We really enjoyed the panning for stones! Totally worth it for only $6. Overall, its a nice place to walk around, have lunch or dinner and enjoy activities. High tourist spot.

Look...This is a place you should visit.It is a SLICE of Old School Mexico.Yes it has bit of a tourist vibe that is the point of the location, however there are PLENTY of legitimate old Mexican and just regular Mexican Eatery I have tried five different locations,I still have an additional 25 or so to try, there is a square with a park for kids to release some of their energy there are clean restroom that are clean quite often.There is a old school depiction ( actual structure ) within the square of a Old School CA-SEE-DA ( This app would not let me spell it ) was back in the day.I promise and guarantee you, you will enjoy this location with the homemade ice cream coffee to be brewed, the stage where they do the Mexican dancing that is very very near one of my favorite eateries it is a beautiful place.I promise and guarantee you you will not be disappointed.

Beautiful, old Spanish California tourist trap. In the middle of the square is a large grassy area for the kiddos and doggos to run their wiggles off. Family-friendly. Live music during the weekend afternoons, and fun shops to browse. The kids will beg for a toy from Geppettos and you can cool your jets with a frosty margarita at several different restaurants. The locals get their Mexican food fix at Guadalajara Restaurant in Bazaar del Mundo. The food there is authentic and well worth the wait!

Went to the spice and tea shop at old town park. Oh the goodness that is in side. Every spice you can imagine plague the walls in jars from room to room.. Cant wait to explore my love of cooking.My daughter comes to make her own teas by buying it whole. She has some here that she cannot find anywhere else. Flew in from Oregon yesterday and flying back on Sunday but always stops here.I live in San Diego so I will be back for all kids of goodies

A must-see historical locationI just love the old town, it is historic, well preserved diverse, you can find some nice free museums, some of them have actors dressed as their role and they show you how this person used to do their job, you can also find a good market, some shops…etc.

My family and friends love Old Town San Diego State Park, because it is a self-contained oasis of fine Mexican food, fun Mexican themed shops, and fantastic historical landmarks. We enjoy staying at the Best Western Hacienda so we can just walk from our room and in 2 minutes we are enjoying this amazing gem. Old Town San Diego has great spots for taking pics, eating fresh tortillas, and strolling in the park with live music.

Usually, 5 star. were looking forward to holiday decorations and lights, like in previous years. Aside from a few wreaths, it was dark, a reflection of 2020? Possibly to discourage visitors? We needed some joy and brightness.

Great time. Lots to see. I was pleasantly surprised about all the one if a kind shops in Old Town. Preserved in their original buildings, you feel like you are transported back in time. A must see if visiting San Diego!

The place is Okay. It was raining today though. Most of museums are closed. However we visited one with trains. I was amused! Such a detailed city with little people, cars, moving trains. It looks so real! There are plenty of little cafes and restaurants. You will also find here any souvenir you can imagine) Parking lot is big enough and free.

Been several times, this was another great trip here, even with covid! Yes there were limitations/changes, but everyone really seemed to be doing a great job and trying to make it great for everyone else!Thank you to all the owners and staff and park personnel!!!

Old town is always a great place to visit! Weekdays are always the best time! Less crowded and easy parking. Food is always good!

Beautiful little spot where you can find history, art and gorgeous little vignettes to photograph around every corner. When its all lit up at night, it really feels magical. It is very touristy.Pro Tip: If you are up to the challenge of being a responsible consumer, look for locally made art and art made in Mexico, rather than the majority of stuffs that are cute/kitschy/pretty, but all imported from China or someplace else. Locals first.

Great place to spend the day enjoying a touch of of that old western town feeling. Lots of good things to eat, and lots of nice trinkets and gifts to pick up for what is not too unreasonable prices. Some areas do get much more crowded than others, and there are plenty of people who dont seem to care about wearing a mask, so be aware that it is not the ideal place to visit during covid. Additionally, many of the museums and shops were closed due to covid, so be ready to spend most of your time outside. Line for lunch was extremely long (over an hour wait in many of the nearby restaurants), so come early or be prepared to wait. Lastly, although there are various parking lots in the area, parking can be difficult to find, so prepare to camp out for people leaving, or to circle around the blocks multiple times before you find a spot.

