Did you know the oldest settlement in California is found right in San Diego? Old Town, a neighborhood in San Diego, was one of the first towns established when California became a state in 1850. Today, Old Town San Diego remains a vibrant and cultural hub that visitors from all over the country come to enjoy.
Step back into time at Old Town San Diego and visit some of the historic shops.
The Steely Stable Museum was once a stable and barn used for horses and stagecoaches. Now, the stable is a museum that’s free and open to the public to visit.
In addition to its museums, Old Town has 32 restaurants, 10 hotels, and 100 boutique shops.
Spending a day here is like stepping back in time. Have you visited Old Town San Diego? Learn more about planning your trip on their website or Facebook page.
We are always saying that there is so much to discover here in Southern California. The sort of mind-blowing thing is how many incredible things go unnoticed every single day. In fact, the attraction I am about to describe is one I have literally stood across the street from and never saw. Hiding in plain sight across from a popular art museum is a fascinating piece of world history - a chunk of the Berlin Wall in Los Angeles.
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The Wende Museum of the Cold War is an archive, a cultural center, and an art museum with exhibitions focused on the lives of those affected by the Cold War era. The Wall Project, also called The Wall Along Wilshire, is an installation by the museum in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The museum itself is small and goes under the radar in the city and the wall segments even more so, probably for a couple of main reasons.
Though the 10-segment portion of the Berlin Wall is openly displayed on one of the busiest streets, Wilshire Boulevard, most people don’t see it unless someone points it out (like one reviewer who said he learned about it from a docent at the LACMA museum across the street.) But why is it so unnoticed?
First of all, a concrete wall full of street art and graffiti does not exactly stand out as special in a city like LA. Second, the wall is actually not at the museum! It is sitting in front of an office building, next to a gym. Standing in front of the popular “Urban Lights” display at LACMA and looking to the left, you can see it - if you know it’s there.
This is the longest stretch of the famous Wall in the world, outside of Berlin itself. It was painted by several Los Angeles artists and a French muralist who painted on the wall in 1984 in Berlin. This section represents the part of the Berlin Wall that came to be known as the East Side Gallery.
The Wende Museum is actually about five miles away, but you can learn all about the wall from the Historical Marker sign on the first section facing the street.
Behind The Wall is a collection of murals on the “east side” of the original wall in Berlin - the side facing the so-called East German death strip. This side of the wall was never painted in Germany, but now features murals by three street artists from LA, London, and Berlin.
Learn more about The Wall Project by Wende Museum in this video:
Have you personally seen this section of the famous Berlin Wall in Los Angeles? Share your thoughts with us in the comments. If you are interested in discovering more historical places in LA, check out this "Old and New" walking tour downtown. And be sure to peruse more of our favorite Southern California attractions!
This Historic Park Is One Of Northern California’s Best Kept Secrets
Columbia State Historic Park in Northern California offers an immersive experience of a 19th-century gold mining town with numerous attractions and activities.
I'm obsessed with learning about the Old West. And while California's Gold Rush days may be long over, there are still a few places throughout our state where you can experience them for yourself. For example, located in the heart of the "California Mother Lode", this historic park in Norcal is like taking a stroll through California history. Not only does this place perfectly resemble an early gold mining town, but it's packed full of cool attractions and fun things to do. For a day trip you and your family are bound to love, visit the Northern California historic park known as Columbia State Historic Park.
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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk the streets of an authentic California gold mining town? It turns out you can do just that when you visit this one-of-a-kind historic park in Norcal (Columbia to be exact!). This place looks frozen in time and it's bursting with amazing attractions you'll want to check out.
Columbia State Historic Park is a "living gold rush town" featuring the largest single collection of existing gold rush-era structures in the entire state. Visiting this place really feels like entering a time capsule of 19th century structures and artifacts. The entire family will be totally enthralled by this Northern California historic park.
The streets of this old mining town are lined with a variety of shops and boutiques, many of which you would've seen in a typical 19th century town. Saloons, restaurants, ice cream parlors, and so much more is in store for you. No wonder why it is known as one of the best Norcal hidden gems.
This place seems to run exactly as it did over 150 years ago. Check out the working blacksmith shop where you can watch iron actually being forged in a blazing fire and then shaped on an anvil. It doesn't get more authentically Western than at this historic park in Northern California.
You'll also find a myriad of activities in the park to keep you busy all day long. The Hidden Treasure Gold Mine is a must-stop. Here, you can visit a working hardrock gold mine and learn all about how mining was done during the 1850s.
Watch costumed docents recreate the atmosphere of this unique mining town's early days. Like many mining towns of the past, Columbia had to use a system of flumes to funnel water into the town and pan for gold. Try your hand at gold panning and see what type of treasures you come up with at this historic park in Norcal.
A visit to an Old West town isn't complete until you've ridden in an authentic stagecoach! For a small price, you can ride in a real horse-drawn carriage through the historic town. Ride shotgun or inside of the coach while experiencing this town the way it's supposed to be experienced.
You'll find that there's so much to see and do in the park that you might require multiple days to accomplish it all. Go ahead and take advantage of the multiple lodging options throughout town including historic hotels, delightful cottages, or one of their scenic campgrounds.
This Northern California historic park is conveniently located right off of Highway 49. It's also located in close proximity to other historic destinations like Jamestown and Angels Camp. Make a weekend of it and explore this fascinating region of California's Gold Country. It's begging for a visit!
