Some trips are about escape. Others are about reconnection. The best girlfriend getaways manage to provide both. My recent two night stay at Pechanga Resort Casino landed squarely in that sweet spot, delivering a mix of indulgence, relaxation, and laughter.
Located in Southern California’s Temecula Valley, Pechanga sits within a truly stunning setting. Wide-open blue skies stretch endlessly above rolling vineyards and gently undulating hills, framed by the Santa Ana Mountains to the west, the Palomar Mountains to the south, and vast swaths of the Cleveland National Forest to the north. Sunsets are particularly breathtaking here, the sky fading from bright cobalt to shades of soft pink, lavender, and gold.
Two of us arrived via a smooth Mercedes Sedan transfer from Ontario Airport to meet our Temecula-based buddy. The three of us stepped into the resort’s buzz, and immediately shifted into getaway mode.
High Floors, Higher Spirits
For a girlfriend getaway, the guest room or suite is more than a place to sleep; it’s home base, headquarters, and the backdrop for catch-up moments. Pechanga features two guestroom towers, and our corner suite on the 13th floor of the Resort Tower was perfectly situated. Key-card access added a touch of exclusivity, while expansive views of the mountains and golf course added a cinematic quality. Our suite became the place to settle in, reminisce, sip, and simply revel in time spent together. It featured a spacious living area with dining table and mini bar, a deep soaking tub complete with a playful rubber ducky, luxurious L’Occitane bath amenities, and a Nespresso Vertuo machine for morning coffee and afternoon pick-me-ups. Generous closets, plush robes, a clothing steamer, and dual televisions added to our comfort.
The Dining Lineup
One of Pechanga’s strengths is that you don’t feel compelled to leave the property to dine well. We enjoyed several of the resort’s culinary offerings, such as at Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar, a sleek, seafood destination helmed by chef Charles Adkins. Adkins has worked in and run sushi restaurants across the inland Southern California and Palm Springs areas for more than 30 years. It shows, as Umi has been named the second best casino restaurant in the country by readers of USA Today. The menu offers everything from oysters on the half shell and tuna tataki to inventive crudos and specialty rolls. We loved the nigiri selection and the Hot Rock Wagyu where we seared slices of the delicacy on a scalding stone, right at the table.
AAA Four Diamond Great Oak Steakhouse was another dining highlight. Casino-adjacent, but separated by Tiffany-inspired glass walls, the fireplace-warmed dining room felt quiet and intimate. We shared a bone-in ribeye, seared scallops, lobster bisque, a wedge salad, Hasselback potatoes, and roasted Brussels sprouts. And though we brought our own bottle from one of Temecula’s highly regarded wineries, we oohed and ahhed over the vast wine collection, recognized with Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence. Some of the collection is visible within the semi-private chef’s room flanked on two sides by temp-controlled glass walls that house the wines. (This room also allows guests a front row seat to the restaurant’s new exhibition kitchen.)
Spa Pechanga
Large, serene, and beautifully designed, the resort’s 25,000 square-foot spa was a highlight. It’s easy to see why it was just ranked the #2 spa in the country and #2 spa in California by Spas of America. Indoor and outdoor hot tubs, a pool lined with chaise lounges, and multiple relaxation areas made it easy to spend nearly the entire day moving between our varied treatments. My Journey of the Payómkawichum massage was a standout. It began with a 20-minute guided sound experience inspired by the ancestral route of the Payómkawichum people, from the Temecula Valley to the Pacific near Oceanside. Wearing headphones and an eye mask, and surrounded by native botanical scents, the experience gently guided me to a calm state, setting the stage for my ultra-relaxing massage. A HydraFacial followed, leaving me glowing and refreshed. One detail we particularly loved: the ability to order a delicious lunch and enjoy it in our choice of the tranquility room, the second-floor outdoor terrace, or poolside.
Golf is a Must
Journey at Pechanga, the resort’s golf course, is a stunner—7,219 yards of rolling fairways and dramatic elevation changes, designed by Arthur Hills and Steve Forrest to highlight the natural beauty of the Temecula Valley. Post-brunch at Journey’s End (rated one of the most popular brunch spots in the region), we enjoyed a fun group lesson with charismatic LPGA professional Ashley Tang, whose tutorial managed to summon a few stellar shots from each of us. Afterward, Ashley toured us through the course’s oak-studded hillsides. Even for those of us who don’t regularly swing a club, it was impossible not to be awed. It’s easy to see why golf enthusiasts rank this among the top public courses in the state.
A Little Retail Therapy Never Hurts
Between spa appointments and dinner reservations, we made time to browse LUXE, Pechanga’s luxury boutique. Designed with big winners in mind, it carries an impressive selection of high-end goods—Gucci, Chloé, and Burberry handbags for instance—that make shopping playful and aspirational, even if you’re just looking.
A Getaway That Checks All the Boxes
Pechanga succeeds as a girlfriend getaway because it offers options without obligation. You can fill your days with spa treatments, dining reservations, shopping, and even a bit of gambling—or you can do very little and still feel indulged. The setting is beautiful, the accommodations feel special, and the experiences are varied enough to suit different moods and personalities.
What helps to elevate the visit is the people. From drivers and front desk staff to spa personnel and servers, the hospitality team brings an easy warmth that makes a large resort feel approachable. There’s a genuine sense that guests are meant to enjoy themselves.
We arrived expecting a fun time away. Expectations fully met, we departed refreshed, reconnected, and already talking about when we might do it all again.
Photos courtesy of Pechanga Resort Casino, unless otherwise noted