Lots of fun to visit. There’s tons of little shops to visit with lots of Mexican trinkets and stuff.Plenty of places to get good food and drinks. It’s fun to just wander around.

At first, we were on the side that had stores with the same gift shop items, so basically...like Tijuana, but a tourist trap, which should be avoided. However, there were many places to eat such as Coyote cafe with giant tacos and burritos and where you can buy fresh tortillas. It wasnt until we went to the otherside where the Fiesta de Reyes park shops were that has the more unique items and has more of the old town charm, highly recommended!

Love this place, lots of good shops with handmade souvenirs (soap, candles, sweets, ceramic tiles, cigars etc).

Great place to take family and walk around and get fresh air. All the shops take covid safety measure seriously. Thank you! Check out the candy store and the root beer floats!

Cute but no historical explanation of anything so not that educative. Feels artificial. Small. Mexican restaurant on site is fairly nice. Okay to see but not really. worth the detour

Always a terrific place to wonder around and enjoy on a nice day. The various food places are all amazing and the stores are a lot of fun to check out. Racing Laramie is a must stop for us whenever we visit. Great selection of cigars, pipe tobacco, and other various things. The guys working are friendly and knowledgeable too

A very special historical part of town. IF YOU HAVE MOBILITY ISSUES they have removed all benches and seating other than restaurant tables. It is a great location, but I recommend bringing your own chair if standing for a long time is difficult. My imaged; I painted an excellent Mexican singer (Tamara) and two audience members having some fun.

Came here to check this spot off my bucket list. Was not disappointed. Got to explore this SD gem. Alot of history and got to take a lot of pics. Explored the shops and discovered Fiesta de Reyes here. Did not know that place existed.

First time visiting Old Town San Diego and I cant wait to come back. Some of the old buildings were closed on the day we visited, but are open most days during the week. Many wonderful shops with quality items and many places to eat. We just stopped by for a quick visit on our way home, but will definitely be back when we have more time to spend there.

Best place in the world to walk and enjoy San Diegos history, culture and foods, drinks. Love the pottery, candy store and all the shops including souvenirs, soaps, candles and more!

Lots of variety in shopping and eating. Anytime you find a haunted place is a good time! Whaley House. Trolley is awesome you can get on and off all day and see everything!

Havent been there in years and Im a local. Actually I lied, I occasionally visit the fresh tortilla spots and restaurants, but as far as walking the quick inner circle that was fun. Again. Found some cigars at that wonderful store. My kids were able to see the candles being made.and there is a wonderful tree to see.

Place is very nice and it makes you feel as if you are back in the western days. The shops are all kind of boring most sell the same things just useless knick knacks they have a restaurant as well. Its a nice place to walk around, it even has a nice little grass area where you can have a picnic or just hangout. I recommend this place. There is free parking but if its filled then you will have to pay in one of the surrounding parking places.

It was great, but too many people close to each other ...COVID-19

This place is full of history. And great Mexican food. Is a great entertainment for the whole family you must come the weather was only at 81

With over 17,000 reviews on Google, the LV Plug team had to stop by the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park to see what the hype is about. This historic park is located in the Old Town neighborhood of beautiful San Diego, California. This park commemorates the early days of the city of San Diego. This park includes many historic buildings from the period of 1820 to 1870. This park and my grandmother have a lot in common theyre both old AF. Hopefully this park will live long enough for me to bring my grand children to visit and explore when Im as old as my grandmother.

Another favorite of mine! This place has quaint stores to match the era. The restaurants are delicious! The costumes are very well made to fit the era also. Love Old Town San Diego!

I cant believe I never knew about this GEM !! This is definitely a place to take the family for a whole day out! There were also so many amazing Mexican Restaurants!!!!

Would definitely visit again..!!Feeling of being in some 16th-18th century.

Best place for family and friends to gather for lunch, great Mexican restaurants and lots of little shops to walk around to see.

Cute little buildings, lots of good places to take pictures. Loved reading the history of each building and who used to live in them.

