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Things to Do in North Park, San Diego

This article gives you insight into the best things to do in North Park, one of the trendiest neighborhoods of San Diego!

San Diego is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. It’s America’s Finest City, and for good reason. There are beaches for whatever mood you’re in, outdoor activities for all skill levels, and those fish tacos…there’s nothing else like it. 

But you may not know that just inland, there are a number of neighborhoods that show off what San Diego is really all about. It’s about community, good food, opportunities to gather, and all of the craft beer you could handle.

One neighborhood that shows all of this off quite well is North Park, conveniently located just north – hence the name – of a place you may already have on your San Diego itinerary, Balboa Park.

Check out all of the things you can do in North Park with just a day in this fantastic San Diego neighborhood.

How to Reach North Park

San Diego is very car-centric, so the easiest way to reach North Park will be to drive there from wherever your base is. For a bit of context, North Park is just a 10-minute drive from Hotel Circle, a hub for those seeking budget-friendly accommodations in the city. The neighborhood is about a 15-minute drive from downtown, another popular spot for San Diego accommodations, and 15-20 minutes from the closest beach, depending on traffic. 

Once you’re in North Park, you should be able to find free street parking if you’re patient. Metered parking and parking garages are also available if you’re visiting on a busy weekend, particularly in the evenings. The neighborhood itself is very walkable, and bike-friendly. You won’t need your car once you’re there.

If you’re not renting a car while in San Diego and prefer to test out the city’s system of trolleys, buses and rideshare services, you could still make do. While there is no trolley that services North Park, you’ll find a number of bus lines that run through the neighborhood, and all of the major rideshare companies are available in the city. 

Things to Do in North Park

There are plenty of things to do in North Park to really get a feel for this San Diego neighborhood. Check out these ideas to make the best of your North Park visit.

Try the Local Beers

North Park is the hub of the craft beer scene in San Diego. You can even create a brewery crawl of your own based on your own personal beer tastes. 

Photo by Four Brewers

If you’re interested in unique flavors, don’t miss Belching Beaver, home to beers with peanut butter and honey notes that will satisfy even those who claim not to like craft beer. The massive North Park Beer Company is loud and a hub of activity in the neighborhood, with a full menu to boot if you’re looking for a nosh. Fall Brewing Company not only has delicious beer but interesting decor, as well. They have a giant Humpty Dumpty inside who gets dressed up for the season, including Halloween.

And cider enthusiasts will want to try Bivouac Ciderworks, a relatively new addition to North Park with ciders produced both locally and from around the world. 

Photo by Agnes

Hit the Farmers’ Market

As with most of San Diego’s neighborhoods, North Park has its own farmers’ market, held every Thursday. It’s a great way to support the small businesses in the neighborhood as they offer up their best wares. 

Vendors there sell the usual fresh fruits and vegetables, in addition to crafts and items that would make the perfect gifts for friends back home.

Window Shop in the Neighborhood’s Unique Shops

Even if you’re not looking to buy anything, North Park’s boutique shop offerings are a fantastic way to while away an afternoon. 


Outside of San Diego’s Old Town neighborhood, Artelexia is the shop for Mexican-inspired gifts and crafts. The shop Pigment just next door has become a destination not only for their unique goods, but the way the eclectic store is designed. You’ll find this one on all kinds of best Instagram spots in San Diego lists. 

North Park was made for wandering, especially down its hidden pathways, like Ray Street. Find your favorite boutique shop on your next visit.

Photo by Agnes

Check out the Murals and Historical Buildings

North Park is home to some of the city’s most impressive murals. Pose in front of Belching Beaver’s “Welcome to San Diego” mural, a postcard homage to the city’s focus on tourism, or “You Are Radiant,” a colorful mural outside of the boutique shop Artelexia that you can’t help but smile about once you’re there.

Or, take a stroll through the neighborhood and see what you’re able to find on the back walls of buildings, on shop front signs, and down alleyways. Bonus points if you can find Prince!

North Park boasts plenty of historical significance, too. Watch for signage along your stroll of historical properties.Don’t miss out on the Observatory North Park, a 1930s-era live music venue that you can still catch a show at if you time your visit right.

Photo by Agnes

Enjoy a Flight of Ice Cream

There is a list of North Park restaurants for you to peruse below, but Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream deserves a special mention. Hammond’s offers ice cream flights, which is amazing if you’re the kind of person who just can’t decide on an ice cream flavor when you’re standing in line, looking down at all of those delicious flavors.

