San Diego, CA area guide

Things to Do Near UC San Diego Medical Center (Hillcrest)

Groceries, food, days-off ideas and shopping close to UC San Diego Medical Center (Hillcrest) in San Diego, California. Made for travel nurses and RTs on contract.

5 groceries8 restaurants8 to do5 shopping

Photo: Boatguy619 / CC BY-SA 4.0

Groceries

Closest grocery stores to stock the fridge on week one.

• lazy acres market

  Albertsons grocery store

  ~0.5 mi / ~2 minMap
• Pavilions

  Pavilions grocery store

  ~0.6 mi / ~2 minMap
• Whole Foods Market

  Whole Foods natural and organic grocery. Listed hours 7 AM to 10 PM daily

  ~0.9 mi / ~3 minMap
• Ralphs

  Ralphs grocery store. Listed hours 5 AM to 1 AM daily

  ~1.0 mi / ~3 minMap
• Trader Joe’s

  Trader Joe’s grocery store. Listed hours 9 AM to 9 PM daily

  ~1.0 mi / ~3 minMap

Restaurants

Local spots with working websites. Places marked open late or early are handy around a night shift.

• La PuertaOpen late

  Mexican restaurant

  ~0.6 mi / ~2 minWebsite
• Ryoma RamenOpen late

  Ramen restaurant

  ~0.9 mi / ~3 minWebsite
• Sushi DeliSit-down

  Sushi restaurant

  ~0.5 mi / ~2 minWebsite
• cardellinoSit-down

  Restaurant

  ~0.6 mi / ~2 minWebsite
• The HuddleSit-down

  American restaurant

  ~0.6 mi / ~2 minWebsite
• Lefty’s Chicago PizzeriaSit-down

  Pizza restaurant. Listed hours 11 AM to 8 PM daily

  ~0.6 mi / ~2 minWebsite
• Copper Top Coffee and DonutsQuick bite

  Donuts quick-service spot. Listed hours 7 AM to 6 PM daily

  ~0.5 mi / ~2 minWebsite
• Creme De La CrepeQuick bite

  French and breakfast cafe

  ~0.6 mi / ~2 minWebsite

Things to do

Parks, water, breweries and more for your days off.

• University Heights Park

  Park, good for a walk between shifts

  ~1.1 mi / ~4 minMap
• Old Trolley Barn Park

  Local park with room to stretch your legs

  ~1.8 mi / ~6 minMap
• Mission Heights Park

  Park, nice for some fresh air on a day off

  ~1.8 mi / ~6 minMap
• Bat Rays Pool

  Lake. If you fish, get a California license first

  ~4.8 mi / ~12 minWebsite
• Lake Murray Reservoir

  Lake. If you fish, get a California license first

  ~9.8 mi / ~17 minMap
• BJ’s

  Local brewery

  ~1.6 mi / ~5 minWebsite
• Novo Brazil Brewing

  Local brewery

  ~1.8 mi / ~6 minWebsite
• Marston House

  Museum, good for a rainy day off

  ~1.4 mi / ~5 minMap

Shopping

Malls and big stores for anything you forgot to pack.

• Macy’s

  Macy’s department store

  ~1.1 mi / ~4 minMap
• JCPenney

  JCPenney department store

  ~1.1 mi / ~4 minMap
• Westfield UTC

  Shopping center

  ~11 mi / ~19 minMap
• Westfield Plaza Bonita

  Shopping center

  ~12 mi / ~20 minWebsite
• Otay Ranch Town Center

  Shopping center

  ~19 mi / ~25 minMap

Laundromats

Closest self-serve laundromats for scrubs and linens when your rental or RV park doesn’t have a washer.

• Co-op Laundry

  Laundromat

  ~1.6 mi / ~5 minMap
• Sunshine Center Laundry

  Laundromat. Listed hours 9 AM to 3 PM daily

  ~2.4 mi / ~6 minMap
• Wash and Go LaundryOpens early

  Laundromat. Listed hours 6 AM to 10 PM daily

  ~2.5 mi / ~6 minMap

Coffee shops

Nearest coffee shops, local spots first. Places marked “Opens early” are handy after a night shift.

• Starbucks

  Starbucks coffee chain

  ~0.6 mi / ~2 minMap
• Kona Coffee

  Local coffee shop

  ~0.6 mi / ~2 minMap
• heartwork coffee

  Local coffee shop

  ~0.7 mi / ~2 minMap

Gyms

Closest gyms to keep your routine on contract. Ask about short-term or month-to-month memberships.

• Hillcrest Athletic Club

  Local gym

  ~1.2 mi / ~4 minMap
• F45 Training

  F45 Training gym

  ~1.2 mi / ~4 minMap
• Chuze Fitness

  Local gym

  ~1.3 mi / ~4 minMap

Nearby RV parks

Monthly-stay parks near UC San Diego Medical Center (Hillcrest) from our RV parks list. Call to confirm the rate and a spot for your dates.

• Morena Village RV Park

  Morena Blvd area, San Diego, CA 92110

  Standard $1,213/mo; 60-ft space $1,373/mo; plus $24.89 trash

  ~4 mi / ~10 minRates & phone
• Mission Bay RV Resort

  2727 De Anza Rd, San Diego, CA 92109

  Monthly rates published on site; vary by site and season (roughly $1,000–$2,500/mo)

  ~7 mi / ~14 minRates & phone
• Sunland San Diego RV Resort

  7407 Alvarado Rd, La Mesa, CA 91942

  Call for monthly rate (fixed monthly rate; $600 deposit applied to electric)

  ~9 mi / ~15 minRates & phone

Need a license for California? See the state licensing boards, then run through the contract checklists and housing tips.

Looking for your next contract? See California travel contracts posted by staffing agencies.

Sources: place data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), plus each place’s own website and Wikidata. Last checked Oct 2026.