San Diego family guide
Things to Do in Hillcrest with Kids
Curated by Simir Shah
Reviewed & updated August 2026 · we check listings regularly, but hours and prices change — confirm before you go.
Hillcrest on the map
📍 Where Hillcrest is
Hillcrest sits in San Diego, Southern California. Nearest major airport: San Diego Intl (~2 mi / 4 km). It's roughly 110 mi (176 km) from Downtown LA — SoCal traffic can make a drive take far longer than the distance suggests, so plan around it.
Visiting? See SoCal at a glance, getting around and which airport.
🏡 New to Hillcrest? Start hereRec classes, library cards, school lookup, alerts and getting around.OpenClose
- Library card: Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox Library at 215 W. Washington St. opened in 2019 with dedicated teen and young-children areas; closed Sundays and Mondays.
- Storytime: The Knox Library posts its storytimes and family programs on SDPL's online events calendar, linked from the branch page.
- Rec & pool: Hillcrest has no city rec center of its own; North Park Recreation Center and Bud Kearns Memorial Pool at Morley Field are closest.
- Find your school: Central Hillcrest is in SDUSD's San Diego High cluster: Florence Elementary, Roosevelt Middle and San Diego High; confirm your address in the School Finder.
- Local insider: Street parking is tight; the Knox Library's 84-space garage gives library users two free hours with validation, then $1.25 per 20 minutes.
- Report it: Get It Done: Get It Done, the city's 311 app and website, takes reports of potholes, graffiti, illegal dumping, broken streetlights, parking problems and missed trash pickups.
- Emergency alerts: Register your cell phone and email with AlertSanDiego, the county's emergency notification system; landlines are already included automatically.
- Kids ride free: Riders 18 and under ride MTS buses and the Trolley free with a Youth PRONTO card or app account through June 30, 2027.
- Trash & recycling: City-serviced homes get gray trash, blue recycling and green organics bins; the monthly fee and schedule are on the city's setup page.
Things to do in Hillcrest
Hillcrest CityFest
This free, all-ages street fair fills about seven blocks of Fifth Avenue with live bands, DJs, arts, crafts and food, and it draws 70,000+ people. Families do best in the early afternoon, before evening crowds and the 21+ wine garden get going.
Free entry
Hillcrest Classic Car Show
At least 20 collectors show vintage cars every month at Fifth and Pennsylvania avenues, with owners happy to chat. The show is put on with Great Autos of Yesteryear. It's a free, low-key outing for car-loving kids, and it's easy to combine with lunch in Hillcrest.
Free
University Heights Summer Concerts in the Park
The University Heights CDC has run this free concert series at Trolley Barn Park for nearly 30 years, with a different local band each week. Families bring blankets and picnics, or pick up takeout from nearby restaurants. Arrive early for a lawn spot near the stage.
Free
Marston House Museum & Gardens
This 1905 Arts and Crafts mansion sits at Seventh Avenue and Upas Street, on the Hillcrest edge of Balboa Park. Guided tours run 40–45 minutes, best for kids about 8 and up. The formal gardens and lawn are free to wander any day. The house closes on San Diego Pride Parade day in July.
$20 adults; $7 ages 6–12; free 5 & under
Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox Library
This 15,000-square-foot SDPL branch opened in 2019 and serves Hillcrest, Mission Hills and Bankers Hill. It has dedicated areas for young children and teens, 10 children's computers and an underground parking garage, which is rare in Uptown. Check the branch calendar for storytime days.
FreeUniversity Heights Library
This tiny mid-century SDPL branch on Park Boulevard, one of the city's oldest (founded in 1914), has a children's reading nook and floor-to-ceiling windows. Parking is street-only. Old Trolley Barn Park is about half a mile north.
Free
Old Trolley Barn Park
This 8.7-acre city park on Adams Avenue in University Heights, just north of Hillcrest, has a playground and open lawn. It hosts the free Summer Concerts in the Park on July Friday evenings. Street parking fills up on concert nights.
Free
Stella Jean's Ice Cream (University Heights)
This small-batch ice cream shop on Park Boulevard is a short walk from the University Heights Library and Trolley Barn Park. Cones are homemade, and seasonal flavors rotate. It stays open late, which makes it an easy after-dinner treat.
$Local restaurants in Hillcrest
Khyber Pass
Over 30 years serving authentic Afghani cuisine, one of San Diego's premier ethnic restaurants.
Trust
Still considered one of the city's best, with a signature wood-fired kitchen, a locally-sourced menu, and a spacious patio.
Local shops in Hillcrest
Bluestocking Books
A community fixture for about 25 years with an outstanding, wide-ranging curated selection.
Mimi & Red
Independent-minded women's fashion boutique on University Avenue.
Gioia's Room
Vintage styles reworked for today, locally crafted pieces and jewelry, with complimentary alterations.
The Village Hat Shop
A long-running independent specialty hat retailer.
Flashbacks Recycled Fashions
Part of Hillcrest's dense vintage-and-secondhand strip along 5th and University.
Seasonal & outdoors near Hillcrest
The closest splash pads, patches, lights and more — distances from Hillcrest.
More San Diego family guides
Hillcrest family FAQ
What are the best things to do in Hillcrest with kids?
Family favorites in and around Hillcrest include Hillcrest CityFest, Hillcrest Classic Car Show, University Heights Summer Concerts in the Park and Marston House Museum & Gardens, and more. Our guide lists 8 spots, each with a price note and practical tips where we have them.
Are there free things to do in Hillcrest?
Yes — free family spots near Hillcrest include Hillcrest CityFest, Hillcrest Classic Car Show, University Heights Summer Concerts in the Park and Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox Library. Our free things to do page lists more across Southern California.
What can kids do in Hillcrest on a rainy day?
Indoor options in and around Hillcrest include Marston House Museum & Gardens, Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox Library, University Heights Library and Stella Jean's Ice Cream (University Heights). Each listing in our guide is marked indoor or outdoor, so you can filter for the weather.
How can families spend a day in Hillcrest?
One easy plan: start outside at Hillcrest CityFest while kids have the most energy, break for lunch at Khyber Pass, then head indoors to Marston House Museum & Gardens for the afternoon. Our guide has prices and tips for each stop, plus 6 more ideas to swap in.
Where can families eat in Hillcrest?
Local, family-friendly spots in Hillcrest include Khyber Pass and Trust — independent, SoCal-only eateries, never national chains.
What does the YourSoCal Hillcrest guide cover?
Our Hillcrest family guide includes 8 things to do, 2 local eats and 5 local shops — with independent, non-chain eats and shops.
Listings are curated and may change — confirm hours and details before you go.
Where to stay in Hillcrest
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