Whaley House in San Diego

Whaley House Museum was built by owner Thomas Whaley in the mid-19th century and has become one of the most famously haunted historic buildings in California. The property has multiple buildings, some that have been relocated to the property to save them from demolition. The property is located on San Diego avenue.

The house is now a museum with over 100,000 visitors annually. It has served many purposes, including being a courthouse and a general store. The Whaley House can also boast that it was San Diego’s first commercial theater.

Whaley House in San Diego - one of the highlights of 10 Things to Do Off the Beaten Track in San Diego (Read all about San Diego here)

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Whaley House Museum highlights

On the tour, visitors can view the parlor, dining room, study, bedrooms, and kitchen. Multiple people died on the property, including Jim Robinson, who was hanged from a tree in the yard. His spirit is said to be one of those haunting the house.

The haunting of the Whaley House Museum can still be felt by visitors as the dead owners' ghosts still exist in the house. When you visit, you may smell the scent of Thomas’s cigarette and his wife Anna’s perfume. There is an art-house outside of the residence where one of the Whaley daughters was said to have committed suicide.

Good to know when visiting Whaley House Museum

The New Orleans Creole Cafe is housed on the property. You can enjoy many traditional cajun and creole specialties at the cafe. Additionally, there are many other dining establishments nearby.

The Whaley House still maintains the same beauty and charm from the time when Whaley claimed it was the best house in all of San Diego. You can enjoy its beauty during a daylight hours' tour or take a nighttime tour to commune with the ghosts. Free all-day parking is located close by at lots on Harney and Twiggs Streets.

photo by Joe Mabel (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified

Location: 210 W. Market Street, San Antonio, TX 78205, USA

Open: Thursday–Monday from 10 am to 5 pm (closed Tuesday–Wednesday)

Phone: +1 210-249-4499

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