The campus of the University of California, San Diego, from which the area derives its name, is to the west of the center of the neighborhood.
Many of the professors teaching at UCSD live in the neighborhood.

There are two distinct parts of University City divided by Rose Canyon, featuring the Rose Canyon Open Space preserve, and railroad tracks passing through it.
South of Rose Canyon lies the older part of University City, built out in the 1960s-1980s and historically referred to as University Square, centered on Governor Drive.
It is a mostly residential neighborhood along Governor Drive with many single family homes.
In this area, just southwest of the Governor Drive exit from I-805 is a commercially zoned area containing office parks with low-rise buildings.


The topography of University City includes mesas and canyons such as Rose Canyon, San Clemente Canyon, and finger canyons that provide much of the open space.
The canyons provide wildlife habitats with about 100 bird species migrating through the area plus natural views and opportunities for hiking, biking, and birding.
The canyons are fire-managed and thus present small wildfire risks.
In addition, motorists drive around the canyons, with I-5, Genesee Avenue, and the I-805 being about 1 mile apart from each other.
The campus of the University of California, San Diego, from which the area derives its name, is to the west of the center of the neighborhood. Many of the professors teaching at UCSD live in the neighborhood.
There are two distinct parts of University City divided by Rose Canyon, featuring the Rose Canyon Open Space preserve, and railroad tracks passing through it. South of Rose Canyon lies the older part of University City, built out in the 1960s-1980s and historically referred to as University Square, centered on Governor Drive. It is a mostly residential neighborhood along Governor Drive with many single family homes. In this area, just southwest of the Governor Drive exit from I-805 is a commercially zoned area containing office parks with low-rise buildings.

The topography of University City includes mesas and canyons such as Rose Canyon, San Clemente Canyon, and finger canyons that provide much of the open space. The canyons provide wildlife habitats with about 100 bird species migrating through the area plus natural views and opportunities for hiking, biking, and birding. The canyons are fire-managed and thus present small wildfire risks. In addition, motorists drive around the canyons, with I-5, Genesee Avenue, and the I-805 being about 1 mile apart from each other.
University City, San Diego