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Natural skincare is all the rage lately. We did the hard work for you and rounded up 25 of the best natural skin care products.
Natural Skin Care
Natural skincare is all the rage lately. Take a quick scroll through Instagram or Tik Tok and you’ll find countless recommendations about which products to use. It can be daunting, especially when many skincare products that claim to be natural end up containing synthetic ingredients. Luckily, we did the hard work for you and rounded up 25 of the best natural skin care products.
Why spend your hard-earned money getting a facial at a fancy salon when you can do it yourself from the comfort of your home? Blu Atlas Exfoliating Scrub is a breath of fresh air for your skin. This soothing scrub is one of the best natural skin care products.
Calming, antioxidant-rich hibiscus sabdariffa flower extract protects the skin against free radicals, pollutants, and other harmful irritants. Jojoba Oil mimics the skin’s sebum, infusing the skin with nourishing vitamins A, E, and D for long-lasting moisture. Bamboo extract heals acne, dark spots, red spots, and other inflammation with its antibiotic properties. Your face will look so clean, toned, and rejuvenated that everyone will want to know your secret.
History is all about learning from the past, right? Well, the Ancient Egyptians knew a thing or two about skincare, and we have their concoction for one of the best skin creams you’ll ever try. Rumor has it that Cleopatra herself used this product, so you know it must be good.
Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream is a nourishing blend of olive oil, beeswax, bee pollen, honey, royal jelly, and bee propolis. This skincare product can heal and treat just about any skincare concern you have. Dry skin? Check. Oily skin? Check. Redness? Check. Stop wasting your money on a rigorous skincare routine when you can use one multi-purpose product. You can use this product all over your body, meaning you truly get the most bang for your buck.
It’s 2023. Toxic and harmful skincare products are so last year. If you want a natural skincare product that is good for your skin, body, and the environment, then you’re in luck. Honest Beauty Gentle Gel Cleanser is a restorative cleanser that washes away dirt, oil, grime, and makeup lodged deep in the pores. Those nasty little blackheads that never seem to go away? This cleanser can tackle them all.
We love this product because it uses some of the most nourishing ingredients around—chamomile and calendula. You can’t go wrong with these two natural ingredients that work to cleanse, heal, and protect your skin. Free of parabens, phthalates, dyes, and synthetic fragrances, it’s no wonder their name is Honest.
Does your skin need an extra boost even after washing your face? We get it. Sometimes, it’s nice to tone your skin and combat any impurities your face wash may have missed. We’re here to tell you that one of the best natural skincare products is Thayers Facial Toner Witch Hazel Aloe Vera Formula in Lavender.
This alcohol-free formula hydrates, tones, and balances your skin’s natural pH level—all while absorbing excess oil, maintaining the skin’s protective barrier, and reducing redness. This toner is made with 98% natural, certified-organic ingredients, so you know everything that is going on your skin is safe. Plus, it smells amazing. Who doesn’t love lavender?
We love Neutrogena. You love Neutrogena. Everyone loves Neutrogena. One of our favorite lines from Neutrogena is their Naturals line. These products use safe, natural ingredients that won’t disrupt or irritate your skin. Neutrogena Naturals Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Moisturizer is full of enriching, revitalizing ingredients that hydrate and moisturize your thirsty skin. Formulated with 97% naturally-derived ingredients—plus antioxidant omega nutrients and vitamins B, C, and E—your skin will thank you after just one application.
Say goodbye to redness, dryness, and dull spots because this moisturizer will transform your skin into a hydrated dreamscape. This product is free of parabens, dyes, sulfates, and phthalates and is non-comedogenic, so the only thing you have to focus on is how good your skin is going to look.
We could all use a little more vitamin C. If you have a typical desk job, you probably yearn for the sunshine at the end of the day. We’ve all been there. If tanning beds and lotions aren’t your cups of tea, we have a product that will bring the sunshine to you. Mountain Top Vitamin C Serum Facial Serum is that hidden gem.
