San Diego is a wonderful coastal
city to visit and enjoy. It has a long and colorful past. There
are several exciting places to visit and to discover the rich
history of this area. The Old Town San Diego Historic Park is a
great place to experience the history of early San Diego.
Visitors can get a glimpse into
how this area was a joining of two cultures which turned San
Diego from a Mexican pueblo into an American settlement. You
will be able to see original and reconstructed building from
that period. There are five original adobe buildings that are a
part of this historical park and are now museums, shops and
restaurants.
There are many historical
buildings to visit when you are at the park. The La Casa de
Estudillo is a mansion built around a beautiful garden court
yard. There is the Mason Street School which was California's
first public schoolhouse. You can visit the San Diego Union
Printing Office, which is the city's oldest surviving newspaper
office. There are many things to explore and see hear.
Mission Trails Regional Park is
one of the nation's largest urban parks. There is over 5,800
acres to explore and it includes two lakes, the San Diego River
and the Old Mission Dam. You can visit the 1,592 foot Cowles
Mountain which gives you a scenic view of the area. There are
many trails to explore and an abundant of bird life.
Heritage Park is an 8 acre
county park which is dedicated to the preservation of Victorian
architecture. You can visit seven original 19th century homes
that were moved to the park. These homes are now the home to a
bed and breakfast, and other novelty shops. At the entrance to
the park you can see the Temple Beth Israel which was originally
built in 1889 in classic revival style.
If you would like to learn more
about the people and cultures that first settled in this area
you should visit the Junipero Serra Museum. This museum is
perched on a hill above Old Town and is a Spanish Mission styled
structure. The museum offers exhibits on Native American,
Spanish and Mexican people who first settled here. You can visit
the tower which overlooks the city and you can see for miles.
There is also a park surrounding the museum where you can walk
the trails or have a picnic.
The Whaley house was built in
1856 and was the first two story brick house to be constructed
in this part of the country. There is an urban legend that this
house is a designated haunted house. As many as 100,000 people
visit each year to see for themselves. There are many
interesting and unique artifacts here. You can visit and maybe
you will see one of the four spirits who are said to haunt the
structure.
San Diego and the surrounding
areas are wonderful places to visit and to learn about the
diverse cultural that makes up this coastal city.
