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| Central San Diego | Back to Top  | |
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 Central San Diego is the where the old meets the new. The featured neighborhoods of this area are: Downtown, glistening with new high rises and restored vintage buildings notable for their intricate facades and window treatments. The mix of old and new gives downtown its unique character and remarkable skyline. Facing the bay, this area overlooks a busy Embarcadero, the airport and an everchanging parade of navy, civilian ships and pleasure craft.
The Gaslamp is steps away and offers an eclectic variety of restaurants and nightlife.
Little Italy is the place to go for a tasty sandwich or an authentic pizza. The hills above the city are a mix of apartments, condos and old Victorian houses loaded with gingerbread and cupolas. The views here are spectacular.
East Village is anchored by the new ballpark and is surrounded by new development, parks and other amenities.
The Coronado Bridge ends its graceful arc in Barrio Logan and Chicano Park. The park is central to the area's heritage as one of the largest Mexican-American barrios on the West Coast.
Golden Hill’s proximity to Balboa Park and downtown businesses, its historical characteristics and its spectacular views make it popular and encourage redevelopment. The area is home to small restaurants, ethnic markets, home-grown galleries and antique stores.
Other neighborhoods in Central San Diego include Grant Hill, Harborview, Logan Heights, Marina, Memorial, Park West, Sherman Heights, South Park and Stockton.
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| Mid-City | Back to Top | |
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 Mid-City is bounded by I-8 and SR-94 giving it great access to the downtown area as well as the eastern parts of the county.
When the City of San Diego started to expand beyond the Old Town and the harbor area, it went first east into the area above Mission Valley. California Craftsman bungalows and Spanish mission architecture homes were built along wide streets, many with views. Over looking Mission Valley’s southern rim, neighborhoods like Kensington and Talmadge were built during the 1920s as upscale neighborhoods. Kensington has distinctive California-Spanish style homes sitting above steep slopes dedicated to open space. The Talmadge Gates set the neighborhood apart; over 400 trees were planted in 2000-2002 as part of the area's beautification projects.
Normal Heights grew up around the original site of California State University. San Diego State and the College Area surrounds its current site. El Cajon Boulevard serves as its shopping district.
Adams Avenue is central to many of the neighborhoods and is known for its antique shops and interesting retail areas. City Heights is enjoying a renaissance sparked by its residents. It is an ethnically diverse neighborhood located at the eastern end of Mission Valley. New commercial and residential projects are going up at a rapid pace.
Other neighborhoods include Gateway, Webster, Rolando, El Cerritos and Oak Park. Each area is a distinctive mix of cultures and architecture.
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| West San Diego | Back to Top | |
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 West San Diego wraps around the northern areas of downtown and includes Point Loma, Old Town, Mission Hills, Hillcrest, North Park, Ocean Beach, Linda Vista, University Heights, Midtown and the Midway District.
Point Loma offers residents stunning views of the city and the ocean, sometimes both. Along the upper edge of this area, Sunset Cliffs and Ocean Beach provide beaches and beach living just south of Mission Bay. Old Town is the original City of San Diego and is now a bustling state park with many restored adobes. Its shopping and restaurants are a favored destination of tourists and residents alike.
Mission Hills has many charming California bungalows and other historic types of architecture as well as charming retail districts. It is one of the oldest suburbs of San Diego. North Park borders Balboa Park and is a popular residential area close to downtown. Hillcrest is the center of the Gay and Lesbian community in San Diego with its shopping and restaurants clustered on University Avenue.
The former Naval Training Station is being redeveloped as Liberty Station, a mixed use development with housing, condominiums and a cultural center.
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| South San Diego | Back to Top | |
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 South San Diego’s larger cities are Coronado, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, National City, and includes the neighborhoods of Nestor, San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, Tijuana River Valley, Egger Highlands, Palm City, EastLake and Bonita. The City of San Diego encompasses the southern edge of the county and the busy international border crossing with Mexico.
I-5 and I-805 come together in this area and provide access for visitors and commercial traffic to the border. The border crossing at San Ysidro is the busiest in the world, rivaled only by Singapore, and Otay Mesa is not far behind.
Chula Vista is the second largest municipality in San Diego County. It is known for its small town charm and family friendly environment and includes the Eastlake and Bonita neighborhoods. Coronado lies across the bay from downtown San Diego and forms the centerpiece of its views. It is known for having one of the best beaches in the world. The island, really a peninsula, houses the military bases of the Naval Air Station North Island and Naval Amphibious Base. The village is primarily a bedroom community for San Diego executives, a haven for retired senior military officers and an internationally renowned tourist destination. The Coronado Cays, a collection of upscale homes located on the bay side of the Silver Strand, is one of the most prestigious addresses to have in the county.
Imperial Beach is only five miles from the Mexican Border and 15 miles from downtown San Diego. It offers some of the least expensive housing to be found west of the I-5. It is a resort/recreation community with a vast beach area. National City is the South Bay's center of industrial activity. The homes are usually 50 years or older.
