Chicano Park

Parks and Gardens

Forged over the struggle for a neighborhood park in 1970, Chicano Park serves as the focal point for the Barrio Logan Cultural District and the Logan Heights community, which is San Diego’s oldest Mexican-American neighborhood. Freeway overpasses rise above Chicano Park framing the space and serving as the concrete canvasses for close to 80 soaring and colorful murals, which happens to be the largest concentration of Chicano murals in the world. The seven-acre park is also sprinkled with sculpture, gardens, picnic tables and playgrounds. The Park hosts a variety of music and dance festivals, including the Chicano Park Day, which is a celebration each April of the community’s successful efforts to create the park.

Bread & Salt

Arts and Culture

Bread & Salt describes itself as an “experimental center for the arts with strong community ties.” While that might be the case, it undersells all this former bread factory delivers. It is home to out-there and avant-garde contemporary art exhibitions and installations from its tenants and artists-in-residence and serves as cutting-edge space for everything from concerts to parties to art openings to community and educational forums. Bread & Salt is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 11 AM to 4 PM, but make sure to check out their event calendar to see what special events they have on tap.

La Vuelta Car Cruise

Arts and Culture

Glossy cars of all different colors and decades glinting in the early evening summer sun as they shutter, bop and cruise along Logan Avenue in Barrio Logan gives you just a taste – a small taste – of what the La Vuelta Car Cruise is all about. Occurring every other Wednesday in the summer months, this event is not just about celebrating low riders but also the culture and community that surrounds these street-skimming masterpieces on four wheels. Open – and welcoming – to the public, there is even a chance you might be asked to go along for the ride.

¡Salud!

Food and Drink

San Diego is home to many mouth-watering tacos, but ¡Salud! on Logan Avenue has a special place in most local taco lovers’ hearts. Just down the block from Chicano Park, this restaurant has not only mastered the art of Northern Mexico’s street food with its own Chicano-style twist, but it also radiates Southern California culture with tattoo-like murals and pinstriped car hoods adorning the walls. It’s more than a restaurant, it’s a perfect representation of the region’s bi-national spirit. ¡Salud! is hardly a local secret, though, having been featured in The New York Times, the Washington Post and on the Travel Channel.

Barrio Art Crawl

Arts and Culture

In Barrio Logan, art truly is around every corner – from the murals in Chicano Park to the galleries clustered along Logan Avenue including Chicano Art Gallery, La Bodega Gallery, Barrio Art Gallery to even the neighborhood’s utility boxes. It’s almost an overwhelming task to take it all in. No need to stress. The Barrio Art Crawl, a self-guided art tour that also features food, shopping and live music, is designed to make art appreciation easy. Held the second Saturday of the month, it is the perfect way to experience all that Barrio Logan has to offer in an accessible and authentic way.

Por Vida Collective

Arts and Culture

Coffee is now a craft all its own, and Por Vida Collective, located on Logan Avenue, brings an inventive artistry that provides much more than a jolt of caffeine. For one, the location with its open-air storefront and mural art mesh seamlessly with the surrounding neighborhood. The drinks, coffee and otherwise, however, are designed to stand out. Some of the not-too-miss selections include the horchata latte – either iced or hot – the mazapan latte, which is made with the beloved Mexican peanut candy, the violeta latte, using lavender-infused syrup, and a variety of spicy lemonades.

Border X Brewing

Food and Drink

For craft beer with a decidedly bi-national appeal, you will want to check out Border X Brewing, which is a brewery and so much more. Located on the Logan Avenue, Border X brews beers inspired by Latin flavors, including its Blood Saison, Horchata Golden Stout and Abuelita's Chocolate Stout. With tasters, flights and pints, you have no excuse not to try these creative hops offerings. But beyond its craft beer, Border X is known for its Latin-infused live music throughout the week, with locals saying that Thursday night is a standout. Also, Border X has street tacos with indoor and outdoor seating and is both family- and pet-friendly.