re you planning to visit San Diego in September? The normal average temperate is a cool and comfortable 71.-4 degrees and perfect weather to go exploring historic sites and places where history-making events occurred.

The rich history of the San Diego dates back to 20,000 BC and there are key parts of city the where important world changing events took place.

So if you are looking for something different to do, why not visit our past by checking out some of the places listed below.

HISTORICAL LANDMARKS OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY

BANCROFT RANCH HOUSE
The building is next door to the Spring Valley Chamber of Commerce building on Bancroft Drive. It is a National Historic Landmark built in 1885.
Location: One block E of Memory and Bancroft Dr, Spring Valley

BOX CANYON
Box Canyon is said to be the first wagon road into Southern California.
Location: On County Road S2 (P.M. 25.7), 8.6 mi S of State Hwy 78, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

CABRILLO LANDING SITE
Site of the first European landing on the coast of California.
Location: Base of Ballast Point, S end of Rosecrans Street, where historic markers are on a half circle, U.S. Naval Submarine Base, San Diego

CAMPO STORE
The Campo Store has a colorful past. Built in 1885 this building was used as a bank, post office, stage station and served as the social center for the community. Location: State Hwy 94 (P.M. 50.6), at Campo Circle, Campo

CASA DE BANDINI
Built around 1827, this old mansion was erected by notable citizen Don Jose Bandini and his son. Location: On NE corner of Mason and Calhoun Streets, Old Town San Diego State Historic Park

CASA DE CARRILLO
This is the oldest of adobe mansions now standing, having been built in the second decade of the Nineteenth Century. Location: About 100 ft NE of Juan St on Wallace Street, Presidio Golf Course, San Diego

CASA DE LOPEZ
A house built about 1835 by Francisco Lopez.
Location: 3890 Twiggs Street, Old Town, San Diego

CASA DE MACHADO
"House of the Flag" This house was built in 1782 and was the hiding place of the Mexican flag during the occupation of the Americans.
Location: Old Town San Diego State Historic Park

CASA DE PEDRORENA
Home of Don Miguel T. de Pedrorena a courageous military leader during the Mexican War. Location: 2616 San Diego Ave, Old Town San Diego State Historic Park

CASA DE STEWART
A house built in the 1830s by Corporal Jose Manuel Machado, of the San Diego Presidio Company. Location: NW corner of Congress and Mason Streets, Old Town San Diego State Historic Park

CHAPEL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
The oldest church in San Diego. Located at: 3950 Conde Street, between Congress St and San Diego Ave in Old Town, San Diego.

EL CAMPO SANTO
The Catholic cemetery for San Diego between 1850 and 1880 where most of San Diego's most well-known citizens are buried. Location: On San Diego Ave between Arista and Conde Streets, San Diego

THE COLORADO HOUSE
When open in 1851, hotel rooms were available for $15 per month. The Colorado House burned in 1872. It was reconstructed in 1992 and now houses the Wells Fargo Museum.

THE ESTUDILLO HOUSE
A Mexican Californian mansion built in San Diego during the 1800's and filled with period antiques.
Location: The Estudillo House is located at the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, San Diego Avenue at Twiggs Street, San Diego.

FERRYBOAT BERKELEY
The Berkeley is the best preserved 19th century ferryboat in existence and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1990.
Location: 1306 North Harbor Drive, San Diego

FIRST MILITARY FLYING SCHOOL IN AMERICA
Glenn Curtiss founded the first military flying school in here on January 17, 1911. Location: Sunset Park, 200 block of Ocean Blvd, at entrance to Gate 5, Naval Air Station, North Island, Coronado

FORT GUIJARROS SITE
This fort was San Diego's first harbor defense, built around 1797.
Location: Base of Ballast Point, S end of Rosecrans Street, U.S. Naval Submarine Base, San Diego

