The past and present come together in San Diego’s lively, historic downtown neighborhoods.

In 1867, businessman Alonzo Erastus Horton envisioned the future of San Diego. After purchasing 800 acres for $264, Horton founded "New Town." He began by building a wharf at the foot of what is now Fifth Avenue, and the bustling port city he had dreamed about developed into a reality.

Gaslamp Quarter
Today, New Town is known as the historic Gaslamp Quarter, or simply "The Gaslamp." Comprising more than 16 blocks, The Gaslamp stretches from Broadway to Harbor Drive (just north of the Convention Center), with Fourth, Fifth and Sixth avenues as its main thoroughfares.

The Gaslamp's immaculately preserved Victorian-style buildings are home to dozens of restaurants, clubs, theaters and retailers. The area can be easily covered on foot.

Begin your walking tour at the northwestern end of the district at local landmark Horton Plaza, a small square with a bubbling fountain on the corner of Broadway and Fourth. Adjacent Westfield Horton Plaza (see page 73) is a multi-level outdoor mall featuring a colorful, kaleidoscopic design and more than 140 restaurants, theaters and shops including Macy's, Nordstrom, Louis Vuitton, San Diego Luggage and The Lyceum, home to the San Diego Repertory Theatre. At the corner of Fourth and E is the Balboa Theatre, reopened in January after a five-year, $26 million restoration.

Across Fourth Avenue, you'll find Le Travel Store (745 Fourth Ave.) for guidebooks, maps and other travel accessories. On Fifth, shoe fanatics can shop Soho Lab (480 Fifth Ave.) for the latest styles from Skechers and other labels, while discerning sneaker fans head to Puma (405 Fifth Ave.). On the brick walls of Michael J. Wolf Fine Arts (363 Fifth Ave. #102) hang wine-inspired paintings by Thomas Arvid, among others, while Shorelines Gallery (401-411 Market St.) exhibits an array of media, from blown glass and jewelry to cast bronze, ceramics and lithographs.

Brush up on the Gaslamp's Old West history with a visit to the William Heath Davis House (410 Island Ave.). Several tour guides offer an insider's look at the Gaslamp; check our listings on page 75 for a variety of walking tours.

After a long day of shopping and sightseeing, sate your hunger at one of the Gaslamp's
100-plus restaurants and cafés, ranging from American to Chinese to Indian to Thai to steak and seafood. Check out our dining guide on page 52 for suggestions.

Parking can be dicey in the Gaslamp; a garage is your best bet. Horton Plaza (with entrances on Fourth Avenue and G Street) offers up to three hours of free parking if you self-validate at machines on levels 1, 3 and 5. Be sure to note your "vegetable" or "fruit" level; it can be a confusing garage (619.239.8180). Park It On Market is a 500-space garage at Market Street with entrances on Sixth and Seventh avenues (619.232.1271); while 6th & K Parkade offers 1,230 spots, with entrances on Sixth and Seventh avenues (619.233.6624). For more information, call the Gaslamp Quarter Association (619.233.5227).

Downtown's Core
Just beyond the Gaslamp Quarter are several sites worth exploring. The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (1001 and 1100 Kettner Blvd.) has recently expanded to include the renovated baggage building of Santa Fe Depot. Spring exhibitions include Systematic Landscapes, featuring large-scale works by artist Maya Lin, best known for her Vietnam War Memorial (March 30-June 30). The San Diego Chinese Historical Museum (404 Third Ave.) shares Chinese cultural history and also features a beautiful garden with a koi pond.

Arts and culture abound downtown. San Diego Symphony plays at Copley Symphony Hall (750 B St.); San Diego Opera sings at the Civic Theatre (1110 Third Ave. at B St.); and San Diego Repertory Theatre performs at the Lyceum in Horton Plaza (79 Horton Plaza). Spreckels Theatre (121 Broadway) hosts many performing arts events throughout the year.

East Village
A few years ago, this neighborhood—which borders the Gaslamp on the east side of Sixth Avenue—was a struggling arts scene among abandoned buildings. That changed with the construction of Petco Park (100 Park Blvd.), home of the San Diego Padres. Since the ballpark's inaugural season in 2004, several condominium high-rises have sprouted, along with boutiques, restaurants and nightclubs. Great retail finds include Babycakes (677 Seventh Ave. #116; entrance on G St.), a chic kids' boutique; Zanzibar (707 G St.), an airy café and gourmet shop with imported cheeses, paté, flavored olive oils and rare wines; and Bacchus Wine Market (647 G St.), which offers an extensive selection of eclectic wines.

Little Italy
Located a few blocks northwest of downtown, Little Italy is home to fabulous restaurants, galleries, boutiques and authentic Italian markets.

Begin the walking tour of this neighborhood on India Street, heading south: the handmade pottery at the French Garden Shoppe (2307 India St.) evokes European romance. Down the block, Lichtensteins and Warhols hang alongside canvases by contemporary artists at Noel-Baza Fine Art (2165 India St.); while Juniper (2130 India St.) carries candles, vases and other adorable gifts. Simply Italian (1646 India St.) offers colorful sconces and chandeliers, and Bella Stanza (1501 India St., #120) has elegant ceramics and imported gifts.

Just off India Street lies Steady Boutique (801 W. Hawthorn St.), which sells cutting-edge fashions from international and independent designers. The colorful cottages of the Fir Street Shops include Carol Gardyne Gallery (1840 Columbia St.), which offers gorgeous, hand-painted silk accessories, women's clothing and wall hangings; and Niche (621 W. Fir St.), with apparel for women and kids.

Take a coffee (or tea) break at Extraordinary Desserts (1430 Union St.), whose gourmet cheeses, panini and sweet treats are, yes, extraordinary. Or chill out Euro-style with a sweet treat from Pappalecco, a self-styled "gelato lounge" (1602 State St.) serving up authentically Italian dairy delights.

While India Street is Little Italy's main drag, parallel Kettner Boulevard has become a hub for art, architecture and design studios, making it San Diego's answer to hip New York districts like SoHo. Among the retailers in this zone are Mixture (2210 Kettner Blvd.), offering 21st-century accessories and gifts; Architectural Salvage (2401 India St.), a haven for vintage home accents; and 2400 Kettner, home to a handful of galleries that often host open houses during Kettner Nights, a bimonthly neighborhood walkabout. (April 18 and June 6; 619.358.9512).

Embarcadero
Another entertainment destination is Seaport Village (849 W. Harbor Drive), a 14-acre outdoor plaza with 13 sidewalk eateries, 57 shops and galleries, a beautiful 19th-century carousel and a bayside boardwalk perfect for walking to and from the Convention Center.

Grab an iced cappuccino from Upstart Crow Trading Company (835-C W. Harbor Drive) and head for the Embarcadero Marina Park, which offers bike and jogging trails, basketball courts and picnicking. Farther north along the harbor is the working end of the Embarcadero, home to military and cruise ship terminals and also the departure point for sightseeing excursions, including Hornblower Cruises & Events (1066 N. Harbor Drive). Broadway Pier is the embarkation point for the San Diego Bay-Coronado Ferry (1050 N. Harbor Drive), which travels across the bay several times daily.

The San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum (910 N. Harbor Drive) invites the public to learn about America's longest-serving aircraft carrier, the USS Midway. Numerous exhibits and tours explore the craft's 47-year history. Many of the storytelling docents are veterans who served on the carrier. Be sure to go up on the flight deck.

The floating Maritime Museum (1492 N. Harbor Drive) features several historic ships, including the three-masted barque Star of India, which was built in 1863. Also on view: the HMS Surprise from the film Master and Commander.

A detailed map of downtown is Here.