When seen from the San Diego mainland, Coronado seems a far-off, magical kingdom, surrounded by the glittering sea and flag-like sailboats. Accessible only by ferry or by the arching blue Coronado bridge, the one-of-a-kind city sits on its own exclusive island. Because space is limited, real estate prices are high, and the community enjoys a high standard of living resulting in paramount business districts. While the island is chiefly famed for its historic Hotel Del Coronado, visitors and residents alike enjoy top restaurants, boutiques, galleries, and a beach ranked second in the country by the Travel Channel.
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Where the surf meets the turf, as Bing Crosby famously sang, stands the exquisite city of Del Mar. Because the wealthy seaside village is limited in size, it retains a coveted small-town feel—except when summer comes. Then it flourishes with visitors from its great southerly neighbor, San Diego, along with others from all across the country, flocking by the thousands to the racetrack at the illustrious Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Del Mar also hosts the San Diego County Fair on its giant fairgrounds, an event the scope of a Disney amusement park. However, Del Mar offers much quieter attractions as well, like lovely beaches, excellent dining, and a standard of living only rivaled by its neighbors, La Jolla and Rancho Santa Fe.
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While San Diego’s downtown isn’t overwhelmingly large, it more than compensates in character, class, and dazzling quantities of exuberance. Its crux, of course, is the historic Gaslamp Quarter, an entertainment Mecca comprised of sixteen square blocks. Most of the Gaslamp’s Victorian commercial buildings and facades were built during the turn of the century, and are now home to eclectic restaurants, massive nightclubs, shopping of every variety, and art galleries. Directly west is the harbor, and its own maritime brand of shops and seafood restaurants. Further south, the mammoth convention center hosts scores of conferences yearly, and neighboring it is the magnificent new ballpark, Petco Park. Downtown is booming like never before, and as a result, condo developments scrape the skies as people clamor for the area’s convenience, excitement, and panoramic views.
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Hillcrest is often touted as San Diego’s most diverse neighborhood, and rightly so. Just up the hill from Downtown, the community is populated by a thriving gay population, as well as artists, intellectuals, and other free-thinkers. Because of this, Hillcrest’s picturesque streets, twinkling with Christmas lights year-round, are lined by charming specialty boutiques, vintage clothing stores, international restaurants, galleries, coffee shops, and used bookstores. The community’s nightlife is prosperous, with venues ranging from local dives to fancy nightclubs. Balboa Park, home of the San Diego Zoo as well as countless museums, is within walking distance, and the Gaslamp Quarter is just a short cab ride away. Few cities can boast a community as rich and distinctive as Hillcrest, one of San Diego’s very best.
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Whether or not the name La Jolla refers to the Spanish term for jewel, La Joya, everyone who visits or settles in this affluent, beachfront wonderland agrees it is a treasure. Several of the most picturesque beaches in the nation can be found here, from the massive cliffs at Black’s to the sunset rocks humped with sea lions at the Cove. Downtown La Jolla is a Mediterranean-like village of high-class boutiques, cafes, award-winning restaurants, and art galleries catering to the area’s prosperous population. Inland, colossal hotels, the University Towne Center Mall, condo developments, and biomedical business centers overlook rugged canyons and groves of eucalyptus trees. One of the top-ranked universities in the nation, UCSD, has made La Jolla its home, and provides work to scores of bioengineers, chemists, physicians, and others in critical scientific professions.
Established in the 1920s, harborside Little Italy is Downtown San Diego’s oldest continuous business district; yet the community is a world apart from the city’s taxing white-collar hustle. Although much of its industry and architecture stems from its Mediterranean namesake, it maintains a flair that is distinctly San Diegan, as well as a strong sense of community. Known as an epicenter for epicures, the area’s eating options range from grab-and-go meatball subs to fine Italian dining, both classic and innovative. The area is also home to many art galleries and other creative endeavors. Among many other celebrations, Little Italy hosts a popular ArtWalk each year, drawing in artists and art-loving attendees from all over the county.