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| East San Diego | Back to Top | |
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 Mission Valley and the mesas to the north form this section of the City. Tierrasanta is a master planned community on the eastern side of I-15. Neighborhoods in this area include Allied Gardens, Birdland, Lake Murray, Del Cerro, Grantville, San Carlos and Serra Mesa. Proximity to both I-15 and I-8 make this area accessible from all over the county and there are many businesses located in the Kearny Mesa area. Del Cerro in an enclave of single family homes located east of Mission Valley and very near the University area, San Carlos has easy access to all areas of the City but retains a sense of community. The San Diego Trolley runs through Mission Valley and connects downtown to the Fashion Valley Mall and Qualcomm Stadium. It is now being extended to the SDSU area beyond Mission Valley. Many new condominiums and apartments are currently being developed around Qualcomm Stadium. Fashion Valley and Mission Valley Center are major regional malls that draw shoppers from all over the county.
El Cajon, 15 miles east, has a cross-section of housing types from lower cost mobile homes and apartments to moderately priced condominiums to higher cost single-family residences. La Mesa, 12 miles east, is a suburban residential community as well as a commercial and trade center. The area is characterized by rolling hills. La Mesa offers affordable housing within a wide range of prices, as well as high-end luxury homes atop Mt. Helix. Lemon Grove lies eight miles east of downtown San Diego. The city still remains a small town with a rural ambience.
Santee lies 18 miles northeast and residents can ride the Trolley to Mission Valley, Downtown San Diego and as far as the U.S./Mexico Border.
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| Northeast San Diego | Back to Top | |
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 Rancho Bernardo is at the northeastern edge of the City of San Diego. Almost all of the developments in this part of the city are master-planned communities. Commercial and residential areas are carefully planned and landscaped into the hills and mesas. I-15 runs through the center of the area providing access to downtown and other areas of the county. The popular High Occupancy Vehicle lane provides commuters an express ride south every morning and north every evening. SR-56 will provide easy access to the coast when it opens in 2005. Other great neighborhoods here are Rancho Penasquitos and Scripps Ranch. The Rancho Bernardo Business Park is home to a number of major companies and offices. The Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar is nearby and neighboring Miramar, a busy commercial area as well, with many home design and furniture stores. Mira Mesa was established in the 1950s as a residential area.
Many young families are attracted to the Northeast area for its schools and recreational opportunities. The mostly single-family homes range from modest to estates. Unincorporated into the city, the Rancho Santa Fe zip code is highly desirable and other communities have grown up around the "ranch" over the years. Fairbanks Ranch, Hacienda Santa Fe, The Summit, Del Rayo, Morgan's Run and recently Rancho Cielo, Santaluz and the Crosby Estates surround the original covenant and share in its ambience.
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| North San Diego | Back to Top | |
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 The northern part of the City of San Diego includes a number of coastal neighborhoods including Pacific Beach, Bay Park, Mission Beach, La Jolla, Torrey Pines, Del Mar Heights, Carmel Valley, University City, Clairemont Mesa and Sorrento Mesa. The newer neighborhoods have spread out along the hills and bluffs above the I-5 freeway.
La Jolla offers an upscale residential area with upscale shopping and restaurants. UCSD sprawls on the mesa above La Jolla and is also a center for biotech and high-tech firms. Development of the Carmel Valley residential areas began in 1983, and there are now a variety of luxury homes, condominiums and apartments available. Residents are executives and professionals who often work in nearby Sorrento Mesa or Sorrento Valley's high-tech and bio-tech firms. Residents are active and take advantage of the area's open space.
Clairemont Mesa lies south of SR-52, west of I-805 and east of I-5. Clairemont Town Square provides one-stop access to major shops and restaurants.
Pacific Beach and Mission Beach are great beach towns with Bay Park in between. The upscale neighborhoods of Crown Point and Fiesta Island are also part of the Mission Beach area.
Young families flock to all of these northern neighborhoods because of their good schools and recreational facilities. I-5 and I-805 come together in this part of the city in a notorious merge.
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| North County | Back to Top | |
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 North County is home to Carlsbad, Del Mar, Encinitas, Escondido, Oceanside, Poway, San Marcos and Solano Beach. Coastal Carlsbad, 35 miles north of downtown San Diego, is home to La Costa and the Four Seasons. The school district ranks among the best in the county.
Del Mar is the smallest city in the county and 27 miles north of downtown San Diego. A beautiful wooded hillside area overlooks the ocean and has a resort like atmosphere.
Encinitas has grown rapidly and now encompasses the villages of Leucadia, Cardiff-By-The-Sea, and Olivenhain. It has six miles of beautiful coastline, and its schools have been recognized statewide for excellence. Escondido is 18 miles inland, and features a unique mix of agriculture, industrial firms, high-tech firms, recreational centers and parks, as well as residential areas. Oceanside is centrally located between San Diego and Los Angeles and borders Camp Pendleton. San Diego's largest coastal community, Oceanside, provides an abundant supply of new housing and condominium developments, which tend to be more affordable than in other areas of Southern California coastal cities.
Poway 23 miles northeast of San Diego within the well-populated I-15 corridor and set into the foothills is San Marcos. It located between Vista and Escondido, and known for its resort climate, rural setting, central location and affordable housing prices. Solana Beach is known for its small-town atmosphere and pristine beaches. An outstanding school system recognized.
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