Park Neighborhoods in San Diego
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7/13/2012
I've lived in San Diego for 12 years. Before moving here I lived in Chicago, Honolulu, Marin County, Portland Oregon and Napa, CA. All of them are great places to live. Chicago for the EL, museums and gravity to pull in shows, Honolulu for the ocean and great Asian restaurants, Marin and Napa for the rolling hills and fine weather (and local wines that never even make it out of the valley). Portland (and I understand Seattle is the same) has a vibrant culture encouraged by brewpubs and coffeehouses and great hikes everywhere. The weather in Portland never got me down - the trick is to buy a gortex shell and fleece.
San Diego was a disappointment to me at first (read the rest before you flip out) because it is a car culture. The rapid transit system here is a joke. It doesn't go to the airport, universities or to major work areas. The ocean is cold year-round compared to Honolulu with only a couple months (Aug/Sep) when the water is comfortable without a wetsuit.
But I love San Diego and hope to never move away and the reasons are the weather and the great neighborhoods in the old part of town.
At least 354 days per year in San Diego are like the perfect spring day in all other cities. Think of a day in mid-April when the sky is blue with big billowy clouds but no rain. A very slight breeze keeps things cool and the high temperature is 76 with humidity of 65 percent. It is the day when your co-workers say "I want to play hooky from work!" and you all laugh. Almost every day in San Diego is that day.
And if you think "I would not appreciate constant good weather, I need seasons." Think again. Would you appreciate a fine meal if you had one every day? Would you eat crappy food most of the year so that you could enjoy a good meal once a month? I doubt so. Unless you are a zombie you will appreciate every perfect day in San Diego. And your vacation plans will turn upside down. Rather than going somewhere warm in the summer you will go somewhere cold in the winter.
The other thing that sets San Diego apart is that it is a city of neighborhoods. Now I am talking about San Diego, not the surrounding towns of Del Mar, La Jolla, Oceanside, Carlsbad. I mean the neighborhoods where the houses are 80+ year-old bungalows and spanish-styles.
The neighborhoods are South Park, Burlingame, North Park, Hillcrest, Banker's Hill, Mission Hills, University Heights, Normal Heights, Talmadge and Kensington. Unless you love cookie cutter homes and vapidity you
Martin | San Diego, CA