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My long-term boyfriend and I are very possibly relocating from Chicago to San Diego as of June, this year. We are planning a networking/exploring visit early March, and would love some advice. I have been reading on this forum for the past few hours, and haven't been 100% satisfied with other's inquiries. Here is what I'd like to know:
1. Can someone personally recommend a realtor to me, who will be 100% honest with areas and work very hard to help me find either a house/condo to purchase or rent within my short timeline?
* If you cannot recommend a realtor, do you personally know someone looking to rent out their home as of June-ish? We are moving with (2) 5 lb dogs (very clean and well-behaved - also, adorable JS).
2. What are good ways to make friends in the San Diego area? In Chicago, it's very difficult unless you work or go to school with someone. People aren't the most friendly!
3. Is there anything California state-specific that one should be aware of before moving? I heard there is difficulty with registering a car, due to smog testing and such (My boyfriend is a Subaru enthusiast, and has all kinds of modifications done. He is involved in Subaru forums and looking into what he needs to do to prepare his car, so I don't need car advice, but is there anything else I should know?!)
4. Are there any networking or other events that would be worth attending? My potential visit dates are March 4-10.
5. We would love to hit the town while we are there. We are looking to stay at the Andaz hotel. Can anyone recommend some fun clubs/lounges that coincide with the Andaz atmosphere?
6. if I were to visit 2 malls, which ones would you recommend?
7. And finally, we probably won't have too much time to dedicate to beaches, but which one would you highly recommend? I'm looking for one that isn't too crowded, but has beautiful/clean sand and maybe some restaurants or places we could walk to.
San Diego beaches: Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, and Pacific Beach can all be visited in one afternoon. Don't think any will be that busy. Ocean Beach is low key and funky vibe. PB has lots of clubs and restaurants.
Malls: Fashion Valley in Mission Valley
Realtor: I am working with Anthony Manzon with Keller Williams. I live in Michigan and considering a SD condo. Have been visiting SD for about 25 years.
#2. Friends...are you an alum from a Big Ten University, NFL fan, etc.? Pacific Beach for one place (The Gaslamp being another) has bars catering to just about every major college and NFL team you can think of. Find out where your's is and go for games with your colors on...you'll have no problem meeting people.
#3. Smog Tests...don't worry about it. You need to pay like $50 every other year I believe. Our two 2003 junkers passed both times.
#6. I'd recommend the Fashion Valley Mall and Horton Plaza Mall I guess.
#7. The first place I bring out of town visitors is Mission Beach/Belmont Park/Wavehouse. Go have lunch and a couple drinks at the Wavehouse and enjoy the sand and surf (two wave machines for surfers and body boarders). Plenty of shopping and little bars/restaurants within walking distance of the main parking lot.
But the best rated beach is Coronado. You can drive over the bridge and park as close as you can to the famous and beautiful Hotel del Coronado, and before hitting the pristine beach, check out the hotel.
Or you can pay $6 for a round trip 'people ferry' from the spot near the Maritime Museum/Ruth's Chris/Anthony's. The view of the city can't be beat and it takes you to a little beach once again, with a great view of the city. There are some restaurants and shops right there too. You can rent a bike to drive it all around the island and check out the Hotel del Coronado.
I hope this helps!
p.s. Other things I do with visitors...dinner in Old Town, Seaport Village, The Gaslamp District, Little Italy...and that's not including all the great scenic things to do and see like hiking, etc.
My long-term boyfriend and I are very possibly relocating from Chicago to San Diego as of June, this year. We are planning a networking/exploring visit early March, and would love some advice. I have been reading on this forum for the past few hours, and haven't been 100% satisfied with other's inquiries. Here is what I'd like to know:
1. Can someone personally recommend a realtor to me, who will be 100% honest with areas and work very hard to help me find either a house/condo to purchase or rent within my short timeline?
* If you cannot recommend a realtor, do you personally know someone looking to rent out their home as of June-ish? We are moving with (2) 5 lb dogs (very clean and well-behaved - also, adorable JS).
2. What are good ways to make friends in the San Diego area? In Chicago, it's very difficult unless you work or go to school with someone. People aren't the most friendly!
3. Is there anything California state-specific that one should be aware of before moving? I heard there is difficulty with registering a car, due to smog testing and such (My boyfriend is a Subaru enthusiast, and has all kinds of modifications done. He is involved in Subaru forums and looking into what he needs to do to prepare his car, so I don't need car advice, but is there anything else I should know?!)
4. Are there any networking or other events that would be worth attending? My potential visit dates are March 4-10.
5. We would love to hit the town while we are there. We are looking to stay at the Andaz hotel. Can anyone recommend some fun clubs/lounges that coincide with the Andaz atmosphere?
6. if I were to visit 2 malls, which ones would you recommend?
7. And finally, we probably won't have too much time to dedicate to beaches, but which one would you highly recommend? I'm looking for one that isn't too crowded, but has beautiful/clean sand and maybe some restaurants or places we could walk to.
Thank you, in advance, for your responses!!
I'll give a contrary ''beach' opinion to the previous reply, with all due respect: Ocean Beach is not low key and funky; it used to be the hippie beach but now has more transients and drug activity. Pacific Beach has the boardwalk and some tourists, but PB itself is a college party town atmosphere with large numbers of tanning salons and tattoo parlors. Also transient population and some drug activity. Not saying you cannot enjoy these places. PB is fun for some to check out, and tourists seem to find their way to the boardwalk, which does have really cool bungalow hotel right on the boardwalk/over the ocean!
