San Diego’s Seven Bridges Walk: Trains, Top Gun & Pride
Some hikes start at trailheads. This one started on a train.
Photo: Coaster Train Along the San Diego Coast
I was up in North County, so my Seven Bridges adventure began on the Coaster, rolling down the coast to Old Town. From there, a quick transfer to the Blue Line trolley took me a couple stops to Middletown. It’s a short but very San Diego walk—palm trees, old homes, and a slow incline—toward the corner of West Laurel and Union.
If you’re a Top Gun fan, you already know this corner. It’s where Charlie chases down Maverick in her Porsche to tell him how she really feels. I paused, grabbed a photo, did the full tourist moment. The house isn’t much to look at, but the cinematic nostalgia makes it worth a 90-second stop.
Photos: Top Gun House | View down Laurel Street – ready to ride like Tom?
A few blocks later, at Laurel & First, I officially stepped onto the Seven Bridges Walk. Time to trade fighter jets for footbridges.
Bridge 1: Cabrillo Bridge – The Grand Entrance to Balboa Park
Heading east on Laurel, I walked straight into Balboa Park, and honestly—it’s magic the moment you enter.
The Cabrillo Bridge, built for the 1915 Panama–California Exposition, is your gateway to everything that makes Balboa Park iconic. Its long concrete arches span a canyon that once held a small lake, and from atop the bridge you get a postcard view straight toward the California Tower, tiled roofs, and the ornate Spanish Colonial Revival architecture that defines the park.
Photos: Cabrillo Bridge from Side Trail
Photos: Cabrillo Bridge Plaque | Walking across Cabrillo Bridge
Photo: California Tower and Dome – Balboa Park
But the best part?
I saw a side trail dropping down the canyon and decided to take it. From below, the Cabrillo Bridge looks completely different—massive arches rising above eucalyptus trees and pockets of sunlight. It’s worth the short detour for the perspective alone.
Back on top, I wandered along El Prado, soaking in one of the most photogenic corridors in the city. The California Tower rises on your left, museums line both sides, and the Bea Evenson Fountain anchors the far end with its wide, round splash of blue. Pride weekend was ramping up, so the park was full of color, music, and the kind of easy joy that makes Balboa Park feel alive.
Photos: Casa del Prado | Bea Evenson Fountain
This whole stretch—from the Cabrillo Bridge through El Prado and the fountain—is reason enough to do the Seven Bridges Walk. Even if you stopped here, you’d feel like you experienced a highlight reel of San Diego history.
But the loop continues, so onward I went to bridge number two.
Bridge 2: Park Boulevard Bridge –
Gardens on Both Sides
From the fountain, I followed signs toward Park Boulevard. The Park Boulevard Bridge isn’t dramatic, but it’s incredibly useful, linking the Rose Garden and Cactus Garden to the main section of Balboa Park.
Photo: Park Boulevard Bridge
It’s a gentle bridge, more of a connector than a destination, but that’s part of the charm. The Seven Bridges Walk isn’t just about “wow” moments—it’s about stitching together corners of the city you might not otherwise link in your mind.
Cross it, and you’re officially out of the park and heading toward Hillcrest.
Photos: Park Boulevard Bridge | Rose Garden Fountain
Photos: Tree Cactus in Cactus Garden | Prickly Pear Bloom
Pride Weekend Energy:
Balboa Park → Hillcrest
Walking north on Park Boulevard into Hillcrest, the vibe shifts almost immediately. Balboa Park gives way to cafés, rainbow flags, patios filled with laughter, and shops prepping for the weekend parade.
Photos: Welcome to Hillcrest, San Diego!
I walked the route during San Diego Pride 2025, when Balboa Park hosts the festival and Hillcrest becomes the epicenter of celebration. The theme that year was “Unbreakable Pride, Unshakeable Power,” and you could feel that energy everywhere—from families out for brunch to early birds already glittered up for the parade.
If you time your hike during Pride weekend, you’ll feel like you’re walking straight through the heart of the celebration.
Bridge 3: Georgia Street Bridge – Architecture Over Energy
At University Avenue, I turned right and walked Hillcrest’s busy commercial strip until reaching the Georgia Street Bridge—a historic 1914 concrete arch that spans University Avenue.
Photo: Georgia Street Bridge over University Avenue
You walk up one side of University, cross the bridge, and come back down the other. The views are layered and urban—storefronts, crosswalks, traffic, and, during Pride weekend, enough color to make a rainbow jealous.
This bridge officially connects Hillcrest and North Park and is a designated historic landmark. It’s the moment the walk transitions from park views to neighborhood texture.
Photo: Looking Down University Avenue
Bridge 4: Vermont Street Bridge –
Quotes in the Sky
From Georgia, I looped back to Park Blvd, headed north to Lincoln Avenue, and turned left. A quiet stretch of homes leads you to Vermont Street, where the vibe changes again—more small shops, coffee spots, and finally the Vermont Street Bridge.
Photo: Vermont Street Bridge
This pedestrian bridge is lined with embedded quotes, which makes crossing it feel like walking through a trail of encouragement. One of the most memorable:
“With lively feelings may I walk.
Being as it used to be long ago, may I walk.”
— Navajo Chant
Photos: Poetry and perspective on the Vermont Street Bridge.
On the far side, you pop out by a Trader Joe’s, which was a funny “oh I’ve been here before” moment. One of the unexpected joys of this walk is how often you suddenly recognize places from past trips.
