Gaslamp Quarter

The Gaslamp Quarter is a neighborhood in Downtown San Diego spanning sixteen blocks where Victorian-era buildings stand beside contemporary high-rises. More than one hundred dining spots, pubs, retail shops, and venues for live performances occupy the sidewalk-level storefronts and restored upper floors.

Alonzo Horton bought a large tract near the bay in 1867 for 265 dollars, laying out a new city center with Fifth Avenue as its main axis. Over the following decades, the area shifted from a district of saloons and gambling halls into a protected historic zone.

The neighborhood takes its name from the gas lamps that once lit the streets, and decorative replicas still stand along the sidewalks today. On weekends, locals and travelers gather at open-air patios, coffee shops, and around street musicians who perform near the corner crossings.

Visitors looking to orient themselves can focus on Fourth through Sixth Avenues, where most dining and retail options cluster. The sidewalks are level and easy to navigate, and many venues offer outdoor seating or rooftop access.

The Davis-Horton House Museum displays objects and documents from the era when the area was known as the Stingaree and filled with entertainment parlors. Some of the restored structures still reveal original brick walls and timber beams from the 19th century.