An icon in Previous City San Diego and nationwide for ghost hunters, the Whaley Home Museum is a well-liked addition to many San Diego itineraries. This Greek revival-style house is an official California Historic Landmark, a museum, and a magical hotspot.
The home was inbuilt 1857 by Thomas Whaley, and it was the location of a number of tragedies which have led to its haunted popularity.
The house opened to the general public in 1960 as a museum and has had a live-in caretaker since 2007. A number of excursions and tickets can be found, together with self-guided daytime excursions, guided night excursions, and even an after-hours paranormal investigation tour.
Fast Historical past and Who Haunts the Whaley Home
Thomas Whaley, the unique builder and proprietor of the house, was a New York Metropolis native that relocated to California hoping to capitalize on enterprise alternatives because of the gold rush.
Upon its completion in 1857, it turned generally known as the best home in Southern California, constructed with bricks made on the Whaley property. Whaley Home hosted San Diego’s first business theater, a county courthouse, and a bilingual common retailer.
Many imagine that ghosts hang-out the Whaley Home. In 1858, child Thomas Whaley Jr. died of scarlet fever in the home, and it’s believed that his ghost nonetheless haunts the property.
Moreover, in 1885, the Whaleys’ daughter Violet died by suicide on the home’s second flooring. Her ghost can be mentioned to roam the premises nonetheless.
Nevertheless, essentially the most vital dying related to the Whaley Home is the execution of James Robinson, a convicted thief, who was hanged in 1852 on the property.
The Whaley household dwelling was constructed on the identical spot the place the gallows as soon as stood. Guests to the home have reported seeing Robinson’s ghost lurking within the hallways, or feeling his presence across the web site the place he was executed.
Whaley Home Go to Highlights
Listed here are some highlights of the historic Whaley Home:
- Unique Antiques and Furnishings: The Save Our Heritage Group (SOHO) has labored laborious to revive many facets of the house to seize the texture of the mid to late 1800s. There are items on show which can be unique to the Whaley Home.
- Energetic Tour Guides Make for an Entertaining Expertise: Many guests comment that their tour information was their favourite a part of the expertise. They’re educated, and these tour guides do their finest to get into character to ship a humorous and unforgettable expertise.
- Paranormal Investigation Tour: This guided tour takes place after hours. On this tour, you’re proven rooms not accessible to most people throughout regular enterprise hours. You’re additionally provided with ghost looking and monitoring tools.
- Wonderful Location for Purchasing and Consuming: Previous City is a well-liked vacation spot for vacationers and locals. Peek inside artisan retailers, take pleasure in world-class meals, and expertise stay music and a full of life vibe, all inside strolling distance of the Whaley Home.
- Historic Significance: The Whaley household is commonly known as “The Pioneer Household of San Diego.” The Whaley household was integral in bolstering San Diego’s rising financial system by opening shops and companies within the Previous City district and serving to San Diego blossom in its infancy.
Issues to Know Earlier than Visiting the Whaley Home
Earlier than visiting the Whaley Home, take a look at important particulars like hours, ticket costs, close by meals, present retailers, and parking.
Tickets and Hours
The Whaley Home is open each day. Reservations are usually not required for daytime excursions however could be useful throughout summer season months or weekends.
Guests can select from three ticket choices. A daytime self-guided tour prices $13.30 per individual, and a night guided tour prices $18.00 per individual. The after-hours paranormal investigation is $94.05 per individual.
Admission can be coated by the Go San Diego All-Inclusive and Explorer sightseeing passes that embody numerous different San Diego sights resembling San Diego Zoo, USS Halfway Museum, and the Previous City Trolley, which will help you get to The Whaley Museum from stops across the County.
PLEASE NOTE: Go San Diego passes are usually not qualifying tickets for the annual Children Free San Diego promotion in October.
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Cafes and Eating places Close by
Although there are not any onsite choices for meals, there’s a plethora of fine eats inside strolling distance of the Whaley Home.
