Old Town San Diego State Historic Park

The Historic District San Diego State Park is a state-protected historical park in San Diego, California, in the Old Town area. It highlights San Diego's early years and features several historic structures dating from 1820 to 1870.

California State Parks ranked Old Town San Diego as the most visited state park in 2005 and 2006. The property was designated as California Historical Landmark #830 in 1969 and found its way to the National Register of Historic Places on September 3, 1971.

By offering a link to the past, the State Historic Park allows visitors to experience the history of early San Diego. Old Town San Diego of 1769 was California's first colony, consisting solely of a mission and a fort.

Old Town is a year-round destination for folklore, cuisine, and entertainment. Visit Old Town to learn about San Diego's history and soak up the atmosphere of early California. Through comprehensive living history programs, you may experience life during the early Mexican-American era of 1821-1872. At the blacksmith and woodworker shops and read a 19th-century newspaper.

The Historic District San Diego is located in the middle of the city, where Interstates 5 and 8 intersect. The San Diego Trolley Old Town Transit Center is only across the street, the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) is just over the highway, and most San Diego attractions are within a short drive.

The interpretative period's core of restored original historic structures is supplemented by recreated sites and early twentieth-century buildings developed in the same style. The historic park includes unique retail stores, museums, and restaurants housed in five original adobe structures.

The Historic Plaza continues to be a unique location for meetings and historical events. Visitors may also visit a working blacksmith shop, listen to live music, view and touch the park's burros, and participate in early San Diego-themed activities.

You may stroll through lush gardens or buy treasures from across the world at one of the numerous specialized stores. Enjoy real Mexican cuisine at one of the numerous restaurants or dance to the mariachis on the street.

Plan a day or two to tour the dozens of historical attractions, including the fountains at Fiesta de Reyes and the Bazaar del Mundo. Spend a day at one of the numerous museums or take a tour of a haunted building.

You can find free Parking Lots around the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.