Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [245]
The heart of Uptown is Hillcrest, the first suburban real-estate development in San Diego. If you drive around, you’ll see the work of many of San Diego’s best-known architects from the early 20th century, including Irving Gill and William Templeton Johnson. The Mediterranean, Spanish Mission and Arts and Crafts styles are much in evidence. But Hillcrest’s chief attraction is its lively street life, due largely to its status as the center of San Diego’s gay and lesbian community.
Begin at the Hillcrest Gateway, an illuminated electric sign that arches over University Ave at 5th Ave. East on University Ave at No 535, look for the 1928 Kahn Building, an original commercial building with architectural elements that border on kitsch. South of University Ave along 5th Ave, there’s a variety of new and used bookstores, many with a good selection of nonmainstream publications.
Hillcrest’s farmers market (Map; 5th Ave, cnr Normal & Lincoln Sts; 9am-1pm Sun) is great for people-watching and fresh produce.
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TOURS
Look for discounts in tourist literature or on line.
Not to be confused with the Metropolitan Transit System’s trolleys, Old Town Trolley Tours (Map; 619-298-8687, 800-868-7482; www.trolleytours.com; adult/child $30/15; 9am-7pm; ) operates hop-on–hop-off open-air buses decorated like old-style streetcars, looping around the main attractions of Downtown and Coronado every 30 minutes or so. The official trolley stand is in Old Town (which is convenient for parking), but you can start or stop at any trolley-tour stop (they’re well marked with orange and are usually next to regular transit bus stops). The tours are a great introduction to the city, and the commentary is entertaining. Kids like the Seal Tour (about 90 minutes, hourly from 10am to 6pm), which departs from Seaport Village and ventures in and around San Diego Bay in an amphibious vehicle.
San Diego Scenic Tours ( 858-273-8687; www.sandiegoscenictours.com; adult $29-57, child 3-11yr $14-28) leads half- and full-day bus tours around San Diego and Tijuana, some of which build in time to shop and dine. You can combine some tours with a harbor cruise.
Gray Line ( 800-331-5077, 619-236-7325; www.sandiegograyline.com; adult $29-57, child 3-11yr $15-27) is a larger outfit offering bus tours around the city and to Tijuana, in addition to more expensive excursions (up to $94/69 oper adult/child) to big-ticket attractions throughout SoCal: Wild Animal Park, SeaWorld, Legoland, Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood.
Original Bike Cab Co ( 888-245-3222, 619-245-3222; www.bikecab.com; 10am-midnight Mon-Fri, 10am-3am Sat & Sun) offers San Diego’s version of a rickshaw: the pedicab, a bicycle pulling a carriage that seats up to four people. The drivers (pedalers?) often offer advice on what’s going on around town. Flag an empty pedicab, or call and one will pick you up. Fares are negotiable, but figure on $5 to $10 per person depending on distance and demand. The same company offers Downtown pedicab tours and trips to other parts of San Diego (from $25 per half-hour).
San Diego Harbor Excursion (Map; 800-442-7847, 619-234-4111; www.sdhe.com; adult/child from $17/8.50; ) and Hornblower Cruises (Map; 619-725-8888; www.hornblower.com; adult/child from $18/9; ) run one- and two-hour sightseeing tours from the Embarcadero. Both also have nightly dinner-dance cruises for about $65 per person ($70 on Saturday) and whale-watching excursions in season.
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FESTIVALS & EVENTS
March
Ocean Beach Kite Festival ( 858-274-2016) The first Saturday in March brings kite making, decorating, flying and competitions.
March/April
San Diego Crew Classic ( 619-225-0300; www.crewclassic.org) The national