How is living in San Diego?

[OCClient]

Forum members that live in San Diego, would you please share your input on the following?

What do you  like about San Diego and what do you not like?  I'm interested to learn as much as I can. 

There is a chance I'll be offered a position in Chula Vista.

So I'll need to decide whether to accept and if I do, I will need to find a place to live.  

So, what neighborhoods might I consider?   I currently have a long commute and of course I want to avoid that if I accept the Chula Vista position.    

I prefer a quiet, low crime setting, but I guess that's what many people want, right?  A one story home with a  yard would be ideal.

 

As a youth,  I often visited a relative in SD, Pacific Beach area.   Back then I thought it was  paradise, compared to where I was coming from.  

We'd visit Balboa Park, the beach, and various theaters.   I was down In SD several years ago for a film festival and did get the sense it is much friendlier than LA.

 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2022 by OCClient

[Luv2play]

I'm not the person to ask but I have only spent one night in San Diego over 40 years ago. I was spending a few weeks in Laguna Beach and thought I would drop down to SD to see the sights. I enjoyed a day at the sea world and that evening after dinner dropped in at a gay club. On exiting I witnessed a murder (well the corpse lying in a pool of blood) but the police hadn't arrived yet. So I got out pronto. Went to my hotel and left early the next morning.  Never went back.

[Epigonos]

As far as weather is concerned it doesn't get any better than San Diego. Seldom over the mid 80's or below the low 60's.  The one MAJOR problem that San Diego, like all other California cities, is experiencing is a homeless situation that is totally out of control. At least two cruise lines have ceased stopping in San Diego because their passengers have been accosted by homeless panhandlers. State and local governments appear clueless about how to address the problem.  However, even with the homeless problem San Diego is still a great place to live.

[KK913]

I lived in La Jolla back in 2017 and absolutely loved San Diego county. It is a bit pricey to live there, but the beaches and neighborhoods are beautiful and safe. It ended up being a bit “sleepy” for me and I headed to the city. I suggest looking north of Chula Vista. I’m not sure how far or long you are willing to commute. North Park, University Heights, Hillcrest is the core gayborhood with a laid back vibe and rich culture. I was excited to move out of a suburban OC city and San Diego was paradise. 

Edited July 10, 2022 by KK913

[OCClient]

34 minutes ago, KK913 said:

I lived in La Jolla back in 2017 and absolutely loved San Diego county. It is a bit pricey to live there, but the beaches and neighborhoods are beautiful and safe. It ended up being a bit “sleepy” for me and I headed to the city. I suggest looking north of Chula Vista. I’m not sure how far or long you are willing to commute. North Park, University Heights, Hillcrest is the core gayborhood with a laid back vibe and rich culture. I was excited to move out of a suburban OC city and San Diego was paradise. 

I'm deep in Huntington Beach.   It is what it is.  

Yes Hillcrest and University Heights look attractive.  Those are a good 10 miles from my potential new job.    I guess I could make that work.  

1 hour ago, Epigonos said:

As far as weather is concerned it doesn't get any better than San Diego. Seldom over the mid 80's or below the low 60's.  The one MAJOR problem that San Diego, like all other California cities, is experiencing is a homeless situation that is totally out of control. At least two cruise lines have ceased stopping in San Diego because their passengers have been accosted by homeless panhandlers. State and local governments appear clueless about how to address the problem.  However, even with the homeless problem San Diego is still a great place to live.

I remember SD having lots of homeless years and years ago when my aunt lived there.    Not surprised it's worse now.

 

43 minutes ago, KK913 said:

I lived in La Jolla back in 2017 and absolutely loved San Diego county. It is a bit pricey to live there, but the beaches and neighborhoods are beautiful and safe. It ended up being a bit “sleepy” for me and I headed to the city. I suggest looking north of Chula Vista. I’m not sure how far or long you are willing to commute. North Park, University Heights, Hillcrest is the core gayborhood with a laid back vibe and rich culture. I was excited to move out of a suburban OC city and San Diego was paradise. 

Was there anything you didn't like about the SD area?

[MscleLovr]

Weather is the best aspect of living in SD as @Epigonos noted. Traffic is the worst…but you soon learn to avoid certain routes/times.

