Visiting El Cajon | CBS 8 Zip Trip
CBS 8 is hitting the road to feature the vibrant areas of San Diego County. On this Zip Trip, we visited El Cajon and all that makes this community great.
Welcome to El Cajon From rural to melting pot
Welcome to El Cajon, California
El Cajon was founded in 1912 and has grown from what used to be a rural and agricultural hub into a true melting pot with a large Chaldean population.
It is now the sixth largest city in the county with more than 100,000 residents and stretching 14.4 square miles. But many say it still has its suburban rural roots.
The city is home to the largest of the county airports in San Diego, with more than 215,000 planes flying in or out of Gillespie Field every year.
El Cajon is also known for hosting one of the county's longest-running holiday events, the Mother Goose parade that draws thousands of families to the downtown streets since 1947.
Meet the Mayor El Cajon Mayor, Bill Wells
Meet Bill Wells the Mayor of El Cajon
El Cajon is a diverse and vibrant community in East County. It’s the sixth largest city in San Diego County. Mayor Bill Wells has overseen the city since 2013. Mayor Wells talked about several issues that are top priority in the city, including the homeless population, economic development and what he loves most about the City of El Cajon.
Meet the Police Chief El Cajon Police Chief, Mike Moulton
Meet the Police Chief of El Cajon
In case you didn’t know, The City of El Cajon has its own police department. Public safety is always top of mind and El Cajon Police Chief Mike Moulton joined the CBS 8 Morning Show to talk about the department and its goals.
8 Great Things To Do Some of the many activities in El Cajon
8 great things to do in El Cajon
There are many diverse things to do and see in El Cajon, including several opportunities to get outside and enjoy nature. CBS 8 is highlighting great spots you need to check out.
Magnolia Performance Art Center
This art center has featured big names like Patti LaBelle and Art Garfunkel who performed in a newly built state-of-the-art arena.
KNOX House Museum
Take a step back in time when you visit the KNOX House Museum, which was built in 1876. It is the oldest building in the city and now houses the El Cajon Historical Society where you can learn all about the history of the Box City.
Cajon Classic Cruise Car Shows
The car shows cruise into Magnolia and Main Street every Wednesday to give people a glance at some sweet rides, the opportunity to listen to live music and more.
Sycuan Casino Resort
Stay in the 12-story hotel, relax in the pool's Lazy River and play 36 holes at Singing Hills Golf Club.
El Cajon’s Main Street
Head downtown where there are several shops, restaurants, breweries and more to visit. Don't skip out on their weekly dinner and free concert series at the Prescott Promenade Park.
Water Conservation Garden
Learn how to garden on six acres of beautifully themed gardens all focused on drought-tolerant plants.
Crestridge Ecological Reserve
Take a hike at this reserve and enjoy about 2,800 acres of native wildlife and plant species.
Gillespie Field Airport
The airport is the oldest and largest in the county. Stop in for coffee and breakfast at the Gillespie Field Cafe and head over to the Allen Airways Flying Museum where over 10,000 Aviation-themed items like planes, movie posters and more are stored.
Taylor Guitars An internationally known guitar company
Taylor Guitars world headquarters is located in El Cajon and the company is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year in October.
CBS 8's Eric Kahnert took a tour of the facility to see all of the steps that go into making the instruments.
The company, known for its high-end acoustic guitars, has been around since 1974 and in its current building since 1992. They employ over 1,200 people and produce more than a hundred guitars per day.
“We've been here since 1992,” Jim Kirlin with the Taylor team told CBS 8. “So over 30 years now, and we've grown quite a bit as we've been in this space, and we love being here.”
Taylor Swift and Taylor Guitars
Taylor Swift has been using Taylor Guitars since she was a teenager. The relationship between the El Cajon guitar company and the artist has grown over the years.
The Magnolia Theater The biggest names in showbiz on the stage
The Magnolia began in 1977 as the East County Performing Arts Center. However, after the Great Recession, the doors were shuttered. But then in 2017, the city partnered with Live Nation to reopen the space. There was an injection of $8 million to renovate the theater and two years later, the Magnolia began to blossom.
And what was once a community theater now attracts some of the biggest names in showbiz.
Welcome to the Magnolia, where you can watch the biggest names in comedy, music and even podcasts, quite literally on Main Street in El Cajon. CBS 8’s Chris Gros got a tour of the theater and all that it offers.