Proper behind Whaley Home although is the New Orleans Creole Cafe, housed in a late Eighteen Nineties constructing. You can too take a look at Previous City Mexican Cafe, Cafe Coyote, or Harney Sushi for some high quality meals after having fun with your tour. There may be additionally a cigar lounge and olive oil store close by.
Reward Store
There is a superb present store onsite known as the Whaley Home Museum Store. Past carrying your typical souvenirs resembling t-shirts, mugs, and magnets, this present store additionally carries an assortment of Mexicana-themed gadgets resembling sugar skulls and Dia De Los Muertos presents.
The store additionally carries quite a lot of paranormal-themed presents, resembling books and ghost-hunting kits.
Parking
Free parking is situated simply north of the Whaley Home off Harney avenue. The parking zone is thought to replenish shortly, so come early and with loads of time earlier than your tour begins to safe a spot.
There are additionally different small parking tons situated all through the Previous City San Diego in addition to avenue parking.
High 5 Distinctive Details In regards to the Whaley Home
Uncover extra concerning the legendary Whaley Home with these attention-grabbing details about this common San Diego vacation spot.
- America’s Most Haunted Home. It was deemed “America’s Most Haunted Home” by a number of sources, together with LIFE Journal and The Journey Channel. It was even formally acknowledged as haunted by the US Commerce Division within the Sixties. The Whaley Home has embraced the nickname and even trademarked it for advertising and marketing functions. The Whaley Home is talked about and featured in a number of paranormal television reveals, books, and guides.
- Photographic Proof for Ghosts on Show. It’s commonplace for cell telephones and cameras to be prohibited at some historic websites. This isn’t the case on the Whaley Home. Taking footage is inspired! A lot so that there’s a whole part on the Whaley Home for “ghost encounters” the place they share guests’ footage that will or might not characteristic spirits, ghosts, or paranormal exercise. In the event you seize one thing eerie, submit your photograph or use the #whaleyhousesd hashtag on social media to share it.
- Home of Many Makes use of. Moreover being the primary dwelling constructed formally in Southern California, the Whaley home additionally turned San Diego’s first business theater. It additionally served as a county courthouse and a common retailer. The house turned an necessary piece of the neighborhood, even inflicting division between Previous City and New City residents within the late 1800s.
- As a result of Repeated Tragedy, The Whaleys Moved Out. After a number of relations’ deaths, together with Thomas Whaley’s daughter’s suicide, the Whaley relocated to downtown San Diego. The Whaley House sat vacant for a few years afterward till Thomas Whaley’s son Francis moved again in and made efforts to revive the house within the early 1900s.
- The Haunting Started Earlier than the Whaleys. The haunting historical past probably started earlier than the Whaleys moved in. It’s reported {that a} man named Jim Robinson was held on the house web site earlier than Whaley bought it. Thomas Whaley even witnessed the hanging himself. Since then, a number of members of the Whaley household have handed away within the dwelling. The property additionally was once the location of a gallows and cemetery earlier than Thomas Whaley bought the land.
Why We Love This Haunted Home
The largest purpose to like the long-lasting Whaley Home is its versatile exercise choice that pulls historical past buffs, ghost hunters, households, and curious vacationers alike.
For those who spook simply and don’t like ghost tales, this generally is a enjoyable and lighthearted choice for a daytime self-guided tour. In the course of the daytime excursions, you’ll be able to go at your personal tempo and focus as a lot or as little on the haunted side.
Moreover, the home is a well-preserved instance of mid-Nineteenth-century structure and provides a glimpse into the lives of one in all California’s pioneer households.
Moreover its historic and paranormal attracts, we love the situation. There are lots of enjoyable issues to do in Previous City San Diego with Whaley Home towards the highest of that listing. Remember to embody time to discover the eating places and buying within the space. In the event you’re contemplating staying within the space, examine our listing of finest Previous City San Diego accommodations.