This queer small mountain town is as American as apple pie

Tucked inside the mountains just outside of San Diego lies the quirky, quaint, and surprisingly queer little town of Julian, California. Known for its incredible apple pies and connection to California’s gold mining days, this little haven is the perfect escape from the hubbub of the outside world to immerse yourself in history, activities, and, of course, pie.

Julian’s not a very big town, and most of what you’ll want to see and do is within a three-block radius. Still, I recommend checking out the Pies and Pickaxes walking tour through the Drives and Detours app for an easy way to see all of the highlights in town. It’ll start you at the Bailey House, named after one of Julian’s most significant founders, Drue Bailey. It’s also next to the Julian Brewery, so you may as well pop in for a beer before you start the tour.

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Whether you’ve been to Julian or not, it’s likely that, if you’ve heard of it at all, you’ve heard of the pies that come with it. The Pies and Pickaxes tour delves deeper into the town’s connection to apples, which started when James Madison began planting apple trees once the height of the Gold Rush started to pan out. By 1909, they held the first Julian Apple Days Festival and solidified themselves as the spot to come for a slice of apple pie.

The only problem you’ll have is deciding where to grab a slice. The Julian Pie Company is the most popular, but I wound up heading to Mama’s Pies by recommendation of the walking tour due to its limited availability outside Julian’s borders.

If pies aren’t your thing, you could also head over to the Miner’s Diner to try out an old-fashioned soda to bring a nostalgic ambiance that transports you back to the 1800s. The brick building was the first of its kind in the backwoods and is made of 100,000 bricks from a Julian kiln.

Even though you could see all you need to in Julian within a day, the drive up the mountain to get there makes it deserve an overnight stay. Although you can stay at any of the inns or bed and breakfasts on the main strip of town, check out The Artist’s Loft if you’re looking for something explicitly queer-friendly and only a few miles away.

Opened up by Chuck Kimball and Nanessence following the Cedar Fire in 2003, this bed and do-it-yourself breakfast has two unique and rustic cabins, accompanied by a great view of the valley below and surrounding mountains. On a clear day, you can even see the faint glimmer of the ocean off in the distance.

The two cabins consist of the expansive Artist’s Loft, which has two private suites but can sleep up to four or five people, depending on your needs. The upstairs loft also has an easel and a creativity station for those who want to read, draw, or enjoy the elevated mountain view. Each of the private suites here comes with jetted tubs, and during winter, in-floor heating makes for a warmer winter. Plus, the 1950s Norwegian wood stove is also a hit and takes you back to a time when things were simpler.

Over at the Strawberry Hill cabin, you can sleep in Julian’s first “quintessential cabin in the woods.” This option is great for someone traveling alone or a couple who wants a private space together. This one also has a homely stove from the 1920s that fits the theme in the room quite nicely. The front room also looks out onto the Cuyamaca Peaks, as it does anywhere you go on the property.

If you’re a stargazer like me, Julian is one of the best places for a wide-open view of a night sky devoid of the city’s light pollution. If you wind up staying at the Artist’s Loft, enjoy the view from the solitude of your cabin.

Outside of the walking tour, the pie, or wherever you end up staying, Julian is a great place to visit to escape the world, go back in history, and surround yourself with the era of the Gold Rush. Although the overall town doesn’t scream, “I’m gay” from every corner, I saw several gay couples walking around and a few sights of rainbows sprinkled here and there, so don’t let the stigma of small-minded mountain folk keep you away from checking out this charming little getaway.

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