Grant Hill, San Diego, CA

From the lawn at Grant Hill Park, the view takes in the Coronado Bridge, San Diego Bay, the ballpark and the downtown towers, and locals in Grant Hill put it up against any bay view in San Diego. The neighborhood lies below the 94 freeway, with Golden Hill to the north, Sherman Heights to the west and Stockton to the east. Homes are the other calling card. The blocks hold colorful older houses in a wide range of architectural styles, some freshly painted and some waiting for their turn. Short blocks climb a single rise, which keeps the whole place compact. Grant Hill Park on J Street is the gathering spot, a hilltop green where that view is the main event. For bigger outdoor plans, Balboa Park and its Golden Hill side lie north, reached by car or a long walk up 28th Street, which runs straight through the neighborhood into Golden Hill. Eating out stays close to home and casual. Taqueria Campos on K Street is an independent taco counter that opens in the late afternoon, Tuesday through Sunday, and reviewers single out its generous portions of meat and its salsas. On Market Street, Rock Steady Real Jamaican Restaurant cooks jerk chicken, oxtail and curry goat. Imperial Avenue, along the southern edge, adds bakeries, juice counters and more taquerias. Daily needs in Grant Hill mean a mix of corner markets and short drives. Small shops in the area cover basics, and bigger grocery runs head to the Albertsons and Smart & Final in East Village. The 25th & Commercial trolley station on the Orange Line is nearby, and the 94 and I-5 are both a few minutes away by car. The commercial strips on Imperial Avenue and Market Street are workaday, and errands beyond the basics require leaving the neighborhood. Up on the hill, though, a quiet street of old houses and that sweep of bay below are what the neighborhood is about.