Hillcrest is a neighborhood in the Uptown area of San Diego near Balboa Park.
Uptown (as opposed to nearby Downtown San Diego) traditionally consists of the neighborhoods of Mission Hills, Old Town, Hillcrest, Bankers Hill, Park West and University Heights west of Park Boulevard.
Hillcrest is an affluent, older San Diego neighborhood, mostly residential, featuring tree-lined streets and traditional homes. It lies between Mission Hills and Bankers Hill on a ridge overlooking San Diego Bay to the west and North Park to the east.
Walk along Hillcrest's tree-lined streets to shops, boutiques, bookstores, antique shops, galleries. and more.
Elegant restaurants and sidewalk caf?s are on every street. Find ethnic specialties, coffee and late-night snacks.
Hillcrest after dark comes alive with entertainment: art films, nightclubs, live music, concerts and dining.
Hillcrest is known for its tolerance, youthfulness, "alternative" culture, diversity of age and income, as well as locally-owned businesses, restaurants, stores and caf?s. Because of Hillcrest's grid street pattern and denser developments (which are common in urban mesa neighborhoods north of Balboa Park), pedestrian activity is high relative to the rest of San Diego.
Hillcrest is the residential and commercial hub of San Diego's gay and lesbian community. Prominent gay bars are mostly found within Hillcrest. The LGBT community center ("The Center") is located here as well.
Nearby Balboa Park provides recreational and cultural opportunities to Hillcrest residents, as does its proximity to downtown with its bayfront promenade, convention center and nightlife in Gaslamp Quarter.
Events in Hillcrest
San Diego Gay Pride is an annual celebration for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Festivities take place the last weekend in July; there is a Gay Pride parade, then a 2-day festival in Balboa Park. The route of the annual Pride Parade runs through University Avenue to Sixth Avenue, ending at the west entrance to Balboa Park. San Diego Gay Pride is considered to be the largest civic event in the city of San Diego.
Hillcrest "CityFest" is an annual street festival which features food, live entertainment, a beer garden and street vendors. This event takes place annually in August.
Other regular events in Hillcrest include a weekly farmers market, Book Fair and Mardi Gras.
Transportation in Hillcrest
Hillcrest is a walkable neighborhood with many of the caf?s, restaurants and shops near the main residential pockets. It is common to see pedestrians, cyclists and scooters throughout the neighborhood and surrounding communities. Centrally located within San Diego, Hillcrest has easy access to freeways, beaches and the downtown area.
Getting there:
Hillcrest is served by California State Route 163 at the University Avenue, Washington Street and Robinson Avenue exits. University Avenue and Washington Street are the major east-west thoroughfares in Hillcrest; Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Avenues connect Hillcrest to Downtown San Diego through Park West and Bankers Hill.
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