Jul
28

5 Things You May Not Know About San Diego

Suzzanne by Suzzanne
 

Whaley House

1. Located in Old Town San Diego, the famous Whaley House, constructed in 1856 on a former gallows site, is one of only two officially-designated haunted houses in California. The Whaley House is often referred to as “the most haunted house in America,” inhabited by no less than seven spirits. The Whaley House is also the first two-story brick building in Southern California and the oldest two-story brick building on the West Coast.

Balboa Park

2. Balboa Park is the second oldest city park in America. This magnificent cultural complex is second only to the Smithsonian in size and is often referred to as the “Smithsonian of the West”; it has the highest concentration of museums west of the Mississippi and the largesturban cultural park in North America.

US Navy Flying over San Diego Bay

3. San Diego is home to the largest military complex in the United States; eleven major Navy and Marine Corpsinstallations are home to approximately 150,000 active duty military personnel.

Chicano Park

4. Chicano Park, located beneath the San Diego-Coronado Bridge in the downtown neighborhood of Barrio Logan, is home to the largestcollection of outdoor murals in the country.

5. The 4,600-acre Mission Bay, with its 27 miles of beaches and abundance of grassy recreation areas, is the largest aquatic park in the world.

TAGS: , , , , , ,
CATEGORIES: Arts & Culture, Beaches & Outdoors, Insider Tips

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  • Wrightjd2000

    It says Central Park in New York City is the oldest.

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  • Dooda

    @Aaron What are you talking about? First of all… Liese asked a question about the information presented in the article that Balboa Park is the second oldest city park in the country and commented that she would like to know which is the oldest. Suzzanne (who wrote the article) told her where she got the information (from Balboa Park itself) and which park IS the oldest.

  • LILIA Rosario Gering

    I love San Diego, I’ve been to Whaley house and Mission Bay… Would love to go back!!!!!

  • PFunk

    Love my city and been to every one of these. Thanks for the fun facts about all. I run Mission Bay, nice to put a bit of history to my runs. Whaley House has always freaked me out. You know they make 4th graders tour the house as a “special” activity during the school year. Crazy!! Balboa is always beautiful and Chicano Park (although located in a not so nice neighborhood right now) is always fun to admire. Don’t worry visitors, things are changing in that hood. Its called progress. :-) I love and support our military!! Thanks again!

  • http://www.citysightsforkids.wordpress.com Amanda

    Great compilation of diverse facts and geographic areas of San Diego! As of last week, the water lilies in Balboa Park were in full bloom.

  • http://www.neosmarmaras.co.rs Marmaras

    I’ve seen a TV show about Chicano Park graffiti and murals artwork and I couldn’t believe how big the venue is. I would like to see it in live sometimes

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  • dave

    I learn something new about San Diego all the time. I can’t wait to get back and check some of these places.

  • Aaron Winchester

    Oh and that may be true of Chicano park the only problem is all the gang members and homeless people who are always there making it no fun to go to!

  • Aaron Winchester

    Suzzanne Ok so what does Boston being the first have to do with this article or San Diego?

    She A didn’t say Balboa was the first and she didn’t say the Smithsonian was the oldest just the its second only to the Smithsonian in size and is often referred to as the “Smithsonian of the West”; it has the highest concentration of museums west of the Mississippi and the largest urban cultural park in North America.

    Where does the age come in here is doesn’t she doesn’t even say when the Smithsonian was build(1836)and is not considered a national park.

  • Suzzanne

    Hi @liese Our source is Balboa Park. We called and I believe Boston Common is the oldest. Hope that helps!

  • Karla

    Hey Veronica! Thanks for visiting our city, but Chicano Park is not that close to Old Town. CP is located to the south side of downtown San Diego, and Old Town is located to the north – just east across the I-5 freeway. Come back for another visit soon, OK! I highly recommend the Old Town area.

  • jenny barringer

    i didnt know Chicano Park was a famous place, we took a wrong turn trying to get onto the bridge from downtown, and stumbled across it, it is awesome.

  • liese

    I’m not questioning your accuracy but I would like to know how you discovered that balboa is the second oldest city park in the US? I would really like to know which one is the oldest. Can you share your source?

  • http://www.veronicalsingleton.wordpress.com Veronica Truesdale

    Hey, I did pretty good, I knew of all but one, that’s Chicano Park. I think that’s because when I visited we never made it to Old town.

  • Andrew

    I have been to all of those places hahaha I love to go places in San Diego that most people dont notice because you can find some of the most beautiful things and you have a fun adventure at the same time. One thing I like doing is bicycling to Oceanbeach from Chula Vista with a friend or two and we always try to take a new path each time we go.

  • Susie

    Would like to go back for a visit soon!!!