New Web site features Escondido attractions

By: PAUL EAKINS - Staff Writer | Monday, July 30, 2007 11:01 PM PDT ∞

ESCONDIDO ---- City officials say they hope a new Web site launched last week featuring businesses, attractions and events unique to Escondido will increase awareness of the city and bring more visitors here.

The city of Escondido and nine local organizations collaborated to create www.escondidoexperience.com, which they say is a rare type of Web site for a North County city.

While Escondido, like most cities, has its own Web site listing government meeting information, city departments, local businesses and events, the city's new site is designed to be a more attractive tool for out-of-towners and locals alike, said Jo Ann Case, manager of the city's economic development division.

"What we did was focus in on the very uniqueness of Escondido," Case said. "The arts and culture infrastructure is maybe unsurpassed except for the city of San Diego itself."

Cami Mattson, president and chief executive officer of the San Diego North Convention and Visitors Bureau, which is one of the site's sponsoring partners, said she doesn't know of any other North County city with a similar Web tool.

"I think this is exciting that a city wants to be actively engaged in marketing," Mattson said.

Escondido's growing arts scene, diverse downtown businesses and special events such as the weekly Cruisin' Grand classic car show all are among the attractions featured on the Web site, which launched July 23.

Escondido company D-life Design created the site, which cost about $25,000 to get up and running, and $15,000 has been spent so far on KPBS television ads to publicize the site, Bromstead said.

The city paid about 80 percent of the expenses, while the other sponsoring organizations together covered the remaining cost, she said. More publicity is planned and the eventual cost to maintain the site will be $1,500 annually, Bromstead said, not including her own labor in that cost.

Michelle Bromstead, marketing and public relations coordinator for the city, said the city hopes to make Escondido a destination location.

"First step, they'll visit us online, and then next step, come see for yourself," Bromstead said.

The site was first conceived of more than two years ago by city officials and representatives of the nine sponsoring organizations, which include: California Center for the Arts, Escondido; Escondido Arts Partnership; Escondido Chamber of Commerce; Escondido Children's Museum; Downtown Business Association; Escondido History Center; Mingei International Museum; San Diego North Convention and Visitors Bureau; and Mercado Business Association.

The user-friendly site contains many photos and short, colorful descriptions of places to visit in Escondido, from downtown restaurants and art galleries to "Queen Califia's Magical Circle" sculpture garden and Dixon Lake.

The Web site groups attractions in themes such as "The French Connection," under which four local French restaurants are listed. Most of the business profiles include a map and two useful lists, one of similar businesses (such as other French eateries) and one of nearby businesses (such as neighboring stores).

Michel Boucher, owner of French restaurant Bistro Le Bouchon, said the Web site is a great idea because Escondido needs more marketing.

"It's very difficult to be in business with a restaurant in Escondido," Boucher said. "It seems that it takes a very long time to be known."

New businesses and attractions will be featured on the site each month free of charge, particularly those at which new or noteworthy changes are happening, Case said. The site also has a calendar of events, which Bromstead said she plans to continually update.

Chain restaurants are less likely to be featured on the site, Bromstead said, noting that the locally owned downtown cafe Blue Mug Coffee and Tea and the downtown Metaphor Cafe are listed together.

"Nothing against Starbucks ... but Blue Mug is uniquely Escondido," Bromstead said.

Contact staff writer Paul Eakins at (760) 740-5420 or peakins@nctimes.com.

On the Web

www.escondidoexperience.com

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Pre-Registration Comments[-]Go to Top

good BUT... wrote on Jul 31, 2007 6:52 AM:Nice website design, WTG. But unless the city gets serious about cleaning up gang graffiti, visitors won't want to come back. I see there's a whole wall done on Felicita & Hamilton. (Between Felicita park and new fire station). It's just not right.

Escondido is not facing wrote on Jul 31, 2007 7:23 AM:the REALITIES of what ILLEGAL immigration is doing to our city. Until they do they can put up 100 web sites, and no one will come. It is dangerous here.

K. Campbell wrote on Jul 31, 2007 7:59 AM:It's refreshing to see Escondido both think AND look outside the box. Hiring outside designers just might do the trick.

