There are many neighborhoods around San Diego, offering a variety of experiences. The following neighborhoods are some of our favorites!

North Park

Hipsters, young professionals and students hang out in trendy North Park, where coffee shops, craft-beer bars and indie boutiques line University Avenue. The restaurant scene is heavy on brunch spots, upscale pubs, taquerias and sushi lounges, and nightlife often revolves around the Observatory North Park, a 1929 theater that hosts rap, rock and electronica. The North Park Thursday Market also features live music.

South Park

South Park is a charming residential area with popular neighborhood restaurants that range from innovative vegan food to upmarket Italian eats. Tree-lined Fern and 30th streets, the main thoroughfares, are also home to indie boutiques and cafes, while nearby Grape Street Dog Park has views over the downtown skyline.

Kensington

Kensington is a small town in a big city. The entire neighborhood is one big cul-de-sac, an engineered refuge that keeps traffic at bay to the benefit of children at play. The eastern end of Adams Avenue, after it crosses I-15, runs through the town’s quaint business district, and it’s the only way in and out (if you don’t count the meandering Marlborough Drive, which eventually leads south to El Cajon Boulevard from its northern terminus on a cliff overlooking Mission Valley). Along Adams in the center of a town that spans five blocks, one can find nearly a dozen restaurants, a library, a park with a playground, a bank, a couple of salons, an organic grocer, a small gym, a deli and liquor store, an ice-cream parlor, a classic one-screen cinema, and a nightclub that is a destination for cheap drinks, live music, and stand-up comedy.

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.

Gaslamp

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.

Old Town San Diego

Witness the living legacy of California's birthplace in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. Its many preserved historic buildings and museums commemorate the early days of the town of San Diego from the period 1820 to 1870, allowing you to visit California's history firsthand. Need some inspiration? Check out the Old Town San Diego Guide for can't-miss shopping, restaurants, attractions and more.

Coronado

Situated just across the bay from downtown San Diego, Coronado is consistently voted best beach in the U.S. by Dr. Beach. With gentle surf, sparkling wide-sand beaches, charming main street and great hotels, including the famous Hotel del Coronado, this island paradise is perfect for a quick getaway.

Coronado's coastline offers wide sandy beaches with sparkling sand, courtesy of the mineral Mica, that draw visitors from around the world. Complete with elegant gardens, old-world mansions, quaint shops, and oceanfront dining with spectacular sunset views, no wonder this charmed small town has been dubbed "The Crown City".

Spend the day relaxing on the beach or rent a bike and tour the island via Coronado's beachfront boardwalk. Take a stroll down Orange Avenue, Coronado's main artery, which is lined with shops, restaurants, galleries, theaters and the Coronado Museum of History & Art. At the other end of the island, Coronado's Ferry Landing offers a collection of more than 20 shops, art galleries and restaurants boasting stunning views of San Diego's downtown skyline. Flagship Cruises also offers low cost ferry service from the landing across the bay to Seaport Village on the edge of downtown.

Beyond the beach, Coronado features countless outdoor recreational pursuits including sailing, stand-up paddling, surfing, kayaking, and Venetian gondola cruises. There's also top-rate golf on Coronado's Public Golf Course, described as "a gem I consider the best value in the United States" by Golf Digest writer Matt Ginella.

And no trip to Coronado would be complete without a visit to the legendary Hotel del Coronado. Built in 1888 and designated a National Historic Landmark, the hotel has a fascinating and colorful past, which includes presidents and princes, socialites and scandals, ghosts and glamorous celebrities. It's also widely believed to have been the inspiration for the Emerald City in L. Frank Baum's "Wizard of Oz" as the author spent many winters at the oceanfront hotel.