Getting to El Monte County Park from San Diego, Temecula and OC

The short answer

The Yuletide Medieval Festival is held at El Monte County Park, 15805 El Monte Road, Lakeside, CA 92040, in East County San Diego. The park is in the San Diego River valley just below El Capitan Reservoir.

From most directions you head for Lakeside on Interstate 8 or State Route 67, make your way to Lake Jennings Park Road, and turn east onto El Monte Road. The park is roughly 4 to 5 miles up El Monte Road. Drive times below are approximate and vary depending on traffic.

Before you leave: offline maps and tickets

There is no cell coverage at El Monte County Park, and your signal may drop on the final stretch. Download an offline map of the Lakeside area before you set out, and save the address.

Print or screenshot your ticket and parking confirmations, too. If you bought General Shuttle & Parking, note that the festival does not publish the shuttle lot location or hours; call (858) 864-0020 or email info@yuletidemedievalfestival.com ahead of time and write down the answer.

The final approach

A long-standing route description from the San Diego Reader puts it simply: from Interstate 8, exit at Lake Jennings Park Road, drive about 1.5 miles north, turn right (east) on El Monte Road, and continue about 4 miles along the river valley to the park. From central Lakeside, Julian Avenue runs east to Lake Jennings Park Road, and El Monte Road continues straight across.

Roads change, so treat this as orientation and follow your downloaded map for the turns.

From downtown San Diego

Distance: roughly 26 miles. Drive time: about 35 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic.

Head east on Interstate 8 toward El Cajon. You can stay on I-8 to the Lake Jennings Park Road exit, or take SR-67 north from I-8 in El Cajon into Lakeside and then follow local roads east to Lake Jennings Park Road and El Monte Road. Some map apps also route via SR-94 and SR-125 to I-8.

From Chula Vista and the South Bay

Distance: roughly 27 miles. Drive time: about 40 minutes to an hour and 10 minutes, depending on traffic.

A common route is SR-54 east to SR-125 north, which passes La Mesa and meets Interstate 8. Take I-8 east, then continue to Lake Jennings Park Road or use SR-67 north into Lakeside. If you join SR-125 farther south, note that the South Bay Expressway section is a toll road.

From Escondido and North County inland

Distance: roughly 30 to 35 miles. Drive time: about 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes, depending on traffic.

Take Interstate 15 south toward Poway, then head east to SR-67, which runs through eastern Poway, and follow SR-67 south into Lakeside. Another option is I-15 south to SR-52 east, which meets SR-67 in Santee, then SR-67 north into Lakeside. From Lakeside, head east to Lake Jennings Park Road and El Monte Road.

From Temecula

Distance: roughly 60 miles. Drive time: about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, depending on traffic.

Take Interstate 15 south through North County, then follow the Escondido directions above: east to SR-67 via Poway, or SR-52 east to SR-67 in Santee, then into Lakeside.

From Orange County

Distance: roughly 95 to 110 miles, depending on where you start. Drive time: about 2 to 3 hours, depending on traffic.

From coastal and central Orange County, take Interstate 5 (or I-405 to I-5) south into San Diego, connect to I-805 south, then SR-52 east to Santee and SR-67 north into Lakeside. Inland drivers may prefer I-15 south and the Temecula route. For a Saturday visit that runs until 8 pm, plan for a drive home in the dark.

Timing your trip

Festival hours are 10 am to 8 pm on Saturdays (December 5 and 12) and 10 am to 6 pm on Sundays (December 6 and 13). Sunset is around 4:30 pm, so on a Saturday you will almost certainly drive out in the dark, and on a Sunday you may too.

Build in extra time on top of the drive estimates above for parking and, if you chose General Shuttle & Parking, the shuttle ride in. If you have a Saturday 6 pm or Sunday noon feast seat, aim to arrive with time to spare; the festival does not publish a recommended arrival time for the feast, so call (858) 864-0020 if you want advice.

Smoking is only allowed in the lot across the street from the park entrance, not at the festival, and the festival runs rain or shine, so check the forecast before you set out and pack accordingly.

Arrival checklist

• Offline map downloaded, address saved: 15805 El Monte Road, Lakeside, CA 92040.
• Ticket and parking confirmations printed or screenshotted.
• Shuttle lot details confirmed by phone or email if you bought General Shuttle & Parking.
• Accessible parking requested by email at info@yuletidemedievalfestival.com, if needed.
• Cash for vendors; ATMs are on site.
• Layers and rain gear: the festival runs rain or shine.

Questions