Historic Sites

A Vibrant Landscape Of Historic San Diego Sites

San Diego North is rich in heritage and history. From Spanish missions and working blacksmith shops to a 19th century gold mine and legendary battlefield, the legacy of early California is preserved through vibrant historic San Diego landmarks. Step back in time at Mission San Luis Rey, the largest of the California missions and a remnant of the everyday struggles of the padres and Indians of more than a century ago. Retrace the Mexican American War’s Battle of San Pasqual in 1846, when General Stephen W. Kearny's US Army column defeated the Californios, and their Presidial Lancers, led by General Don Andrés Pico. Other inland and coastal San Diego historic tours include the Mission San Antonio de Pala, the last of the missions still serving the Native Americans, and the Santa Ysabel Mission, which contains a museum, murals, and an Indian burial ground.