It’s an amazing skincare product that will revolutionize the way you take care of your skin. This all-natural serum contains plant-based hyaluronic acid, retinol, witch hazel, vitamin E, vitamin C, jojoba oil, and ferulic acid. If you thought your skin was flawless and radiant before, wait until you experience this facial serum. Blemishes, dark spots, sun spots, discoloration, redness, and hyperpigmentation will be a thing of the past thanks to the healing powers of Mountain Top.
Your skin can take a beating from day-to-day life. Sweat, oil, dirt, makeup, sunscreen, pollution, and other irritants can find their way inside your pores and trap themselves, causing breakouts. Daily face washes and other products do a great job at cleansing the skin of impurities, but sometimes you need a deep treatment to release additional toxins from the pores. That’s where Swisse Manuka Honey Cleansing Clay Mask comes in.
Charcoal and Australian Kaolin clay absorb excess oil, exfoliate dead skin cells, diminish the appearance of pores, and purify the skin. But don’t worry—this face mask won’t dehydrate or irritate your skin. It uses soothing aloe vera t0 add extra moisture to thirsty skin, leaving your face glowing. Free of sulfates and parabens, this is one of the best natural skincare products around.
Do you know the dreadful feeling of waking up in the morning only to be greeted with massive puffy under-eyes? Yeah, it’s the worst. Luckily, there’s a solution. Ever heard of Fleur & Bee Eyes Eyes Baby Anti-Aging Eye Cream? If you haven’t, allow us to introduce you to one of the best natural skincare products of the year.
This natural, non-toxic eye cream soothes even the puffiest and saggiest of under-eye circles. Enriching and revitalizing caffeine, vitamin E, squalane, vitamin B3, and Matrixyl 3000 help tame dark circles, puffiness, creases, wrinkles, fine lines, and discoloration. Whatever under-eye woe you have, this eye cream can handle it.
Remember that thing we were saying about your skin needing vitamin C? We meant it. If your skin is in need of some serious sun TLC, check out InstaNatural Vitamin C Cleanser for a boost of brightness. This face wash works to prevent visible signs of aging that can result in dull, dark, and discolored skin. Vitamin C, aloe vera, coconut water, sugar cane extract, and green tea extract minimize blemishes and redness, absorb excess oil, brighten, and leave your skin looking radiant and luminous.
You can use this face wash daily or as needed to give your skin some extra love. We know you’ll love this face wash because, honestly, how could you not?
Alright, so maybe regular face washes aren’t your thing. That’s okay. How about trying a face scrub that exfoliates away all your blemishes and impurities? That sounds like our kind of face wash. Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Coconut Sugar Facial Scrub seems to agree. This face wash will blow away all of your expectations.
The sugar scrubs and exfoliates away dead skin cells, oil, and buildup, leaving your face fresh and glowing. Hydrating coconut water, coconut oil, and chamomile soothe dry and irritated skin, infusing the skin with long-lasting nourishment and hydration. Sourced from raw and sustainable ingredients, you’ll be using the most natural product for your skin.
Dry skin brings out the worst in all of us. Seriously, who likes having itchy, dry, and flaky skin? It’s a total drag. Stop suffering in silence and try one of our favorite intensive creams for dry skin. Aloe Infusion Face & Body Cream is a powerhouse natural skincare product. We wish all face cream was as nourishing and hydrating as this one.
This product contains organic aloe vera, shea butter, manuka honey, grape seed oil, kukui nut oil, and coenzyme Q10. Your skin will benefit from this rich blend of anti-inflammatory ingredients that heal and restore the skin. This cream is free of artificial fragrances, coloring, and parabens, making it safe for you and your body.
Toners are a great way to pull out additional impurities from the skin. Everyone needs a great face wash, but toners often get overlooked and neglected. Take it from us—if you want to step up your skincare game, you need a toner that can handle anything. Dickinson’s Hydrating Toner with Rose Water is not only one of our favorite toners, but it’s also one of the best natural skincare products of all time.