It was clean and the shop workers were attentive. Not overly pleasant, but not impolite either. We went on a Monday, so most shops were closed. What was open, we looked around. I noticed that there was a ton of the same items from shop to shop (also found at the Swap Meet) and the Swap meet was much less expensive.

A beautiful, open-air, recreation of the San Diego of the nineteenth century. The vibe is amazing, almost as if going back in the past and south of the border. There are nice shops and stores all around and chances to learn about the life in San Diego in the 1800s

In the little mall where cafe coyote is a crystal and gem store in the back they are so reasonable and I love all there gems and crystals

The park is renovated. It can get really crowded right in front of the painted ladies with tourists. It is a great spot to have a picnic on. There are a lot of cafes that are walking distance. Parking is relatively easy and the best part is that it is FREE!

It was a fun place to hang out for a few hours. I wish the buildings were not recreations, but once you read the history it will make sense. There are quite a few quaint shops to stroll through and the customer service in the ones we visited was excellent. Very helpful and informative of the area and knew a lot about the history of the grounds. It makes for a fun day.

Amazing place to visit! Lots of activities in the area. in addition to free walking tours around the Old Town with a guide. Lots of great restaurants and shops. Easily can spent several hours there. Free parking as well, but parking lot is not big so better arrive before noon.

My wife and i have been coming here at least once a year for a long time. She likes to shop and this is agreat place for that. I like to eat and its a great place for that too. Plus the great thing is that you can park for free to visit this historic site. Great place for locals and visitors.

Lots of novelty shops.. the state park museums were closed due to governor newsom shutting everything down due to covid-19.. restaurants were open inside and outside dinning.. thank you restaurants!

This place is absolutely fabulous!! Rich in history, tradition, pride, and sweet little shops in every nook and cranny. Loved it!! The history really comes through and is pushed through in everything that happens here. Makes learning about the origin of San Diego and California fun and enlightening. Its like a living museum that kids can actually relate to and get interested in. If you are in the area and have time this place is a must!!

Love old Town my favorite place to go as a little kid and still is. All museums closed at the moment but all the shops are open. Great place to bring your kids

Its the best time to go! Great weather and easy parking! Itd be hell to look for a parking space before Covid. Right now, there are openings everywhere. I think some of the exhibits are closed but its still a neat little place to visit. Theres a candy store...need I say more?

Such a great place to visit!@@ We.San Diegeons are SO lucky to have this gem in our fine city!!! The trees are absolutely amazing!!! Didnt take pics so you get in your car and see for yourself! :)

Always a fun place to visit but you definitely need to make reservations for dinner prior to arriving due to the amount of people waiting if its on a weekend or holiday. You can also bring a blanket and chair and sit under the trees for a picnic or let the kids play or rest.

The old town San Diego State historic Park was really fun to visit. It felt like you took a step back in time. While it is very touristy and there are a lot of people visiting, it is super spacious and doesn’t feel too crowded. There are lots of things to do. Many places to eat. And many shops. The shops are really unique and many of them give off a Spanish vibe. everything is really unique and the shop owners are very nice. Definitely stop by one of the many Mexican restaurants!

The service is really good and the food is even better. Very impressed with how this restraunt is handling operating a business during the pandemic. The dining is outdoors and there was live music and dancing. Did I mention they some of the best chips and salsa Ive ever had?

Its nice place to go. We can learn history here. Unfortunately our tour group only had a very short time to explore all the old town. We can buy many souvenirs here.

Fun spacious, lots of cool stores to explore. Easy to social distance. Lots of good restaurants and free outdoor entertainment on weekends

This unique experience is worth trying that you wont get anywhere else!Usually when we see the word park, we assume its for picnic, concerts or just to relax. This one will give you a different opposite experience. There are green lawns but the rest are shops, museums and restaurants which are representative of authentic Mexican food and cultures. There is also olive oil tasting and fresh olive oils for $22-$.26. One store sells Mexican candy.The park is across from the Old Town train station. You can take the train to get here for a few hours just for the experience. Then you wont have to worry about the parking.

The soap store!!! Awesome place to shop. Very welcoming and polite. Products excellent quality. The aroma therapy pulls me in always. Lol. Love this place.

