The town?s award-winning apple trees have been a staple of Julian?s rich heritage.

As the crisp air awakens the senses to the up-and-coming autumn season, new opportunities arise for students to take advantage of the beautiful landscape. Now that summer’s heat is finally abating, it’s the perfect time to plan an escape to the countryside and go apple picking. But where can one venture to pick the perfect apple?

Just about an hour from San Diego State lies Julian, a quiet western farm town that offers the perfect fall getaway. Julian displays endless acres of apple trees and vineyards with several varieties of red and green apples to choose from.

“It is a great location for people to choose from a variety of apples because it is made of several orchards,” a Julian Chamber of Commerce representative said. “Each area is different depending on the size and orchard location, which allows for many different types of apples to be grown.”

“Julian is a great place for people to see a lot of really old trees,” Patrick Brady, one of the orchard farmers, said. “We have six to eight different varieties of apples and a handful of our trees are antique.”

Brady also said the peach tree orchard still has one of the mother trees that was originally planted several years ago.

“In 1819 Julian won several awards for their trees and has made a name for their business ever since,” he said.

Apples are just one of the many things Julian has to offer. The main street in town has several restaurants and bakeries that serve apple pies and other homemade goods to indulge in.

For entertainment, Julian even hosts its own “Old Time Melodrama,” which has been in production for more than 50 years. The comedy-melodrama is loosely based on Julian’s history and involves a damsel in distress.

“The event has been a big tradition for this town for quite some time,” the chamber of commerce representative said.

Julian is a timeless city where students can play an active role in history. Just $10 a bag allows for ample picking and good eats. Forage through the foliage in Julian to enjoy a taste of fall.