Growing up in Sunny soCal, we don’t get many obvious chances to go to the snow – we live our day to day switching between high 60s and low 70s. Little do many know that you can literally be in the snow in less than an hour depending on what part of San Diego you live in.
I grew up thinking that you had to go to Big Bear during the winter time to live out your white Christmas dreams, not knowing that the minute we get a little bit of rain, mixed with some mid to low 60s in the coast, we probably have some snow waiting for us in East County.
Yes, east county – like a little past your usual casino drive, east county. If you hit the 8 East and drive towards Mt Laguna/Sunrise highway you will see what I am talking about.
Before you head out, make sure to do the following, to rock it pro status.
Check the live cams
Believe it or not, there are actually public web cams accesible for almost everywhere in San Diego. all you have to do is do a quick google search. To see if there is snow in San Diego, simply Google “mt laguna web cam” for a real-time glance at what is happening
Dress the part
This is where it gets a little bit awkward, if you have never done it before. What in the world do you wear? We have all seen the movies and can get a semi-what idea of what your supposed to wear, but it can go wrong fast. If you don’t have actual snow gear, stick to the basics:
- Layer up. Even if you don’t usually wrong cold, put on at least 2 warm layers of clothing on. People who are used to cold weather, wear these things called “Long Underwear” (not making this up), but if you don’t own any, layering up will do.
- Make sure your layers are somewhat water proof or resistant. After all, snow is frozen water, and you can only imagine how fun it is to be wet and cold at the same time (NOT FUN AT ALL)
- Wear shoes that have a good grip. Again, water is slippery and so is melted snow.
- Make sure the snow can’t get into your shoes if possible.
- Cover every possible body part: Ears, neck, head, face (if possible), hands.
Make sure your car is ready
Another thing I learned about the snow, is that not all vehicles do great in it (very similar to the rain). If you have a good 4×4 vehicle you should be set, but if not be prepared to purchase some chains for your tires. You won’t really need them unless there is a super ton of snow, but I know sometimes you will be turned around if you are in a city car without chains on the tires.
Bring the essentials
Although there are many people who don’t really know about snow in San Diego, there are also many that do know. Which makes everything near the snow super crowded and impossible to purchase anything at. I recommend bringing to the snow the basics: water, food, snacks… and possibly some pool toys that you can use as a sled. There are also a few stores that you can check out in East County to access some fun snow toys.
Bring your good camera
Snow always makes for beautiful photos, because of the context and also the lighting, so be prepared to take lots of stunning photos to show off on instagram that you sunny SD Babe, made it to the snow!
Julian
Everybody knows Julian has great pie, but that pie and warm apple cider tastes so much better after a day of playing in the snow. It might be a little bit of a hassle to get there, but it is so worth it. When you get to Julian, be prepared for traffic and lack of parking on the streets. If it seems too chaotic, I highly recommend you map yourself to one of the 2 paid lots and go from there.
The wait time to get a table to eat at any of their charming restaurants is usually about an hour or more depending on the size of your party, so make sure you get someone in your crew to get you on the list the minute you get to Julian. Once you are on the list, get a warm and delicious apple cider to go from one of the little outdoor windows, walk around, and take the city in!
When you are done playing in the snow, make sure to buy some cider and pie to-go and take your time driving home 🙂
