Things to do in Hillcrest, San Diego: Streets, a Famous Sign and the Park Next Door
A plain guide to Hillcrest's walkable streets, its landmark sign and rainbow history, and the museums, gardens and zoo of Balboa Park next door.
8 Oct 2026
Hillcrest is a city neighborhood north and a little west of Balboa Park. Mission Hills lies to its northwest and North Park to its east. It sits just south of Interstate 8.
Hillcrest has few big sights of its own, and it is better known for its streets than its attractions. It is a dense, walkable neighborhood with cafes, restaurants and shops close to where people live. It also has a close neighbor with a lot to see, which is Balboa Park, and that makes up much of this guide.
A bit of history
Before the city grew here, this was chaparral-covered mesa, and it was home to the Kumeyaay. Building began in 1910, and the neighborhood was fully built out by about 1920. In the 1920s and 1930s, Hillcrest was a suburban shopping area for downtown San Diego. That mix of homes and shops still shapes the neighborhood today.
The Hillcrest sign
The Hillcrest sign stands at Fifth and University Avenues. It was put up in 1940, a gift from local women who ran shops in the area. It was rebuilt in 1984 and updated in 2023 with programmable color lighting. It is the neighborhood's best known landmark and a natural meeting point and photo stop.
A center of LGBTQ+ life
Since the 1970s, Hillcrest has been the main gathering place for San Diego's LGBTQ+ community. The city's first permitted pride parade took place in 1975. A large rainbow flag was installed in the neighborhood in 2012, and a rainbow crosswalk was unveiled in January 2020. If you walk the main streets, you will see how much of the neighborhood's character comes from that history.
Walk the neighborhood
Hillcrest rewards a slow walk. Most of the shops, cafes and restaurants are locally owned, and the main blocks are close together. Wander the side streets for older homes from the early 1900s. Go with no fixed plan, and let curiosity decide where you stop.
The area also has bus lines, so you can link a walk with other parts of the city.
Next door: Balboa Park
Balboa Park is the big draw near Hillcrest. It covers more than 1,000 acres and has about 15 museums, themed gardens, theaters and the San Diego Zoo. The Cabrillo Bridge is the grand entrance to the museum area, and it crosses above State Route 163.
Many of the museums are in Spanish Colonial Revival buildings left from the 1915 and 1935 world's fairs. Art, science, space, trains, history and sports all have museums here. Look for the Botanical Building, the Japanese Friendship Garden and the rose and desert gardens. The Spreckels Organ Pavilion is an outdoor stage with one of the largest outdoor pipe organs in the world, and the Old Globe Theatre has three stages.
There is more in our separate Balboa Park guide. Here is what matters for a Hillcrest visit. The park is the easiest big outing for anyone staying nearby, and the neighborhood is a good place to eat and rest before or after.
For families
The zoo, the Fleet Science Center and the Model Railroad Museum in Balboa Park are good picks for kids. The free tram inside the park helps tired legs. In Hillcrest itself, the sign and the rainbow crosswalk make a fun stop for photos, and the walkable streets keep little legs close to home.
When the weather turns
Hillcrest is mostly outdoors, so rainy days belong to the museums of Balboa Park. About 15 of them are within reach, so you can choose by interest. Back in Hillcrest, you can spend a wet afternoon in the cafes and shops along the main streets.
A short drive away
Mission Hills is the next neighborhood northwest, with Presidio Park and quiet canyon trails. Old Town, where the city began, is a short ride beyond. Downtown, with its waterfront museums and the Gaslamp Quarter, lies south of Balboa Park.
Getting around
Hillcrest is a walkable neighborhood. Multiple bus lines serve it, and the Metropolitan Transit System runs frequent routes to Balboa Park. The main roads are Park Boulevard and 5th and 6th Avenues. Parking in the park can be crowded, so a bus or a walk from Hillcrest is a smart choice.
Good to know
Hillcrest is small and best explored on foot.
Balboa Park is big, so choose a few stops.
Check each museum's website for its current visiting details.
Large events can change street traffic, so look ahead if you are driving.
Wear comfortable shoes. You will walk more than you think.
Find local businesses
Planning a visit, or live nearby and need a hand with something? Browse the local businesses listed in the San Diego guide to find who serves Hillcrest and the neighborhoods around it.
Useful links
About Hillcrest: the town at a glance
Own a business in Hillcrest? Claim or add your listing, free
By Thomas Hassett and Eric Andrews, Local Business America
Photo: Visitor7, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources: Wikipedia, "Hillcrest, San Diego" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillcrest,_San_Diego); Wikivoyage, "San Diego/Balboa Park" (https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/San_Diego/Balboa_Park); Wikipedia, "Balboa Park, San Diego" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balboa_Park,_San_Diego); City of San Diego, "Balboa Park" (https://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/regional/balboa); Wikipedia, "Cabrillo Bridge" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabrillo_Bridge); Wikipedia, "Mission Hills, San Diego" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_Hills,_San_Diego); San Diego Zoo (https://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/); Spreckels Organ Society (https://www.spreckelsorgan.org/); Fleet Science Center (https://www.fleetscience.org/); San Diego Model Railroad Museum (https://www.sdmrm.org/); California State Parks, "Old Town San Diego State Historic Park" (https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=663); City of San Diego, "Presidio Park" (https://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/regional/presidio). Wikivoyage and Wikipedia text is available under CC BY-SA.