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Cultural activities are becoming increasingly popular as a growing number of Americans actively seek more meaningful experiences during their travels within the United States.
But since most historic destinations are concentrated on the East Coast, home to some of America’s oldest settlements, it’s only natural that California wouldn’t be your first choice for a cultural getaway—unless, of course, you’re thinking of Hollywood. and the film world.
After all, it’s best known for its nature, with a picturesque coastline and huge snow-capped peaks that are popular postcard photos, but it’s so much more than just a beach or hiking hotspot or the glitz and glamor of LA.
Be here 3 incredible destinations to immerse yourself in California culture and experience a different side of the Golden State:
Old Town San Diego
San Diego is a bustling coastal metropolis on the Pacific Ocean, best known for its golden sand beaches, epic waves that attract surfers and water sports enthusiasts from all over the world, and of course the gateway to Tijuana, a shopping center just around the world. the border in Mexico.
While these already make San Diego an attractive destination, very few tourists know that it is one of California’s most historically charged cities; by the way, it’s the oldest European settlement in the western United States, founded by the Spanish as early as 1769.
One of California’s unsung gems, Old Town is home to an abundance of colonial buildings dating back to the Spanish period, including a Franciscan-founded church (Mission San Diego de Alcalá) and two significant areas listed on the National Register of historical monuments. Places:
The Historic Park of Old Town San Diegowhich includes some of the oldest buildings still standing in the United States and dates back to the early 19th century, and Presidio Park, where a defensive fort once stood, marking the founding of the Western Settlements.
Carmel-by-the-sea
Dubbed California’s Prettiest Village, Carmel-by-the-Sea wasn’t founded until 1902, centuries after Spanish colonists first arrived on the scene, but what it lacks in historical weight it makes up for in tradition and charm.
With houses that adhere strictly to European architectural revivalism, including neo-castles, English-style cottages and half-timbered houses, and a population that seems completely devoted to the art and beautification of their hometown, Carmel is truly a unique settlement.
Walking the perfectly Instagrammable in the city centertourists will also encounter craft shops, family restaurants where they can sample great seafood – this is coastal California, after all – and of course countless local art galleries.
In a sense, Carmel is a California capital for the arts, as the city has produced a number of poets such as writer and actor Perry Newberry and famed writer Jack London, and at one point the city itself even had a living legend, actor – director Clinton Eastwood serves as mayor.
Solvang
The third and final entry on our list is Solvang, the unofficial ‘Danish capital of America‘.
Although its origins date back to 1804, it became abandoned after the Spanish colonization of the west coast until a group of Danes purchased and resettled the land in 1911.
Unsurprisingly, they rebuilt the city in the likeness of their homeland, and construction continued well into the 1950s.
Today, the city of six thousand inhabitants is an extension of Denmark on the west coast, with its Scandinavian-inspired Tivoli Square, Lutheran churches and characteristic windmill.
More information can be found at the municipality official website.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
