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My daughter has been super into anything shiny, so naturally she was stoked when we told her we were going to go gemstone sluicing. The price for gemstone sluicing is well worth the number of rocks you get. She was so excited to find all the different colors. We also paid for the train ride. It goes in circles a few times, and my 4yr old seemed kind of bored. I would skip this unless your kid is super young or really into trains. Additionally, we were able to go apple picking on one of the last weekends that Julian seemed to still have crop. Many of the other orchards had closed, so we felt lucky to have the experience.
Besides enjoying Julian's Mom's famous pie and browsing local shops, I sought a fun activity and found this. It's not far at all from the shops. It was an informative one hour guided tour where you first learn how to do gold panning followed by exploring the cave. It was a great experience being inside an actual mining cave and to see everything with your own eyes, the tools they used back in the day, the strong smell of the gas, it was very interesting. We really enjoyed it! I think it's a really fun activity to do especially with kids and knowing about Julian mining history! It was pretty cool!
I was looking for a fun family activity while in the Julian area. Besides Apple picking and grabbing some pie, I felt like this was a unique activity. It was an interactive experience while being exposed to history and the outdoors. We showed up shortly after it opened on a Saturday. It was not busy yet. We purchased a small bucket for the gem sleucing. The cost was $40 and produced a small bag of gems we got to bring home. We also bought tickets to ride the train. The train track goes in a circle with a small tunnel, that you need to duck as it's not made for tall people. The gentleman who carried our bucket to the area where the water for our gem sleucing was so friendly and helpful in describing what to do. We probably spent 20 minutes looking for our gems. Afterwards we wandered over to the train and asked if we could ride it. It's very informal, not on a schedule or anything like that. As soon as we hopped on everyone else who bought a ticket jumped on too. There were maybe 6 train cars that can hold up to 2-4 people. They also sell gems and tiny crafts and trinkets at their entrance. The place is family owned and all the employees were very friendly. It was a nice way to spend an hour of our time while in Julian. For those needed to use the restroom. They have an exterior bathroom, not a portable potty but a portable bathroom. Small, slightly larger than an airplane bathroom. I would suggest an outdoor sink for those doing the gem sluicing, as your hands get quite dirty. Would love for the gem sluicing to have an active water running source. It's set up for running water but it wasn't turned on. I've experienced gem sluicing with running water and it's really fun. Overall, I recommend if you're in the area and looking for a fun activity to do.
Our kids (8 and 10 year olds) have a lot of fun mining for gems and exploring the area. Owners are super nice.
Wonderful experience! My son found lots of amethyst, another gems. The young men working there was very friendly and helpful. And everyone was kind and welcoming. We really enjoyed it.
Julian Mining Company had so many fun activities that were family friendly and made our time a Julian so much more fun. The staff was so kind and informative, we came home with so many treasures and gems, and had a great experience. We chose to do the gem sifting and gold panning. The gem sifting was so interactive and it was so fun to see everyone get treasures. Prices were also very good for families or big parties. The gold panning was even better in my opinion. Finding the little bits of gold one piece after another was so fun because you had to look closely to find them. The new owners were so nice and are thinking about growing the new business. We can't wait to see where this place will go!
We had an amazing experience at Julian Mining Company. I came here with my son to go rock and gem mining, and it turned out to be such a special day for both of us. The people who work here -- especially the owners -- are truly wonderful. They were incredibly kind, patient, and welcoming. What really stood out was how they took the time to talk with my son, explain everything about the rocks and gems, and answer all of his questions with genuine enthusiasm. You can tell they truly love what they do and care about educating kids and families. This place is not just about mining; it's about learning, connection, and creating memories. My son was so excited and engaged the entire time, and that alone made the visit worth it. We felt comfortable, respected, and appreciated from start to finish. If you're looking for a family-friendly experience with great people, knowledgeable staff, and a fun, educational environment, I highly recommend Julian Mining Company. We will definitely be coming back. And of course, we mined a lot of amazing gems, which made the experience even more fun.
I took my kid to apple picking. We went right after the door opened at noon. However, there was no apple left. There were some, very tiny green ones that bird ate or the bugged ones. And the staff was selling the bag still! They should have put a sign that there were no u-pick apple any more like across a street. It was not nice and disappointed after long drive.
