Highland Park
Highland Park Los Angeles
Real Estate and Neighborhood Guide
Historic charm. Creative energy. One of LA’s most sought-after neighborhoods.
Highland Park isn’t just one of the oldest neighborhoods in Los Angeles… it’s one of the few that still feels like one.
Set in the hills of Northeast LA, it’s layered with history, character, and a mix of cultures that have shaped it over generations. From early Craftsman homes to the roots of the Arts and Crafts movement, there’s a depth here you can feel just walking the streets.
Today, Highland Park has become one of the most sought-after pockets in the city. It’s creative, energetic, and constantly evolving—but it hasn’t lost its identity. Walk down York or Figueroa and you’ll see it: longtime staples alongside new restaurants, galleries, and shops that keep pushing the neighborhood forward.
That balance is what makes Highland Park special. It’s not trying to be something else. It’s a real neighborhood—with history, personality, and a rhythm that still feels distinctly Los Angeles.
ITS ALL ABOUT LOCATION
Highland Park Real Estate
What draws people here isn’t location. It’s how it lives.
Walkable pockets. Tree-lined streets. A layout that actually feels connected. York and Figueroa act as the main arteries, where the energy, shops, and restaurants all come together.
The terrain is hilly, but not overwhelming like some surrounding areas. It’s surprisingly accessible whether you’re walking, biking, or just exploring. As you move through the neighborhood, you start to notice the layers, historic homes, evolving storefronts, and a steady mix of old and new.
Highland Park is home to one of the largest historic districts in Los Angeles, with dozens of preserved properties that give the area its architectural identity. At the same time, there’s a strong creative presence here, local artists, murals, and small businesses that continue shaping what the neighborhood is becoming.
Highland Park didn't become what it is overnight. It's story is layered.
With the completion of the Arroyo Seco Parkway in 1940, the neighborhood began to shift. By the 1950s, the artsy enclave experienced white flight, as residents moved toward Mid-Wilshire, Temple City, and the San Fernando Valley.
By the mid-1960s, Highland Park had become a largely Latino community. Mexican immigrants and their families put down roots here, shaping the culture, the schools, and the identity of the neighborhood. Parks and local spaces became gathering points where people organized, spoke up, and pushed forward civil rights.
Like many parts of Los Angeles, the late 20th century brought challenges. Highland Park saw waves of gang violence tied to the Avenues, which claimed parts of the area as its territory. Over time, a combination of law enforcement and community-led efforts, including events like the Peace in the Northeast March, helped turn things around.
Today, Highland Park tells a different story. It remains proudly Latino at its core, but it’s also evolving. Walk down York Boulevard or through its tree-lined streets and you’ll see restored Victorians, new businesses, and a creative energy that continues to reshape the neighborhood.
It’s not a reinvention. It’s an evolution.
The Hunt
The Hunt Vintage is a vintage furniture store in Highland Park, Los Angeles.
5317 York Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90042
323-251-6453
Sunbeam Vintage
Sunbeam is a mid-century furniture emporium in Highland Park.
Their wide selection of tables, chairs, tables, and rugs will give you plenty of options for decorating your home.
106 S. Ave 58
Highland Park, CA 90042
323-908-9743
Gimme Gimme Records
In 1994, at the height of the CD era, Dan Cook decided to open a store catering to other vinyl collectors like himself in New York City’s East Village. People told him he was crazy, record stores were a dying breed…but he thought vinyl was a superior format and enough people agreed that the store survived and flourished. The store carried a wide range of genres from psych to hip-hop to country to jazz and more. Thousands and thousands of records came and went, and people from all over the world made a point of stopping in.
After 18 years in its original location, the store was moved to the Northeast side of Los Angeles, where it resided on York Blvd in Highland Park for two years.
Now they’re on their 3rd, and largest location on the neighboring street of 5810 N. Figueroa, things are bigger and better than ever.
