How to Take a Trip to Julian during the Winter

Julian is a sleepy little mountain town outside of San Diego where it actually snows in the winter and you won't find a McDonald's, let alone a Starbucks. Known for its apple pies, and laid back, old fashion look, Julian is wonderful place to go in the Winter.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sled
• Tire Chains
• Warm Clothing

1. 
   Traffic Jam

   Driving from San Diego it takes about one hour to get to Julian. You follow Highway 8 to 78. During the weekends, especially snowy weekends don't be surprised to find a line to get into town. Call ahead to make sure you don't need chains.

2. 
   Entering Main Street

   Julian has a main road called Main Street along with several cross streets, such as Farmers and B Street. From one end of town to the other is less than 1/4 mile, so park your car behind Hotel Julian on 4th at the paid parking lot or along the side street.

3. Make sure you are parking legal. You will get a ticket if you park just anywhere. Just because you see 10 cars parked along side the road and everyone sledding, doesn't mean that they are legally parked. You must have an Adventure Pass displayed on your vehicle and parked legally. So, check all signs.

4. 

   Julian is cold during the winter and you will need a hat, scarf and jacket and mittens. Julian will either be rainy, snowy, or windy during the winter. If you forgot to bring anything, all the stores carry mittens and scarves.

5. Julian has wonderful little stores and restaurants all along Main Street. Don't forget to go up and down, Washington, B and C to see more stores and restaurants. Most of the stores sell Adventures Passes if you plan to sled or park and walk on Hwy 78 or 79. Stop by the Chamber of Commerce to get maps, and advice on the best places to go.

6. 
   Angels Landing

   During most seasons, hotels book fast, so if you have not already booked one, you may not be able to stay the night. There are a lot of hotels and Bed and Breakfasts along Main Street and also resorts like Angels Landing on Farmers Road where you can rent a cabin for the night.

7. 
   A Very Cold Squirrel

   If you are not spending the night, start heading back into town around 4:00 p.m. during the winter. Visibility on the windy roads can be bad and it's even worse driving at night.

Resources

• Julian website

[Misslucinda]

on 1/9/2009 Sounds like a lot of fun! Thanks for suggesting a new winter getaway.