From wedding invites to custom notepads, Sweet Paper in La Jolla is a one-stop shop for finding pretty paper goods and other post-worthy delights. Customers can be choosy when searching the stationery and gift boutique for greeting and business cards, locally inspired presents, personalized envelopes, gift wrap, and other products that make sending mail more exciting. The ways to include your own personal touch are endless. –MK
Not a single Dan Brown thriller in sight. Queer-owned North Park bookshop Meet Cute exclusively stocks romance novels, with particular focus on LGBTQ and BIPOC authors (and an allowance for the occasional queer memoir or nonfiction writing guide). And if you happen to reach for a book at the same time as a fellow hopeless romantic… Well, we know how this story goes. –AR
This 40-year-old, family-owned San Diego business just launched new 3D foot-scanning technology that helps customers with their in-store shoe, sock, and custom insole fitting experience—for free, in less than 10 minutes. Called Fit Finder, the tech provides a comprehensive foot analysis with personalized shoe and gear recommendations, including apparel from their Korsa collection and their popular (as in 12-million-plus sales) R-Gear Drymax socks. –KO
The city’s entire population of Gen Z iconoclasts materializes at this roving market to shop women-, LGBTQ-, and BIPOC-owned businesses. Consider a full-scale, ’90s-movie-style makeover–new pre-loved outfit, new handmade resin earings, new piercings–or simply pick up a croissant-shaped candle and try to recover from the fact that early noughties clothing is now considered “vintage”. –AR
Finally, an answer to the dilemma of what to put on a wedding registry when you already live together and own a Nespresso machine: Ask for prickly pear salt. A newish North Park shop from the founder of Artelexia, Casa y Cocina sources tableware, kitchen items, dry goods, and other home stuff from Mexico and offers registry services. Sure, you have dishes, but a handmade Oaxacan salsa bowl? Didn’t think so. –AR
Angelica B Beauty takes self-care seriously. While picking up beauty products and home décor, guests can browse Angelica B’s line of pleasure products to learn more about sexual wellness. Whether you’re getting your roots touched up or adding color to your sex toy game, this beauty shop in South Park is all about empowering women from head to… use your imagination. –NM
Your home bar called. Your grenadine’s expired. Upgrade your dinner party drink game at Collins & Coupe, a North Park barware store slinging new and vintage glassware, cocktail recipe books, specialty ice, bar tools, and every imaginable mixer (garam masala bitters, anyone?). You’ll have to hit a liquor store for the booze—though they do offer a selection of zero-proof spirits for sober folks craving something shaken or stirred. –AR
In the front, the queer-owned University Heights studio is a fairy garden offering taxidermied critters, fantasy-inspired wire crowns, and Kewpie dolls. The muraled back room hosts more than a dozen artists, each with their own distinctive art style. Browse their Instagram to find the flash that feels most you,from ultra-detailed stick-n-pokes to sketchy, brightly colored florals and spindly abstract sigils. –AR
A step above BFF necklaces and below getting one another’s initials inked. At Liberty Station, the Fuze team welds delicate, claspless chains onto wrists, ankles, and necks. Select your metal and chain style (the shop offers more budget-friendly sterling silver and gold-filled options as well as 14-karat white and yellow gold) and, with a flash, you’re friends for life. –AR
Environmentally conscious consumers don’t have to spend ages reading labels when they visit this zero-waste refillery in Kensington. Shoppers can bring their own containers to Earthwell Refill to buy plant-and mineral-based beauty and cleaning products. With the mission of diverting plastic items from the landfill and local waterways, Earthwell sources natural goods, such as detergent, shampoo, shower gel, and other toiletries, as well as sustainable items like stainless steel razors and bamboo toothbrushes. –MK
On February 28, 1926, the Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego (now called the San Diego Museum of Art) opened its Plateresque doors to 3,000 guests for opening day. Over the next century, the museum changed with the times—even once functioning as a naval hospital after Pearl Harbor. This year, the museum is celebrating its 100th birthday with an exhibit (open through January 24, 2027) featuring photographs, ephemera, and film footage spanning the museum’s history.
