Little Italy

Little Italy is a hilly neighborhood in downtown San Diego and is located in the northwest end of downtown.  It was originally predominantly Italian and a fishing neighborhood.  After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake several Italians moved from San Francisco to San Diego in search of fishing jobs and the tuna industry.  In the early 1970's the Little Italy neighborhoods lost about 35% of the neighborhoods due to the contruction of Interstate 5 and the declining Tuna industry.  In 1996 the Little Italy Association was developed and the entire neighborhood was transformed into what it is today.  The association in involved in trash removal, decorations and special events.  In cleaning up the area, Little Italy has very little crime compared to the rest of San Diego and most of the reasons why is the neighborhood association. 
Little Italy, at it's decline, was mostly small individual family homes and small businesses but today it is a scenic neighborhood with mostly Italian restaurants, Italian retail stores, art galleries, home design stores, and mid rises and high rises for family living.  It is an active neighborhood that hosts several festivals and events and is home to "The Mercato", the market in Italian, their own Farmer's Market.
The food at the Italian restaurants is wonderful and with the climate in San Diego almost every restaurant has a sidewalk cafe which gives you the feeling and experience of being in Italy.  The atomosphere in Little Italy is warm and friendly and it makes it  a fun place to hang out!
Today, we are moving 60 miles north to Oceanside and back to Camp Pendleton Marine Corp Base. So we will be on the road again for a brief 70 minute ride.