I lived there at times over the years. I lived first as a young man on Point Loma (a small house) and latterly in La Jolla (a condo) which I enjoy very much. People are friendly and polite. It feels very safe and the beaches are good. Restaurants and stores are excellent. There is a sense of community in La Jolla, and there must be some local regulations against homelessness/panhandling as it is very minimal. 
 

Traffic on the freeway to LA can be heavy (sometimes even at 2 am for some reason) but I adapted and used the train service a few times. I found the trains to be clean and efficient, and in visiting LA I’d generally stay 1-2 nights. 
 

As an old man now, I find one aspect of life there surprising but delightful. It’s how readily nice young men in their 20s chat to me. I’ve made acquaintances easily. 

[OCClient]

6 hours ago, MscleLovr said:

Weather is the best aspect of living in SD as @Epigonos noted. Traffic is the worst…but you soon learn to avoid certain routes/times.

I lived there at times over the years. I lived first as a young man on Point Loma (a small house) and latterly in La Jolla (a condo) which I enjoy very much. People are friendly and polite. It feels very safe and the beaches are good. Restaurants and stores are excellent. There is a sense of community in La Jolla, and there must be some local regulations against homelessness/panhandling as it is very minimal. 
 

Traffic on the freeway to LA can be heavy (sometimes even at 2 am for some reason) but I adapted and used the train service a few times. I found the trains to be clean and efficient, and in visiting LA I’d generally stay 1-2 nights. 
 

As an old man now, I find one aspect of life there surprising but delightful. It’s how readily nice young men in their 20s chat to me. I’ve made acquaintances easily. 

Point Loma must be a sought after zip code base on the home prices. It must be lovely there.

[+ Pensant]

La Jolla, Del Mar and Solana Beach are unbeatable. I don’t think you’d want to live south of San Diego proper. Chula Vista is more like Garden Grove, with bigger tract housing further inland near Otay Mesa. Mission Hills is a lovely neighborhood closer to downtown with easy access to the trolley and heavy rail. Hillcrest and North Park, as stated, are excellent neighborhoods near Balboa Park. 
 

As @MscleLovrstated, the people are friendly and the young people are among the best looking in the world. It’s the only CA metro I’d consider if I ever moved back to California, which is highly unlikely.

[OCClient]

I just checked, the driving time to Palm Springs is comparable to driving from my place in H.B., so that is good to know.  Would be just a bit longer. 

[OCClient]

35 minutes ago, Pensant said:

La Jolla, Del Mar and Solana Beach are unbeatable. I don’t think you’d want to live south of San Diego proper. Chula Vista is more like Garden Grove, with bigger tract housing further inland near Otay Mesa. Mission Hills is a lovely neighborhood closer to downtown with easy access to the trolley and heavy rail. Hillcrest and North Park, as stated, are excellent neighborhoods near Balboa Park. 
 

As @MscleLovrstated, the people are friendly and the young people are among the best looking in the world. It’s the only CA metro I’d consider if I ever moved back to California, which is highly unlikely.

I've been looking on Zillow and I get what you mean, the Garden Grove reference comparison.

Ocean View Hills looks nice, west of Otay Mesa.  I wonder how welcoming all of these neighborhoods are compared to Hillcrest and North Park.  🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

Edited July 10, 2022 by OCClient

[+ Pensant]

1 minute ago, OCClient said:

Ocean View Hills looks nice, east of Otay Mesa.  I wonder how welcoming all of these neighborhoods are compared to Hillcrest and North Park.  🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

I moved away from OC 8 years ago, so I’m not sure about the gay-friendliness of South County. When I lived there, suburban San Diego was pretty Republican, but I know it’s become much bluer over the past few years. (I hope this isn’t perceived as politics 😧). That said, I doubt that your neighbors would give a damn about your orientation.

[MscleLovr]

I endorse what @Pensant wrote above.
 

I’m generally regarded as masculine but I’m open about being gay, my preferences etc. I’ve not encountered any prejudice and I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how openly some nice young men respond to me. The only time my composure was seriously threatened was when Hank, the handsome server 24/25 at my local coffee shop, invited me to spend the afternoon with him at Black’s Beach. 

