Neighborhood Spotlight: San Diego, CA

There are many people out there who will tell you that San Diego has it all. It’s one of the country’s biggest cities with a vibrant downtown scene and a host of eclectic and trendy bars, restaurants, nightclubs, performance venues, museums, and art galleries. Yet it also retains a laid-back, beachy, Southern-California vibe with nearly perfect year-round weather that makes it truly stand out from other cities its size. 

San Diego at a glance

San Diego is the second-largest city in California and the eighth-largest city in the United States. Known as the “birthplace of California”, it’s the first place on the west coast visited by Europeans. Located 120 miles from Los Angeles and bordering Mexico, San Diego is famous for its perfect year-round climate, its 70 miles of beautiful beaches, its natural deep-water harbor, and its long relationship with the U.S. Navy. The city has a population of nearly 1.3 million residents and a huge array of attractions, including the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

San Diego neighborhoods

As you might imagine given its large size, San Diego is comprised of many smaller neighborhoods, each with its own unique character. Some of the most prominent neighborhoods include:

• Mission Hills — One of the more affluent neighborhoods of San Diego, Mission Hills is located north of downtown and is known for its Craftsman-style and Prairie School homes, diverse restaurants, and mom-and-pop shops.
• Pacific Beach — For a beachy, laid-back vibe, head to Pacific Beach. It’s famous for its beach bars and attracts a large number of young residents.
• Bankers Hill — Located just north of downtown, Bankers Hill has a mix of older homes by notable architects and new, high-rise condos with views of the ocean.
• Little Italy — Little Italy is a very walkable neighborhood with some of the city’s hottest restaurants and bars and it’s home to one of the most popular farmers markets in the area.
• Hillcrest — Hillcrest is full of beautiful Craftsman and Spanish-style homes and is the heart of San Diego’s LGBTQ community. It’s also easy to access from several freeways.
• Gaslamp Quarter — The Gaslamp Quarter is the historic core of downtown San Diego. This is where you’ll find bars, nightclubs, and plenty of tourists.
• East Village — The East Village is a revitalized warehouse district and is home to eclectic restaurants, bars, boutiques, and music venues. It’s also where you’ll find Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres.
• Barrio Logan — Barrio Logan is the center of San Diego’s vibrant Hispanic community and attracts young professionals and artists to its Mexican eateries and cutting-edge art galleries.
• North Park — North Park is where you’ll find San Diego’s hipsters as well as coffee houses, art galleries, and a burgeoning craft beer scene.
• South Park — Notably quieter than North Park, South Park still attracts its fair share of indie boutiques, eclectic cafes and craft breweries.
• University Heights — This hip and friendly neighborhood has many renovated Craftsman-style homes and offers quirky dining, shopping, and nightlife.
• Normal Heights — Located next to University Heights, Normal Heights boasts a free-spirited environment that challenges what is truly “normal” in San Diego.

A brief history of San Diego

In 1542, Spaniard Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was the first European to visit the area, which he claimed for the Spanish Empire. However, Spaniards did not begin to permanently colonize the region until May 1769, when governor Gaspar de Portola established Fort Presidio of San Diego. When Mexico won independence from Spain in 1821, San Diego became part of Mexican territory. In 1846, the United States waged war against Mexico and the region was ceded to the Americans. California became a state just a few short years later, in 1850, and San Diego was incorporated as a city. It remained a backwater until 1878 when the city got its first railroad connection. The U.S. Navy established a station in San Diego in 1901 and expanded significantly in the 1920s. During World War II, San Diego was a hub of military activity and the population rapidly grew after the war.

San Diego amenities

There are more than 70 miles of pristine beaches in San Diego County, which stretch from the Mexican border all the way to Oceanside in North County San Diego. Residents and visitors will never run out of ocean-related activities to enjoy including surfing, snorkeling, scuba-diving, kayaking, beach volleyball, stand-up paddleboarding and more. 

San Diego’s Balboa Park is often called the “Smithsonian of the West” because of its concentration of cultural attractions. Here you’ll find 16 museums, performance venues, gardens, trails and other attractions including the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Air & Space Museum, the San Diego Automotive Museum, the San Diego History Center, the Japanese Friendship Garden, and the San Diego Museum of Art.

San Deigo is the perfect place for golf lovers. San Diego County features nearly 90 golf courses, giving you endless options to perfect your swing. There are also endless outdoor adventures to be had in the San Diego area. San Diego is the most biologically diverse area in California where you can enjoy hiking rugged mountain peaks with spectacular panoramic views, strolling lazy streams under the shade of oak and pine trees, or taking in the silence and majesty of open desert spaces.

San Diego schools

Most public school students in San Diego are served by the San Diego Unified School District, which is the second-largest school district in the state. There are also several colleges and universities located in San Diego, including the University of California San Diego, San Diego State University, University of San Diego, and Brandman University, among others.

Explore San Diego today

Are you ready to experience the warm weather, big-city thrills, and laid-back vibe of San Diego? Then view available properties and schedule your private showing today!