Wieghorst Museum A unique and Western touch in El Cajon
The Wieghorst Museum in El Cajon tells the tale of Olaf Wieghorst. Born in 1899 in Denmark, Wieghorst dreamed of being a cowboy, he headed to America knowing just three words of English. Here he became a cowboy served in the Army and worked for the New York Police Department.
El Cajon is where Wieghorst picked up painting and quickly became an established well-known Western artist. In 1988, just months before his death Wieghorst spoke with CBS 8, giving a tour of a studio and sharing some of his last pieces.
The Wieghorst Museum is open every Friday and Saturday at no cost and is open to field trips, visitors and to host events adding a unique and Western touch to El Cajon. CBS 8's Alex Lai shares the history and what makes this museum special.
Burning Beard Brewing Music and Craft Beer in El Cajon
Burning Beard Brewing Co. has been a music and beer staple in El Cajon for 8 years. CBS 8’s Neda Iranpour got a behind-the-scenes look at the brewery where every brew tells a tale.
“The brewery’s name, Burning Beard, came from a song by the band Clutch, and so to burn your beard is to remove your social mask and to be yourself, unapologetically,” Dylan Brown, brand ambassador and tasting room manager explained.
An amazing retro jukebox plays the staff’s and patron’s favorite songs. Muralists bring color to their walls, where the brewery supports local artists by giving them this space to put their work on display.
Eight years and still going strong in El Cajon celebrating each anniversary with epic parties. They're clearly doing something right, unapologetically.
Momma Pots Plants and Pots in El Cajon
Momma Pots has only been open for a year but Blaine Tiongson knew long before that she wanted to plant roots near her hometown.
“I grew up on three acres in Lakeside in East County. My dad was a big horticulturist, so we had plants and waterfalls and streams and lakes and I grew up with that,” Blaine said.
In 2017, she started a ceramics business in her garage after a car accident left her in recovery for months. While recovering, she reconnected with nature and decided to open a warehouse in El Cajon. Customers could only purchase online at the time, but today, she has her retail store, a shop filled with houseplants and colorful pottery that's inviting for any customer.
CBS 8’s Regina Yurrita got her hands dirty planting her own plant and learning more about the business.
Conservation Garden Five acres of a learning laboratory and garden
The Conservation Garden is probably one of the greatest hidden gems in East County. And this isn't just any public garden, it is a learning laboratory and this garden is here for the community.
CBS 8’s Evan Noorani got a chance to check out the five-and-a-half acres of beautiful outdoor space.
But beyond education, the garden can also be a great place for people to just clear their heads. Many seek it as an escape from the busy city with space to read a book have a picnic or even meditate
From school field trips to yoga classes to weddings, the water conservation garden in El Cajon is inviting you to get your hands dirty in the name of sustainability. The nonprofit is mostly volunteer-run, and some of them have been volunteering for decades.
So whether you're a kid or an adult, there are acres of opportunities for a hands-on education or just a place to get away from the noise.
More To Do in El Cajon Events and places that make El Cajon great
Things to do in El Cajon
The Chaldean community of El Cajon
The Chaldean community is 50,000 people strong in El Cajon and many people in the community migrated to El Cajon in the 1980s. Mark your calendars for the Chaldean Festival in late September.
Dinner and a Concert Series
El Cajon is a great place to visit, especially if you’re looking to do something with the entire family. The Dinner and a Concert Series is back again this year and is hosted by Downtown El Cajon Business Partners.
Bistro Del Cajon | Serving up delicious breakfast and lunch
If you’re ever visiting El Cajon, you may come across a restaurant called Bistro Del Cajon. It’s just one of the many restaurants people can check out while visiting East County.
El Cajon Classic Cruise Car Show
It's time to shine up those classic cars, because the Cajon Classic Cruise Car Show is back this year. It's happening in the center of downtown El Cajon at Magnolia and Main Street.
Main Street Donuts and Deli | A taste of sweet and savory in El Cajon
Craving something sweet, but also savory? There’s a great place you need to check out in El Cajon. It’s called Main Street Donuts And Deli located at 172 East Main Street.
Crafted Greens | Makes Yelp’s top 100 places to eat
Looking to try a new spot to eat? Yelp released its 100 top places to eat in 2024 and an El Cajon restaurant ranked number 16. It’s called Crafted Greens.
WATCH News 8 Throwback 1980 and 1981: The Mother Goose Parade in El Cajon