This toner is alcohol-free and ultra-gentle, so your skin won’t get dried out. Sourced from 98% natural ingredients—like vitamin E and hyaluronic acid—you’ll look and feel luminous, glowing, and radiant. Tired of toxins in your skincare products? Us too. Dickinson’s contains zero parabens, gluten dyes, and sulfates—just how it should be.
Your skin needs love and care, and sometimes that means using extra skincare products to ensure you’re doing all you can to make your skin glow. Aspen Kay Naturals Glow Face Oil is one of our favorite products, and we know you’ll love it, too.
This gentle blend of turmeric, chamomile, rosehip, jojoba oil, calendula, buckthorn, and other natural ingredients work to prevent visible signs of aging, hydrate the skin, and add radiance where needed. Even though this is an oil, it’s lightweight and non-greasy, so you don’t have to worry about looking like you just jumped out of a sauna. This serum is plant-based, vegan, and cruelty-free, making this serum great for you as well as the planet.
If sunscreen isn’t on the top of your skincare priorities, something has to change. Protecting your skin from the harmful UV rays the sun emits is vital for your skin. Sun damage not only causes visible signs of aging but is also responsible for skin cancer. How do you prevent this? Use a daily SPF of at least 30 to give your skin optimal protection. We love natural sunscreens that don’t add harmful ingredients to your body, which is why we recommend Alba Botanica Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30.
This sunscreen protects your skin from both UVA and UVB rays, giving you the protection you need. Formulated with gentle and nourishing chamomile and aloe leaf, this sunscreen hydrates your skin all day long, which helps prevent dehydration. We know—greasy sunscreens are the worst. But you don’t have to worry about that with Alba Botanica. This product is free of oxybenzone, gluten synthetic fragrances, and octinoxate and uses 100% vegetarian ingredients.
If magic were real, it would have to be from The Sage Witch Eye Cream. This vegan, organic, and natural eye cream waves a magic wand that makes under-eye concerns disappear. After one use, all your puffiness, dark circles, crow’s feet, wrinkles, fine lines, and dryness will be gone in the blink of an eye.
What’s the magic secret? Enriching clover, soothing chamomile, gentle rose extract, and nourishing jojoba oil. These antioxidant-infused ingredients work to restore the skin and protect the delicate eye area from future harm. You can use this on any skin type, up to twice a day. Plus, it’s free of parabens and other toxins. Talk about magic.
If you’ve ever tasted or smelled apple cider vinegar, you—like most people—probably agree it’s one of the nastiest smelling things around. Despite its pungent odor and bitter taste, apple cider vinegar works wonders on your skin. This natural ingredient balances your skin’s pH levels, kills bacteria, and cleanses away impurities better than most face washes. WOW Skin Science Apple Cider Vinegar Foaming Face Wash harnesses the healing and restorative powers of this powerhouse ingredient.
Not only does this face wash contain apple cider vinegar, but it also uses aloe vera, vitamin B5, and vitamin E to soothe and nourish your skin. This product also comes with an exfoliating face scrub brush to allow you to clean your face thoroughly, leaving your skin sparkling. If you’re hesitant to try apple cider vinegar, we promise it’s worth it. Give it a try and watch your skin look flawless.
Whether you live in a dry climate or your skin is just naturally dry, it’s a total drag feeling your skin is about to crack at any second. Maybe you’ve tried facial lotions in the past, but they all make your skin break out because they’re filled with toxic ingredients that clog your pores. So, what are you supposed to do? We have a solution. Innisfree Balancing Emulsion with Green Tea Lotion is the product for you.
This lightweight, refreshing, non-greasy lotion quenches even the thirstiest skin. We love this product because it uses Jeju green tea that is grown specifically for skincare, ensuring that this lotion works its hardest to heal your skin. Use twice a day for optimal results and watch as your skin becomes hydrated, quenched, and nourished.