[+ azdr0710]

1 hour ago, MscleLovr said:

I endorse what @Pensant wrote above.
 

I’m generally regarded as masculine but I’m open about being gay, my preferences etc. I’ve not encountered any prejudice and I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how openly some nice young men respond to me. The only time my composure was seriously threatened was when Hank, the handsome server 24/25 at my local coffee shop, invited me to spend the afternoon with him at Black’s Beach. 

Did you go??!⛱️

[MscleLovr]

Of course. It would have been rude to refuse 😎

[+ WilliamM]

That happened to me in the Fall of 2020  but he left for a better job in a bank. Young  sexy black man who still lived at home. 

 

 

 

[OCClient]

with the sailors and marines stationed in the San Diego area

( a bonus not available where I'm at now )

Are the gay clubs a bit more lively in SD?

[KK913]

In regards to homeless people and camps, avoid downtown San Diego - especially around the Gaslamp District and Horton Plaza area. 
 

Another area to consider is Little Italy or Old Town  Both are close to the coast and very quaint  I enjoy the neighborhood of Little Italy  the only drawback is the tourism and proximity to the airport with noise pollution  

 

[NJF]

4 hours ago, KK913 said:

In regards to homeless people and camps, avoid downtown San Diego - especially around the Gaslamp District and Horton Plaza area. 
 

Another area to consider is Little Italy or Old Town  Both are close to the coast and very quaint  I enjoy the neighborhood of Little Italy  the only drawback is the tourism and proximity to the airport with noise pollution  

 

I used to go to conventions in SD every couple years and the Gaslamp District was my favorite spot to try new restaurants. It is sad to hear that it is swamped with homeless people now.

[rvwnsd]

I lived in San Diego from 2000 to 2016, when my former employer relocated me to Phoenix. I used to call it "Hooterville by the Sea" and "Bland Diego."  The weather is truly wonderful and if you like theater, The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, and Moonlight Theater in Vista are the places for you. Other than that, all the culture is split between the yogurt and kombucha cases at VONS. Despite the marine base (which is north of Oceanside, 30+ miles from the city) there is a dearth of cute, reliable men in San Diego. Lots of flakes and guys who can't commit. I found people to be less friendly than in San Francisco and Los Angeles. On the plus side, the traffic is not as bad as in most major cities, but the entire city is built on canyons and mesas, so there is often only one road that goes where you want to go.  In terms of where to live, Hillcrest and North Park are the Gayborhoods. Aside from East County (Lakeside, El Cajon, and Santee) almost everywhere in the county is gay friendly. You might not find a gay bar in Otay Mesa, but you will find gay people.  

If you lived in one of the "urban mesa" communities like Hillcrest, University Heights, Normal Heights, or Talmadge you would be commuting to Chula Vista when everyone else would be commuting from it in the morning and the reverse in the afternoon. There are a lot of cute houses from the 1920's to the 1950's in these communities, but many of them were built prior to the enactment of strict building codes and can turn into money pits. There was a wave of "gut rehabs" in the 2000's that weren't "gut rehabs" at all. They were paint, granite, and stainless steel jobs on old houses. 

I don't want to say you should turn down the job, but understand you will not be relocating to a real city. 

 

[OCClient]

1 hour ago, rvwnsd said:

I lived in San Diego from 2000 to 2016, when my former employer relocated me to Phoenix. I used to call it "Hooterville by the Sea" and "Bland Diego."  The weather is truly wonderful and if you like theater, The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, and Moonlight Theater in Vista are the places for you. Other than that, all the culture is split between the yogurt and kombucha cases at VONS. Despite the marine base (which is north of Oceanside, 30+ miles from the city) there is a dearth of cute, reliable men in San Diego. Lots of flakes and guys who can't commit. I found people to be less friendly than in San Francisco and Los Angeles. On the plus side, the traffic is not as bad as in most major cities, but the entire city is built on canyons and mesas, so there is often only one road that goes where you want to go.  In terms of where to live, Hillcrest and North Park are the Gayborhoods. Aside from East County (Lakeside, El Cajon, and Santee) almost everywhere in the county is gay friendly. You might not find a gay bar in Otay Mesa, but you will find gay people.  