Courtesy of Tim Novara
Free Concerts at Spreckels Organ Pavilion
Every Sunday from 2 to 3 p.m., stop by the historic Spreckels Organ Pavilion for a free concert presented by the City of San Diego on the largest outdoor organ in the world (more than 5,000 pipes). The pavilion seats 2,400 for performances by the civic organist or guest artists.
Some think natural history museums are just cemeteries for dioramas that haven’t received an update since the Reagan administration. When it comes to The Nat, which just finished a $7.5 million rejuvenation, they’re totally wrong. The museum debuted a new rooftop that replaces its 25-year-old atrium. The old roof created a greenhouse effect that steamed up some exhibits, so the new one—which includes 200 solar panels and better temperature control—will help preserve the artifacts inside. Each Friday in the summer, The Nat also becomes one of the season’s vibiest hotspots during Nat at Night, with food from places like Wolf in the Woods and The Craft Taco, bars and signature cocktails on several floors, and a rooftop DJ.
Fleet Science Theater Remodel
The Fleet Science Center just received its most significant update since the 1990s. It expanded its exhibit space by 20 percent and introduced a newly designed entrance gallery (formerly the IMAX theater lobby) that includes free exhibits for visitors who want a taste of the science without paying an admission fee. The former ticketing area now houses the Mindbender Mansion exhibit, and there’s a new café, Element 8, that will, of course, sell the center’s famous soft serve.
Boredom's not an option. These are a few of the top events in the city each year, including a rodeo, free summertime music festival, and a chili cook-off
Meet some rodeo queens (or be crowned as one yourself) in R-Town’s annual celebration of the Wild West. Three days of mutton bustin’, tie-down roping, and barrel racing are all doing the community some good: Proceeds from the event funnel into local organizations like Ramona Town Hall and the Guy B. Woodward Museum. This month marks the 45th annual Ramona Rodeo, which takes place in the Fred Grand Arena and draws more than 12,000 attendees each year.
For nearly half a century, OB has hosted a chili cooking competition that has drawn thousands of hungry locals. (Buzz Cannabis presented this year’s event, so taste testers could have been under the influence of munchies-enhancing drugs.) Non-chili-related street fair festivities include beachfront live music, Fun Zone family-friendly play areas, and a Dirty Birds wing-eating contest.
Photo Credit: Cole Novak
Chicano Park Day
In 1970, Chicano Park was set to become a California Highway Patrol station. The problem: The city had promised a community park in that area. After decades of development fractured Barrio Logan and displaced thousands of families, Chicano locals were tapped out. So, for 12 days, locals occupied the area under the Coronado Bridge, blocking bulldozers and planting cacti. It worked. Construction stopped, and that area is now Chicano Park. Each year, locals celebrate the successful preservation of Chicano Park and the resilience of the Chicano Movement.
Solana Beach gathers at Fletcher Cove Park at the start of each summer for two days of live music ranging from country to pop to Chicano rock, plus an arts and crafts fair, an international food court, a beer and wine garden, and the Solana Beach Firefighters Association’s pancake breakfast. The event is free, but if you want an elevated experience, grab Seaside Pavilion ($75) or VIP Deck ($160) tickets for reserved seating, private cash bars, exclusive restrooms, and discounted swag.
Courtesy of North Park Music Fest
North Park Music Fest
The entire North Park neighborhood hosts an annual music festival, meaning a dozen venues—from Queen Bee’s to Bacari to North Park Community Park—become live music spaces each June. Some locations are open to the public, but if you’d prefer lounge access at Granada House and line-skipping privileges, check out the $65 VIP passes. General admission otherwise starts at $25.
Lemon Festival
It’s weird if you don’t wear a lemon-themed outfit at Chula Vista’s annual Lemon Festival. For one day each August, Third Avenue pays tribute to the city’s former “Lemon Capital of the World” status with live music, citrus-themed photo ops, arts and crafts vendors, a lemon cook-off competition, and plenty of other food that doesn’t include the famed hesperidium. But who would want that at Lemon Fest?
For thousands of years, the Kumeyaay who lived in this area called a mountain south of Julian Cush-pii, meaning “sharp peak.” Then, after the Civil War, Confederate sympathizers saw that same mountain and decided to rename it Stonewall Peak—after General Stonewall Jackson. The name stuck for nearly a century and a half, until Cuyamaca Rancho State Park announced earlier this year that the name will return to its original, Cush-pii. Hike to the summit for expansive views of the Coronado Islands to the west and Mexico to the south.
