Day Trip: 10 fun things to do in North Park, San Diego

With its expanding array of coffee shops, boutiques, street art, and craft breweries (not for nothing is San Diego sometimes called the Capital of Craft Beer), the city’s North Park neighborhood might have hit peak hipster haven.

Located northeast of Balboa Park, the once-sleepy ’burb is home to the North Park Thursday Farmers Market, one of San Diego’s largest independent bookstores, and a long-running art walk. Grab your matcha-filled Stanley tumbler and get ready to explore this happening ’hood.

For a latte that’s also a work of art, start your day at Lovesong Coffee, which serves creative coffee, matcha, and “fizzle” drinks using house-made syrups and whimsical garnishes such as fresh flowers. Lovesong also has a market with healthful packaged snacks to fuel your day.

Beauty and wellness fans should check out the recently expanded Shop Good. Leah Kirpalani founded the shop after she said she overcame an illness by eliminating chemical-laden products. Customers can book treatments (such as holistic facials made with organic ingredients) and shop nontoxic skin-care and beauty lines.

Learn the difference between street art and graffiti on a San Diego Street Art Tour. The 1.5- to 2-hour walking tour (a 2-mile loop) explores thought-provoking commissioned murals that brighten parking lots, alleyways, and buildings. The tour guide will also point out different types of graffiti and decipher their meanings. $35 per person. Meets at noon Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Grab a burger and a brew at The Original 40 Brewing Company, named for the 40-acre land parcel that became modern-day North Park. Try tap beers such as Juice Maze, along with the OG Burger.

Find antiquarian books and works by local authors at quirky Verbatim Bookstore. Rustic furniture, colorful artwork, and 300 toy dinosaurs share space with a collection of 50,000-plus books. Genres include graphic novels and poetry. 

Boost your mood with self-care products such as lotions, candles, and teas at the newly opened Casa Palma Dulce, named after a rare, sweet-smelling incense. Owner Elexia de la Parra’s original shop, Artelexia, is just across the street and carries well-curated Mexican crafts and gifts.

Louisiana Purchase serves finger-licking-good chicken wings, Cajun fries, gator bites, and other Southern fare. Closed Mondays.

For California tapas and wine, head about a mile east to recently opened Finca. The convivial restaurant’s bottle shop carries a large selection of whites, reds, and bubbles.

Bivouac Ciderworks just opened its adjacent Bivouac Adventure Lodge & General Store, where guests can sip hard cider or a Campfire Latte in the yurt-inspired community space. The store also stocks provisions for any adventure. See if you can find the hidden speakeasy.

An elevated experience of bowling and billiards awaits at The Gutter, a game room in the recently renovated Lafayette Hotel and Club. Roll for strikes at the 2-lane bowling alley while sipping a Corner Pocket cocktail. $50 per lane for 1 hour (book at least 1 day in advance). 

End your North Park adventure with a nightcap at Part Time Lover. Open the door to what looks like a retro record shop and step into a world of craft cocktails, posh decor, and nostalgic vinyl tunes. Take home a rare record from the back-of-the-bar shop.

Be sure to designate a driver if you plan to drink alcohol.