Things to do
Things to do in National City
The Mile of Cars, a working port, and one of the oldest Filipino communities on the West Coast.
Things to do
National City DepotMuseum
The 1882 California Southern Railroad station, the surviving western terminus of the Santa Fe transcontinental line, now run by the San Diego Electric Railway Association as a rail and streetcar museum open weekends 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
922 W. 23rd St
Brick RowLandmark
A row of 1887 Victorian brick townhouses built for railroad executives during the Kimball-era land boom, one of the city's signature historic buildings.
A Ave near 9th St
Kimball ParkPark
The city's central park, named for its founding family, with sports fields and a location next to City Hall and the civic center.
Near 12th St and D Ave
Pepper ParkPark
A Port of San Diego park on the bay at the foot of Tidelands Avenue with a boat launch, picnic lawns and a fishing pier.
3299 Tidelands Ave
Market on 8thMarket
A food hall on 8th Street with stalls ranging from poke to po' boys, weekly events, and the Wordsmith bookstore.
Westfield Plaza BonitaShopping
One of the few fully enclosed shopping malls left in San Diego County, on the city's northeast edge near SR-54 and I-805.
3030 Plaza Bonita Rd
Mile of CarsLandmark
The long run of auto dealerships on National City Boulevard that grew out of businesses once serving sailors and remains a major part of the city's tax base.
Las Palmas PoolSports
The city's public swimming pool, part of the Las Palmas Park recreation complex.
Eat & drink
Niederfrank's Ice CreamIce cream shop
A small-batch ice cream maker operating since 1948 on A Avenue.
Tita's KitchenetteFilipino restaurant
A long-running turo-turo style counter on East Plaza Boulevard that anchors the city's Filipino food scene.
Mixed Grounds CoffeeVietnamese cafe
A Vietnamese coffee shop that doubles as a gallery for local artists.
Cafe La MazeSteakhouse
A longtime steakhouse on National City Boulevard from the era when it was the main highway to the border.
Napoleone's Pizza HousePizzeria
A longtime neighborhood pizza house that locals cite as one of the South Bay's reliable standbys.
Market on 8thFood hall
Several small vendors under one roof, the city's newest gathering place for lunch and weekend events.
Annual events
National City Cars and Culture FestivalAugust
A city-listed festival celebrating car culture and the Mile of Cars heritage; the 2026 edition was August 23.