We'll Have A Fun Time in Old Town Tonight!
Written: Aug 27 '05 (Updated Sep 04 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Free, educational, ample public restrooms
Cons: Not stroller friendly, not enough explanation of historical displays
The Bottom Line: An interesting historical site over run with gift shops.
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| modernmarvel's Full Review: Old Town |
We visited Old Town in San Diego in August 2005. We have been to San Diego numerous times but had somehow never made it to this side of town. Old Town's claim to fame is that it is the first settlement in California, that is right after California became a state. Old Town's main purpose is education however it was also surprisingly commercial.
The first thing I noticed is the free parking lot right next to Old Town. We easily scored a space at 3pm on a Saturday but when we left around 7:30, there were no spaces to be had.
There is no mistaking that Old Town is a tourist attraction. There was a cheesy band, several people hawking Old Town Trolly Tours and free maps right as we exited the parking lot. The true Old Town is a state historic park that is pedestrian only. However, it blends into the neighborhood so well that it isn't immediately obvious where the exact borders are. All around Old Town are motels, restaurants and lots of gift shops selling things you don't need that will end up for sale for a dollar at your next yard sale.
We tackled Old Town first. Generally, Old Town consists of historical buildings arranged in a loop that you walk. Some buildings are original buildings on their original site, some are reproductions and some were relocated from other parts of San Diego. The buildings are spread out along the outside of the loop. There is a grassy courtyard with a large tree and picnic tables in the middle of the loop. The first thing you will see when you enter Old Town is a number of gift shops. These shops sell tinware, leather, mexican ceramics and other things loosely based on San Diego culture in the 1820s-1860s. Eventually the gift shops give way to more historical buildings. Different types of period architecture are represented. Some of the buildings represented replicas of restaurants, a court house, a printing shop, a dentist's shop and other period buildings. By far, the coolest thing to see is the old, metal jail cell that is free standing behind the court house. Another building housed a very impressive stage coach. Toward the top of the loop is a very large hacienda. The outside was not particularly interesting but inside, the hacienda had a nice garden and fountain within its main courtyard and some nice room settings to view. There was also a schoolhouse but it was closed when we visited.
The educational buildings had some furniture inside and, occasionally, a freaky-looking statue that looked like it was stolen from a Macy's display. The point of these dioramas is to educate about the time period. However, the dioramas were set off from the public by a wooden barrier and were totally non-interactive. There were some signs to explain what you were seeing but they didn't add too much to the experience. Plus, the kids didn't have the time or interest to read them.
The thing I found the most odd is the number of gift stores selling merchandise that were interspersed with the historical buildings. There was a store selling mainly tobacco. There was another selling "general merchandise" which pretty much means junk. I found that the number of gift stores to detract from the educational experience. The stores were also not particularly user friendly. Several had signs that said they didn't permit strollers which is something I hadn't encountered before. Another store had a sign that said no more than 4 students at a time.
At the back of the loop is a visitor's center where they can answer your questions about Old Town. There were some additional displays here that were not particularly engaging. I saw a sign outside the visitor center that offered tours. We didn't take one and I didn't know if there was a charge, but a tour would have definitely helped explain the displays inside the buildings.
Also toward the back of the loop is a complex that is currently being worked on and is scheduled to be completed in 2006. This complex housed restaurants and nicer shops selling mexican and southwestern handicrafts plus tourist t-shirts and other stuff. The best part about this new complex was that the stores were air conditioned. There were also several well-marked public restrooms. The restaurants seemed to be a big attraction and many were full or close to full on the Saturday night that we visited.
After exploring Old Town, we checked out the surrounding area. There were lots more stores and restaurants but the general merchandise was the same as that available in Old Town. We did have a fun meal at Casa de Reyes and enjoyed the margaritas and Mexican music.
All in all, we spent about two hours exploring Old Town. A history buff might have needed another hour. The historical buildings closed at five but the restaurants and shops seemed to stay open much later. I thought the experience was fine but wouldn't rush back. Also, the children, ages 9 and 5, didn't really enjoy this area as much as they have other historical sites. For some reason, it just didn't come alive like other sites we have visited. I liked Balboa Park, which is also in San Diego, better.
MY REVIEWS OF OTHER THINGS TO SEE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Legoland
SeaWorld San Diego
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
The San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Wild Animal Park
Balboa Park
The Museum of Making Music
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Singles
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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modernmarvel
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Can anyone recommend a western family dude ranch for a vacation this summer?
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