Did you know that there are dead skin cells all over your face? As gross as that sounds, it’s normal and nothing to freak out about. However, it’s nice to exfoliate your face and scrub away any impurities that have overstayed their welcome in your pores. Jāsön Apricot Scrubble Face Wash & Scrub is an intensive treatment for your skin, scrubbing away grime, dirt, oil, makeup, sunscreen, dead skin cells, and other nasty stuff from your pores.
Clear, healthy pores prevent breakouts and those annoying pesky blackheads that we all hate. This face wash uses apricot oil and triple refined walnut powder that leaves the skin clean and bright without overdrying. Free of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates, this is easily one of the best natural skincare products.
If your daily skincare routine doesn’t contain a sunscreen product, you’re doing it wrong. Sun damage wreaks all kinds of havoc on your skin—making you look older, giving your skin undesired sun spots, and even causing skin cancer. Using a daily SPF is so vital, but it’s often hard to find the perfect sunscreen that jives with your skin. We’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like Australian Gold Botanical Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Lotion.
This sunscreen protects your skin against UVA and UVB damage, is full of antioxidants, and is non-greasy. That sounds like the best kind of sunscreen to us. If you’re still not sold, this product also features soothing red algae, vitamin C, and Kakadu plum that help fight against free radicals. This sunscreen works hard to restore your skin, which is why it’s bound to become your favorite skincare product.
Have you been noticing more wrinkles on your face lately? Or maybe a dark spot here and there? Yeah, we know. It’s the worst. While we all wish we could stop the clock and prevent aging, it’s a pipe dream. However, there are plenty of skincare products out there to help you mitigate the visible signs of aging. One of our favorites is Asterwood Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Anti-Aging Serum.
Hyaluronic Acid is one of the best ingredients for fighting off aging. Hyaluronic Acid hydrates and prevents wrinkles and crow’s feet. This serum locks in water and moisture, keeping the skin hydrated all day. Use this serum twice a day or as needed. This product is free of harmful ingredients, like parabens, fragrances, sulfates, and oils. Plus, it’s vegan and cruelty-free. It’s stressful trying to fight time, but this anti-aging serum will be with you every step of the way.
We love natural skincare products as much as the next person but—let’s be honest—they can be costly. Sure, natural products are better for you and the environment, but, if you can’t afford them, what’s the point? Pacifica doesn’t let cost keep people from buying natural skincare products, which is why we love their brand. If you’re on the hunt for a natural, affordable face wash—Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash is the product you’ve been looking for.
Vegan, cruelty-free, and toxin-free, this face wash believes in natural beauty without all the harmful ingredients. This foaming cleanser contains advanced marine phytonutrients and antioxidants that cleanse away oil and impurities, brighten, and leave the skin feeling refreshed. Plus, you’ll smell like a tropical coconut after using this face wash, so what’s not to love?
Weekly face masks are a great way to deep-cleanse your skin and remove impurities that get trapped in the pores. If you’re looking for a gentle face mask, keep scrolling. However, if you want an intense face mask that is going to get the job done, keep reading. Health & Beauty Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay is self-dubbed as the “world’s most powerful facial” and we detect zero lies.
This pulsating face mask contains natural calcium bentonite clay that pulls anything and everything out of the pores. This mask’s power will impress you. If your skin is more sensitive, use this face mask for a few minutes before washing it off with warm water. If you think your skin can handle it, leave the mask on for up to 10 minutes and soak up all the refreshing properties of this product. For optimal results, mix with equal parts apple cider vinegar and relax as your skin pulsates and cleanses away.
Tired of natural skincare products that don’t work? Us, too. That’s why we love Farmacy Clean Bee Ultra-Gentle Facial Cleanser. There aren’t many face washes out there quite like this one, which makes it a real treat. Using naturally-sourced ingredients and cutting-edge science, Farmacy ensures that all of its products are both beneficial to you and the planet.
This gentle face cleanser uses coconut, sugar, and amino acids that absorb and wash away excess oil, balance the pH levels, and hydrate the skin. Plus, this face wash contains proprietary honey, full of antioxidants, that will leave your skin feeling brand new. You’ll feel like a new person because this face wash is just that rejuvenating and restorative.