You can have as many as a dozen tiny little cones during your visit to Hammond’s, and while that sounds like a lot, you’ll still find yourself having a tough time deciding thanks to their selection of unique flavors. Don’t miss out on the Ginger Cream if it’s available the day you visit. 

North Park Restaurants

North Park is a delicious area in the city, and you’ll be spoiled for choice while you’re there when you’re thinking about where to stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Here are the best of North Park’s restaurants. 

Atypical Waffle: Atypical Waffle is exactly as it sounds, an eatery specializing in waffles with unique flavors and toppings. The entrance is a bit tucked away from the main street, but finding this place is half the fun.

Breakfast Republic: As long as you’re patient, you’ll be rewarded with some of the best breakfast food in not only North Park, but San Diego, as well. The portions here are huge, so sharing is recommended. If you’re lucky enough to be traveling on a weekday, wait times will be much more manageable. 

City Tacos: It wouldn’t be a San Diego neighborhood without multiple options for tacos. City Tacos has delicious taco options no matter what you’re after, including their vegetarian potato tacos. Don’t be fooled by the ambiance at the Lucha Libre Taco Shop next door, by the way. The tacos at City Tacos are far superior.

Photo by Agnes

Et Voilà! French Bistro: If you’re interested in something a bit fancier for dinner, the Et Voilà! French Bistro is a wonderful option for traditional French food, including a full menu of desserts and cheese courses if you’re really going for the French vibes. Entree prices are a bit higher than at many of the eateries in the neighborhood, but still reasonable when you consider the level of care taken with the ingredients here. If you’re a fan of mussels, don’t leave San Diego without trying them here.

Tribute Pizza: If you’re in the mood for pizza, you have several options in North Park, but the most interesting will be Tribute Pizza. Not only are their pies delicious, the pizzas on the menu there are all a tribute to pizzas that the owners have eaten and loved around not only the country, but the world. The pizza shop is also run out of an old post office, which makes for some great Instagram photos while you’re there.

Things to Do in North Park: Nearby Attractions

North Park is centrally located for many other San Diego attractions, so you’ll be able to explore lots more if you include the neighborhood on your San Diego itinerary. 

Balboa Park: North Park is just northeast of Balboa Park, home to the San Diego Zoo and the city’s best museums, including the recently renamed Museum of Us. (This one was previously known as the Museum of Man.) You could easily spend a full day here, exploring the gardens and people-watching.

Old Town: Old Town, San Diego’s historic center, is just a 10-minute drive west of North Park. Visit Old Town to see the original heart of the city, before San Diego’s downtown expansion, and the birthplace of California.

The Beaches: San Diego’s beaches are well within reach of North Park. Mission Beach, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach and even Coronado are all within a 15-20-minute drive of North Park. La Jolla is an easy, scenic 25-minute drive north.

The Gaslamp and Downtown: San Diego’s downtown neighborhoods, including the nightlife hub of the Gaslamp Quarter, are about a 15-minute drive southwest of North Park. You can easily spend a full day in North Park while still catching a sunset at the harbor at the end of your busy day.

View of coastal La Jolla, California, One Day in San DIego

Agnes is a regular person behind Travel on the Reg, a travel blog focused on sharing her collected wisdom and (hopefully) amusing truths about travel when it’s done in a regular way. Travel can be messy, awkward and amazing, sometimes all at the same time. She’s here for all of it. A Chicago native, Agnes moved to San Diego, America’s Finest City, in 2014, and has been enjoying the sunshine ever since.