This spot is always fun for kids on day trips out to Julian. You can pan for gold or sluice for gems and the prices are very reasonable. It's also fun to meander around and look at the old mining equipment on-site. Tons of free parking and an easy 1 minute walk to the Julian Hard Cider to reward the parents after a hard day of gold panning.
So so so much fun! My 3 boys 11, 10 and 7 all had a great time searching for gemstones. We purchased a medium size bucket for them to share and they all got more than enough for each of them. We also rode the train and learned about mining and a little bit about Julian's history. I didn't catch the girls name that helped us out but top notch service. DOG FRIENDLY! huge plus for us will definitely put this on our "taking vistors" list!
10 days ago
5 months ago
7 months ago
The new owners are very nice and it looks like they have plans of adding a few new additions. If you love hand on activities and getting a little dirty this is your place. You get to dig for treasure, pan for gold and find lots of cool gems in the water! If the kids are being naughty, put them in jail There's also a wooden train ride, possible apple picking depending on the time of year and lots of room to let the energy go. read more
My daughter has been super into anything shiny, so naturally she was stoked when we told her we were going to go gemstone sluicing. The price for gemstone sluicing is well worth the number of rocks you get. She was so excited to find all the different colors. We also paid for the train ride. It goes in circles a few times, and my 4yr old seemed kind of bored. I would skip this unless your kid is super young or really into trains. Additionally, we were able to go apple picking on one of the last weekends that Julian seemed to still have crop. Many of the other orchards had closed, so we felt lucky to have the experience. read more
Besides enjoying Julian's Mom's famous pie and browsing local shops, I sought a fun activity and found this. It's not far at all from the shops. It was an informative one hour guided tour where you first learn how to do gold panning followed by exploring the cave. It was a great experience being inside an actual mining cave and to see everything with your own eyes, the tools they used back in the day, the strong smell of the gas, it was very interesting. We really enjoyed it! I think it's a really fun activity to do especially with kids and knowing about Julian mining history! It was pretty cool! read more
I was looking for a fun family activity while in the Julian area. Besides Apple picking and grabbing some pie, I felt like this was a unique activity. It was an interactive experience while being exposed to history and the outdoors. We showed up shortly after it opened on a Saturday. It was not busy yet. We purchased a small bucket for the gem sleucing. The cost was $40 and produced a small bag of gems we got to bring home. We also bought tickets to ride the train. The train track goes in a circle with a small tunnel, that you need to duck as it's not made for tall people. The gentleman who carried our bucket to the area where the water for our gem sleucing was so friendly and helpful in describing what to do. We probably spent 20 minutes looking for our gems. Afterwards we wandered over to the train and asked if we could ride it. It's very informal, not on a schedule or anything like that. As soon as we hopped on everyone else who bought a ticket jumped on too. There were maybe 6 train cars that can hold up to 2-4 people. They also sell gems and tiny crafts and trinkets at their entrance. The place is family owned and all the employees were very friendly. It was a nice way to spend an hour of our time while in Julian. For those needed to use the restroom. They have an exterior bathroom, not a portable potty but a portable bathroom. Small, slightly larger than an airplane bathroom. I would suggest an outdoor sink for those doing the gem sluicing, as your hands get quite dirty. Would love for the gem sluicing to have an active water running source. It's set up for running water but it wasn't turned on. I've experienced gem sluicing with running water and it's really fun. Overall, I recommend if you're in the area and looking for a fun activity to do. read more
13 days ago
9 months ago
Our kids (8 and 10 year olds) have a lot of fun mining for gems and exploring the area. Owners are super nice. read more
10 months ago
Wonderful experience! My son found lots of amethyst, another gems. The young men working there was very friendly and helpful. And everyone was kind and welcoming. We really enjoyed it. read more
1 year ago
Julian Mining Company had so many fun activities that were family friendly and made our time a Julian so much more fun. The staff was so kind and informative, we came home with so many treasures and gems, and had a great experience. We chose to do the gem sifting and gold panning. The gem sifting was so interactive and it was so fun to see everyone get treasures. Prices were also very good for families or big parties. The gold panning was even better in my opinion. Finding the little bits of gold one piece after another was so fun because you had to look closely to find them. The new owners were so nice and are thinking about growing the new business. We can't wait to see where this place will go! read more
