Temecula is a city in the Riverside County of the US state of California. Established in 1859, the city has an estimated population of 101,057 in 2008. Murrieta and the Pechanga Indian Reservation border from the north and south respectively. Rapid growth came to Temecula in the 1990a and continued well into the early part of the 21st century. The city, like many other in the United States, was affected by the 2007 subprime mortgage financial crisis, which resulted in a sharp rise of foreclosures in the Temecula and Murrieta areas. The city is served by the Temecula Valley Unified School District, which has an enrolment rate of a quarter of a million students.

Tourism is a major industry in Temecula. One of the major attractions in the city is its many golf courses, nine in total. Old Town Temecula, which consists of historic buildings from the 19th century, is a prime shopping and dining destination. The old town is also the site of several events including western days, car shows and summer entertainments. It is also peppered with specialty food stores, gifts and collectibles stores, and unique boutiques. The old town is also the home of the Temecula Museum. Festivals held in the city include the Temecula Bluegrass Festival, Temecula Street Painting Festival, Taste of the World, and the Dutch American Heritage Day celebrations.

Notable former and current residents of Temecula include freestyle motocross Nate Adams, surfer Timmy Curran, vert skateboarder Jason Ellis, Kyle XY actress April Matson, actress Michelle Rodriguez, poker player Jerry Yang, and author Karleigh Shepard.