California is undoubtedly responsible for some of the coolest things around. Barbie Dolls, blue jeans, the boysenberry, white zinfandel wine, the wetsuit, and theme parks are just a few of the sunshine state’s offerings to humankind. In true Californian form, San Diego has made a few wonderfully quirky contributions of its own.
1. Holy Guacamole
San Diego County is a virtual green machine, producing over 40 percent of the California avocado crop. This translates into 95 percent of the nation's avocados! Bring on the tortilla chips—that’s a lot of guacamole.
2. Fitness Fame
Paving the way for spandex-sporting, neon-wearing fitness gurus everywhere, the Jazzercise movement was created in Carlsbad by Judi Sheppard Missett in 1969. If you thought the days of sweat bands and aerobic dance were long gone, you will be surprised to know that jazzercising is larger now than ever before. There are 7,800 Jazzercise instructor franchisees teaching more than 32,000 classes weekly in all 50 states and 32 countries. Check out the hotness:
And moving on to something slightly less creepy...
3. An Eerie Abode
Just in time for Halloween! According to the Travel Channel's America's Most Haunted, The Whaley House, in historic Old Town San Diego, is the number one most haunted house in the United States. This home, which is the oldest two-story brick building on the West Coast, was built in 1857 on land that was previously a cemetery and gallows site. The famed author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Arthur Conan Doyle, visited the house in the 1920's, intrigued by the legends of the ghosts.
4. Building a Better Breakfast
The popular breakfast cereal, Kashi, was founded in San Diego in 1984 by Philip and Gayle Tauber. These cereal sages chose the name of their nutritious product wisely—Kashi has international meanings, such as porridge in Russian, happy in Chinese, and energy in Japanese.
5. Hidden Caves and Freaky Ferns
Located in the Southern half of the Anza Borrego Desert, Arroyo Tapiado is home to some of the most extensive and strange mud cave formations in the world! While the region is well-known, its 22 mud caves are not. Many caves require detailed maps to find and navigate. Check out this enticing entrance:
If you aren’t feeling quite as daring but still want a taste of adventure, check out the largest bamboo collection in the US at Quail Gardens in Encinitas. The San Diego Zoo‘s botanical area called Fern Canyon also hosts 60 foot high tree ferns and staghorn ferns, which miraculously grow without roots in the soil.
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