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This April I took a birthday trip to Julian California with my mother and my sister in law.

Julian is a lovely, old-timey town known for apple pie and gold mines. It has a unique atmosphere and is set in a beautiful mountain location.

Julian is one of the few gold-rush towns that didn't become ghost-towns when the rush ended. Instead it took to farming, apples, and other projects. It is also a beautiful and relaxing spot for a weekend vacation.

We stayed at "Whispering Pines Retreat" ; booked via Airbnb. It was much nicer than the pictures made it out to be; and plenty of room for three women going on an adventure.

The first order of business was pie. "Julian Pie Company" had a great low-sugar variety that wasn't too sweet, but had amazing crust.

Next was shopping.

"The Warm Hearth" is as much as experience as a place to shop. It has everything from clothes to art supplies to jams and jellies and garden décor. We spent a few hours there before perusing a few other shops around town.

Next we went to the Lilac Festival at Fort Cross.

Fort Cross is a fantastic little historical wonderland for kids, and adults as well. Full of old buildings, exhibits and games for all ages; it is a fun stop on a weekend. We went in particular to look at the Lilacs during the "Lilac Festival" inside the Lilac Maze.

At this point we were hungry, but it wasn't the right weather for a picnic, so we elected to have a late lunch at a restaurant near the lake.

The Pub at Lake Cuyamaca

Nearby Lake Cuyamaca had a nice pub with an impressive view.

The lake was so beautiful, we stopped for picture on the way back to our cabin.

It was a perfect weekend away; relaxing yet interesting. There were further adventures on the way there and back in Lake Elsinore and Temecula; but that is enough material for a whole other post.

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