29. January 2025
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Places & Sights

Old Town San Diego (Pictured Stories)

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

It is quite exactly one year ago since my wife and I visited San Diego for the second time. The Southern California town is becoming more and more popular as a touristic destination, also for visitors from outside North America. During that stay, we also visited Old Town San Diego, a recreational and shopping historic district. I take you to this place in Christmas time 2023 in my Pictured Story.

 

Old Town San Diego – Location & Access

Old Town San Diego is located North of the city center and right North of San Diego International Airport (SAN). The place is very well connected by public transport. The green and blue line of the San Diego Trolley System is having a top there. The Coaster regional train as well as the Pacific Surfliner rail stop at Old Town Transit Center. There are also bus connections to the area. Of course, there are numerous parking options (for a charge), including a major park and ride lot. It is close to the Interstates I-5 and (-8.

Admission to Old Town San Diego is free. The store opening times differ, but 11:00 to 17:00 is a reasonable opening time range assumption for shops. Bars and restaurants as well as other services might have longer opening times.

 

Views of Old Town San Diego

Old Town San Diego is the oldest settled area in San Diego and the first European settlement in the current territory of California. The Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo expedition arrived there in 1542.It is roughly one square kilometer in size. There are signs, which show you around the attractions. There are also a few museums on site, which I did not visit. The whole neighborhood features some 30 restaurants, 100 shops and nine hotels.

Mexican Cultural Influence

During our visit, the area was really beautifully decorated. Especially around the Fiesta de Reyes shopping district with its small stores and cafes to hang out, the Old Town San Diego is a really lovely place to stroll through the different stores and having a drink or a bite. The decoration is really rich and you strongly feel the influence of Mexican culture, that close to the border.

Outside that area, there are more larger buildings and also some historic-style hotels. Around San Diego Ave, there are some major bars and restaurants. We really enjoyed having dinner there. Prices are reasonable, in US-American relations.

Below, there are some impressions of the stores and shops in Old Town San Diego. You do find some very touristic things, but there are also some really nice craft shops, which make a trip to that part of the city very worth visiting.

 

Pictured Stories (USA)

Here are all my Pictured Stories related to the USA:

 

Flyctory.com in San Diego

Here are all my postings related to San Diego in California:

 

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