Whaley House Museum

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Location: Old Town (4 Miles North of Downtown San Diego)

Open: 10AM – 5PM (Until 10PM during Summer and Weekends); Closed Wednesdays during the School Year

Cost: $6 During Daytime; $10 after 5PM

Features: Historic House Built in 1857 was once noted by the Travel Channel as the Most Haunted House in America.

Whaley House MuseumWhaley House Highlights: Built in 1857, the Whaley House served as the first theater in San Diego, a General Store, and a County Courthouse. The home was built in the location where Yankee Jim Robinson was hanged for stealing a rowboat. Since the home was built, there have been many ghostly sightings at the Whaley House. As a result, the admission price is higher after 5PM as visitors like to browse around looking for signs of ghosts. Some visitors will even pay for private after-hour tours in an attempt to experience paranormal activity. (Learn more about the Whaley House Ghosts.)

What to Expect

  • For those who are not looking for a ghostly adventure, visit during the daytime when the admission cost is cheaper. The home consists of two stories. It is relatively small with the exception of the courtroom where visitors are directed to begin their self-guided tour. It takes less than a half hour to read about the history of the home and walk around and look into the rooms that hold relics from the 19th century.
  • The ticket office and souvenir shop is inside an adjoining French-style home from the 1870s. Despite being a historic home, it is not set-up to be a museum.
  • The Derby-Pendleton House built in 1850 is also on the premises but is not open to the public. Pendleton was the first Wells Fargo Agent in San Diego. You can visit the Wells Fargo Museum a couple blocks away to learn more.
  • Archeology Dig – Recently, anthropologists have found a treasure trove of artifacts buried in the backyard of the Whaley House.

Room in the Whaley HouseFood – The souvenir shop includes a variety of snacks. You can also choose to sit outdoors at the small New Orleans Creole Cafe, which is behind the souvenir shop. For additional choices, you will find several restaurants along San Diego Avenue. They include full service and fast-food Mexican, Italian, and general American fare. You will not find any national chains.

Information on Visiting The Whaley House Museum

Admission Prices: (Costs are Approximate)

  • Parking is Free
  • Standard Fee is $6 (Daytime) and $10 (Nighttime).
  • Kids 3-12 get in for $4 (Daytime) and $5 (Nighttime)
  • $5 for Seniors 55 and over.
  • Private Night Time Tours Also Available.

Directions from Google Maps to 2476 San Diego Avenue in San Diego, CA 92110. (One Block South of the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park)

Parking – The Whaley House does not have a parking lot. There is free street parking in the area. However, many spots limit parking time to 2 or 3 hours. You are only a couple blocks away if you park at the Old Town San Diego Historic State Park. You are also only a couple blocks away if you park at the Heritage Park Victorian Village, which usually has more spots available. Overall, the best advice is to take the first available parking spot as you enter Old Town. If you don’t have patience looking for a parking spot, you should take the San Diego Trolley. (See Transit below.) On evenings and weekends when parking can be very difficult, you can use the CALTRANS parking lot at 4050 Taylor Street. From here, you will have about a half mile walk, including crossing the busy Taylor Street.

Traffic – It is relatively easy to reach Old Town since it is close to both the I-5 and I-8 freeways. Traffic on the I-5 is not bad in this area. You will have some heavy delays if you need to head east on I-8 during the evening rush hour. There will also be a slight delay if you need to head west on I-8 to the end of the freeway during the evening rush hour. (Learn how to get the latest traffic updates.) The hardest part is dealing with the number of cars on the streets in Old Town looking for parking spots, especially in the evenings during summer and on weekends.

Transit – The Blue and Green lines of the San Diego Trolley stop at the Old Town station, which is about  1/3rd of a mile from the Whaley House. This is the best way to get in and out of Old Town. (See San Diego Transit Information for information on using an online Transit Planner that will plan your route to Old Town or to print out a Trolley Schedule.)

Find More Attractions with Similar Themes or Location: *Top San Diego Museums*, As Seen On TV, Nostalgia & Western Frontier, Old Town |

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