Posted on 11/25/2025 4:49:00 AM PST by dennisw
A historic gold-mining town has turned into a crowded hotspot - with locals warning that the once-peaceful retreat had been transformed by TikTok and Instagram.
Julian, a rustic town tucked in the Cuyamaca Mountains about an hour east of San Diego, with a population of roughly 1,500, had long been celebrated for its iconic apple pies and historic streets lined with specialty shops.
But, in recent years, the influx of tourists has skyrocketed, leaving residents and visitors grappling with traffic jams, packed restaurants and hours-long waits on weekends.
David Lewis, who grew up in Julian and now works at the Julian Pioneer Museum, said the surge was unlike anything he had seen before.
'It's on steroids. It's kind of nuts up here,' he told NBC San Diego.
Julian's Main Street, once a quiet mountain escape, became packed with visitors lining up for pies and photo ops.
Locals said social media partly fueled the boom.
'It's been blowing up all over TikTok and Instagram,' Karina Chaire added.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
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Probably was ruined by a few trout-pouts influencers on Instagram. This is why we cannot have any nice apple pies.
Influencers rule the world.
Julian was always only about it’s apple pie.
That pie loos like crap. The 7-11 has a better looking pie in the microwave rack. They are just trolling for eyeballs.
Careful. People might start lining up at 7-11 for their apple pie, due to your influencing.
Have you tried one? They are delicious. We would pick up a couple every time we went to Julian when we lived in San Diego and the local grocery stores carried them occasionally. Yummy!
Lol
If you want great apple pie and fall foliage, north west Jersey, Pennsy, and north into New England has some of the best apples and scenery in the country in the fall not to mention the aroma of maple syrup. Why go to a crowded little town full of tourists? Maybe something I’m missing.
In other words, a tourist town. So now tourists go there. Boo hoo.
Hopefully they won’t discover Village Inn
Yep.....sounds like a 1st world problem.
SMH
Believe it or not this apple farm is in New Jersey! North western Jersey has some terrific apples and fall foliage.
https://www.riamedefarm.com/
This sounds like every other Hallmark movie where a failing business- candy store, bakery, café, etc., is saved, leading to a marriage.
I’d run with it! Make hay while the sun shines, etc.
Who are these ‘influencers’ and how can I get more people to visit my Cow Town, Population 283, bringing bags of cash to spend? ;)
I keep telling Beau we need to buy up the whole THREE BLOCKS of Main Street and get busy and rehab it into a tourist destination. This is the town where he was born and grew up. Our farm is about 10 miles outside of town.
We already have a few empty storefronts in historic buildings, a gorgeous, very old Church, a Mom & Pop Grocery/Deli that’s been there since the 1950’s and hasn’t changed much, some empty apartments above the storefronts, three bars, two restaurants, a Post Office and a Library.
There is ample parking in what is currently a HUGE empty field at then end of the street - Main Street could become a Walking Venue, no cars, but bikes and baby strollers allowed. And friendly dogs on-leash. :)
It could use a Sweets Shop/Ice Cream Parlor, a Coffee Shop/Bakery, an Art Gallery/Gift Shop, a Farmer’s Market on the weekends, a Christmas-All-Year Shop, a Fiber Arts shop, a Flower Shop, empty apartments above the storefronts could become a B&B, maybe turn the Library (just volunteer, not sanctioned) into a Book Store? Nice benches lining the sidewalks for sitting and chatting.
As you can see, I haven’t thought about this AT ALL, LOL!
“Nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded.”
I’m an influencer of sorts. Some guy filmed me doing a live product demo at a trade show. there were about 50 people watching and I didn’t even know he was filming.
He posted it on youtube and instagram. Suddenly I started getting calls from friends all over the country saying they saw me online.
Last time I looked it was at over 30,000,000 views.
Sales of the product spiked too. Of course, all I got was an attaboy. I did meet the influencer later and put my hand out looking for my cut. He laughed.
Actually, he said he didn’t make much on that video as others had taken his video and put it on their own channels.
Exactly, a pure tourist town famous for its apple pies which the tourism was based on, and it just got another publicity boost.
:: This sounds like every other Hallmark movie where a failing business ... leading to a marriage.
Hallmark movie?
Better change that to “lesbian marriage”.
😏
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