10 months ago
We had an amazing experience at Julian Mining Company. I came here with my son to go rock and gem mining, and it turned out to be such a special day for both of us. The people who work here -- especially the owners -- are truly wonderful. They were incredibly kind, patient, and welcoming. What really stood out was how they took the time to talk with my son, explain everything about the rocks and gems, and answer all of his questions with genuine enthusiasm. You can tell they truly love what they do and care about educating kids and families. This place is not just about mining; it's about learning, connection, and creating memories. My son was so excited and engaged the entire time, and that alone made the visit worth it. We felt comfortable, respected, and appreciated from start to finish. If you're looking for a family-friendly experience with great people, knowledgeable staff, and a fun, educational environment, I highly recommend Julian Mining Company. We will definitely be coming back. And of course, we mined a lot of amazing gems, which made the experience even more fun. read more
10 months ago
Such a fun and relaxing place! The mining experience was exciting, well organized, and perfect for all ages. I found beautiful stones, and my son was so happy--we can't wait to come back! read more
2 years ago
I took my kid to apple picking. We went right after the door opened at noon. However, there was no apple left. There were some, very tiny green ones that bird ate or the bugged ones. And the staff was selling the bag still! They should have put a sign that there were no u-pick apple any more like across a street. It was not nice and disappointed after long drive. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
What an amazing place to bring my son. The owners were so kind and we had a great time finding gems and shooting BBs. Definitely coming back! read more
10 months ago
This spot is always fun for kids on day trips out to Julian. You can pan for gold or sluice for gems and the prices are very reasonable. It's also fun to meander around and look at the old mining equipment on-site. Tons of free parking and an easy 1 minute walk to the Julian Hard Cider to reward the parents after a hard day of gold panning. read more
2 years ago
So so so much fun! My 3 boys 11, 10 and 7 all had a great time searching for gemstones. We purchased a medium size bucket for them to share and they all got more than enough for each of them. We also rode the train and learned about mining and a little bit about Julian's history. I didn't catch the girls name that helped us out but top notch service. DOG FRIENDLY! huge plus for us will definitely put this on our "taking vistors" list! read more
4 years ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
3 years ago
6 years ago
The reason for the 5 is for price (Groupon) and customer service. Roman helped our families and he is SO nice. Honestly, all of our kids were too young for the gold panning(this was our first time), but he explained other options and really made us all feel welcome. I saw him throughout our stay helping so many families - he was amazing with kids! To sum up our recommendations: Kids under 5 likely won't enjoy the gold panning BUT they have a gemstone option that is awesome for littles. Bring lunch - they have picnic tables and and awesome little mock-goldmine for kids to explore. Definitely use the Groupon option if they have it. Either way, I definitely recommend checking out at some point and I hope you get helped by Roman. read more
5 years ago
We visited on a Saturday and chose a gem bucket for our 3 and 6-year old to share. They had so much fun and collected a great amount of stones. The train ride was simple and fun. The owners are really kind, helpful people. It is a fun little visit for younger kids. I'd honestly come back and try the fossil bucket for myself, as well. Just a nice, different experience getting the family outside and getting our hands dirty. I would highly recommend, and it's wonderful to support and celebrate these small, family businesses as well. We will be back. read more
We came here for jem mining. They have selections of different size of buckets and bags to choose from. We go $29.89 bucket. It was really heavy and lots of sands inside. It was plenty to entertain two kids for a good amount of time. Pictures show how much we got from the bucket. Nice big and small gems. They have gold mining and fossils too. We will come back and try other activities next time! read more
6 years ago
I was so spectacularly bad at panning for gold it was comical. But EVERYTHING about this place was adorable and fun and even though I was so bad, the experience was so wonderful! A large part of that was thanks to a rockstar employee who had the patience of Buddha when attempting to help me (seriously if you see this, thank you Roman, if it wasn't for the pandemic I would've hugged you! And if he doesn't see this- whoever does should pass along the message and give him a bonus)! The place was busy, which is awesome since so many businesses are feeling it right now, but not so busy that it felt unsafe. I would come back here every weekend if my neck could handle looking down at the sand for that long, if my ego could take the continued bruising and if I knew I wouldn't likely cause all the employees to quit! That being said, I will 100% be back before Christmas read more