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Technically, the sign itself is blocked off (and don’t even try to jump the fence) so you are hiking to right behind and above the sign. Still, this is the closest you can get to the sign being able to get so up and close to the iconic monument is such a cool experience! The hike starts inside Griffith Park, from where you can take the Brush Canyon trail. It is a 6.5 mile out and back hike, and is rated moderate difficulty with an 1100 foot elevation gain. Allow about 2 1/2-3 hours to complete the hike. Also be aware that there is hardly any shade on the trail and it tends to get really hot, really fast, so be prepared and carry lots of water with you. Read More: One Day in LA: Itinerary for First-Time Visitors 2 Days in Los Angeles: Downtown-Based Itinerary Self-Guided Multicultural Tour of Los Angeles By Team Hazard Rides Again LA is incredibly diverse. There are people here from every corner of the Earth and LA is happy to give each culture its due. Tim and I once went to 3 cultural events in a single weekend – and we weren't even trying hard. On Friday night we went to a chamber music concert at the big Downtown Library. On Saturday night we were in Hollywood to see Amadou and Mariam, a blind couple from Mali who rocked the Afro-pop scene at the El Rey Theater. And on Sunday we were in Chinatown for a big cultural celebration. There is no single recipe for doing a cultural tour of Los Angeles. There are just too many options. But here are some places to look so you can put together your own multicultural tour of Los Angeles. There are neighborhoods throughout the city like Little Tokyo, Olvera Street, Little Ethiopia, Little Bangladesh and Chinatown, just to name a few. Some of them are a bit touristy, but still fun and there are also many unnamed enclaves where various cultures flourish. They often hold festivals as well. And Long Beach seems to have a festival for something every other week. Keep an eye on local calendars. There are also exhibits and performances exploring different cultures all over town. The Craft and Folk Art Museum on Wilshire almost always has something culturally unique going on, as does the Fowler Museum on the UCLA Campus. You can also check out the USC Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena. Again, to name just a few. Then there are the performances, like Amadou and Mariam we mentioned above, or Prince Diabate whom we saw in some tiny club in Santa Monica. One of the best places to look for these more eclectic events is the LA Weekly. LA's multiculturalism is one of its most awesome features and it's something not to be missed if you're visiting the city. It's easy to stack events that are near you or that suit the dates of your visit. It's LA. There's always something going on! Hike in Joshua Tree National Park By Julie from Family Travel Lifestyle While California is famous for National Parks like Yosemite and the Redwoods, one of our lesser-known parks, Joshua Tree, offers fantastic hiking in a unique desert environment. Located in southern California – just east of Palm Springs, and less than a 3-hour drive from San Diego – Joshua Tree offers numerous trails at every level of hiking. What I love about Joshua Tree is that it isn’t as crowded as many other parks and it’s smaller which means you can do a one-day visit and still get in some great hikes and really feel as though you saw the park. Also, this park offers a lot of loop trails, which I tend to prefer to the ‘out and back’ trails. One of the most popular and can’t-miss trails in Joshua Tree is the Skull Rock loop. It’s pretty easy, good for all levels including children, and you get to see the famous and giant Skull-shaped boulder. There’s a great kids’ nature walk called the Discovery Trail that’s less than a mile if you have really little ones. The bigger hikes offer a great variety of sights. There are several hikes up to different peaks, with outstanding views of the mountains and desert. You can hike out to a palm tree oasis or walk through the boulders and include a little scrambling on your hike. The one thing to watch out for is the heat – it’s no joke at Joshua Tree, so come prepared and enjoy! VIsit the Sunny Jim Sea Caves By April from SoCalFunFamily La Jolla is known for the locals who hang around the beach. And no, I am not talking about the hodads, you know, non-surfers, but the friendly seals lounging right there on the sand. It’s also known as an incredibly fun family area, for its good food, and having the coolest sea caves. However, there is only one cave you can explore without a kayak. And that cave is only accessible through Sunny Jim’s Cave Store. From the exterior it looks just like any other beach themed gift shop, but upon further review you might see the long dark tunnel leading what looks like directly into the ground. This is the access to Sunny Jim’s Sea Cave, which was dug out in 1902. To reach the bottom you will pay $5 for adults, and $3 for children, walk down 145 dark, narrow stairs and come out on a damp wooden platform to take in the waves and views from below. This hidden gem is a unique experience if you are in the area. But, make sure to mingle with the locals on the shore below and check out the free, smaller caves right there as well. Read More: One Day in San Diego Pedal Boat At Lake Murray By Martina from Stack Your Dollars One of the best and most relaxing things to do in sunny San Diego is to take a ride on the water at Lake Murray. On a hot day, getting on a pedal boat is a great way to get a nice breeze and cool off. You’ll also be putting those leg muscles to work and getting in some fun exercise! Lake Murray is a 171 acre reservoir with a 3.2 mile