Al wrote on Jul 31, 2007 10:36 AM:I hope it reminds visitors and locals of what a great city we have. And, gives everyone a little more pride in what we have and in taking care of it. Regardless of where they're from.

d wrote on Jul 31, 2007 11:04 AM:I agree with the poster regarding graffiti.....horrible situation down felicita to via rancho

Le Bouchon wrote on Jul 31, 2007 11:34 AM:is never open when we drive by. Hard to do a steady business that way.

Escondeeter wrote on Jul 31, 2007 1:09 PM:Let's see, who should I believe about the city's potential for attracting crowds, some out of towner who keeps taking shots at the city because he's upset that we wouldn't let him dump his city's transients on us, or the forty thousand or so people who show up for the street fairs? Who should I believe about the ability to get visitors to return, somebody who complains about grafitti but can't be bothered to call it in, or the thousands of people who congregate on Grand every Friday night? Who should I believe about the desirability of the city to future home buyers, someone who actively looks for its bad side, or the developers of the condo project that recently sold out its first phase in a week? Umm... tough decision.

wow! wrote on Jul 31, 2007 3:20 PM:Thank you Escondeeter! So refreshing to see someone with a positive attitude. I live in Escondido South and I really enjoy living here. There are many positive things about Escondido. Andy by the way "d" I sent an email to the guys that handle the graffiti here in Escondido and they responded immediately and said that they tried to clean that graffiti up on Hamilton//Felicita but the contractor and property owners gave them problems for whatever reason. Code enforcement has issued a citation so the contractor should be removing soon. And guess what? Graffiti is in EVERY city. The cockroaches will never stop doing graffiti. I feel sorry for the people that do the graffiti, they must have a pretty bad life to be walking around spraying stuff. All in all Escondido is a great city. With all the checkpoints going on lately..it should get even better. :)

I agree with wow wrote on Jul 31, 2007 5:21 PM:I have lived many places in this county: College Area, La Mesa, Del Cerro, Ocean Beach, La Jolla, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Oceanside, Vista, and now Escondido. Just bought a home in the Historic District, and I have to say it is the best place I have ever lived. Not just because of what it is, but because of what I see it becoming. More homes are being renovated. Sure, some are deteriorating, but that is a small percentage. As wow said, the problems people mention when talking about Escondido are in every city-where did David Westerfield live?-but Escondido has so many positives going for it.

KH wrote on Jul 31, 2007 5:37 PM:Congratulations Escondido! Very innovative way to showcase the best of your city.

Excuse Me?? wrote on Jul 31, 2007 6:37 PM:Escondeeder, I have called in graffi to the number the EPD told me to use. NOTHING gets done. I'd go after some of it myself if I were able to get up on a ladder that high or knew how to clean it off a rough brick wall. Do you know something I don't? Let's hear it!

to excuse me wrote on Jul 31, 2007 7:33 PM:I sent a complaint and within a few hours I had a response from Leslie. Go to this website and fill out the short form, it was really easy. http://www.ci.escondido.ca.us/depts/cs/report/form.html. The best thing they can do is get rid of the nasty graffiti the next day so that these losers see that it is a waste of their time. If someone was spraying my fence, I'd be out there everyday. Actually, I'd sit and wait for them to come back and they would never come back again when I was finished with them. They are cowards.

Excuse Me?? wrote on Jul 31, 2007 7:44 PM:Thanks for the head's up. I have been getting really depressed about this situation overall, but one in particular one on my own front property. Leaving messages on the tip line wasn't working. Nice of you to respond.

to excuse me wrote on Jul 31, 2007 7:52 PM:You are welcome. Hope it works.

Barry in the Carolinas wrote on Aug 1, 2007 9:29 AM:As being home to the world-record bass, there are a steady flow of anglers visiting Escondido. The website should prove to be a useful tool to them and to the local merchants.

Regarding graffiti wrote on Aug 1, 2007 10:44 AM:Property owners are required to clean up graffiti on their own. The city will give you a kit, but they only have enough time and resources to keep it off public property. If you clean it up right away the next morning, you're less likely to be targeted again.

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