Those who have never experienced life in Julian sure do seem to have a lot of questions. If you’re a Julian resident, then you’ve probably have had to set some out-of-towners straight on their incorrect stereotypes or misconceptions, or simply educate them a bit on life in San Diego’s Backcountry. Here is just a small list of some of the topics we’ve had to explain the most:
THE LIST
There's not just one place to get pie. There are 9 places. For a complete list check out my guide to Julian Apple Pie.
The cemetery is not a playground, even when there’s snow. Please respect it.
This town shuts down between 5 and 6 pm. "Why," you ask. Business drops off when all the visitors head home.
Julian does not have a definitive boundary. The school districts, water districts, and the fire district all have their own boundaries that don’t exactly align within the zip code.
Yes, people actually live here year-round. We live in neighborhoods and on ranches in the more outline areas. Depending on what you consider Julian, approximately 4,000 residents live in the area.
Road etiquette and laws apply here too, so please follow them. The speed limit on the highway is 55 MPH unless otherwise posted.
Most locals can tell you a very basic history of the region. The local schools don’t teach our local history. Aside from a local history day once a year, the Julian school system barley teaches on Julian’s 150-year history.
Believe it or not, we actually have seasons, so dress accordingly and in layers if it’s winter.
When giving directions, we don’t usually use street names. It’s more like, “turn right before the Post Office, if you pass the school you went too far.” Similarly, instead of saying an address, we say things like "two doors down from the Hatch house."
We’re more than just apples and gold. I mean, we really love our famous apples and all, but there are some epic hikes, food, art, views, and more to enjoy and explore. You can learn about all there is to do here.
We're not all rednecks, hillbillies, or cowboys. We come from all backgrounds and professions. In reality, the population is an interesting mix of conservatives living a true "country lifestyle" and liberals who want to “live in nature.”
Mountain lions live here! And coyotes. And bobcats...it is likely that you will never see these elusive creatures on your day trip to Julian.
We do not have bears. Black bears are not native to the county, but back in the 1800s, Grizzlies used to roam here.
Our skies are bigger, clearer, and bolder than San Diego’s.
Breakfast isn’t served all day. We don’t have a Denny’s. Most restaurants that serve breakfast stop before 11:30 a.m.
