One of the largest freestanding wooden trestles in the entire world is located outside of San Diego, deep in the desert. Who knew the “Official” Center of the World was in Southern California!? This fun roadside stop has everything from a church on the hill to an original staircase from the Eiffel Tower. Make sure to get a banana shake while you are there! A fantastic stop for urban grunge photographers.Ī small, one room museum overrun with thousands of banana related items. This is precisely how it sounds, ruins of an old Salton Sea town on the beach. You can hear them pop as you walk around. One man’s journey to make a way to show the love of God to the world turned into an impressive painted mountain.Ī collection of artists that live together and create very unique art pieces in the middle of the desert.īubbling pools of mud in the middle of a big field. It is worth the trip to see the massive walls and cameras alone.ĭo I need to say more than the above picture? If I do, then how about I mention that this small shop outside the food court, near the Mexican border, has a fantastic sundae with six churros! Bring a friend and try it. It is a state park right on the southernmost part of California and right on the Mexican border. This place isn’t strange like the others on this list, but it certainly is unique. Not much here but to stop for a photo at the World Largest Lemon (not proven, but honestly who is arguing?) in the city of Lemon Grove. It is pretty far outside of San Diego, but you can see the Giant Lemon on the way! You can learn all about the creation of the Earth from the traditional Christian Biblical perspective when you visit this museum. You can tour it during the day or chance a ghost encounter during a special night visit. The Whaley House is considered by many sources to be the most haunted place in America. Hike to the top of this mountain and see the famous rock with its potato chip wing that you can stand on.Ī deep slot canyon in the heart of Anza Borrego, the slot allows you access to a hike usually only possible in places like Arizona and Utah. These statues are located right next to the USS Midway in San Diego, the highlight being the 30-foot tall Unconditional Surrender statue.Įver wanted to eat alligator, kangaroo, or antelope? You can do that here.

The short hike features some tight spaces, but it is a lot of fun. North of San Diego, this trail features a fun slot canyon that can be explored pretty much in the middle of Solana Beach. They are docile creatures, and you can actually grab some snorkel gear and go out and see them. While you can only admire it from the road, it is a unique spot to see in San Diego.ĭuring the month of August, the Leopard sharks traditionally come to give birth in the cove of La Jolla. This private residence in San Diego has a massive manicured garden right in front of the house. It is a fun place for the whole family to spend a day in San Diego. In the middle of a park, there is a large collection of colorful sculptures that reminded me of something in Barcelona.īelmont Park is San Diego’s beachside amusement park, complete with fair games and an old wooden rollercoaster. This sculpture garden located in the north part of San Diego County is only open a few days a week, but it is a blast to explore. The most famous is the house built on the Engineering building, which looks like it is teetering on the edge. The UCSD campus in San Diego has an extensive collection of sculptures and art pieces all around campus. Located in La Jolla, Sunny Jim’s Cave is a fun, historic sea cave that you can walk down to and explore. Last Updated August 2021 – Click the pictures to read the posts. Have fun exploring! You can browse spots in Northern California here.

Browse the list by county and click the image to read about the places you are interested in.

Also, please feel free to suggest new spots in the comments as well if you know of a spot I haven’t been to. It will be an ever-expanding and growing list that will hopefully help you to find many fun attractions right outside your door. Whether it is a hike, a restaurant, or just a collection of odd things, this list is dedicated to the unique stuff I have found in Southern California (from Kern County down). I love visiting unusual places and go out of my way to exploring them when traveling around California.

Free stuff to do near me kids