Very pretty. the shops are really nice and the food is great

I love coming - and bringing guests - to Old Town. It offers a glimpse into 1800s San Diego with so many old-timey businesses and experiences. And best of all, Old Town has many great food options to choose from. From chocolatiers, candy shops and ice cream, to some of the best Mexican restaurants in San Diego, your day is covered.

Lovely weather on the day we were here. Quaint little historic buildings. Some of the shops closed due to covid but everyone was very pleasant.

One hell of a good time at one of the best parks in the country. Legit you can spend the whole day here and not be bored. Amazing food, tons of history. Piles of photo ops. Really well worth a visit and if you live in San Diego... Well worth a return trip for sure.Everything and everyone is super friendly and if its a Mexican holiday of some sort... Youre in for a real treat.

Great places to eat. Handmade tortillas & Fresh homemade Tamales. Yummy

Great relaxing place with small hiking trail and plenty of quiet space. The history of the buildings and how well theyve been kept is cool to see

The root beer floats were really good definitely a bit of a tourist trap but they had good food lot of cool little stores was over all the great place to eat lunch. Would recommend that people at least stop by to see it.

This place is full of beauty and history and ladies...lots of shops! Its like being in Mexico with all the culture and beauty in one place. Lots of history to look at and plenty for adults and kids to do. There is a big courtyard for the play and adults to relax. The stores have everything you can think of. The prices are really good and all kinds of gifts for every age. Plenty of place to eat and snack. Even have adult beverages to enjoy. Restrooms are a little on the creepy dirty side but all in all very kul place to check out with the family. Also has plenty of musicians to enjoy while you eat or jist sit around and listen to.

Love visiting at this time of year, Dia De Los Muertos

Old town is amazing for food and taking a tour to relax and enjoy the sights.Its a heavy tourist area so expect there to be a TON of people on the weekends, yes, even during this pandemic ..Also, parking suuuuucks, so pick wisely when it come sto your arrival time and make sure you are staying for a while.Otherwise, food, coffee, snacks, historical museums and everything in between you can do and see at Old town.Plus, you are right there next to Downtown SD, the airport and the SD bay.

Beautiful place to chill, to walk around and to have some fantastic Mexican food.

I have always enjoyed Old Town. The food is great, the little shops are quent and I had a great time with my Family. If you like kicking back and enjoying good food, its the place to be.

Overwhelming with wow!! Its such great craftmanship and hand painted things. The lawn art is quite amazing with very reasonable prices...with so many different beautiful items you cant go home without purchasing something!

Nice place to walk around eat and see all the shops

Many historical shops are closed. Mostly small shops and restaurants are open. The grounds are lovely to walk around to get a feel of how San Deigo used to be.

So nice and touristy! Lots of shopping and lots of eating !

So happy some of the shops are still open. A great place for the family to get out and walk around.

Always a must stop when visiting San Diego. Unfortunately with Covid-19 all the museums and the Cosmopolitan restaurant were closed on our recent visit. Would be nice if some of the park benches could be returned.

A VERY HISTORICAL PLACE LOVED THE CEMETERY EL CAMPO SANTO & THE OLD SHERIFFS MUSEUM

Interesting place! Best time to go is in the sunset.

Our family adores Old Town Square! We can walk around, and shop, hang out, get snacks for the kids, and enjoy the history easy for a couple hours. It’s a must see if you are visiting San Diego. It is literally the Real San Diego. We always grab a bite to eat before we head home, and there is hardly a bad choice in the area. Personally favorite shops are the Tibetan shop. I love their bracelets! The Bakery and Salt Water taffy place! Also affiliated with a Grill down the road. Awesome and just the absolute best and sweetest server we have ever had! The Cosmopolitan Hotel! It’s gorgeous! Everything... we love it here!

Still a joy to walk around. Not everything is open but enough to be almost back to normal. I like the hand washing stations. Also there is outside dining.

Old Town San Diego State Historic Park feels like home to me. I really love this place, thank you San Diego forefathers and mothers for creating my favorite sanctuary.

