Neighborhood Recommendations for me??? (Los Angeles, San Diego: apartments, neighborhoods, university)

[Naomi Manischewitz]

It looks like I may get my wish and end up back in San Diego (currently back in Los Angeles with my family after getting laid off from my job out of state) working around downtown and by SDSU (time split in both places). This might be a bit presumptuous though, but it's giving me the first sign of something to look forward to in a really long time (been very depressed since I don't have a job any longer and the job hunt hasn't been going well).

I lived in La Mesa for a year right next to Lake Murray. It was a great neighborhood and I loved my apartment, but I'm looking for a place by the beach and with more people around my age (late 20s, working professionals).

The places that fit my price range (up to $1000 for hopefully a 1bedroom but a well laidout studio could work) living with no roommates (cannot do that again!), are Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, and Claremont. La Jolla and Coronado are out due to $$$. I also took University Heights, Kensington, and North Park off my list even though I really love those areas, because of the distance from the beach. I like Point Loma around Shelter Island, but it's more of a marina there than a beach.

PB has a lot of people around my age, but it is more crowded than I would like, and it kind of caters to a wild crowd (I'm quiet and boring). I feel much more comfortable in OB which has a mix of a crowd, not as crowded, has shopping I like, but there seems to be a big problem with the homeless being all over the area (no offense but I don't like when people hang right outside my building all day knowing when I come and go). IB seems a bit ghetto but I could get a nicer apartment. Lastly, Clairemont is well located, I always found myself going there, is freeway convenient, and the buildings are probably quieter than in the other areas, but I wouldn't be walking distance to the beach which is something I really want.

What would you guys recommend for someone like me? I like being walking distance to the beach (don't need beach views), can bicycle around town without being worried that the drivers are too close to me (I drive but try to bike whenever I can), and like a quiet building. A concern I do have is making friends. When I was in San Diego, the only friends I made were through Meetup events where I had to really show my face around a lot. Ideally I would like to become friends with neighbors just because it seems easier, more natural, and more convenient. I'm not really someone who goes to bars, lounges, or things that a lot of 20something singles to for the nightlife.

One of my friends told me beach towns in San Diego work like this:
Rich people- La Jolla, Coronado, Solano Beach, Del Mar
Frat boys/Girls Gone Wild- Pacific Beach, Mission Beach
Hippies-Ocean Beach

LOL if money was no object, I would easily pick the rich people beaches, but I definitely would feel more of a community with hippies than with partiers as the runner ups.

San Diego really has a bunch of great neighborhoods and I miss it so much. I enjoyed it while living there, but I missed it even more when I was gone.

My gut is telling me OC overall is the best choice but if there are possibilities I didn't think of, I would love to hear suggestions.

[kettlepot]

I'm not really sure what it is that we can help you with. You want a beach neighborhood, but don't want to spend more than $1k/month. If La Jolla and Coronado are too expensive, IB too ghetto, MB and PB too party-central, then OB is your only option. Otherwise, move inland from the coast, and then all sorts of choices open up.

[tonyinsd]

If you can find a place where you will pay less than a grand a month without a roommate and be able to walk to a beach, you've done something right.

I guess you could put a lot of sand next to a kiddie pool and call it a beach.

[Clevelandgal]

I see signs up for studios for around 1000.00 in OB. I have no idea how they look on the inside. most of the neighborhood is great. We are very mellow professionals with likely hippie cores so maybe that is why we love it so much. The parts that are not as great are not dangerous at all, just a little grungier. The parking is the biggest thing people don't consider. It is really tight. We have a garage, but if we had to rely on street parking, crankiness could ensue.

[sdsurfer]

I live in Mission Beach, it is not as crazy as PB and not as laid back as OB but a good compromise. I think you could find a studio or 1BR for 1000.00 easily without parking. Your friends list is accurate, like yourself I can not see myself more than a few blocks from the beach so I have always been happy here. I'm sure you'll find something you like.

[Encinitan]

Originally Posted by Naomi Manischewitz

LOL if money was no object, I would easily pick the rich people beaches, but I definitely would feel more of a community with hippies than with partiers as the runner ups.

Have you looked at Encinitas? You might be getting the best of both worlds ("rich" hippies)

[Naomi Manischewitz]

Originally Posted by Encinitan

Have you looked at Encinitas? You might be getting the best of both worlds ("rich" hippies)

LMAO! I love North County but it wouldn't be a realistic commute for me.

[Naomi Manischewitz]

Originally Posted by Clevelandgal

I see signs up for studios for around 1000.00 in OB. I have no idea how they look on the inside. most of the neighborhood is great. We are very mellow professionals with likely hippie cores so maybe that is why we love it so much. The parts that are not as great are not dangerous at all, just a little grungier. The parking is the biggest thing people don't consider. It is really tight. We have a garage, but if we had to rely on street parking, crankiness could ensue.

I have viewed in person and online a lot of OB apartments. I know what you mean about parking especially by Newport. I am more of a Voltaire girl myself .

[sdurbanite]

If being next to the water is important to you, what about Crown Point or the bayside of Mission or Pacific Beach? North PB is also pretty quiet.