Communities
Gaslamp Quarter
The Gaslamp Quarter is a lively downtown neighborhood, known for its nightlife. Clubs, dive bars and cocktail lounges draw a young crowd, while the Spreckels and Balboa theaters have diverse programs of music, comedy and drama. There’s a mix of chain and independent restaurants in the area, with many global options. Horton Plaza Park has grassy lawns, ice cream and coffee vendors, and an interactive fountain.
Hillcrest
Hillcrest is the center of San Diego’s LGBT scene, with buzzing gay bars and the city’s massive annual Pride parade. University Avenue is lined with restaurants serving global cuisines like Vietnamese, Himalayan and Thai, while the mix of cafes, brunch spots and second-hand clothes shops on Fifth Avenue make it a popular weekend destination. The weekly Hillcrest Farmers Market sells produce, flowers and cooked food.
Little Italy
Little Italy is a chic, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood, packed with trendy cocktail bars, brewpubs and restaurants with bustling patios. Upscale clothing boutiques, indie music venues and quaint piazzas dot the area, while the weekly Little Italy Mercato Farmers’ Market draws crowds to its mix of produce, gourmet food and craft stalls. The green lawns of Waterfront Park have fountains, and offer views of the bay.
La Mesa
Its civic motto is “the Jewel of the Hills. La Mesa in Spanish means “the table”, or alternately “the plateau”, relating to its geography. La Mesa was part of a larger tract, Mission San Diego de Alcalá, and was used by Spanish Missionaries. La Mesa was founded in 1869 and The City of La Mesa was incorporated on February 16, 1912. Its official flower is the bougainvillea.
University Heights
University Heights is close to San Diego State University and is filled with a number of restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, and artist studios primarily on Park Boulevard and Adams Avenue. Live entertainment can be found most nights. Additional restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and night clubs are within easy reach. The neighborhood sits in a central San Diego location with a broad spectrum of housing options, from cottages, apartments and condominiums, to million dollar homes
Normal Heights
Normal Heights is a lively residential area with many hip cafes, gastropubs, craft beer bars and diverse restaurants, especially along Adams Avenue. The neighborhood is also known for concerts in grassy Trolley Barn Park as well as outdoor movie screenings at Ward Canyon Park, which also has play areas and walking paths. The nearby University Heights area offers Asian, Mexican and Ethiopian eateries.
El Cajon
The city, located in a valley surrounded by mountains, has acquired the nickname of “The Box. El Cajon, Spanish for “the drawer,” was first recorded on September 10, 1821, as an alternative name for sitio rancho Santa Mónica to describe the “boxed in” nature of the valley in which it sat. The name appeared on maps in 1873 and 1875, shortened to “Cajon,” until the modern town developed in which the post office was named “El Cajon.” In 1905, the name was once again expanded to “El Cajon”
Barrio Logan
Coronado
Coronado is a resort city located across the bay from downtown San Diego. It was founded in the 1880s and incorporated in 1890. Coronado lies on an island connected to the mainland by a tombolo called the Silver Strand. In 1602 the explorer Sebastian Vizcaino gave the island its name and drew its first map. Coronado is Spanish for “crowned one,” and thus it is nicknamed The Crown City.and in 1886, the Coronado Beach Company was organized. By 1888, they had built the Hotel Del Coronado and the city became a major resort destination. Coronado was incorporated as a town on December 11, 1890. They also built a schoolhouse, and formed athletic, boating, and baseball clubs.
