Things to do in Escondido
Agua Hedionda Lagoon
Agua Hedionda Lagoon, located just minutes from downtown Carlsbad, is the largest recreational lagoon in San Diego County. This 388-acre salt-water lagoon offers separate areas for recreational activities. The eastern section is a passive use area for vessels without motors such as boardsails, kayaks and sailboats. The middle section is exclusively for powerboats, and the western area next to I-5 is for personal watercrafts. Best Western Escondido lodging is nearby.
Carlsbad State Beach
Carlsbad State Beach is located on the San Diego Coast. It offers swimming, surfing, scuba diving, fishing and beachcombing. This small beach is located at the foot of coastal bluffs, south of the town on Carlsbad. Call 760-438-3143 for more information.
Dixon Lake
Dixon Lake is open year-round. Gates open at 6:00 a.m. daily; park closes at dusk. Night fishing is available during the summer months Call 760-839-4680 for more information.
1700 North La Honda Drive, Escondido, CA
San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park
San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park, east of Escondido, honors the soldiers who fought in the battle between the U.S. and Californio forces on December 6, 1846 in the midst of the Mexican-American War. Generals Stephen Kearny and Andres Pico both claimed victory. The battle was only one of the military encounters in California in the war, but it proved to be the bloodiest and most controversial as to the outcome. The park has been set aside, not as a monument to war, but as a reminder of the human ideals, actions and passions that can drive nations to bloodshed. Call 760-737-2201 for more information.
Wild Animal Park
The Wild Animal Park is an expansive wildlife sanctuary that is home to more than 3,500 animals representing more than 400 species. Its renowned botanical collection represents 3,500 species and 1.5 million specimens. Over half of the Park's 1,800 acres have been set aside as protected native species habitat. It is located 35 miles north of downtown San Diego in the San Pasqual Valley near Escondido, California. Call 760-747-8702 for more information.