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Mira Mesa is one of San Diego’s largest communities, with a stand-alone population of over 80,000. While the area boasts a favorable proximity to greater San Diego, the beach districts, and North County all at once, Mira Mesa is essentially a suburban city of its own. It is also of the last remaining places in the city to buy a likeable home at an affordable price, in a respectable, solidly established community. Although it lacks the historic, cultural panache of neighborhoods like Old Town and Hillcrest, Mira Mesa boasts every commercial convenience imaginable from restaurants to shopping supercenters, as well as a fine quality of life for all of its residents.
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Mission Valley is where San Diego comes to shop. Not one, but two shopping malls are located in this sprawling valley: Fashion Valley and Westfield’s Mission Valley, with stores targeting those from trendy teenagers to ultra-upscale fashionistas. Beyond the malls, innumerable shopping centers, vast chain restaurants, and other money-magnets mob the valley. Hotel Circle is a never-ending strip of hotels, from low-end inns to expansive resorts, frequented by tourists and the convention center crowd because of the area’s convenience to the freeways. Mission Valley is grand, humbling, and often confusing, but once its infrastructures are mastered, it truly is a shopper’s paradise.
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North Park is one of San Diego’s most up-and-coming communities. Although many regions of San Diego claim to be the heart of the city, geographically North Park claims the true center: east of Hillcrest and immediately north of Balboa Park. Stemming from its matchless diversity, the community is rapidly emerging as one of San Diego’s newest cultural and artistic cores. As the area has matured, winning proprietors have drifted in to open a superlative variety of establishments, from award-winning restaurants to unique nightlife attractions. The community has also distinguished itself by hosting Ray at Night, a monthly festival where the myriad art galleries on North Park’s Ray street congregate to showcase the work of local artists.
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Before there was San Diego, there was Old Town, now a state-designated historic park showcasing the city’s Mexican heritage. Old adobe houses surround courtyards overflowing with bougainvilleas, weathered fountains, and crowds dressed in striking colors. There are over thirty restaurants to choose from, along with a number of rancho-themed hotels, specialty shops, and art galleries. For a thrilling twist, visit some of the community’s famous haunted places, such as the Whaley House and the Villa Montezuma. The area also offers countless cultural attractions, from trolley tours to historical sites, like the Victorian-age settlement Heritage Park. Several times a year, the park explodes in music to celebrate cultural festivals and holidays, drawing revelers from all over.
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When twentysomethings dream of San Diego, Pacific Beach is the real-life manifestation of the scenes they conjure up. Tanned, fit young people massing a busy boardwalk, rolling by on beachcruiser bicycles. Bikinis and board shorts. Beer on the beach-legally. Boisterous restaurants, and countless bars boasting rock-bottom prices and floors littered with peanuts and fresh beach sand. Pacific Beach more than lives up to its partying reputation, and yet the sunny community offers many attractions for those older (and younger) than its core demographic. Fun shops, including the unique import emporium Pangaea Outpost, top seafood restaurants, and tropical spa resorts are just some of the area’s universal appeals, not to mention the beautiful beach itself. No matter their ages, “P.B.” keeps its visitors and residents young.
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Ringed by the San Diego and Mission Bays, Point Loma is a four-mile peninsula, much of it military-owned. But its remainder boasts an eclectic assortment of businesses, attractions like Sunset Cliffs and Sea World, and residences ranging from modest condos to mansions. The iPayOne Center, formerly the San Diego Sports Arena, hosts a variety of sporting events as well as the city’s largest weekend swap meet, a veritable carnival of discount delights. Adjacent to Point Loma’s main bulk are Shelter Island, home of the Yacht Club and seafood restaurants attached by a causeway, and Ocean Beach, a exuberant surfer neighborhood saturated in funky character. Marine attractions like sailing and swimming are also popular draws, and lucky visitors often spot migrating grey whales moving through Point Loma waters.
Rancho Santa Fe is not just San Diego’s most affluent community; it’s the highest-income community in the country with a population of over one thousand households. Located four miles east of the ocean, the area is one of vast, verdant hills, thriving vegetation, and rambling trails for the leisure-loving residents and their horses. In the small town center, there are no streetlights, nor streets with more than two lanes. However, there are a handful of restaurants fancy enough to rival the San Diego’s best, along with a couple world-class resort hotels for those who would like to enjoy the area’s splendor without committing to buy a home. In exclusive Rancho Santa Fe, it takes a lot-the most expensive homes on the market touch $40 million.
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