Courtesy of Culture Shock San Diego
Best Pop and Lock Spot
Culture Shock
In 1993, Angie Bunch gathered a group of hip-hop dancers—called Culture Shock Dance Troupe—and gave them a space to practice and perform. As hip hop grew through the ’90s, so did Culture Shock. It has since become a nonprofit, a space for young and old, beginner and expert dancers. Culture Shock has also expanded to Los Angeles, Oakland, Las Vegas, Chicago, Atlanta, New York City, and Washington, D.C., as well as Ottawa and Toronto, Canada.
In 2019, Amanda Leach created the Yoga Box method, which takes high-energy flows and adds strength-building poses in heated, vibey, lava-lamp-lit studios. What started on Grand Avenue in Pacific Beach has spread to 15 locations across the county, with even more trickling into Denver, Chicago, and Brooklyn. The best part? Mindfulness newbies who can’t touch their toes and six-packed contortionists can hang in the same class. You can customize each session based on your ability and fitness level.
Courtesy of Fit Athletic Club
Best Leg Day Turned Social Hour
Fit Mission Beach
A gym taking over a historic beachfront pool sounds like the setup for a new season of Love Island, but Fit Mission Beach operating the nearly 100-year-old Plunge at Belmont Park is real. The independent fitness brand has spent the past several years building a loyal following through group fitness classes, community events, and a members’ social club overlooking the ocean. Upstairs, members can work remotely, meet friends, or hang out long after their workout ends. Between the Plunge, the coworking-style lounge, and a packed calendar of events, Fit has evolved into something bigger than a gym. It’s a clubhouse for San Diego’s fitness crowd.
Best Place to Learn What a Vagus Is
Breathe Degrees
The wellness world is finally transitioning away from HIIT workouts and cult-like spin classes, where your heart rate hits Zone 5 within minutes and stays there until cooldown. Good. At Breathe Degrees, wellness takes the form of zenned-out communal breathing sessions or vagus nerve–activating cold plunges. Breathwork is said to boost your mood in the short term and improve your heart health in the long term, and maybe that’s why everyone’s coming back for more. You can’t run into someone in Carlsbad who hasn’t dropped into at least one breathwork session, and now the studio has opened a second location in Liberty Station.
Photo Credit: Shot On Us
Best Pilates Studio for People With Tiny Roommates
Soul Pilates and Care
Pilates wasn’t just popular this year; it was practically a requirement for maintaining your San Diego residency. New studios seemed to appear weekly across San Diego, each promising stronger cores and better posture, but Soul Pilates and Care found a way to stand out by addressing a challenge many parents know well: finding time to exercise at all. Fitness doesn’t have to compete with parenting responsibilities. Parents can drop their kids off with trained caregivers while they head into reformer classes, eliminating one of the biggest barriers to working out. The studio has earned strong reviews for both its instruction and family-friendly approach.
The Hotel del Coronado’s sweeping $550 million restoration touched nearly every corner of the historic resort, but one of the most anticipated unveilils was the debut of its redesigned spa. The oceanfront wellness destination now features 21 treatment rooms, a relaxation lounge, a sauna, steam room, and a treatment menu inspired by the coastal environment just steps away. The redesign blends the Del’s Victorian legacy with a cleaner, more contemporary aesthetic, creating a space that feels distinctly SoCal rather than generic luxury hotel. For locals who don’t have time for a vacation, it’s the next best thing.
Best Cheers Without Beers
Good News Bar
As non-alcoholic beverages continue their meteoric rise, Good News Bar has become one of San Diego’s most compelling arguments for a booze-free evening. The University Heights hotspot serves a menu of carefully crafted zero-proof cocktails that borrow techniques and ingredients from traditional cocktail programs (it’s not just fancy juices and soda water), minus the hangover. The space also hosts regular community events and has quickly become a gathering place for everyone from sober San Diegans to the merely sober-curious. In a nightlife industry built around alcohol sales, Good News proved there’s plenty of demand for connection without the buzz.