If you lived in one of the "urban mesa" communities like Hillcrest, University Heights, Normal Heights, or Talmadge you would be commuting to Chula Vista when everyone else would be commuting from it in the morning and the reverse in the afternoon. There are a lot of cute houses from the 1920's to the 1950's in these communities, but many of them were built prior to the enactment of strict building codes and can turn into money pits. There was a wave of "gut rehabs" in the 2000's that weren't "gut rehabs" at all. They were paint, granite, and stainless steel jobs on old houses. 

I don't want to say you should turn down the job, but understand you will not be relocating to a real city. 

 

I live in Huntington Beach now so SD might be a step up to the next level.

"Hooterville by the sea" sounds like what I remember from visits to my Aunt back in the 90s.  But I loved that. 

 She was big into theater and the arts, and loved a place in Pacific Beach called The Green Flash where she enjoyed a nice prime rib and a margarita.  I expect living there now is quite different vs. 25 years ago.

With the perfect weather, it seemed like paradise in those days.   

 

[MscleLovr]

16 hours ago, OCClient said:

Are the gay clubs a bit more lively in SD?

IMO @OCClient you need young men to respond to get a good answer. It was decades ago that I went dancing for hours of an evening (at West Coast Production Company). Nowadays there are many places along University Avenue. (It may be personal or generational but my young partner (aged 29) has no interest in going to gay clubs/bars)

 

10 hours ago, rvwnsd said:

if you like theater, The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, and Moonlight Theater in Vista are the places for you

To which list, if you enjoy classical music, I’d add the La Jolla Music Society. It’s a good and well-organized group that presents excellent work with some star performers. Some 7 years ago, I spent a week one Winter going to wonderful piano recitals by Daniil Trifonov. The LJMS raised enough funds to build an excellent concert hall in the village, the Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, which opened in 2019. Subscriptions to concerts cost from $50 for the cheapest seats to $100 for the most expensive. 

 

10 hours ago, rvwnsd said:

there is a dearth of cute, reliable men in San Diego. Lots of flakes and guys who can't commit.

It was ever thus, if you’re talking about paid companions. SD has always attracted a lot of transients (based on my experiences 1976-1990) But if you’re fit and in decent shape, meeting others should not be a problem. 
 

@rvwnsd is quite correct about the Marines being in Oceanside. There was a minor scandal there years ago with young Marines being filmed having sex with men for money (in an Oceanside condo IIRC). I had the sense back then that it was easier to meet Marines when they were away from Oceanside. (As an aside, it’s how I met my nextdoor neighbour in Point Loma. He was an older gay man with a nice pool that he invited me to use whenever I wanted - he’d seen me returning home the previous evening with a nice young Marine Corpsman). 

Edited July 11, 2022 by MscleLovr

[+ FreshFluff]

I absolutely loved Coronado Island. The heavy military presence  and “Arrest Fauci” signs somehow add to the ambience.

[rvwnsd]

On 7/11/2022 at 8:11 AM, MscleLovr said:

..It was ever thus, if you’re talking about paid companions. SD has always attracted a lot of transients (based on my experiences 1976-1990) But if you’re fit and in decent shape, meeting others should not be a problem. 

I moved to San Diego in 2000 at the age of 36 when I was in great shape. Guys were flaky. When someone would follow through, we'd inevitably compare stories about flakes. Hot young guys complained about flakiness, also. It's a city of flakes!

[+ Pensant]

Yes, it’s a bit bland compared with SF and LA, but I’ve always found it to be the most livable and friendly large CA metro. I’m a big outdoors guy, and the proximity to superb hiking and mountain biking trails is unequalled. I’d like a little more rain, but in the coastal areas there’s no need for a/c. The airport is small but convenient. And the eye candy is amazing. 

[OCClient]

On 7/11/2022 at 6:07 PM, FreshFluff said:

I absolutely loved Coronado Island. The heavy military presence  and “Arrest Fauci” signs somehow add to the ambience.

I drove through Coronado Island today and then down the Strand to Imperial Beach.  There is definitely a change in ambience between Coronado and Imperial Beach.  😉

I saw one large Pride flag in Imperial Beach and also a drive-in theater.  Also a street called Gaywood.  😁

Not sure I'd feel at home in either place.