Minutes from Downtown, South Park is east of Balboa Park, south of North Park and just north of Golden Hill. Constructed around 1905 with the extension of streetcar service by the Bartlett Webster developing company, South Park is now considered one of the major historic urban communities of San Diego and has long been proposed as a registered historic district.

South Park stands out in San Diego for its tree-lined streets, compact blocks, and walkable business district. Predominantly a single-family residence area with some small apartment buildings and bungalow courts, it is noteworthy for its fine and varied collection of Craftsman and Spanish Colonial Revival style homes built between 1905 and 1930. These include works by Irving Gill, William S. Hebbard, and Richard Requa. Many of the houses are historically designated and an official historic district has been in the pipeline for a number of years.

South Park can only be described as a quaint urban retreat that harbors a tight-knit community of trendy urban residents.