Howdy, Old Town San Diego
I’ve lived in California almost three decades, and this was my first visit to San Diego. I still can’t believe it took me this long, especially since San Diego is reputed to have the best gardening climate in all of California. The winters are mild and so are the summers, especially along the coast. The city of San Diego has an average of 201 days above 70°F, according to Wikipedia.
We had just three days in San Diego during our spring break vacation so we only scratched the surface. But what a surface it is! The waterfront is stunning, Balboa Park a jewel, but my favorite spot was Old Town, parts of which are now a State Historic Park.
The San Diego Presidio, established in 1769 on a bluff north of what is now Old Town, was the first European settlement on the west coast of the the present day U.S. The first of the California missions was built the same year on the same bluff, and by 1820 a small pueblo had sprung up below. In 1850, California joined the United States and the pueblo remained the heart of San Diego. That all changed in the 1860s when Alonzo Horton began to develop what is now downtown.
Agave salmiana in front of the Pedrorena-Altamirano House
Today, Old Town is a vibrant neighborhood of historic buildings, museums, shops, and restaurants. While it has its fair share of tourist traps, it felt surprisingly authentic and down to earth. And there were lots of interesting plants to see, including many succulents. I loved it.
Agave salmiana in front of the old Assessor’s Office
Dragon trees (Dracaena draco) and yucca
Dragon trees (Dracaena draco) and yucca
California pepper tree (Schinus molle)
Behind the old San Diego Union building
One of several courtyards in the Old Town State Historic Park
Ho hum, another clump of Agave attenuata…
…flowering even. Who am I kidding? They may be common as dirt in Southern California, but I like them.
Another California pepper tree (Schinus molle)
Giant aeonium on top of a barrel
Lovely place to sit
Oops, another Agave attenuata
Church of the Immaculate Conception in the morning…
…early afternoon…
…and early evening
Church of the Immaculate Conception from Casa de Aguirre across the street
If shopping is your thing…
…there’s plenty of opportunity
You can even buy succulents to take home as souvenirs!
Not to mention (faux) talavera pottery
Authentic talavera has an inscription identifying the manufacturer, the location and often the artist. Don’t pay talavera prices for fakes!
More Mexican pottery, some of it very nice
I’m not sure what to think of these creations. They do prove that tillandsias are hot.
This sign made me smile. Howdy back atcha!
I took me a second to realize that this is a prickly pear. Where I live, they pollard trees; in San Diego they pollard cactus.
Presumably the poor opuntia above had once looked like this proud specimen…
…or even this more recently groomed one
Yes, I know, another Agave attenuata, but those foxtail-like inflorescences are like catnip to me
Cactus-like euphorbias are common in Old Town
I assume this is Euphorbia ingens
I agree, this is a very photogenic spot
Hands down my favorite spot in Old Town was the Fiesta de Reyes plaza. Several restaurants and over a dozen small shops are nestled inside this cozy corner. The plantings here are exuberant and succulent-centric, just what I like. The next time I’m in San Diego I’ll have dinner here, and it won’t even matter if the food is just mediocre (not saying that it is) because the location ticks all my boxes.
Aloe ‘Fire Ranch’
I’ve seen many things, but this is the first time I’ve seen an agave on a wagon!
A metal mariachi band may be kitschy, but who can resist…
…where there are so many succulents
I bet the margaritas are really good at Fiesta de Reyes!
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Nice to view tourist San Diego through your camera's eye. It looks very pleasant and attractive, not too crowded. I've been thinking about those pollarded opuntias. Do you think they removed the "leaves" that had graffiti on them so they looked better? The sad looking one by the lamppost looks recently groomed.
ReplyDeleteYour explanation makes sense. I saw a lot of graffiti on prickly pears and agaves.
DeleteIt is beautiful!!! I love many of the views! thanks for taking us along. That euphorbia sitting alone in front of that white wall is perfect.
ReplyDeleteSan Diego would be the most perfect location for a Garden Bloggers Fling. Dreamy climate, dreamy location, and I'm sure many wonderful private gardens to visit.
DeleteThe photo of that euphorbia against the white wall is my favorite image of the entire trip :-).
I haven't been to Old Town in years! Thank you for the tour...will have to got there next time I visit my Mom : )
ReplyDeleteThat's how it is for me with tourist attractions in our area. Until this year I hadn't been to the State Capitol in Sacramento in 15 years, and it's only 20 minutes from my house!
DeleteNo wonder this city earns so much praise and is a favourite of a couple we know here! And it's nice too that your posting is almost congruent with Loree's which just reinforces how beautiful this city is :)
ReplyDeleteThere is so much more to explore beyond what we were able to see. I'm already thinking about doing a solo trip later this year.
DeleteOh, these photos are wonderful! (The birding in San Diego County is awesome, too... I really need to plan a trip south.) Tijuana is also a good shopping destination, though the last time I was there, the wait in the north-bound line at the border seemed endless.
ReplyDeleteIt used to be so easy to cross the border, but those days won't ever come back. I remember walking across the Rio Grande in El Paso to Ciudad Juárez in 1992 with nothing but a driver's license and coming back with bags full of pottery and a bottle of tequila, LOL.
DeleteI spent many an evening playing pinball at the Oldtown Tavern, and it would surprise me to find it was still there. Dinner was always at Casa del Pico, if we were feeling comfortable with the cash flow.
ReplyDeleteEver saw anything spooky going on at night? We did a ghost tour on Tuesday evening, and Old Town is a hotbed of paranormal activity!
DeleteI guess my OldTown experience pre-dates the ghost tours, just like my Sedona experiences pre-date the vortex !
DeleteI'm glad you're enjoying the sights. I haven't been down that way in ages and my last 2 trips were all business - I'll have to bend my husband's arm and wrangle a trip soon.
ReplyDeleteYou should! I can highly recommend the hop-on, hop-off trolley tour. It takes you to many destinations all over the city.
DeleteAndrew and I never made it to Old Town proper, we only drove through late one night. I did spend quite a bit of time there when I visited with my brother years YEARS ago. Your photos are a great reminder.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a nice place for dinner or drinks. Lively restaurants and bars.
Deletethe one thing I love about your blogs is that you always include pertinent historical link. I love San Diego. I tried to convince my husband to move there when my son went to college at ucsd. ( in the 90') . thanks for sharingthis beautiful town.
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