Downtown-- The business, shopping, dining, and entertainment heart of the city, the downtown area encompasses Horton Plaza, the Gaslamp Quarter, the Embarcadero (waterfront), and the Convention Center, sprawling over eight individual "neighborhoods." The Maritime Museum and the downtown branch of the Museum of Contemporary Art are also here. Visitors with business in the city center would be wise to stay downtown. This is also the best area for those attending meetings at the Convention Center. The Gaslamp Quarter is the center of a massive redevelopment kicked off in the mid-1980s with the opening of the Horton Plaza shopping complex; now, the once-seedy area is jam-packed with trendy boutiques, restaurants, and nightspots. Immediately southeast of the Gaslamp is the brand new Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres. Also undergoing a renaissance is Little Italy, a small neighborhood along India Street between Cedar and Fir at the northern edge of downtown, and a great place to find gelato, espresso, pizza, and pasta.

Hillcrest & Uptown-- At the turn of the 20th century, the "uptown" neighborhoods north of downtown were home to San Diego's white-collar elite (hence such sobriquets as "Bankers Hill" and "Pill Hill," named for the area's many doctors). Hillcrest was the city's first self-contained suburb in the 1920s. Despite the cachet of being close to Balboa Park (home of the San Diego Zoo and numerous museums), the area fell into neglect in the 1960s. However, starting in the late 1970s, legions of preservation-minded residents--particularly its lively gay community--restored Hillcrest's charms, making it the local equivalent of a West Hollywood or SoHo. Centrally located and brimming with popular restaurants and avant-garde boutiques, Hillcrest also offers less expensive and more personalized accommodations than any other area in the city. Other Uptown neighborhoods of interest are Mission Hills to the west of Hillcrest, and University Heights, Normal Heights, North Park, and Kensington to the east.

Old Town & Mission Valley-- These two busy areas wrap around the neighborhood of Mission Hills. On one end is the Old Town State Historic Park (where California "began"), Presidio Park, Heritage Park, and numerous museums that recall the turn of the 20th century and the city's beginnings. There's shopping and dining here, too, aimed largely at tourists. Not far from Old Town lies the vast suburban sprawl of Mission Valley, home to gigantic shopping centers. Hotel Circle is an elongated loop road paralleling the I-8, where a string of moderately priced and budget hotels offer an alternative to the ritzier neighborhoods. In recent years several major hotel and convention complexes have opened in Mission Valley, and 1990s condo developments have made the valley a residential area.

Off the Beaten Path: Golden Hill--You don't think the trendy Gaslamp Quarter will be the last San Diego neighborhood to be rediscovered and gentrified, do you? If you like to explore, check out another old neighborhood that's quietly attracting history-minded fans . . . will it be the preservationists' next stop?

When the downtown area we now call the Gaslamp Quarter was enjoying its turn-of-the-20th-century heyday as the city's commercial center, the most convenient suburb was Golden Hill. Directly east of downtown, Golden Hill had the added advantage of being next to Balboa Park--it "wraps" around the southeast corner of the park. Homes here also enjoyed a sweeping view south to the bay, now mostly blocked by development. For a drive-by look at some oldies but goodies, visit Broadway, where finely preserved Victorians now serve as legal and medical offices; 28th Street along the park; and any other side street that catches your eye.

Some of the neighborhood's best Victorians and bungalows already show the caring touch of deep-pocketed architecture buffs, though plenty have fallen victim to the wrecking ball. Sandwiched between a natural arroyo (now the pathway of the 94 freeway) and vast Balboa Park, Golden Hill is an area where you're likely to see coyotes, opossums, and even red foxes trotting down quiet streets. You'll find (tie-) dyed-in-the-wool hippies shacking up in unrestored shanties and hanging out at Santos Coffeehouse, whose bohemian style is reminiscent of San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury.

Small stretches of retail interest lie at the intersection of Beech and 30th streets (Santos Coffeehouse, grass-roots art galleries, and funky antiques stores), and along 25th Street north of Broadway, home to several Mexican restaurants and the retro grill-your-own Turf Supper Club.

Mission Bay & the Beaches-- Here's where they took the picture on the postcard you'll send home. Mission Bay is a watery playground perfect for water-skiing, sailing, and windsurfing. The adjacent communities of Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, and Pacific Beach are known for their wide stretches of sand, active nightlife, and casual dining. Many single San Diegans live here, and once you've visited you'll understand why. The boardwalk, which runs from South Mission Beach to Pacific Beach, is a popular place for in-line skating, bike riding, people-watching, and sunsets. This is the place to stay if you are traveling with beach-loving children or want to walk barefoot on the sand.

La Jolla-- With an atmosphere that's somewhere between Rodeo Drive and a Mediterranean village, this seaside community is home to an inordinate number of wealthy folks who could live anywhere. They choose La Jolla, surrounded by the beach, the University of California, San Diego, outstanding restaurants, both pricey and traditional shops, and some of the world's best medical facilities. Tourists who bed down here can take advantage of the community's attributes without having to buy its high-priced real estate, though all share in La Jolla's problematic parking and traffic snarls. There are really two La Jollas: the so-called "village" is the original seaside community, while residential and business areas that have sprouted along La Jolla Village Drive east of I-8 are of less interest to visitors. Incidentally, the name is a compromise between Spanish and American Indian, as is the pronunciation (la hoy-ya); it has come to mean "the jewel."

Coronado-- You may be tempted to think of Coronado as an island, as San Diegans once called it. Coronado does have an isolated, resort ambience and is most easily accessed by ferry or sweeping bridge, but the city of Coronado is actually on a bulbous peninsula connected to the mainland by a narrow sand spit, the Silver Strand. The northern portion of the peninsula is home to the U.S. Naval Air Station, in use since World War I. The southern sector has a history as an elite playground for snowbirds and represents a charming suburban community. Quaint shops line the main street, Orange Avenue, and you'll find several ritzy resorts, including the landmark Hotel del Coronado. Coronado has a lovely duned beach (one of the area's finest), fine restaurants, and a "downtown" reminiscent of a small Midwestern town; it's also home to more retired admirals than any other community in the country.