If you have oily skin, you need to use Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash. Tea tree oil is a natural ingredient that helps to balance the skin, remove oil, and tone any uneven spots. So, if the face wash you’re using doesn’t contain tea tree oil, it may be time for an upgrade. This face wash is one of our favorites because they keep it simple.
Tea tree, Hawaiian white ginger, and chamomile use their anti-inflammatory properties to prevent breakouts, reduce irritation, and ease redness. This product cleanses the skin, leaving behind the moisture and hydration that your skin needs. Formulated with no chemicals and sourced from only all-natural ingredients, it’s safe to say this is one of the best natural skincare products.
Suncare is skincare. Protect your skin with Sun Bum Mineral Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50—an all-natural, zinc formula product that protects against UVA and UVB rays. This sunscreen is lightweight enough for daily use and can be worn under makeup. This chemical-free sunscreen is non-greasy and leaves a matte finish. Let’s be real—nobody likes looking pasty and streaky from their sunscreen. This product is hypoallergenic, cruelty-free, and gluten-free.
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The San Diego home remodeling company works on full homes, kitchens, bathrooms, home additions, ADUs, garages, landscapes, and hardscapes.
Most homeowners want two things before they commit to a remodel: a realistic sense of cost and a clear picture of what the finished space will look like. Milan Design + Build helps deliver both through its online remodeling estimator and personalized design consultations, supported by a showroom experience and 3D renderings.
“The online estimate gives homeowners a starting number in about a minute, and the showroom and 3D renderings let them see materials and layouts before anything is built,” says David Noriani, CEO of Milan Design + Build. “Keeping design, permits, and construction with one team helps us manage expectations and keep everyone working toward the same vision.”

Modern design is a particular focus for Milan, with an emphasis on clean lines, natural light, functional layouts, and carefully selected materials. The team adapts each design to the homeowner’s lifestyle and the character of the property. Milan Design + Build combines thoughtful design with construction expertise, creating spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful.
The online estimator covers kitchen remodels, bathroom renovations, full-home remodels, and ADU construction. At Milan’s showroom on Carroll Road, visitors can review real materials, finishes, and design options, meet the design-build team, and discuss project scope, budget, and timing. Consultations can also be held virtually for homeowners who prefer to start remotely.
At Milan Design + Build, one integrated team works on the entire project. Design and construction aren’t divided between separate firms. The process begins with a consultation and feasibility review, followed by design, space planning, and 3D renderings developed from detailed measurements and digital scans. The team also coordinates architectural plans, structural engineering, city approvals, and material selection, with construction overseen by a dedicated project manager.
Homeowners can explore their remodeling options, get an initial estimate, or request a design consultation at MilanBuild.com.

The Campaign for La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) will fuel scientific innovation and medical advances
La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) is going public with a bold bet: a $55 million campaign to propel medical research into a new era. The Campaign for LJI will fuel discovery, empower scientific innovation, and expand the impact of immunology on human health.
The Institute quietly kicked things off in 2023, guided by its Board, campaign volunteers, and early believers. Nearly 80% of the $55 million goal is already in hand. Now LJI is opening the doors and inviting the whole community to carry their visions across the finish line and back discoveries that change how LJI researchers understand, treat, and prevent disease.
And there’s a bonus. To mark the public launch, LJI Board member and Campaign Honorary Chair Anthony R. Carr is offering a special matching gift so new donors can double their impact. Full details are here.
Immunology has already rewritten human history. Advances in immune science helped wipe out smallpox, pushed polio to the brink of elimination, and revolutionized how we prevent and treat infectious disease. Today, immune-based therapies are opening doors for patients with cancer, autoimmune disorders, and other serious illnesses once considered untreatable.
For nearly four decades, LJI scientists have stood on the front lines, driven by one insight: the immune system shapes disease in virtually every organ in the body. By decoding how the immune system works and how to harness it to prevent and treat disease, LJI researchers are chasing the Institute’s ultimate mission: Life Without Disease®.