FORT ROSECRANS
A fort occupied in the 1800's and the surrounding bluffs were used to defend against naval attacks up until after World War ll.
Location: Base of Ballast Point, Send of Rosecrans Street, where historic markers are on a half circle, U.S. Naval Submarine Base, San Diego

FORT ROSECRANS CEMETERY
This cemetery is a burial place for the San Diego Barracks in the late 1870's. Location: Cabrillo Memorial Dr Point Loma, San Diego

FORT STOCKTON
Located in Presidio Park, this fort dates back to the 1800's and was an important location during the spanish and mexican wars.
Location: Top of hill W of Presidio Drive in Presidio Park, Old Town, San Diego

HOTEL DEL CORONADO
The hotel was built in 1887, is one of America's largest wooden victorian style structures. The hotel has provided accommodations for movie stars to presidents.

HERITAGE PARK
This 7.8-acre county park is dedicated to the preservation of San Diego's Victorian architecture. Expansion downtown after WWII threatened these structures with demolition on their original sites. Public and private funds paid for the acquisition, relocation, and restoration of these buildings. Now owned by the county, the structures are leased to private and commercial entities responsible for interior renovation and operation in keeping with the park's Victorian theme. Click here for more information.

JULIAN
Julian was the biggest gold mining camp in California. It has been restored and offers visitors a stroll back into the past. Location: Private plaque: Julian Memorial Park, Washington and Fourth Streets, Julian State plaque: In front of Town Hall, Julian

LA CANADA DE LOS COCHES RANCHO
La Canada de Los Coches Rancho is a 28 ranch built in the 1800's.
Location: On Pomerado Rd, 0.1 mi E of I-15, 5 mi SE of Escondido

LEO CARRILLO RANCH
Between 1937 and 1940, actor Leo Carillo built this ranch retreat. The working ranch initially encompassed over 2000 acres.
Location: 4758 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad

MASON STREET SCHOOL
Built in the 1800's the old school building is supposed to be the first publicly owned school house in the county. Location: 3966 Mason Street, Old Town San Diego State Historic Park

MISSION DAM AND FLUME
The old mission dam was constructed during the first decade of the Nineteenth Century by the priests and Indians of the San Diego Mission and much of it is stilling standing. Location: Mission Trails Regional Park near NE entrance, San Diego

MISSION SAN LUIS REY DE FRANCIA
Called San Diego's most striking mission, the mission was named after Louis IX, King of France. Location: Four miles east of Oceanside on Highway 76.

MISSION SAN DIEGO DE ALCALA
This is documented to be the first mission in California during the 1700's.
Location: On Friar's Road, off Murphy Canyon Road, at the east end of Mission Valley.

MONTGOMERY MEMORIAL
In 1883, John Joseph Montgomery made the first flight in a heavier-than-air craft 20 years before the Wrights. Location: Montgomery-Walker Park, NE corner of Coronado Ave and Beyer Blvd, South San Diego

OAK GROVE STAGE STATION
Oak Grove state station is one of the few buildings still standing that serviced the Butterfield Overland Mail. It is now a renovated store.
Location: State Hwy 79 (P.M. 49.4), Oak Grove

OLD LA PLAYA QUARANTINE STATION
Quarantine Station was where ships inbound from foreign ports were screened for infectious diseases and contamination. Location: On left side of Rosecrans St, at entrance to Military Reserve, Point Loma, San Diego.

THE OLD LANDING SITE
The Old Landing at the mouth of the San Diego River provided a a landing place for goods to San Diego during Spanish and Mexican times.
Location: Base of Ballast Point, S end of Rosecrans Street, U.S. Naval Submarine Base, San Diego

OLD TOWN PLAZA
This the center of public life and recreation in Old San Diego.
Location: Old Town Plaza (Washington Square), Old Town San Diego State Historic Park

OLD TOWN SAN DIEGO STATE HISTORIC PARK
Settled by soldiers and their families, Old Town grew into a community on the 1800's. Location: Old Town San Diego State Historic Park