Inspired by the effortless charm of French cafés, this taste of France on Orange Avenue invites guests to embrace the simple pleasure of taking their time.
Strolling down Orange Avenue on a sunny afternoon, you’ll hear the hum of beach cruisers rolling by and visitors making their way toward the Hotel del Coronado. Dogs pause to greet one another on the sidewalk, palm trees sway overhead, and for a moment, you’re convinced you’re living inside the postcard from the gift shop you just passed.
Then the scene shifts. Towering white columns, black café awnings and gold-trimmed windows frame Little Frenchie, where woven bistro chairs spill onto the sidewalk and servers deliver bubbling crocks of French onion soup. The scent of caramelized onions and melted Gruyère is practically an invitation to ask, “How long for a table for two?”
That feeling of pulling up a chair and staying awhile is exactly what inspired Little Frenchie. French cuisine has a reputation for feeling a little intimidating, but the restaurant is rewriting that narrative with food and wine that feels approachable.
“Sometimes when you read a French menu, you come across words you can’t even pronounce,” David Spatafore, the owner of Little Frenchie, says. “We wanted to create a restaurant where people felt comfortable.”
Little Frenchie was designed to capture the spirit of the French sidewalk cafés that inspired it. Dating back to 1917, the space already carried the charm of a Parisian bistro, with architectural details that felt more at home on a European street corner than in Coronado. The team saw an opportunity to create a restaurant that matched the character of the space while filling a gap in the neighborhood.
The result is a French restaurant that honors tradition without taking itself too seriously.
At Little Frenchie, classic French techniques are at the heart of the menu, but there is always room for creativity. A cassoulet featuring Toulouse sausage and duck confit pays homage to the recipes and regions that inspired it, while a rich hot chocolate made with ingredients imported from France brings a taste of French café culture to Coronado.
The team loves finding unexpected ways to make familiar dishes feel new. A burger becomes a showstopper when it is finished tableside with melted raclette, while a French Dip gets elevated with prime beef and Wagyu makes its way into the burgers. Even Eggs Benedict gets a French twist, swapping the traditional English muffin for a buttery croissant. The GB&J, Little Frenchie’s take on a grilled cheese, brings that same playful approach with seasonal jam and French Brie layered into a comforting classic.
Nearly everything at Little Frenchie is made from scratch, with ingredients carefully chosen to match the restaurant’s standards. Even the bread receives special attention. Each morning, the team sends a car to Prager Brothers Artisan Bread to pick up freshly baked loaves, ensuring every element of the meal reflects the restaurant’s commitment to quality.
Wine is woven into the experience just as naturally as the food. Inspired by the effortless pairings found in French cafés and bistros, Little Frenchie’s by-the-glass selection invites guests to sip their way through different regions and discover new favorites without the pressure of knowing all the rules.
Much as you’ll want to, you can’t move into Thread Spun, a sustainably minded Encinitas boutique on North Coast Highway. But you can stock up on beautifully made, thoughtfully curated homewares, apparel, accessories, personal care items, and goodies for kids to turn your own abode into the closest approximation, knowing you’re doing good in the process—Thread Spun donates two percent of its sales to charitable causes. Excellent excuse to pick up a seabuckthorn facial serum for yourself when you grab beaded coasters for your bestie’s birthday.
Best Retail Relocation
REI
Every climber’s favorite store just got fresh digs: North County’s REI moved from Encinitas to Carlsbad in the La Costa Town Square in February. The grand-opening ceremony included free camping mugs, activities, and a ribbon-chopping ceremony (starring an axe instead of scissors)—a fitting debut for an adventure-focused outpost in one of America’s outdoorsiest cities. Stop by for anything you might need to live your best life al fresco, whether that means an off-the-grid camping trip or a day at the beach with a reusable water bottle and a nice, new umbrella.
Courtesy of Architectural Salvage
Best Spot to Source Century-Old Doorknobs
Architectural Salvage
Egyptian doors from the Napoleonic era, North Park street lamps from the early 1900s, and 100-year-old Hungarian workbenches are just a few of the eclectic treasures you’ll find at Architectural Salvage. Walking into the home and building materials shop feels like stepping into a real life I Spy book—a world of whimsy packed with storied relics. Formerly located in Little Italy, the beloved store reopened this past November in a new Barrio Logan location. Whether you’re giving an antique a second life or hunting for a hidden gem, this spot delivers surprises you didn’t know your home needed.
