Highland Park, Los Angeles, CA

Highland Park grew up along York Boulevard and North Figueroa Street in Northeast Los Angeles, and those two commercial strips still set the pace of the place. Longtime taquerias, panaderias and discount markets share blocks with newer wine bars and coffee counters, while the Arroyo Seco marks the southeastern edge. Most of the housing is early 20th century, with Craftsman bungalows on the flatter grid and older houses climbing the slopes toward Mount Washington. A large share of the neighborhood sits inside the Highland Park-Garvanza historic preservation overlay, so the old porches and rooflines tend to stay. Outdoor time centers on the Arroyo Seco. Arroyo Seco Park on Marmion Way sits right along the channel, and the Arroyo Seco bike path follows the water. Highland Park Recreation Center on Piedmont Avenue covers the everyday park needs, and Sycamore Grove Park sits just over the line toward Mount Washington. Coffee in Highland Park mostly means Figueroa. Kindness & Mischief roasts its own beans, and Go Get Em Tiger is a few blocks north, next door to Hippo, a loosely Italian spot known for crudo and pasta. Villa's Tacos turns out loaded tacos with a crust of crispy cheese. Errands are easy without leaving the neighborhood. Food 4 Less, Grocery Outlet and Smart & Final all sit on Figueroa, and York Valley Market serves the York side. The A Line's Highland Park station connects to downtown and Pasadena, and the Arroyo Seco Parkway is the drive south. Weekend nights bring crowds to both boulevards, and street parking near the busiest blocks gets tight. Walk two blocks off either one, though, and it turns quiet fast, with bungalow porches, steep side streets and the hum of Figueroa fading behind you.