How to Tour Apple Country in Julian, California

Tour apple country in historic Julian, California, to enjoy the changing of the seasons, taste some of the best apple pies in the state and explore the only gold rush sites in the San Diego area. Julian was founded by Confederate soldiers looking for a fresh start shortly after the Civil War. Cattlemen looking for water for their herds discovered gold in the creeks running down from the mountains in 1869, sparking a gold rush that lasted less than a decade. When the gold ran out, the remaining settlers planted apple trees. Today, Julian is known as apple country, as well as the bed and breakfast capital of California. It has become a year-round destination for tourists looking for a wide variety of fresh apples, pies and cider to recapture a sense of history and for family fun.

Instructions

1. Take a walking tour of Julian to sample the apple pies, candied apples and cider from the surrounding orchards and farms in the area. Every cafe, restaurant and snack shop offers fresh baked apple pies, and the air is filled with the scent of cinnamon and baked apple. Get a self-guided walking tour map at the Town Hall on the corner of Main Street and Washington. The map also guides tourists to the antique and specialty shops, art galleries and the Julian Pioneer museum, all housed in historic buildings.

2. Visit one of the may orchards and farms just a short drive from town along Highway 78 and Julian Orchard Drive. During the apple harvest in October, you can pick your own apples at many of these orchards and farms, and you can find unusual apple varieties you'll never see in the supermarket.

3. Relive Julian's Gold Rush history and pan for gold at the Julian Mining Company. They'll provide the pan, instructions and a vial to keep the gold you find. You can also sluice for gems and quartz crystals. The mining company is open on the weekends all year, and you can call ahead for reservations if you go during week days.

4. Stay at one of the many bed and breakfast inns that have helped make Julian famous. The historic Julian Gold Rush Hotel on Main Street was built in 1897 and is the oldest continuously operating hotel in southern California. There are more than a dozen other bed and breakfast inns in the area.

Resources

• Julian Apple Orchards and Farms
• Julian Mining Company
• Julian Gold Rush Hotel
• Julian Bed & Breakfast Guild