shoreline; it can be found on the border of San Diego, La Mesa, and Santee. To rent the pedal boat, you have to go into the concession stand by the parking lot. It costs about $15 to rent per hour, with an additional $15 for a deposit. The boat fits about 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children. This low-cost activity is a great way to get out and have fun. It allowed my family to stick to our very frugal budget. If you would prefer, there are also kayaks, canoes, row boats, and motor boats. However, the pedal boat is my favorite because it also has a canopy to block the sun! Whale Watch in Newport Beach By Rebecca from KwaFare One of the most thrilling outdoor experiences you can have in California is to get up close and personal with some of the largest animals on earth. Whale watching in Southern California can put you right in the migratory path of humpback, minke, fin and gray whales. Even orcas are spotted from time to time, as well as sperm whales and blue whales, the largest animal to have ever lived. An excellent spot for whale watching is Newport Beach, which is only about an hour from LAX airport or downtown Los Angeles. Newport Beach is a cozy community where you’ll find Balboa Pier and Island and some great beaches. My go to whale watching company here is Davey’s Locker. And for good reason. First, they regularly have sales for their whale watching tours on Groupon. So, for about the price of a movie ticket you can take a front row seat to these magnificent creatures for over a couple of hours. But what I really enjoy is hearing the excitement of the crew every time we get to see a whale out at sea. This testifies to just how electrifying it is to witness these deep sea giants in their natural habitat. Despite how many times they get to see them, every time it’s a thrill. And the thrill is definitely contagious. You just never know what you are going to see when you get out on the boat. However, if you want to up your chances of sighting whales go out during their migration times. In general, winter and spring are great times to see gray whales, humpback and minke whales. And summer and fall are ideal for blue whales, finbacks, orcas and sperm whales. So whether you find yourself in the middle of a pod of hundreds of dolphins or next to an enormous blue whale, this is one of those things to do in California that is not to be missed! Visit the Center of the World By Theresa from The Local Tourist Just inside the border in the southeast corner of the state, you can put your toes on the officially designated Center of the World. Felicity, California, is home to the Museum of History in Granite and the Center of the World and is a destination worth a visit that's a whole lot less kitschy than it sounds. In 1985, Jacques-André wrote a children’s book titled “Coe: The Good Dragon at the Center of the World.” Somehow, this Frenchman and Father of American Parachuting convinced the Imperial County Board of Supervisors and Institut Géographique National, the French Mapping Agency, that property he owned in Imperial County should be declared the Center of the World. You can visit this town, population two, and not only make a wish inside a pyramid but also browse granite tablets etched with history. They're designed to last 4,000 years and the goal is that they'll preserve the entirety of humanity for millennia to come. It's a quirky destination with a noble promise, and should definitely be on any southern California itinerary. ATV in the Imperial Sand Dunes By Kay from The Awkard Traveler It isn't general knowledge, but California has sand dunes. Some of the best California sand dunes are found in Southern California. Specifically, the Imperial Sand Dunes State Park right near the border of Mexico. Winter is arguable a better season to visit, especially when summer temperatures can easily reach over 110F. But that also means winter is the most busy time to visit. So, pick your poison. From San Diego, the drive is about 2.5hours, 2 hours from Palm Springs, and 3 hours from Los Angeles, making the Imperial Sand Dunes an easy day trip if you do not want to stay nearby. However, there are camping and RV options at the state park! To enter the park, permits are required from October 1 through April 15 each year. Permits are $35 per week in advance and $50 per week if purchased onsite. Season permits are $150. America the Beautiful National Park pass also counts for this park. Once you are all settled into the park, you're ready to ride! But before you get into your off-highway vehicle (whether it is ATV or a bike, or other), make sure to remember the basics. Wear a protective helmet, pay attention to "closed to vehicle signs," and tall visible red flags are REQUIRED on your vehicle for visibility and safety! There you have it! Tons and tons of ideas on things to do in California. Hope you find this article useful when planning your next getaway! More of California Los Angeles Ultimate Bucket List Weekend Getaways from Los Angeles Ultimate San Diego Bucket List 150+ Places to Go in Orange County Places to Visit in Santa Barbara What are your favorite things to do in California? Let me know in the comments section below. Pin “Things to Do in California” for later!, Pigeon Point LighthouseThings to Do in California: Golden State Best

Comments

  2. Agnes says

    Thanks for letting me share my fave spots in North Park. I love introducing folks to a lesser-known part of town, away from the beaches and the zoo, but just as fun!

    Reply

  4. Lisa Tucker says

    Your method of telling everything in this articleis truly nice, all can effortlessly know it, Thanks a lot.

    Reply

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