Julian, CA (aka Pie Town)

Even the local outdoors store is named after Julian's famous pies.

On another Explore San Diego outing, Matt and I recently went to the town of Julian--just over an hour away in the Cuyamaca Mountains. Originally we were going to get up early on a Sunday and head out to the Anza Borrego Desert State Park. I was a bit concerned about the 100º forecast and our arriving there later than expected, at the hottest point of the day. A phone call with our friend, Shawn, on the way out of town confirmed that we were a bit insane--you visit Anza Borrego from November to March, never in the summer, she told us. Just happy for a change of scenery, we decided to continue our trip east and go to Julian instead. Julian and its cooler mountain climate are just west of the desert park.

What did we do in Julian? We spent about two hours eating bison burgers and fries at Miner's Diner and visiting bird, novelty, second-hand and jam shops along Main Street. We learned that Julian is known for its pies (specifically apple pies--we saw at least four pie shops) and for its roots as a gold rush town. Unfortunately, the concept of gluten-free pies hasn't reached the area yet.


At Miner's Diner (excellent bison burgers) you get a playing card instead of a number, and Matt searching for gold. Matt loves anything to do with mining or panning for treasure.

As we were leaving Julian, I was up for a little walking/hiking along some of the trails within a 20 minute drive--but Matt suggested we leave that for another day when the temperature was under 80º. Since we've become interested in birding (I still can't believe it myself), we'll definitely be back to the area. We learned that San Diego County has over 400 known species of birds--more than in any other US county (or so we were told). The area is also bordered by a number of preserves and parks, in addition to Anza Borrego. Oh, if Matt and I had some fancy motor cycles, we certainly would not be out of place. There were quite a few very expensive rides parked along Main Street, and quite a few people visibly coveting other peoples bikes.

Other things you can do in Julian...


You can buy John Deere Christmas ornaments, take a horse and buggy ride,


shop at Cats, Cats, Cats and More, or make yourself a Julian souvenir penny (for 50 cents).