For those of you that don’t know, Julian is one of the cutest and quaintest little mountain towns in California. This San Diego County town has less than 1,500 local residents, sits at an elevation of 4,226 feet, and has quite the history. Fun Fact – Julian is an official California Historical Landmark.
So, the history goes…
Civil War Veterans from Georgia headed West in the late 1800s to find fortune and unsettled land. Two of these named veterans were cousins, Drue Bailey and Mike Julian. They decided to set up their homebase in the lush pasture in between the Volcan and Cuyamacas Mountains. They planted crops and raised animals to discover that Julian was the perfect climate to grow plentiful amounts of flavorful apples. In addition to apples, one of their local residents, Fred Coleman, found gold in 1870. This was the start and soon the end of the only gold rush in San Diego. Today, Apples continue to be the main attraction in town with fruit stands, cider mills, and U-Pick apple adventures.
While we weren’t in Julian for too long, we were still able to check out several places within the town. Some are highlighted below…
***Julian Café – This might be the busiest spot in town! Built in 1872, Burned in 1957, and Restored in 1978, this place is still going strong! We might say that the service is subpar, but the apple pies are beyond delicious. You must get the crumble tops! This café has been many things over the years. Starting as a general store, it switched to a pool hall and bathhouse, followed by a photography studio, then a steakhouse, and lastly the café that it is today.
***Nickel Beer Company – Located on Hollow Glen Road off the main drag lies this brewery. Enjoy 16 taps of house beer, snacks, and lots of character. One of the tables sits in a jail cell! Open 7 days a week, this dog friendly spot is the place to hang out!
***The Warm Hearth – While this store was established in 1976, this warehouse used to be a Feed and Supply store long before that. This is by far one of the best stores we have ever been in ANYWHERE! It has kitchenware, clothing, accessories, food, home décor, outdoor décor, and more! It is very eclectic, and everyone can find something hands down here. The store just keeps going and going like the energizer bunny! You might think you’re done and then BOOM another room appears!
***Old Julian Garage – This was another cool store. Filled with many unique items and a real fireplace to hang out and warm up!
***Wynola Junction Antiques – While not in Julian, it is only a few miles away and beyond worth a stop! This place is loaded with collectibles, antiques, and even some local goods. Plan to stay awhile! While you are here, be sure to go outside and visit the burros. There are two rescue burros (one from Las Vegas and one from Texas) and for $1 you can hand feed them apples!
***Julian Soap Company – You guessed it…they sell soap! This local hand-made goods store also sells bath salts, bath bombs, candles, and potpourri. You never see potpourri anymore and it smells so good! The owner is super friendly as well!
We look forward to returning to Julian to further explore the area. We want to tour the 1870 Eagle Mine and would also like to check out the nearby 110-acre Cuyamaca Lake.
We apple-solutely adored this town 🍎🍏🍎🍏 ,
TnT