To make that mission real, the Institute pairs world-class scientists with cutting-edge technology, speeding up breakthroughs and turning discoveries into transformative new therapies that ease suffering worldwide.
The Campaign for LJI supercharges that momentum, uniting the vision of the Institute’s scientists with a community that believes in research. Focused on advancing LJI’s most promising areas of study, the campaign aims to help build a future free from the burden of disease, a goal that demands bold ideas, lasting partnerships, and generous philanthropic support.
The Campaign for LJI will advance research across three critical pillars:
1. President’s Priority Fund. Flexible, unrestricted dollars let big ideas move now, not later. Scientists can launch high-risk, high-reward projects, bring experts together across disciplines, build transformative technologies, and train tomorrow’s scientific leaders.
2. Center for Sex-Based Differences in the Immune System. Male and female immune systems don’t respond the same way, and LJI researchers are tracing the fundamental differences down to individual cells and molecular pathways. The Campaign will speed up this pioneering work, revealing hidden drivers of disease and paving the way for more precise, biologically informed therapies for autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases, cancer, and beyond.
3. Center for Vaccine Innovation. Immunologists, bioengineers, and vaccine experts are teaming up to design the next generation of vaccines and immune-based therapies. With donor support, LJI scientists can engineer longer-lasting and more personalized vaccines, pinpoint the cellular mechanisms driving protective immunity, and refine delivery methods to prevent autoimmune disease and treat cancer.
As the campaign enters its public phase, LJI welcomes new partners and supporters to join this landmark initiative. Community support is essential to accelerating scientific discovery, and there are many meaningful ways to help shape the future of immunology. Donors may direct their gifts to any campaign priority or other area of interest. As a comprehensive campaign, all gifts to LJI count toward the campaign goal, regardless of designation. Join the campaign, and multiply your impact with our limited-time matching opportunity.
To explore the campaign, visit imagine.lji.org.
Scripps orthopedic surgeons are investigating stem cells as an alternative to joint replacement
Shiley Center for Orthopaedic Research and Education at Scripps Clinic recently received a $12.7 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to investigate whether they can transform stem cells into tissue that can repair some types of knee injuries. Currently, if a patient has lost most, if not all, of the cartilage in their knee, then their doctor will recommend a total joint replacement. Joint replacement is safe and effective, but patients who’ve only lost part of their cartilage often don’t qualify. A stem cell-based treatment would provide these patients an option that doesn’t involve donor tissue. Click here for more on the preclinical trial process.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
Artwork throughout the Lusardi Tower at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas promotes hope and healing
The recently opened Lusardi Tower at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas is a state-of-the-art addition to the hospital staffed by dedicated team members who’ve helped make Scripps one of the nation’s leading healthcare systems. Complementary to that medical excellence, the Lusardi Tower also represents the latest expansion of the Scripps Arts for Healing Program. The philanthropic initiative strategically places nature- and community-based artwork throughout the hospital to support health and well-being. Both Scripps Encinitas and Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla have healing arts programs as part of new building projects and growth on the campuses. Click here to read more about the Healing Arts Program and how residents from a nearby retirement community showed their support.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
From century-old Craftsman homes to vegan fantasy bars, dive bars, and a tiki room built for exactly two people, this is one of San Diego’s great little neighborhoods
You may not realize it, but Balboa Park is bigger than Central Park (in fact, 1.5 times larger). Pressed right up against its southeastern edge is a little architecture farm built on old trolley bones, where houses look like someone was collecting architectural styles and local businesses are still run by people who seem personally invested in keeping this place interesting.
This is South Park.
To understand why it feels the way it does today—less like one commercial strip and more like a handful of tiny villages—you have to go back to the trolley.
The land that became the original South Park Addition (the subdivision’s original name) was surveyed in 1870 and officially filed in 1890, but the neighborhood really started becoming a neighborhood in the early 1900s. The Bartlett Estate Company began developing and marketing the tract in earnest around 1906, pairing lots and new homes with something extremely useful if you lived outside Downtown in the horse-and-buggy era: an electric streetcar.