PALA MISSION
San Antonio de Pala is the only one of the Franciscan outposts of Spanish California still a mission for the Indians. Location: San Antonio de Pala is six and one-half miles east of U. S. Highway 395, on State Route 76; plaque on State Hwy 76 (P.M. 23.6), Pala

PEG LEG SMITH MONUMENT
Monument to gold miner Thomas L. Smith, better known as 'Peg Leg,' 1801-1866. It is said that his lost mine is located nearby. Location: Henderson Canyon Rd, 1,000 ft N of Pegleg Rd, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

POINT LOMA LIGHTHOUSE
One of the most visited national historic landmark monuments in California the Point Loma Lighthouse is located at the end of Point Loma. The lighthouse, was built in 1855 by the government and is over five hundred feet above sea level making it the tallest in the world when it was built. Location: Cabrillo National Monument, Point Loma, San Diego

RANCHO GUAJOME
The adobe ranch house, built in 1852-53, is one of the finest examples of traditional Spanish-Mexican hacienda. Location: Rancho Guajome Regional Park, 2210 N Santa Fe Ave, 4 mi E of Mission San Luis Rey

SAN DIEGO PRESIDIO SITE
This spot is the site of the first white settlement on the West Coast of the United States. Location: Next to parking lot across Presidio Dr from Serra Museum, Presidio Park, Old Town, San Diego

SAN FELIPE VALLEY STAGE STATION
The station was built in the 1800's and used for the Butterfield Mail.
Location: On County Hwy S2 (P.M. 15.9), 0.9 mi NW of intersection of State Hwy 78, near Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

SAN PASQUAL BATTLEFIELD
Near the San Diego Wild Animal Park east of Escondido is the monument commemorating the bloodiest battle in California history. Location: San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park, State Hwy 78 (P.M. 25.1) at Old Pasqual Rd, 7 mi SE of Escondido

SANTA CATARINA
A camp site for Anza's expedition.
Location: Santa Catarina Springs, 10 mi NW of Borrego Springs (4-wheel drive dirt rd), Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, ask at Visitor Center

SANTA MARGARITA RANCH HOUSE
The Ranch House was built in the 1800's and is open to the public by appointment only - the Commanding General occupies the home. Tours last about an hour and a half hour and are schedule for specific days that need to be booked at least one month in advance.
You can requests a tour by e-mail JonasonFA@mail.cpp.usmc.mil
Location: Camp Pendleton Marine Base

SANTA YSABEL MISSION SITE
A San Diego Mission built in the 1800's. Location: On State Hwy 79 (P.M. 21.8), 1.4 mi N of Santa Ysabel

SPANISH LANDING
This is the area where the Portolá-Serra expedition met in 1769 and began the Spanish Occupation. Location: Spanish Landing Park, Harbor Drive, San Diego

STAR OF INDIA
The Star of India is the world's oldest sea worthy ship. It is docked and open to the public for tours.
Location: 1306 North Harbor Drive, San Diego

VALLECITO STAGE STATION
This house became a station on the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Route and in it was made one of the stops of the famous Butterfield Overland Mail stops in the 1800s. Location: Vallecito Stage Station County Park, on County Rd S2 (P.M. 34.7), 3.7 mi NW of Agua Caliente Springs

WARNER'S RANCH
An old ranch that was a resting place for traveling army units. Their springs produce water that is believed to have therapeutic effects. Location: On County Hwy S2 (P.M. 0.7), 0.7 mi E of juncture of State Hwy 79, 4 mi SE of Warner Springs

THE WHALEY HOUSE
This is the only mansion of the American style of the mid-Nineteenth Century to be seen in San Diego. The Whaley House is also said to be haunted. Location: 2482 San Diego Ave, Old Town, San Diego

WHALING STATION SITE
A site where whalers operated during the 1850's through the 1860's. Location: Base of Ballast Point, U.S. Naval Submarine Base, San Diego.

Be sure to visit our Calendar of Events page to see what's coming up in the area.