In February, heaven on earth for toy lovers and collectors—Replay Toys—moved from Ray Street into a newer and larger location on University Avenue in North Park. Mom of two Kim Nabours started selling her kids’ old playthings at the swap meet 14 years ago. Her side hustle turned to a permanent brick-and-mortar where kids can pick out new and used toys and grown-ups can chase down rare collectibles and nostalgic mementos.
Get out your grimoire—North Park’s Datura (named after a lovely but hallucinogenic and potentially deadly f lower) carries everything you need for witchy business: candles and crystals, incense and oils, plus more than 200 different dried herbs and plants. Seeking shatavari for boosting libido? Gentian root for better intuition? Frankincense for warding off the haters? It’s all here.
People call Uniqlo the “Japanese Gap” for a reason: It’s an affordable, reliable, wildly popular source of wardrobe staples. So, last year, when the first San Diego location opened at Westfield UTC in La Jolla, the 1,000-person crowd that gathered at its grand opening celebration came as no surprise. The store had a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a taiko drum performance, and even Japanese pastries and tea. Now, the beloved store will unveil an outpost at Fashion Valley Mall later this year. Get in line early.
Courtesy of Maxwell’s House of Books
Best Bookshop That’s Old Enough To Drink
Maxwell’s House of Books
Maxwell’s House of Books’ 22-year tenure in La Mesa makes perfect sense once you learn that owner Craig Maxwell’s grandpa Vernon Wahrenbrock ran the iconic Wahrenbrock’s Book House in downtown for more than seven decades. Maxwell’s packed used book emporium stocks rare editions and budget-friendly finds alike across genres. While you’re digging for your next read, don’t forget to say hi to the shop’s most esteemed bibliophile: its chubby resident cat.
Best Rose-Scented Ode
David’s Daughter
A surefire way to brighten a loved one’s day? Flowers—especially ones as thoughtful and artfully arranged as the bouquets at David’s Daughter in North Park. Owner Chandler Rossi named the chic, welcoming shop in memory of her father, a fellow florist and lifelong inspiration. Offering custom or premade arrangements, floral subscriptions, cute knick-knacks, and collaborative workshops like Pilates & Petals, David’s Daughter purveys everything you need to express sympathy, say thank you to a devoted family member, or help a new romance bloom.
Everything SD
SEPTEMBER 5, 2024 (Updated Aug 21, 2023)
The Best Independent Local Bookstores in San Diego
From new and used books to classics, modern romances, memoirs, and sci-fi, discover your next favorite read at these local gems
Courtesy of Verbatim Books
By Jenna Miller, Cole Novak
San Diego is a haven for book lovers. How do we know? It’s full of charming, local bookstores whose shelves sag under the weight of literary treasures new and used. Stephen King nailed it when he said that “books are a uniquely portable magic.” So, whether you’re heading to the airport, your couch, or the beach, stop by one of these bookshops and pick up a bit of magic. Just make sure to pack extra sunscreen if you’re beach bound—there’s no telling how long you might be under the spell of a good read.
Courtesy of Bluestocking Books
Bluestocking Books
Hillcrest
This quirky Hillcrest establishment is a go-to for used books, from Shakespeare and Atwood to contemporary titles. Bluestocking also offers a trade-in program, letting you swap old reads for store credit to fuel your next literary adventure. Time to start rummaging!
Tucked away in Point Loma, La Playa Books has been a bookworm’s paradise since 2016, offering a trove of new, used, and antique books. The store also hosts a variety of community events, including the Cookbook Club; Shhh, We’re Reading quiet book club; and a virtual book club where caffeinated discussions unfold via Zoom every first Monday of the month.
Located in the heart of North Park, Verbatim Books is the local epicenter for book lovers. Marked by an eye-catching mural of the shop’s name spelled in worn volumes, the shop is home to a diverse mix of used titles, including a handful of local authors looking to build a readership. Stop by for its monthly poetry open mics and its Books in the Park til Dark meetup every third Thursday of the month from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Bird Park. Verbatim also buys used books and hosts book fairs, so consider trading in those tattered, secondhand Kurt Vonnegut copies… for some more Kurt Vonnegut?
