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Mid-city Area Map and neighborhood boundaries

Normal Heights is centrally located in San Diego's hills above Mission Valley. However, access to Mission Valley from Normal Heights is limited to the freeways, and practically speaking, Texas Street. Normal Heights integrates mainly with Kensington to the east, University Heights to the west and City Heights to the south. Normal Heights is known for its affordable pubs, restaurants, coffee houses, smoke shops, antique shops, book shops, and burgeoning arts community. The majority of "typical" neighborhood businesses are located along Adams Avenue, with a decidedly lower-income feel along El Cajon Boulevard. Like other urban mesa neighborhoods north of Balboa Park, Normal Heights has a high rate of pedestrian activity, relative to the rest of San Diego.

The "Normal" part of "Normal Heights" is not a reference to mundanity; instead it refers to the State Normal School, which is the predecessor to San Diego State University (formerly located in nearby University Heights).

Three important neighborhood events take place in Normal Heights: The Adams Avenue Roots Festival, The Adams Avenue Street Fair, and Art Around Adams. The Adams Avenue Roots Festival is typically held the last weekend in April, featuring American, Latin, British, and various other European folk styles played live for free. The Adams Avenue Street Fair, Southern California's largest free music festival, is typically held the last weekend in September. Art Around Adams is a local community art event where unique and talented artists showcase their work inside and outside interesting little businesses and spaces along Adams Avenue. What distinguishes Art Around Adams is its continued commitment to performance art.

• Neighborhood web site
• Adams Avenue Business Association web site
• Art Around Adams