San Diego County’s largest inland city is Escondido, a one-time centre of avocado, citrus fruit, and grape growing that has burgeoned into a community of more than 130,000 people.

As the Spanish name “Hidden” suggests, Escondido is secreted within the foothills of the Coast Range, in easy striking distance of Palomar Mountain, Julian, and the Cuyamacas. The valley has its own dry microclimate. Summer temperatures are always warmer than along the coast; winter nights are cooler.

The California Centre for the Arts is a showcase for everything from stand-up comedy and Chinese acrobats to ballet and country-western music. The 12-acre complex includes a museum of 20th century art, a large concert hall, and a small performing-arts theatre.