Gay San Diego Shopping 

Featured San Diego Shopping

Babette Schwartz
421 University Ave., San Diego, California
619-220-7048
A pop-culture emporium named for a local drag queen, and located under the can't-miss HILLCREST street sign. You'll find books, clothing, and accessories that follow current kitsch trends. A

Rainbow Road & The Closet 
141 University Ave, #4, San Diego, California
619-296-8222
A gay-themed store selling every imaginable gadget, trinket and T-shirt on the main level -- including a wide selection of gay-themed greeting cards. Head upstairs to browse their expansive video and dance/club CD collection.

San Diego Shopping Districts

Antiques 
A half-mile east of Hillcrest is the start of the Adams Avenue Antique Row. It lies north of Balboa Park, along Park Boulevard (beginning at Robinson Ave.) and on Adams Avenue (extending from Park east to around 40th St. in Normal Heights). Antique and collectible stores, vintage-clothing boutiques, and dusty used book and record stores line this L-shaped district, providing many hours of happy browsing and treasure hunting.
San Diego's greatest concentration of antiques stores is found in the Ocean Beach Antique District, along the 4800 block of Newport Avenue, the community's main drag. Several of the stores are mall-style, featuring multiple dealers under one roof. The hundreds of individual sellers cover the gamut -- everything from Asian antiquities to vintage watches to mid-20th-century collectibles. Although you won't find a horde of pricey, centuries-old European antiques, the overall quality is high enough to make it interesting for any collector.

Cedros Design District
Along the 100 and 200 blocks of South Cedros Avenue in Solana Beach, is an outstanding place for designer interior decorating goods. Many of the shops are housed in a row of Quonset huts that were constructed for a company that made spy plane photographic equipment. Today, you can find more than two dozen chic shops selling furniture, original art, imported goods, home decor, antiques, and clothing, plus a couple good cafes. The strip is located just northwest of the Del Mar racetrack; reach it by taking the Via de la Valle exit off I-5 and going right on Cedros Avenue. The Coaster commuter train stops at the Solana Beach station next to the district.

Coronado 
This rather insular, conservative navy community doesn't have a great many shopping opportunities; the best of the lot line Orange Avenue at the western end of the island. You'll find some scattered housewares and home-decor boutiques, several small women's boutiques, and the gift shops at Coronado's major resorts.

Hillcrest
Compact Hillcrest is an ideal shopping destination. As the hub of San Diego's gay and lesbian community, swank inspiration and chic housewares rule. There are plenty of establishments selling cool trinkets, used books, vintage clothing, and memorabilia, and of course, bakeries and cafes. You'll also find a panoply of modestly priced globe-hopping dining options, too. Check out University Avenue near the Hillcrest sign between Fourth and Sixth and along Fifth Avenue heading toward Robinson and also between 10th and Richmond.

La Jolla 
It's clear from the look of La Jolla's village that shopping is a major pastime in this upscale community. Women's clothing boutiques tend to be conservative and costly, like those lining Girard and Prospect streets (Ann Taylor, Armani Exchange, Polo Ralph Lauren, Talbots, and Sigi's Boutique). But you'll also find less pricey venues like Banana Republic and Dansk.

Mission Bay & The Beaches 
The beach communities offer laid-back shopping in typical California fashion, with plenty of surf shops, recreational gear, casual garb, and college-oriented music stores. If you're looking for something more distinctive than T-shirts and shorts.

Mission Valley
Mission Valley is home to two giant malls (Fashion Valley and Mission Valley), with more than enough stores to satisfy any shopper, and free parking -- both can be reached via San Diego Trolley from downtown.

Old Town 
Old Town Historic Park is a restoration of some of San Diego's historic sites and adobe structures, a number of which now house shops that cater to tourists. Many have a "general-store" theme and carry gourmet treats and inexpensive Mexican crafts alongside the obligatory T-shirts, baseball caps, and other San Diego-emblazoned souvenirs. New, but maintaining the park's old Californio theme, is Plaza del Pasado, 2754 Calhoun St. (tel. 619/297-3100; www.plazadelpasado.com), which incorporates 11 specialty shops, three restaurants, and a boutique hotel. Costumed employees, special events and activities, and strolling musicians add to the festive flavor.