Photo Credit: Derek Story

Nicknamed the birthplace of California, San Diego is a beautiful city located on the Pacific coast and 120 miles south of Los Angeles. As the eighth-largest city in the country and home to 1.4 million people, it’s got extensive beaches, a natural deep-water harbor, great schools and plenty of history to go with it. From Oceanside to Chula Vista, there are so many incredible cities and neighborhoods in Southern California.

San Diego also happens to be home to several good neighborhoods, some of which are older and more established while others are newer and attracting young families. Let’s take a look at the five best San Diego neighborhoods to move to in 2020.

1. Point Loma

If you’re looking for gorgeous views of the city and harbor, this is the neighborhood to choose. Once a fishing village located next to the hipster community of Ocean Beach, Point Loma now stands on its own merits.

The focus here is food, featuring a large restaurant scene known for drawing food enthusiasts from all over. Sitting on a peninsula, Point Loma has many beautiful hilltop homes as well as houses peppered below. It’s eclectic, modern and tropical all in one, with some New England-style influence thrown in for good measure.

Some key features of this neighborhood include:

Liberty Station

Sail Ho Golf Course

Tide pools at Cabrillo National Monument

Old Point Loma Lighthouse

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery

The median price of a home in Point Loma is $749,000, so it may seem pricey but it is still affordable when compared with the rest of the city.

2. South Park

This is a neighborhood of convenience, as it’s just minutes from San Diego’s downtown, boasting a long history that dates back to 1870. Situated east of downtown between Golden Hill and North Park, this neighborhood is very supportive of locally-owned businesses. In fact, there are 70 independent businesses in this area, such as handmade crafts purveyors, farm-to-table restaurants, bakeries, craft beer breweries, boutiques, bars, small grocery stores, art galleries, and yoga studios.

There’s a family-friendly vibe here, complete with tree-line streets and compact neighborhoods that are easy to walk around. Many community events take place here, such as the Old House Fair, an annual event held in June. The median price of homes here is $425,000, making it very affordable for families.

3. North Park

If you love craft beer, you will love North Park. This area has given rise to six new craft breweries over the past decade, along with other local businesses including restaurants and coffee shops. This neighborhood features Craftsman style homes and a pedestrian-friendly downtown, with farmer’s and vintage flea markets.

It’s home to the SDCCU Festival of the Arts, a free event held in May with live music, urban art and a craft beer block. There are many events held here that are free and family-friendly, thanks to a tight-knit community that has its own historical society and a thriving volunteer scene. The median home price is reasonable for the area, at under $500,000.

4. Mission Beach

This busy neighborhood is a great choice for beach lovers, featuring two miles of beaches stretching from Mission Bay to Pacific Beach. If you love the outdoors, this is the neighborhood for you.

The beach offers opportunities to swim, surf, and play volleyball, with the boardwalk at Mission Beach the ideal spot for biking, walking and inline skating. Belmont Park is nearby, featuring all kinds of entertainment in its beachfront amusement center, including the Big Dipper, a 73-foot-tall vintage roller coaster dating to 1925.

The neighborhood is very trendy with many condos and beach apartments — a big draw for the young and single. In terms of properties, you’ll find upscale modern homes, old-style beach cottages and pastel-colored homes. Real estate in Mission Beach here has skyrocketed by nine percent in the last year, with the median price of about $1.2 million.

5. El Cerrito

This hillside community used to be covered in lemon and orange orchards, but now it’s a thriving college community. Dubbed “the Little Hill,” this community sits west of San Diego State University, drawing both students and those employed at the university. It’s close to major throughways such as Interstates 8 and 805, which makes commuting to the city easier.

The neighborhood’s character: this is what brings people here. You’ll find many bistros and ethnic restaurants within an eclectic commercial district. It’s an easy neighborhood to stroll around, and it’s very clean. Unique attractions include the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Park, Point Isabel, and Wildcat Canyon Regional Park.

Homes here sell for around $500,000, making it a good investment for any up and comer.

Summary

Overall no matter what neighborhood you pick, there is a great place in San Diego for you or your family. There is a good reason why it’s one of the best places to live in the U.S. going into 2020. Have you lived in San Diego before? What’s your favorite place to call home in the city?