On May 1, 1906, the South Park and East Side Railway made its first trip. Developers didn’t just build near transportation; they helped pay for the transportation, then used it to sell the dream. Downtown had industry, noise, and congestion. Out here were palms, sidewalks, utilities, room to breathe and a four-cent ride back to the city.
It worked. Homes began filling in around the streetcar route, and little commercial clusters grew around the places where people got on and off. That transportation pattern is still written into South Park’s geography. Some of the neighborhood’s odd street geometry is also due in part to the trolley—the old line cut across parcels instead of politely obeying the grid, leaving behind pieces of land that later businesses learned to build around. Places like Station Tavern sit on the former easement and station site of San Diego’s No. 2 trolley line.
Then San Diego went big for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in neighboring Balboa Park. The exposition transformed much of the park and helped push the city through another burst of building and growth. South Park was right there to absorb some of that momentum.
And the people building houses here had taste.
Walk the residential streets now and it can feel like somebody planted an architectural sample garden: Craftsman, Prairie, Mission Revival, Tudor Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival. Creedence Clearwater Revival. All the revivals. The neighborhood includes work by Irving Gill, one of the defining architects of early modern California; Gill-designed Prairie homes still stand along Granada Avenue.
The city formally designated the South Park Historic District in 2017, recognizing roughly 400 properties and a period of significance stretching from 1906 through 1949. In other words, a lot of what makes the place feel old is actually old.
While the trolley eventually disappeared, the basic idea behind it didn’t. South Park is still a neighborhood organized around little pockets of human activity: a couple blocks where you can buy a record, drink a beer, find a 60-year-old lamp, eat a vegan burger beneath gothic beasts, browse a bookstore, and walk home past a century-old Craftsman.
The 30th-and-Fern area may be the clearest example. Several surviving buildings there date to South Park’s early development, including the old Fire Station No. 9, Rose Grocery building, and Burlingame Garage. What began as infrastructure for a young streetcar suburb became the neighborhood’s commercial heart.
That history is also partly why buying a house here can be competitive. There isn’t some endless supply of vacant land waiting around the corner for another subdivision. Much of the neighborhood filled in generations ago, and the architecture itself is part of the appeal.
San Diego Mag’s been documenting the city for 78 years. And we’ve been looking for a partner who loved the city enough to help us tell its stories. Redfin is that partner. They’re helping us tell the story of some of the city’s most unique neighborhoods. They launched Redfin Early Access this year to get their people in first and to see certain coming-soon and exclusive listings on Redfin before they appear on other major real-estate sites.
First up: South Park.
Here are some of the people and places worth knowing here:

Start with Judy “the Beauty” Forman, because it’s difficult to explain South Park without her. The former social worker bought Big Kitchen in 1980 and turned a neighborhood breakfast joint into a gathering place for artists, musicians, activists, politicians, eccentrics, and pretty much anyone who needed somewhere to belong. As Judy puts it, “I built this for people who others passed over.”
One of those people was a young single mom named Whoopi Goldberg, who worked as a dishwasher here before the Whoopi Goldberg part of her career happened. Today Big Kitchen still serves breakfast and lunch Thursday through Monday.
3003 Grape Street
Whistle Stop reopened in 2001, right as South Park’s little independent-business ecosystem was finding a new generation. Owner Sam Chammas—also connected to Live Wire and, later, Station Tavern—helped turn it into the kind of neighborhood bar where the calendar can jump from a DJ night to live bands to some strange communal event nobody at a normal sports bar would propose.
The room still has that laid-back, slightly sweaty house-party quality. Check what’s happening before you go, because Whistle Stop changes personality depending on the night: sometimes neighborhood beer, sometimes everyone dancing beneath the disco ball like work tomorrow was canceled.
