Mission Hills

The route from Old Town to Hillcrest passes through the historic neighborhood of Mission Hills, with its delightful examples of early-20th-century architecture. From the top of Presidio Park, take Presidio Drive into the heart of this residential area. A left on Arista Street and a right on Fort Stockton Drive takes you past wonderfully preserved Spanish Revival, Craftsman, and Prairie-style homes, to name a few. Many local residents fine-tune their green thumbs at the Mission Hills Nursery (1525 Ft. Stockton Dr.), founded in 1910 by Kate Sessions, the "Mother of Balboa Park." Continuing on Fort Stockton Drive, a right on Goldfinch Street leads you to several popular eateries along the neighborhood’s burgeoning restaurant row. From there, a left on University Avenue will take you into the Hillcrest section of Uptown.