5.0average from 9 reviews across 1 stay
Learn more about Larry & Linda Maiolo and browse their vacation rentals.
Valley Center, San Diego Vacation Home by Linda Maiolo My husband Larry and I, along with our son, started our lives in a suburban area in Orange County, CA, and later moved to another suburban area in the San Diego area. After about 14 years of suburban living, with my son still young, I grew concerned about raising him in the suburban jungle and craved something different. We had become part of a "Married For Life" group that met in Fallbrook, CA, a beautiful area with a small-town atmosphere. We decided to sell our home and began looking in the Fallbrook area. We put in an offer on a house, but it didn’t work out, so we continued our search. After selling our home, we rented while looking. Not far from Fallbrook, we found Valley Center and made an offer on another house, but that also fell through. We loved Valley Center and started attending a small country church with a dear pastor named Dwayne Carter, a wonderful man who, unknown to us, was an award-winning architect. He knew we were essentially homeless (living in an apartment and partially with my mom) and suggested we look into buying land. He took an interest in us and began drawing up plans as we told him what we wanted. He encouraged us, as we were a little scared to buy and build our own home. Following his advice, we searched and found a beautiful piece of land with gorgeous mountain views, and we built our dream home, which has been, and still is, a dream come true. When we moved in, I could hardly believe it—I had to pinch myself, as I thought I had died and gone to heaven. What kept me grounded was the terrible loss of dear Pastor Dwayne, whom we grew to know and love, along with his wife, Lani, who became very close to us and has become my best friend. We now consider her part of our family. We are so blessed to be able to share this bit of heaven with family and friends. We hope you will enjoy your stay with us, and we look forward to serving you as our special guests. Why the host chose this property We chose Valley Center because of its gorgeous topography. We were longing for the country with wide-open spaces, hills, mountains, groves, and ranches. Homes are spread out on a couple of acres each rather than crammed together. We were ready to move out of the suburban jungle and make a new life. Valley Center is everyone’s idea of a small town with farms, horse ranches, pumpkin fields, rodeos, Western Days Parade, quaint shops, family-owned restaurants, historical sites, and good people. The more I live here, the more I appreciate it. There is enough depersonalization in life where you feel like a number, but here, people know who you are at the bank, the pharmacy, the doctor’s office, the eye doctor’s, the hardware store, and so on. What makes this property unique? When I am in Valley Center, I feel like I am worlds away from the crazy, busy life I used to have in the suburbs. On almost three acres, this getaway will automatically help you relax with peace and tranquility all around. The mountain and grove views give you a sense of ahhhhh. Put some steaks on the BBQ, then sit out on the deck with your dinner and enjoy the views. Most evenings, it is warm enough to sit on the deck and watch the most beautiful sunsets and cloud formations, as well as the birds and some wildlife. After it gets dark, step into the private spa and enjoy some stargazing—you can actually see the stars out where we are. There is a lack of light pollution, which allows you to see the stars a little better. If the weather is not quite warm enough, enjoy cooking inside with a fully equipped kitchen complete with cookbooks, a blender, and more. Snuggle up on the couch and watch a good movie, or go to bed early and have a great night of sleep in the super comfortable king-size bed.
