{"id":252,"date":"2014-07-28T15:42:09","date_gmt":"2014-07-28T22:42:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/apartmentsbstg.wpengine.com\/?p=252"},"modified":"2025-07-21T16:15:24","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T23:15:24","slug":"guide-living-san-diego","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/guide-living-san-diego\/","title":{"rendered":"A Guide To Living In San Diego"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>San Diego is an oasis, the epitome of California living from its idyllic beaches where residents can spend the morning surfing, running and swimming and their evenings sitting by a bonfire watching the sunset to the great food and burgeoning cultural locales like Little Italy and the Gaslamp Quarter.<\/p>\n<p>The area owes much of its diversity to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, the Anza-Borrego Desert, and the Laguna Mountains, and not to mention Mexico. The county is a melting pot of culture and geography.<\/p>\n<p>You can\u2019t talk about San Diego County without also mentioning the 16 U.S. Naval and Military reserves and bases, which happen to be among the largest employers in the area.<\/p>\n<p>To the residents, the area is a secret sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. For those seeking a casual and laid-back lifestyle with ever-accessible beach, look no further. Here are some of the reasons why we think you should call San Diego your next home:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"nectar-button n-sc-button medium accent-color regular-button\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/locations\/san-diego.html\" data-color-override=\"#f6653c\" data-hover-color-override=\"false\" data-hover-text-color-override=\"#fff\"><span>Apartments in San Diego<\/span><\/a>\n<h2><strong>Location, Location, Location<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>San Diego is the land of opportunity. If you want to go surfing you can, if you want to go hiking or biking in the mountains, it\u2019s just a drive away, if you want to go ATVing in the desert then by all means, AND if you want to do all of those things in a single day it is entirely possible. With ideal geographical location and mild temperate climate, San Diegans can enjoy outdoor living whenever they want.<\/p>\n<p>The San Diego region is made up of several areas, each with its own distinctive characteristics and activities. The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/locations\/san-diego\/la-jolla.html\">La Jolla<\/a>\u00a0area is great for young professionals with its close proximity to UCSD and more.\u00a0Chula Vista\u00a0is the 2<sup>nd<\/sup> largest city in the County and is growing at an incredible pace. Encinitas is the \u201cburbs\u201d of SD, which is great for singles and families alike! Pacific Beach and the Gaslamp District in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/locations\/san-diego\/downtown.html\">Downtown San Diego<\/a> is where the nightlife of SD thrives. Torrey Pines\u00a0is known for its low crime rates and high income per capita.<\/p>\n<h2><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-295 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-515671556-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Downtown San Diego\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-515671556-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-515671556-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-515671556-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-515671556-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-515671556.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><strong>Unrivaled Outdoor Shopping &amp; Dining<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The design of The Village La Jolla, Del Mar Plaza, Horton Plaza Mall, and other shopping centers in San Diego take full advantage of the great California weather by immersing shoppers in a unique open air shopping experience.<\/p>\n<p>Due to the close proximity to the ocean, beach cities in San Diego offer many \u201con the water\u201d dining opportunities. Some of our favorites include:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>George\u2019s at The Cove (La Jolla)<\/li>\n<li>Point Loma Seafoods (Downtown San Diego)<\/li>\n<li>Enoteca Adriano (Pacific Beach)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-292 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-490826207-1024x671.jpg\" alt=\"Sunset at La Jolla cove beach, San Diego, California\" width=\"1024\" height=\"671\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-490826207-1024x671.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-490826207-500x328.jpg 500w, https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-490826207-768x504.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-490826207.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><strong>Nationally Acclaimed Private and Public Schools<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>San Diego isn\u2019t just known for its beautiful beaches and waves, it is also home to some of the best research universities in the Country from University of California, San Diego to the University of San Diego.<\/p>\n<p>While colleges excel in San Diego, so do many of the high schools. \u00a0The seven high schools below all rank in the Top 50 \u2013 Best High Schools in California:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The Preuss School (La Jolla)<\/li>\n<li>San Diego High School of International Studies (San Diego)<\/li>\n<li>Canyon Crest Academy (San Diego)<\/li>\n<li>Westview High School (San Diego)<\/li>\n<li>Torrey Pines High (San Diego)<\/li>\n<li>La Jolla High School (La Jolla)<\/li>\n<li>Coronado High School (Coronado)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-293 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-56674369-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Life in San Diego\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-56674369-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-56674369-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-56674369-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-56674369-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-56674369.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><strong>Places to Go<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>San Diego didn\u2019t host more than 32 million visitors in 2012 because of sheer luck \u2013 there\u2019s an endless array of places to visit depending on what you want to do and where you may want to go. Our top favorites include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Scuba diving off the coast near La Jolla Cove for the sheer thrill of swimming in the expansive Pacific Ocean<\/li>\n<li>Old Town San Diego for authentic ambiance<\/li>\n<li>The Gaslamp District for shopping and food<\/li>\n<li>Little Italy for mouth-watering food and cultural experience<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you have a dog, be sure to check out this article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/rental-living\/14-dog-friendly-locations-visit-san-diego\/\">14 Dog-Friendly Locations to Visit in San Diego<\/a>, as well as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/rental-living\/best-dog-friendly-restaurants-san-diego\/\">dog-friendly restaurants in San Diego<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-294 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-861260466-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Craft Beer San Diego\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-861260466-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-861260466-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-861260466-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-861260466-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/GettyImages-861260466.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><strong>Food and Drinks (Craft Beers)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>San Diego\u2019s close proximity to Mexico has lent itself to a unique opportunity to enjoy traditional American style dishes with a Mexican twist. When it comes to craft beers, this county is far ahead of L.A.! Our favorites include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/alesmith.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">AleSmith<\/a>: What other brewery owner can say they\u2019re a certified Master Beer Budge? None.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.pizzaport.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pizza Port<\/a>: One of San Diego\u2019s oldest breweries \u2013 and it\u2019s still mom and pop run.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.stonebrew.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stone<\/a>\u00a0Brewery: One of the best known in the craft beer movement.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/lostabbey.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lost Abbey<\/a>: Belgian-inspired beers with a religious theme.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>The Scenery and Activities<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The geography and temperate of this city truly lends itself to outdoor lovers. From kayaking to running, hot-air balloons and everything in between, the list is endless. Aside from the activities, if you\u2019re a beach bum you could just lounge around at the beach or at home and enjoy the great ocean breeze and scenic views.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Local Favorites<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Shh . . . these local SD favorites are sure to excite:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/pannikincoffeeandtea.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pannikin Coffee &amp; Tea<\/a>\u00a0in Encinitas. If you really need a jolt, opt for the \u201cKeith Richard\u201d<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/urbansolace.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Urban Solace<\/a>\u00a0in San Diego where you should try the \u201cDuckaroni\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Whale and Dolphin Watching at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/torreypine.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Torrey Pines State Park<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.balboapark.org\/in-the-park\/organ-pavilion-stage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Organ Pavilion at Balboa Park<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sdbgarden.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Quail Botanical Gardens<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The geography and temperate of San Diego truly lends itself to outdoor lovers. From kayaking to running, hot-air balloons and everything in between, the list is endless.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":290,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[17],"class_list":["post-252","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-apartment-search","tag-san-diego"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/252","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=252"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/252\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/290"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=252"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=252"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.irvinecompanyapartments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=252"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}