Apple Pies & Desert Skies: A Self-Guided Driving Tour
San Diego, USA
- 4 to 6 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
What's Included
- App & Tour Download
- Downloadable Content (pre-download tour to save data)
- Flexible Usage (unlimited access within 30-days)
- A Smartphone
- Admission to Attractions
- Transportation
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Plaza Del Lago Center3440 Del Lago Blvd, Escondido, CA 92029, USA
Use your favorite navigation app to make your way to the parking lot at the Plaza Del Lago shopping center, located at 3440 Del Lago Blvd, Escondido, CA 92029. Once you're there, open the Drives & Detours app and tap "Start Tour".
End point
- 12450 Highland Valley Rd, Escondido, CA 92025, USA
The tour ends one exit south of where it begins, just off Pomerado Rd.
Operating hours
- 04/17/2023 - 06/24/2027
Monday - Sunday : 6:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Itinerary
1
Queen Califia's Magical Circle
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Lake Wohlford (Pass By)
Pauma Valley (Pass By)
2
Palomar Observatory
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
East Grade Road
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Henshaw Scenic Vista Observation Site
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Santa Ysabel Indian Mission
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Montezuma Valley Road
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
8
Borrego Springs Serpent Sculpture
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
9
Julian
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Most travelers can participate
- Palomar Observatory Closes at 3PM
- Anza Borrego Visitor Center Closes at 5PM
- Mom's Pies in Julian Closes at 5PM
- Eagle Mine in Julian Closes at 4PM
- Queen Califia's Has Extremely Limited Hours
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.1
based on 17 reviews
Stacey_P, Oct 2025
Love the tour but the narrator was not good. There is so much history he could have talked about, but 1/2 the time he didn’t talk. So we weren’t sure if the app was working.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Glad you enjoyed the tour (overall) and thanks for taking the time to share your feedback! There are a few sections that are either technical or where we assume you'll want to just enjoy the views, but we'll review the route and see what and where we can add more content. Also, if you have any specific suggestions or ideas we would absolutely LOVE your input, so please feel free to reach out to us at feedback@drivesanddetours.com
Sabrina_L, Jul 2025
If you go the wrong way you kind of know because talking won't start for audio. I loved that there was audio to tell us some history of each spot. I would totally do this again with others and I'm definitely utilizing the 30 days full access you get. I've lived in San Diego for 34 years and I still saw stuff I've never seen before. Just a heads up, we spent 7 hrs on this adventure and still didn't get to do 1 thing because it was closed and didn't get as much walking around as I would like, I was with my older parents. Definitely plan for a FULL day or break it up over the 30 days you have access.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed it! We'll consider adding some more detail to the description for folks who plan on walking around and spending time at some of the stops. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, we really appreciate it!
Sarah_K, Oct 2024
We had never tried a trip like this before. We had a great time. The app worked perfectly. The sculptures at Barrago Springs are amazing and we would not have seen them if not this trip. The app worked well, we loved the history and appreciated the advance warning if the road was windy or not.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thanks Sarah, that's great, we're glad you enjoyed the drive! It's actually the staff favorite too. Appreciate you taking the time to leave a review!
Rebecca_O, Jun 2024
After grabbing some coffee my husband and I started the tour with our children. We really enjoyed this tour because it was at our own pace and we got to do it in the comfort of our own car. I loved the areas this tour covered because the views were so beautiful. We would have never chose to go out of our way to do this otherwise. And the fact that we were learning about the history and finding other gems to travel back to, like the observatory. I highly recommend this tour to adults and families alike. You will be so glad you treated yourself. The set up is super easy and the GPS function follows you and updates automatically while you are on the road.
Response from Host, Jun 2024
We're glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Pete_M, Jun 2023
It’s a cool product. You can see other tours. It took a bit to figure out but it was interesting to hear the history of the area and do it at my pace.
Response from Host, Jun 2023
Thanks for the review, glad you enjoyed it!
From $14.99
per group (up to 7)up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Apple Pies & Desert Skies: A Self-Guided Driving Tour
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