A short 18-miles from the San Diego County coast, the greater Fallbrook area is well known for its gently rolling hills, lush groves with avocados, ancient oak trees, equestrian and walking trails, nature preserves and Mediterranean climate.
Fallbrook is an unincorporated community in northern San Diego County six miles west of Interstate 15 and five miles north of State Route 76. See map.
As you enter the city, you may notice lots of roadside shops and hardly a chain store in sight. In the morning after the sun comes up, early-riser residents head for Main Ave. where they walk their pets, sit on benches reading the daily news in newspapers like people have done for 100 years, and sip coffee or fresh-squeezed orange juice at the Caffé Primo in the First National Bank building.
If it's Friday morning, vendors will be setting up their wares at the Fallbrook Farmer's Market at Village Square in The Friendly Village, as some call Fallbrook. Fresh fruit, flowers, and unique products and produce are sold at the weekly event held usually from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (subject to change.)
The avocado is the top fruit growing crop in San Diego County and Fallbrook is known as the "Avocado Capital of the World". Avocados can garner up to $3 per piece when shipped. Though land for groves has been developed, many orchards have disappeared and avocado growers struggle with water availability issues and less profit than other types of produce, the ease of growing this crop makes it a natural. Del Rey Avocado Company Inc. based in Fallbrook gets much of its produce from local fields, but it also imports avocados to maintain year-round distribution.
Other remaining growing regions similar to Fallbrook in Carpinteria, which also hosts an avocado festival.
Fallbrook Avocado Festival is the city's biggest event, held usually in the Spring, one weekend day in April. Sponsored by the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce, the festival was founded circa 1986, and attracts around 70,000 visitors to the one-day food and entertainment extravaganza. The festival highlights include a Farmers Market, Agricultural Area, Avocado Culinary Demonstrations, Guacamole Contest, Avocado Ice Cream, Holy Guaca-Moly, the Art of the Avocado Contest, the Avo 500 Children's Car Race, and the Best Decorated Avocado Contest. Agricultural displays can be seen along the Festival streets.
Things to see and things to do:
Pala Mesa Casino Resort includes a golf course, hotel and casino
Art galleries, Fallbrook Historical Museum and the Gem & Mineral Museum.
Be sure to wander downtown and see the murals such as Save Our Forest, Fat Happies, and many more.