Location: Old Town
Top Things to do in Old Town
Countries
Top 10 Sights & Landmarks in Old Town, California (CA)
San Diego embodies laid-back California culture, complete with a Boardwalk, surfing communities, and outstanding Mexican food. Breathe in the fresh ocean air at Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, then gobble down a fresh fish taco at a La Jolla seafood joint. The naval aircrafts at the USS Midway Museum will have you standing at attention. A free Sunday concert at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion is the perfect way to unwind after a Saturday night bar-hop in the thumping Gaslamp Quarter.
Restaurants in San Diego
1. Adobe Chapel Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
2. Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5,643 reviews
Historic site in downtown San Diego that recreates life in the Mexican and early American periods of 1821 to 1872.
Reviewed By Enjoy4790 - San Diego, United States
I love Old Town San Diego I've been going to Old Town since I was a couple weeks old we have always had our family parties in Old Town even when I moved far away whenever I would come back to visit San Diego I would go to Old Town there's so much to do so much to see many different men Mexican restaurants lots of shops on the weekends they have the craft festivals they have live music in Old Town free live music shows they also have a live theater called the Signet they have many surrounding hotels or you can just stay in Hotel Circle and then you will be really close to Old Town actually there's hundreds of hotels that are very close to Old Town San Diego but in Old Town you really want to experience the Mexican food not every Mexican restaurant is good my top recommendations are going to Casa Guadalajara or El Agave Mexican Restaurant there's a few other good ones but then there are many that are well below average as far as the shopping there's a lot of cute unique boutiques and then there's many Mexican owned little shops that have some fabulous jewelry stores old town is in the center of San Diego just about 8 minutes from SeaWorld, it's about 8 minutes from the airport it's about 8 minutes from downtown San Diego it's about 11 minutes from La Jolla it's about 16 minutes from Del Mar so it's really Central....... Another really nice thing about Old Town is many of the people that work in the shops around the Old Town Park and in the restaurants wear "time period Clothing" which is really special and then in the restaurants they wear authentic true Mexican dresses and clothing and then they have a "live show" in "fiesta de los Reyes" so it is live Mexican style dancing and singing and the show is seven days a week and it's free and so that's really enjoyable but the restaurant it's connected to called "fiesta de los Reyes" is really bad as far as the food and the service is even worse but if you are willing to put up with that it's in a beautiful setting so if you don't really care about service and you don't really care about having a nice meal then go ahead and eat there because there's so much to do right around that area but then over at Casa Guadalajara where I recommended for you to go to lunch or dinner the shopping over there will blow you away ats, some of the best shopping in all of San Diego and the lady that owns Casa Guadalajara she owns all the shops around it, it's called "Bazaar del Mundo" and it's a two-level shopping area it's so worth seeing, the most beautiful clothing and true authentic elegant Mexican apparel and dishes and Gourmet Foods and material and shoes and jewelry it's really worth seeing✨
3. Mormon Battalion Historic Site
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,012 reviews
Reviewed By pianogirl66
There are free tours every day of the week and the parking lot is also free. You learn a lot about San Diego history and everyone can have fun with various activities like panning for gold, getting an old time photo taken, going on an interactive tour, and enjoyable games.
4. Old Town San Diego
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,754 reviews
Reviewed By karencX5901KK - St. John's, Canada
We loved our two visits to Old Town (evening and day). Free parking, lots of shops to wander through, museums, open areas, a church and lots of restaurants. You'll want to spend a couple of hours here. All of the little shops were wheelchair accessible.
5. Immaculate Conception Church
6. El Campo Santo Cemetery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 18 reviews
Reviewed By CRW1987
The story of this cemetery is disgraceful. The city did not to right by these people. The forensic department had to come out and help identify burial sites. A lot of places only have a small pvc markers poking out of the ground for body parts that were found by GPR machine. Most of the sites do not have names, but simple crosses or stone circles to mark where some are buried. Some have iron fences and descriptors, very rarely you find a photo. The original grounds extend past the restaurants next door and down the next block across the street. You can see grave site markers in the sidewalk and in the road marking where they have been paved over and almost forgotten. Some people report having their car alarms go off, where they parked next to or on top of a grave. The story of some of the interred are captivating. Very beautiful old cemetery to those who appreciate history and the past.
7. Whaley House Museum
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 346 reviews
Now a museum and state historical landmark, this is one of only two California houses recognized by the U.S. Commerce Department as being haunted.
Reviewed By Z6605AOkarent
I had an afternoon to kill in San Diego so I decided to visit old town. While there I came across the Whaley House. I had heard this was one of the most haunted places in the US so I was curious to see if I could experience anything. Well the dining room is beyond creepy. It has a very negative presence. I also picked up an herbal smell in that room. A docent told me they don't use any air fresheners and that I wasn't the first to comment on an herbal smell. Upstairs I picked up a strong male presence in the master bedroom and a female presence in the back bedroom which I was told was Violets. All and all it was an interesting visit. I enjoyed talking to the docents.
8. Presidio Park
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 50 reviews
Manicured and pristine urban park is reminiscent of San Diego's intriguing heritage, with the Junipero Serra Museum being its most popular attraction.
9. Casa de Estudillo
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 27 reviews
Reviewed By 51pams - Adelaide, Australia
Great museum showing how the original adobe mansion, was the heart of social & religious activities during the Mexican period in the 1800s. Each room has beautiful displays and descriptions explaining the rooms use etc., certainly takes you back in time. Well worth a visit if you are in Old Town.
