Bailey’s on Palomar
0 Reviews
Prices
Hello everyone! This is a friendly reminder that any of these fun places we may visit, we are a guest at. Please treat both businesses and trails with the utmost respect. We here at Hidden San Diego follow the 'Leave no Trace' mantra, meaning whatever you bring with you comes back with you. If you see trash on a trail, please do your part to help remove it. Remember, we are not picking up trash from another person but instead cleaning up for Mother Nature. Happy adventures!
Make sure to check out our complete list of Hidden Gems on Palomar Mountain!
About Bailey’s on Palomar
There is a phenomenal 240 acres property on Palomar Mountain that has sat as one of San Diego’s best-kept secrets for over a century. Bailey’s on Palomar is rich with history. Opening its doors in the late 1800’s, it once sat as a top destination in San Diego for travelers from all over.
People would make their way up the Nate Harrison grade, oftentimes using Nate Harrison’s home as their halfway stop to refuel. Nate would then lead them up the mountain to the Bailey’s Hotel.
The property was recently sold out of the Bailey family and has seen some great expansions with the new ownership. You can now enjoy your options of camping, glamping, staying in a luxury yurt, rustic cabin or even the historic Bailey House!
There are also a ton of great activities for the entire family which include 3 lakes with kayak and pedal boats provided, an amazing playground which includes a zip line, fishing, 100+ acres of hiking trails and a goat petting zoo!
Lodging
There are so many amazing lodging options. You can see the list here and decide which one is best for you! We stayed in their Falcons Aerie yurt which fits two adults (we also had our baby and pup!). We had such an incredible experience here. 
We visited when the weather was foggy and cold (perfect in my opinion). I woke up around 5am when the sun was just rising, making this incredible blue light outside.
We had the fire going and I was wrapped up in the bed all cozy while snuggling with my family. It was the greatest, coziest feeling ever. I really wish I could live here!
Nothing beats a homecooked breakfast with amazing forest views outside:
We walked around the property to showcase some of the other lodging options as well. Below is their Cottonwood Cabin:Â 
They also have a section of luxury yurts with hand-painted bird scenes created by resident artist Carlos. These yurts fit 2-6 people and are located right by 2 of the lakes! Learn more about the yurts on this page.
Activities
Considering how massive Bailey’s on Palomar is, you can imagine that there is going to be a lot to do up here. Having our 4 month old baby with us and it being quite cold the day we visited, we were pretty limited to how much grounds we could safely do. We still scratched a decent amount of surface.
We took one of the pedal boats out on the water. It was so magical as the fog rolled in and out all around us. I have documented all 3 lakes below.
Lake 1:
Lake 2:
Lake 3:
I would imagine this to be a ton of fun for children to play at. My baby couldn’t even sit up yet when we visited so we will have to test this playground with her when she’s a bit older!
Bailey House
Theodore Bailey and his wife Mary traveled from Kentucky and landed upon Palomar Mountain in the late 1880’s. Theodore remarked how much the wooded area reminded him of his homeland and decided this to be their new home.
What first began as welcoming friends to stay on their property soon turned into a thriving hospitality business. By the 1920’s, the 3-story home was bringing guests from all over the country.
The hotel offered lawn-tennis, an eighteen hole golf course, horseback riding, hiking, shuffle board, swimming and even home-cooked meals from food grown on site.
Today the Bailey House is still opening its doors to guests, with the magnificently-restored homestead as the centerpiece of the property. Each room has been restored to reflect how it originally looked in the 1920’s. The Bailey House sleeps up to 19 people! Learn all about it here.
Bailey’s General Store History
The Bailey General store is probably the first building you’ll see when entering the property. It looks as authentic as a building from the 1800’s can be. Today this old building is where you can purchase fun memorabilia and knick knacks, but it has had many important purposes back in the day.
It once served as the mountain’s post office, soda fountain, dance hall and even a hand-crank gas station! If you book a stay here make sure to ask for a tour inside (its only open on weekends for a few hours each day).
Personal Thoughts
Bailey’s on Palomar is such an incredible spot. I first learned about Bailey’s after driving down a road I had never been down before. We first saw the general store and I knew that we had come across a very historic location.
I was incredibly intrigued because I also saw that lodging options were available! How had I never heard of this property before?!
A year after first visiting this location is when I finally got to stay here. It was very foggy during our stay (as can often happen being so high in elevation). I love the mysterious weather of the mountains.
The fog only added to the mystique of the land and we lapped up every second of it. I am so thankful that a property like this exists! Camping on Palomar Mountain is a highly coveted activity but gets booked SO quickly!
Now that Bailey’s is expanding its lodging options SO many more people will get to make memories up here. I hope to return over and over again!