The “North Bridge” Confusion –
Clearing Up AllTrails
Continuing along University Avenue, you eventually cross a large overpass spanning Cabrillo Parkway (SR-163).
AllTrails labels this as “North Bridge” or “North Avenue Bridge.”
Photo: University Avenue Bridge over Highway 163 – not 1 of the 7 bridges
This is incorrect.
What you’re actually crossing is:
University Avenue Bridge over Highway 163
- Helpful for getting across the freeway
- But NOT one of the historic Seven Bridges
- Not architecturally notable
- Not included on the traditional route
This is the single most common error in online maps.
The real seventh bridge comes later—and it’s worth the wait.
But before that…
A Quick Stop: Fire Station No. 5
On the far side of University Avenue sits San Diego Fire Station No. 5, a classic mid-20th-century neighborhood firehouse. It’s not part of the official route, but it’s a fun little landmark and a reminder that this urban hike winds through real, lived-in San Diego.
Photo: San Diego Fire Station No. 5
From here, the route snakes through Bankers Hill:
First Ave → Walnut → Albatross → Upas → Brant.
Quiet streets, leafy canyons, and suddenly—
Bridge 5: Spruce Street Suspension Bridge – The Wiggly One
This is the bridge everyone secretly anticipates.
The Spruce Street Suspension Bridge, built in 1912, stretches over Kate Sessions Canyon and gently sways with every step. If you’re nervous about heights, hold the rail. If you love a little thrill, stop in the middle and let the breeze move the bridge beneath you.
The views into the canyon are beautiful—you feel tucked into a pocket of green in the middle of the city. It’s the most unique experience on the entire loop.
Photo: Spruce Street Suspension Bridge
Photos: Steel towers and cables of the Spruce Street Bridge
Bridge 6: Quince Street Bridge –
236 Feet of Wooden Nostalgia
The Quince Street Bridge is the oldest-feeling bridge on the walk—a 1905 wooden trestle suspended 60 feet above Maple Canyon. It originally carried pedestrians to a trolley stop and still has that charming, historic feel: wooden planks, slight gaps, and an open view straight down the canyon.
Photo: Quince Street Bridge
Most guides recommend crossing it twice—once each direction—and I agree. The perspective changes depending on which way you walk, and it’s one of the most photogenic moments of the entire route.
Photos: Quince Street Footbridge Historical Marker and Bridge
Photos: Steps on the Quince Street Bridge | Close Up Details
Bridge 7: First Avenue Bridge –
The People’s Bridge
From Quince, it’s a short walk back to First Avenue, then north to the final stop: the First Avenue Bridge, also known as the People’s Bridge.
This is the only steel-arch bridge in San Diego, built in 1931 and assembled from prefabricated parts shipped from the Midwest. It spans Maple Canyon with long, graceful lines and offers sweeping views of the canyon and surrounding neighborhoods.
This is the true seventh bridge—the one missing or mislabeled on a lot of maps. It’s the perfect ending: a bridge with history, drama, and a sense of place.
Photo: First Avenue Bridge — “People’s Bridge”
A few blocks later, I was back at Laurel & First, where my official loop had started.
Then it was downhill to the trolley, back to Old Town, and one last Coaster ride home—legs tired, camera full, day complete.
Trail Tips & Important AllTrails Fixes
Here’s everything you need to know before doing the Seven Bridges Walk:
Distance & Difficulty
- 5.5–5.7 miles, depending on starting point
- Mostly flat with gentle hills
- Easy urban walk with lots of stops along the way
Neighborhoods You’ll See
- Balboa Park
- Bankers Hill
- Hillcrest
- University Heights / North Park
- Back to Bankers Hill
Food + Coffee Breaks
Hillcrest and North Park are full of them. You are never more than a few blocks from a snack or a drink.
Height Warning
The Spruce Street Suspension Bridge sways.
A lot.
Even if you’re fine with heights, it might catch you off guard.
ALLTRAILS FIXES (Very Important)
These are the corrections every first-timer should know:
❌ Incorrect: “North Bridge / North Avenue Bridge”
✔️ Correct: It is simply the University Avenue overpass over Highway 163. Not one of the Seven Bridges.
❌ Incorrect: Park Ave. Bridge
✔️ Correct: Park Boulevard Bridge
❌ Incorrect: Georgia Street = University Bridge
✔️ Correct: It’s the Georgia Street Bridge, a historic landmark.
✔️ The REAL Bridge #7:
The First Avenue Bridge (People’s Bridge) — the only steel-arch bridge in San Diego.
Get these right, and the walk turns from a scavenger hunt into a satisfying urban history tour.
Why I Loved This Walk
By the end of the day, I realized this wasn’t just a bridge loop. It was:
- A train-to-tram-to-sidewalk adventure
- A chance to rediscover Balboa Park at street level
- A celebration of San Diego Pride and the energy it brings
- A deep dive into the city’s architecture, neighborhoods, history, and surprises
- And honestly… just a really fun way to spend a morning
If you love walking, people-watching, architecture, film trivia, or exploring the unexpected corners of a city, the Seven Bridges Walk is absolutely worth it.
And if you find yourself humming the Top Gun soundtrack as you start at Laurel & Union…
same.
If this walk sparked the itch for more Southern California exploring, I’ve shared plenty of other trails and adventures over on California Hikes.
Catch you on the trail!
Date of Hike/Walk: 20 July 2025
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