Its a fun place to visit. I went there for dinner and walked around afterwards. Unfortunately most of the shops were closed. I plan on returning there during the day to really check the place out.

Hollywood movies always romanticize this location as a LARGE and magical place where people fall in love and dreams come true. NOT TRUE!!! Well, the love part is by chance, but this place isnt big at all.

This is the real Americana. Terrific history lessons every step of the way. And there are plenty people in costumes. A fun day finished with a delicious Mexican feast.

The best family place to go.Food, a lot of history.Good people.Excellent weather.

Great atmosphere, good restaurants and shops. Nice place to take the family. Can get packed on the weekends

I love coming here! Whether its just myself to stop in the American House tea and coffee shop, Awesome Hot Sauce or to explore the other shops and just walk around and enjoy the area, it doesnt get old for me!Its also a nice location to sit down at a picnic table and do some work, study, read or just enjoy being outside in a nice atmosphere.If youre looking for a fun date idea then Tobys candles will let you make your own, then you can go do an olive oil tasting, grab some delicious tea or coffee (some of the best Ive had anywhere in the world) and just enjoy one of the picnic tables outside or get a great lunch/dinner.Several good restaurants, specialty shops, fun crafts and a great feel.Anytime I have a friend visit I bring them here and they always enjoy it!

Good old Town which is well maintained. Feels like you have gone back through time looking at the old ordinal buildings. Pleasant and lovely place to visit.

A great place to explore with the family or solo!! lots of historic buildings and incredibly fun shops all around! also GREAT Mexican food as well! be prepared to spend atleast 2+hrs here. The parking is free in some spots or $12 for 0-6hrs or $5/hr otherwise. I highly recommend stopping by if your in the area!

Its always gray top come out here top visit especially when the weather is perfect, didnt take long to arrive from SFV

Whats not to love about Americas oldest city in the heart of San Diego? There is a blacksmith, housing with bedrooms and dining areas with furniture, a horse driven carriage museum and even the local cemetery complete with religious headstones. The area has authentic foliage and a few donkeys for the children to pet. There are plenty of themed shops which match the era and tons of boutique restaurants. Spend the day and enjoy California history.

I truly appreciate and enjoyed my experience there. Great customer service amazing restaurants. And free tours ti share the rich history of the area

We came here looking for an educational adventure and we were very happy with the results.Every single one of the staff at Wells Fargo museum was very pleasant and very knowledgeable. They really live up to their character and seem happy to share what they know.Definitely a good free experience.

The people are very kind and food music sets the mood for such a romantic setting. Me and my husband enjoyed this place.

Plenty of outdoor dining and lots to see in this section of San Diego dedicated to the Hispanic heritage. There are shops and outdoor vendors galore! Delicious, authentic mexican fare.

It was a Sunday evening. Foot traffic was minimal. Plenty of space to rest in the center of the park. M

Its always fun to walk around the old town, checking out the shops and restaurants and listening to live music. Great place to hangout with friends or bring your out of town guests to.

Love this place!! You get that old historic feel and the shops make it even more enjoyable.

Such a nice experience! You can get to know their culture and history by visiting this place! There’s many good restaurants and good souvenir shops too!

Great location. Food and service not very good..Little pricey as well.

Thought I was back in the old south west. Lots to see lots to do. Great leather shop. Just had to take my mask off so l could smell the leather. Dont tell.

If you want to see old San Diego this place is great to explore. They also have plenty of restaurants to choose from.

Good amount of trees provide shade. Not much is open right now due to pandemic. Still glad I got a chance to visit.

As many times have I been to San Diego, I have never been here. I highly recommend going down here with family or alone. Theres many shops are open and plenty of places to buy souvenirs. We stopped down here to have lunch and do some window-shopping. It also has great scenery for pictures. They do require masks for you come inside the store which is really helpful and most of the restaurants were practicing social distancing.

In these times of uncertainty one thing is certain, old town brings you away from the hectic and tragic times we are living in. The atmosphere,food, and history really brings a warm comfort and unity to a torn world. I give it 5 stars for one reason alone, bringing normalcy back to my family even for a short time.. i recommend it 10 fold