2236 Fern Street
Station Tavern may be the most literal example of old South Park becoming new South Park. It opened in 2009 on land once crossed diagonally by the No. 2 trolley line, and architect Lloyd Russell incorporated that history into the design rather than pretending the weirdly shaped lot wasn’t weirdly shaped. The project won the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s Grand Orchid Award the same year it opened.
Sam Chammas built the place as an open-air burger-and-beer spot with big communal tables, a backyard, room for kids, and room for dogs. It still works exactly that way: get a burger, get the tots, let everybody spread out, stay awhile.
2204 Fern Street
Kindred arrived in late 2015 looking nothing like the beige-and-leafy vegan restaurant stereotype. The place went full gothic fever dream—heavy music, wild cocktails, decadent plant-based food—and eventually collected national vegan accolades plus local Restaurant of the Year and design honors.
And in 2026, it got even weirder. Hidden behind a chain-mail passage inside Kindred is Throne Room, a medieval-fantasy cocktail chamber whose mythology grew out of a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired map the Kindred team created for a 2017 Coachella pop-up. The 90-minute experience has scroll menus, plant-based mezze, cocktails and zero interest in pretending restaurants need to behave normally.
1503 30th Street

Vinyl Junkies has good music-scene DNA. Founder Eric Howarth previously ran indie label Hi-Speed Soul, whose roster included acts like Nada Surf and Swervedriver, then teamed with Casbah owner Tim Mays after the pair had spent years putting on Vinyl Junkies record swaps.
They opened the South Park brick-and-mortar shop in 2017, and it remains a buy-sell-trade temple for people who understand that owning music on a physical object is irrational in exactly the right way. Go flip through the new arrivals. Leave holding something you had absolutely no intention of buying.
2235 Fern Street
Bad Madge is what happens when “vintage store” doesn’t quite explain the situation. Owner Tanya McAnear and her team fill the shop with furniture, clothing, barware, records, art, jewelry, collectibles, and various objects that seem like they may know things about their previous owners. The shop opened in 2011 and has made reuse and upcycling part of its identity ever since. Go in without looking for anything specific—specificity will only slow you down.
2205 Fern Street
Across the neighborhood’s vintage-and-vinyl universe sits Thread + Seed, a local boutique built around clothing, denim, gifts, and personal styling. Its South Park shop has an especially deep denim program—petite, tall, wide-leg, straight, flare—and the store also offers one-on-one styling built around color and body type. In other words, this is where you go after deciding the jeans currently on your body have betrayed you. South Park understands that sometimes personal renewal begins with pants.
2220 Fern Street
Seth Marko started The Book Catapult as a book blog in 2006. In 2017, he and his wife, Jennifer Powell, turned it into an actual bookstore in South Park, specializing loosely in fiction, local interest, and children’s books while maintaining the more important bookseller skill: putting something into your hands that you didn’t know you needed.
There are staff picks, author events, signed books, and the dangerous possibility of walking in for one title and emerging with four. Because no one ever died thinking, “I shoulda read less.”
3010-B Juniper Street
Chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers, and craft mixers - meet our 2026 Tastemakers, the minds behind the magic.
Chef Roberto Alcocer showcases all that Mexican cuisine and culture has to offer at Oceanside’s Valle. The Michelin-guide recommended restaurant takes inspiration and techniques from all over Mexico—with a heavy Baja influence—and blends them with local San Diego ingredients to create original and delectable contemporary Mexican cuisine. The seasonal tasting menu allows Chef Alcocer to experiment with the freshest available ingredients, creating dishes that defy guests’ expectations, while the wine list features more than 100 labels from Mexican artisans. Even the restaurant’s walls are a celebration of Mexican culture, all decorated with work from artists of Baja.
“My favorite part of being a chef of Valle is being able to showcase the Mexico that I know to everyone who visits,” Chef Alococer says. “Not only through the food, but with the design, culture, and welcoming service.”
Lobster Taco: Flour sourdough tortilla with lobster shell bisque and local red spiny lobster

222 North Pacific Street, Oceanside, California 92054
866-723-8906 | valleoceanside.com