The allegedly
haunted Whaley
House in Old Town
ITINERARY
HISTORY
San Diego is rich with blasts from the past ranging from scenic
parks stocked with architectural wonders to haunted houses, plus
a slew of historic buildings, each with a story to tell.
Cabrillo National Monument
on the tip of Point Loma commemorates the landing of Juan
Rodriguez Cabrillo at San Diego
Bay on September 28, 1542.
William Heath
Davis House (home
of the Gaslamp
Quarter Historical
Foundation)
Built in 1850, this
is the oldest house
in the Gaslamp
Quarter. Take
a tour and be
transported back
to the Victorian
Era, where each
room represents
a different period
and function. Join
a paranormal
investigation with
the San Diego
Ghost Hunters
(June 1 & 29, July 2
& 30, August 30).
410 Island Avenue
STAY
Opened in 1886 and 1910 respectively,
Downtown’s Horton Grand Hotel
(311 Island Avenue) and THE US
GRANT (326 Broadway) provide guests
with turn-of-the-20th-century appeal,
while the Courtyard by Marriot San
Diego Downtown (530 Broadway) retains some key elements from its former
life as a 1920s bank. In Coronado, the
circa-1888 Hotel del Coronado (1500
Orange Avenue) is a Victorian gem
steeped in history. The The Grand
Colonial Hotel in La Jolla (910 Prospect
Avenue) is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
Pork belly pastrami
at Grant Grill
EAT
Do brunch, big, at Hotel del
Coronado’s Crown Room (Sundays
only, 1500 Orange Avenue). Follow the
feast hours later with a light lunch of
mock turtle soup at the once “men’s
only” Grant Grill (326 Broadway).
Then, head to Bali Hai (2230
Shelter Island Drive), San Diego’s
Polynesian paradise since 1955, for tiki
drinks and bay views before tucking
into a hearty helping of clam chowder
at at Anthony’s Fish Grotto (1360
North Harbor Drive), a seafood
restaurant with more than 60 years of
history in San Diego.
PLAY
Explore Old Town San Diego State
Historic Park, home to 17 museums
and historical buildings built between
1820 and 1870. Then, admire the
gardens and buildings in
Balboa Park (1549 El Prado)—
the site of international
expositions in 1915 and 1935. Or
make a trip to Julian, a historic
mining town 60 miles from
downtown San Diego, or
Mission San Diego de Alcalá
(10818 San Diego Mission Road), a
Franciscan mission founded in 1769.
USS Midway
Museum
Explore the
longest-serving
U.S. Navy aircraft
carrier of the 20th
century, from the
engine room to
the control tower.
910 Harbor Drive