North Park (San Diego)

SoCal Hipster

In San Diego neighborhoods can have distinct cultures and identities. North Park is one of these, and it’s now cool and trendy. The LA Times wrote about it and Forbes put it 13 on its rank of hipster neighborhoods. We don’t equate hipster and new age, but there is yoga and psychics can be found and we saw a Toaist center, which we like. So we checked it out.

According to Philip, whom we’ve never met, North Park is bordered to the west by Florida St., but the man on the corner of Park and University, identified Park as the border. We’re flexible, and some of the listings included are in adjacent neighborhoods.

So we’re going with that, and we’ll even stretch a little ways into Hillcrest in search of psychics.

North Park itself is a microcosm of a larger city. Downtown is grungier, with consignment shops and businesses and bars. It’s a good place to hang out, eat, and drink beer from one of the many brew pubs. From University up to El Cajon, there are more apartment complexes and a wider range of economic. South, towards Balboa Park, the neighborhood becomes more suburban, with clean little cottages and well kept yards. North of University has more of a singles vibe and south more of a family vibe.