Hotels in Julian, California

A little about Julian...

Julian is an unincorporated community in San Diego County, California, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the census-designated place population was 1,621.

Julian is an official California Historical Landmark No. 412. Also, the Julian townsite and surrounding area is defined by the San Diego County Zoning Ordinance Section 5749 as the Julian Historic District. This designation requires that development adhere to certain guidelines that are administered by the Architectural Review Board of the Julian Historic District, which is appointed by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

Most tourists who come to Julian are seeking a slice of apple pie. Julian has been famous for apple pie and apple cider for almost 100 years, and several establishments claim to make the best pie in town. (The apple pie is such a central aspect of the town's economy that one restaurant has even posted a sign outside its door stating that there is no apple pie on its menu.) However, some who are used to a different taste of pie criticize Julian's variety, for lack of sweetness.

The most "tourist-friendly" pie establishment is probably Mom's, which often rolls out its crusts and chops its apples on a counter just inside two large plate-glass windows in its Main Street storefront, allowing pedestrians on the town's major street to see the process from just inches away; however, the nearby Julian Pie Company is better known as it "exports" to grocery stores around San Diego and southern Riverisde counties.

Local shops offer various trinkets for sale, most notably jewelry, Western memorabilia, souvenirs, and artwork. Julian's candy shop is also a popular spot for tourists. One gold mine, no longer active, is open daily for tours, which are a very rustic yet fun experience. Three AAA approved lodgings are available (which includes a motel, the historic Julian Hotel and a luxury country inn) as well as several bed and breakfasts and many private cabins.

The town is often very busy on holiday weekends and during the apple harvest season (approximately the month of October).

Winter days in Julian usually are sunny and cool; however, the area has modest snowfall most years, allowing for snowplay and surfing within the same county only minutes apart. In March 2006, a snowfall exceeding two feet surprised the residents and blocked private roads, unmaintained by the County, for over a week.

There are a number of wineries located in and around Julian that offer complimentary wine tasting. These wineries are: Orfila Vineyards, Witch Creek Winery, J. Jenkins Winery, Menghini Winery, and Shadow Mountain Vineyards. Many of these are located along CA-78/CA-79 to the northwest of the town center.

Road access to Julian is limited to three major roads. The northern access is the multiplexed State Route 78/State Route 79, which ultimately links to various other roads and highways serving northern San Diego and southwestern Riverside counties, including at least three different access routes to Interstate 15. The eastern access is State Route 78, which descends the eastern slope of the mountains to intersect with State Route 86 in Imperial County; this is the least commonly used of the three routes. The southern access is State Route 79, which provides a link to Interstate 8.