The topography of Rancho Bernardo consists of canyons and rolling hills that have large bedrock outcroppings. The major floral biomes of Rancho Bernardo are chaparral, coastal sage scrub, Southern Californiagrassland and freshwater marsh/riparian habitat. The community is a sprawling community with shopping centers, golf courses, and office parks typical of San Diego development located about north-northeast of downtown San Diego, immediately east of 4S Ranch, north of Carmel Mountain Ranch, northwest of the city of Poway, and south of the city of Escondido.
History
Pre-Colonial
The pre-colonial history of this area is divided into an early and a late period. During the late period, a village complex known as the Westwood Valley complex was located along an intermittent stream bed. The period of habitation is from around 850 CE to 1790 CE. The peoples believed to have occupied this site are the Kumeyaay, although there are strong traces of Luiseño as well. The area the village occupied is now under the western section of Ranch Bernardo near Duenda and Poblado Roads.
Post-Colonial
Rancho Bernardo is located on the Rancho San BernardoMexican land grant made in 1842. In the 1960s, Rancho Bernardo was annexed by San Diego. The area was developed by AVCO Community Developers. On October 22, 2007, the Witch Creek Fire burned through Rancho Bernardo and several other populous areas of San Diego County, destroying hundreds of homes, and completely destroying several entire neighborhoods, particularly ones that firefighters had trouble accessing due to rugged terrain and rapidly advancing flames pushed by strong Santa Ana winds. The highly unpredictable flames pushed into the northeast section of Poway during the day, prompting evacuation of Palomar-Pomerado Hospital. The neighborhoods of the Trails, Montelena and Westwood were the main areas hit in Rancho Bernardo.
Economy
The Carmel Mountain Ranch/Rancho Bernardo submarket is the fifth largest office space submarket in San Diego County, with over 6 million square feet of office space. It is part of an "I-15 edge city", edge city being a major center of employment outside a traditional downtown.
Tourism
There is an annual carnival-type street fair, RB Alive!, during the summer. Rancho Bernardo is also home to the oldest-operating winery in the region, the Bernardo Winery, established in 1889 and family-owned and operated since 1927.