We stopped by to do the gold/gem mining activity which we got with a groupon. To start with they gave us a quick demo and sure enough, there is actual gold dust in the water. My 4.5 yo toddler in all his optimism kept panning in the hopes of finding gems n gold. My husband had fun doing it alongside him but my 2yo quickly lost interest. So I walked around the property with her and checked out the petting zoo part- goats, donkeys and horses. They were all super friendly! In the end of it all, we stopped by the mining store which was filled with all sorts of affordable gems and other mining related gifts. We let my son pick a little baggie to fill up with polished gems of his choosing -$3 / bag It was a great treat for the kids and a different experience for the family! read more
2 years ago
11 years ago
I take my boys here every summerr and they love it! It's $12-$14 for a large bag of gems. You can also buy buckets too! The small one is $25, lasts a while, and has a ton of beautiful pieces in them. The owners are the sweetest people ever. The wife, Gina, is so precious and her husband is adorable as well. They are closed on the weekdays but you can call during the week and they'll open for you! It's awesome. My sons and I had the whole place to ourselves today! They also have livestock on the property too. You need to see "Bubba"....he's a huge pig! :) Great place, great staff, great for kids AND adults! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
5 years ago
My friends and I took a field trip from San Marcos to Julian to visit this spot. Everyone was very kind and it was such a beautiful day. We got the $50 bucket and found so many cool gems and crystals! My friend found the most beautiful Amethyst! If was well worth the money. They also have a cool store you can check out. I highly recommend, especially if you have kids! read more
6 years ago
Let me just say...we struck gold coming here! Kelly(Kelli) and Roman you both really made a good day an AMAZING ONE FOR MY SON AND I! I'm not going to give away the secrets of the Mining company but I will say that those two were TRULY EXCEPTIONAL in our experience there. Not only will we be back again, but I will be telling ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN to how awesome this place is. We got thee coolest rocks and minerals! I recommend getting the big bucket..and not sharing! The kiddos love it! I asked my son what the best part of his weekend in Julian was, you guys are it! Thanks again Roman and Kelli! You guys ROCK!!! read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
3 years ago
15 years ago
I took the family here and they had such a blast for several hours. My kids really enjoyed the aspect of actually digging for buried treasure. There is so much to do here and the prices are very reasonable. They have a petting zoo, digging for buried treasure (rocks, fossils, shark teeth, etc.), panning for gold, hatchet throwing, and a few other activities. They also have a very affordable gift shop that I was very surprised at the prices. Not those Disneyland prices you find in these small poedunk towns! Also, a husband and wife run the place and they are super nice people! read more
10 years ago
Really liked this place. When we got there they gave each of us a pan and instructions/demo on how to pan for gold. It is not easy, people! When panning for gold was easy, it was called the Gold Rush and a lot of people came to California to do it! That said, there IS gold in their dirt, and if you are patient and you practice, you will produce a few specks in your pan that you can then put in your vial and take home. The adults in our group were TOTALLY into it. But my 6 year old lost interest. So I went ahead and returned to the cashier to buy a small gem bucket. First of all, the bucket was not very small. I would probably get a medium if I had two kids, which would be a few dollars more but far from double. Second, it was the perfect thing to make a great experience for my child! We shoveled dirt out of the bucket into the screen set in water, and she shook out the sand until she "discovered" semi-precious gems. They really loaded up our bucket and she found probably six pounds of beautiful stones, some polished, some rough, all colors and types. So my child was happy "mining" for gems, and her dad and aunt were happy panning for gold. We were on site for over two hours and really enjoyed ourselves. Well worth the cost per hour/ per person. Even better if you can snag a Groupon. read more
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More info about Julian Mining Company
4444 State Hwy 78 W
Julian, CA 92036
Directions
(760) 765-8680
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http://www.julianminingcompany.com
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