5810 N Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90042
323-550-1878
The Bearded Beagle
The vintage clothes at this local spot are decently priced and still, have plenty of miles left in them. The parking in the area is kind of spotty, but this is Los Angeles after all. The staff is helpful and cheerful. This Highland Park vintage shop has both men’s and women’s clothing sections, a myriad of lingerie, scarves, accessories, as well as vinyl records, and other things.
5926 N Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90042
(323) 258-5898
Highland Park doesn’t shut down at night. It shifts.
Weeknights are easy and local. People out walking dogs, grabbing a drink, catching up with friends. It feels like a neighborhood.
Weekends pick up. York and Figueroa come alive with bar hopping, late dinners, and a mix of old-school spots and newer openings that keep things interesting.
From taquerias and panaderias to gastropubs, wine bars, and coffee spots that turn into night hangouts, the range is part of the draw. You can keep it low-key or make a full night out of it without leaving the neighborhood.
There’s also a strong creative presence after dark. Local galleries, small venues, and live music spaces add another layer, giving the nightlife here a little more depth than just bars and restaurants.
It’s not loud for the sake of it. It’s lived-in, social, and always moving.
The Hermosillo
The Hermosillo is a neighborhood beer and wine bar. Previously a nightclub with an infamous reputation (like several other spots in Highland Park), The Hermosillo now serves craft beer, 30 wines by the glass, and creative bar food. Drop by and relax next time you’re in the hood.
5125 York Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90042
(323) 739-6459
Block Party
Block Party is an unabashedly Highland Park bar where the branding is as important as the drinks, and that’s just fine with us! Space is open to the street, giving it an indoor-outdoor feel, and there’s also a patio in the back with a Wii and shuffleboard if you’re feeling frisky. Block Party also serves an all-California selection of draft beer, as well as snow cone/shaved ice cocktails which come in a glass and are surprisingly boozy. Sign us up!
5052 York Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90042
(323) 741-2747
The architecture in Highland Park isn’t just preserved. It tells the story of the neighborhood.
In the early 1900s, Arroyo Craftsmen like Lummis, Judson, and Browne helped shape the identity of the area. Their influence brought the California bungalow to life, a style that quickly became the foundation of Highland Park’s residential character. Bungalow courts and thoughtfully built homes created a sense of scale and community that still defines the neighborhood today.
By the 1920s and 1930s, new architectural influences began to emerge. Revival styles like Spanish Colonial, Mediterranean, and English Tudor introduced a different layer of design, blending older European inspiration with Southern California living.
Like much of Los Angeles, Highland Park faced challenges in the decades that followed. Mid-century development pressures led to the loss of many original homes, replaced by larger, out-of-scale buildings. In response, preservation efforts gained momentum, eventually leading to protections that helped retain the neighborhood’s architectural integrity.
Starting in the early 2000s, a new wave of homeowners began restoring what had been overlooked. Craftsman homes were brought back to life, historic details were preserved, and the original character of the neighborhood started to re-emerge.
Today, Highland Park stands as one of the most architecturally rich neighborhoods in Northeast Los Angeles, where historic homes, thoughtful restorations, and evolving design all exist side by side.
It’s not just what’s been built here. It’s what’s been brought back.
Highland Park has always gone through cycles. Right now, it’s in one of its strongest chapters.
In the early 1900s, Highland Park and nearby Pasadena became a hub for artists and thinkers behind the Arts and Crafts movement. They pushed back against mass production and leaned into craftsmanship, natural materials, and thoughtful design.
One of the most influential figures was Charles Lummis, whose work and relationships helped shape the cultural identity of the neighborhood. His impact is still felt today in both the architecture and the spirit of the area.
That legacy didn’t disappear. You can still see it in places like Judson Studios and the Lummis House, which continue to stand as reminders of Highland Park’s creative roots.
Over the years, the neighborhood has seen its share of ups and downs, but that same foundation is part of what’s driving its current resurgence.
It’s not just history. It’s momentum.
THE SHELHAMER GROUP | DRE: 01950995
Glenn Shelhamer is a licensed real estate broker DRE: 01950995 in the state of California and abides by equal housing opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. To reach The Shelhamer Real Estate Group’s office manage please call (310) 913-9477.
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