As one of San Diego’s oldest family-owned bookshops, Warwick’s deserves its own history volume: It debuted in Minnesota in 1896; reopened in Waterloo, Iowa in 1916; and finally made its way to La Jolla in 1939. Today, this iconic shop frequently hosts author events, book signings, and readings with renowned authors, including Pulitzer-Prize winners and former presidents. Local book clubs can also score discounts by purchasing their reading lists in-store!
Few bookstores can say they started off as a book lover’s blog, as this South Park shop did. Owner Seth Marko went from chronicling 117 days of reading James Patterson on his site, now titled The Old School Book Catapult, to launching a bookstore seven years later. The Book Catapult slings a variety of new titles, like Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s Long Island Compromiseand, soon, Sally Rooney’s highly anticipated Intermezzo. The shop also partners with businesses like Communal Coffee to host informal, java-fueled book discussions each month.
Meet Cute is a queer-owned bookstore specializing in romance novels from writers like Gabrielle Zevin, Rebecca Yarros, and Bonnie Garmus. After outgrowing its original North Park location, the shop relocated to a more spacious spot in La Mesa earlier this year. Outside of books, the shop offers an array of chic stationary including notebooks, totes, mugs, and greeting cards, in a variety of pastel colors. For a literary surprise, try out their mystery book specials or their surprise care package tailored to your reading interests. And that’s not all—the shop boasts its own podcast, the Meet Cute BookPod, featuring in-store interviews and panels with like-minded authors and editors.
Located in the vibrant Barrio Logan neighborhood, Libélula Books & Co stands as an independent bastion, dedicated to fostering representation, accessibility, and community empowerment through literature. Owners Jesi and Celi have curated a collection of new and used books in both English and Spanish, echoing the diversity of their local community. Peruse an array of books, graphic novels, and social justice literature that reaches to the ceiling, accompanied by the charming presence of the store’s friendly resident cats. In an era where giants like Barnes & Noble and Borders have faded, Libélula shines as a refreshing beacon, giving voice and power to local communities, indigenous stories, LGBTQ voices, and independent writers.
Hours: Monday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Address: 950 South 26th Street, Barrio Logan
Camino Books
Del Mar
Founded in 1989, Camino Books (formerly DIESEL) originated in Northern California and has brought its love of reading to Brentwood and Del Mar. A sanctuary for readers of all ages, the store features an expansive children’s section, inviting young minds to immerse themselves in the world of literature. Camino also offers a captivating selection of signed books and frequently hosts author meet-and-greets and book fairs and even orchestrates virtual events for its wider audience.
Bay Books, a staple in Coronado, ought to be on your San Diego book crawl itinerary. With a wide selection of books, journals, greeting cards, and magazines, you’ll find plenty more than beach reads to stuff into your bag. If your hands aren’t completely occupied with reading material on the way out, grab an iced coffee or a tea latte from the hole-in-the-wall cafe next door. Island residents, you’re in luck: Bay Books shop provides free shipping to your door.
Lose yourself in a galaxy far, far away… as far as the Midway District, anyway. Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore transports you to worlds of science fiction, fantasy, and mystery at this habitat for bookworms. Delve into fictional worlds with the shop’s monthly Young Adult book club (every fourth Friday), General Book Discussion (every third Wednesday), or Romance book club (every second Sunday) to get your literary discussion fix.
Growing up, Laika Nur, MD, Scripps Clinic sports medicine specialist, loved watching beach volleyball when the Association of Volleyball Professionals tour came to her hometown of Chicago. A talented volleyball player herself, she remembers sitting in the stands all day, and once, even got a couple autographs. Years later, Dr. Nur was attending a professional event focused on women’s sports, and the discussion turned to a new professional women’s volleyball league. The general manager and coaching staff for San Diego’s team, the Mojo, happened to be in attendance, and Dr. Nur took the opportunity to ask them if they needed a team doctor. Flash forward to the Mojo’s inaugural 2024 season, when Dr. Nur officially became the team physician. Click here to read more about Dr. Nur and how she incorporates lessons she learned on the court into her practice.
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