail. There was a team of maintenance workers in the gardens near the Hacienda when we returned, but mostly or was a nice, quiet walk on a beautiful, sunny but cool day. Also the restrooms were open both in the parking lot in front of the Hacienda and near there climbing structures in there Sports Park. This is a wonderful resource, and there are apartments available a short walk from the sports park (at Melrose and Bonier). This trail is the perfect path for a...

Vista’s Rancho Guajome Adobe is one of the area’s premier examples of Spanish Colonial-era architecture.

The 22-room home was built more than 170 years ago and is now included on the National Register of Historic Places.

Though it was once a sprawling private estate, it’s now part of a public park that encompasses more than 100 acres.

Guided hacienda tours are a great way to get a glimpse into the area’s interesting culture and history. For those who’d like an outdoor adventure later on, the park’s grounds are full of well-marked paths, varied environments, and lots of plants...