Discover Julian, California
Most people when thinking about Southern California, think sun, beach, surf… LA, San Diego… Well it is true and it is nice, but a couple hours from San Diego is a gorgeous town with a very different landscape and atmosphere: the Town of Julian.
About Julian, California
Julian, located in San Diego County, is an old gold mining town. It kept the charm of the old days and surrounds you with a friendly atmosphere over the year. It is quite touristy, and parking can be hard on weekends, but it still is a great weekend getaway destination. You can discover the town of Julian California on a day trip or plan a whole weekend there. Just the scenic drive up there is worth it! The town itself is beautiful and full of little boutiques, antique shops and galleries, with crafts, fun souvenirs and diverse items. Fall is great time to visit because of the colors and the crisp air. Summer is gorgeous as well, and winter you might be lucky and enjoy some snow time, which is always a lot of fun, especially when you are from warmer climates. Julian is a great escape to the “mountains” without driving too far from the coast.
Things you must do in the Town of Julia
- Eat Julian’s famous Apple Pie! When you arrive in Julian, you quickly see that you are in the Apple town of California! There are signs everywhere, for apple pie and apple cider, so you really have to try it! You have the choice of several Apple pie bakers in town, but these are the best: Apple Alley Bakery, Julian Pie Company, or Mom’s Pie… you can see right away which one is most popular because of the wait line in front of the door (Mom’s pie). But the Pecan-Caramel Apple pie at Apple Alley is a delicious treat as well.
- Discover the Gold Mines of Julian. As mentioned before, you are in an old mining town, so rewind to the good old days and get ready for a fun adventure visiting the mines! Eagle and High Peak Mine give you a tour of the mines and tell you all about the life of the miners. Julian Mining Company offers different craft activities as well as gold finding fun if you don’t mind getting your fingers dirty with dirt! And the best is the Train Ride & Gold Mine : take the train for an historic adventure to learn about the pioneers and visit a mine!
- Wine Tasting in Julian: Believe it or not, but you will find about 20 wineries in the surroundings of the town of Julian California, 5 just in Julian itself. So if you had enough of the apple cider, try one of the wine tasting rooms! Witch Creek Winery is the most accessible one, on the Main Street of Julian.
- Other Outdoor Activities in and around Julian: The town of Julian California also offers a lot of other fun activities for romantic escape, family weekend or just a roadtrip with friends! Pack you tent and go hiking. 
There are nice picnic spots all around Julian and private or public campgrounds . You can also get your water boots on and go fishing. You can certainly find some fun things to do from horse back riding, bird watching, historic sites seeing, a tour of town in a horse carriage or even sky sailing!
California has a lot to offer, and the Southern part of it has so much various landscapes that you should really consider taking full advantage of it. Especially when the fall fogs cover the coast, the Town of Julian California is a great alternative for a day or a weekend of fun.
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