Coronado Island is lovely; the beach is wide and beautiful, though tends toward windy [not as much off shore protection]. The 'hotel Del' is a landmark old hotel. It's right on the beach; you could have a drink there and enjoy. You can also park in downtown Coronado and walk. Plan your timing around traffic, since there is only one bridge over to the island. Weekends can be crowded, as can regular commute hours during weekdays. That time of year is not super touristy, though.
Mission Beach crowd and amusement park can be hit or miss, depending on time of day and other factors. Depends on your scene and what you like. Not sure from your initial post. I think if you want malls and upscale, you may not be particularly enamored with MB, PB or OB (kind of seedy) and you may want to go for Del Mar instead.
Avoid 'the Cove' in downtown La Jolla; although famous, there's no beach to walk down on and people visit hte seals instead-it's a political, long standing issue, but the seals stink up the air there. Not pleasant. La Jolla Shores is completely different-some people, residents included, get them confused.
La Jolla Shores [not downtown LJ] is a nice, quiet family beach, usually uncrowded [summers excepted]. Not many shops or anything within walking distance. Del Mar village [north of La Jolla] is lovely with many walkable shops, great restaurants, beautiful beach. All of SD beaches are beautiful; most are pretty clean, safe and quiet. Encinitas [another great small city in north county] has moonlight beach; it's also walking distance to the 101 and a number of great restaurants in encinitas proper. Don't know the Andaz hotel or its location, so I cannot tell you re: clubs or lounges.
I can tell you that SD is does not have one single 'epicenter'. ie, many people think 'downtown' is a hub. It is not and has only in recent years been gentrified. It is not a place where many people go regularly or at all, when living in SD, nor is it a place that many people commute to daily for work. In fact, not many people work downtown. Many tourists go there and there are some clubs. There is some newer residential high rise development, too.
SD is a series of spread out suburbs, each with their own characteristics, emphasis on 'suburb'. Not that many areas with character, lots of strip malls. The areas with more character include central SD [hillcrest/north park/kensington area, not far from downtown, if this type of residential area is of interest to you], and la jolla proper, del mar, encinitas all have a bit, too.
I think Del Mar village [google it or look up chamber of commerce] is a place you will get a lot of mileage out of-restaurants, shops and a beach, all within a short stroll of one another. Also, just a couple of miles away [in fact, during low tide, you can walk between there and Del Mar] is Torrey Pines State beach; there's a hiking trail down to the beach, from the cliffs above [do this during low tide-less than 30 minutes] and it's next to the world famous Torrey Pines golf course. This is a stop many tourists make, if only to park above the beach and take in the view.
Just north of Del Mar, Solana Beach [small coastal community] has Cedros art district, a walkable street with plenty of great shops, a few restaurants and in general a nice, friendly vibe. Belly Up Tavern [has live acts and a SD institution of sorts] is also along this street.
If you can hit up a farmer's market, that's a nice way to get a feel for the area. Little Italy's market on Saturday mornings is fantastic. It's quite large, walkable and near downtown. La Jolla also has a good sized market. You can google the area markets for locations and times.
Balboa Park, near the SD Zoo [also a 'world famous zoo', according to some], is a beautiful park with many museums, some free botanical gardens [really just an oversized greenhouse, but the park as a whole is worth having a look]. If you're in that area, I'd say to stop by. Residents get free museum admission on Tuesdays (they rotate which museums are free on a weekly basis), so it's something to keep in mind for your pending move.
Many things in SD, including the coastal communities mentioned, are within 20 minutes drive, for the most part.
I don't know anything re: realtors, subaru mods and smog. Malls: Depends on what you like. Probably UTC Westfield, Fashion Valley or Horton Plaza will fit the bill. Del Mar Highlands has some nice boutiques (many local) and restaurants. Carlsbad and Chula Vista have outlet malls; they're further driving distance given your limited time.
Regarding socializing, I've heard different things from different demographics [hard to meet people to date, hard to meet people to socialize, etc]. I guess it depends on a person's individual experiences and/or interests. Meetup dot com is always a great tool to use. I think there's a meetup for every known interest or hobby that exists. Okay, not really. But if you like books, wine, running, cycling, knitting, poetry, cars, any sport, etc, there is likely a meetup. They are usually free, too. This seems like a great way to meet people. Otherwise, I'd say to avail yourself of many of the free street festivals and activities, and find a local spot or two (ie, restaurant or bar) that you love [even if it's not in your neighborhood, just a cool place you love, and you'll likely meet some people.]
They say it takes about 2 years to really feel settled somewhere; in my experience of living in several states over the last twenty years, I'd say that's mostly true. Sometimes, personal luck will make things go really quickly and you feel like you've been in a given place forever, fast friends, etc. Others, it just takes more time. Patience and perseverance. Good luck to you and I'm sure others on this board will provide much more detailed input for you.
#2. Friends...are you an alum from a Big Ten University, NFL fan, etc.? Pacific Beach for one place (The Gaslamp being another) has bars catering to just about every major college and NFL team you can think of. Find out where your's is and go for games with your colors on...you'll have no problem meeting people.
#3. Smog Tests...don't worry about it. You need to pay like $50 every other year I believe. Our two 2003 junkers passed both times.
#6. I'd recommend the Fashion Valley Mall and Horton Plaza Mall I guess.
#7. The first place I bring out of town visitors is Mission Beach/Belmont Park/Wavehouse. Go have lunch and a couple drinks at the Wavehouse and enjoy the sand and surf (two wave machines for surfers and body boarders). Plenty of shopping and little bars/restaurants within walking distance of the main parking lot.
But the best rated beach is Coronado. You can drive over the bridge and park as close as you can to the famous and beautiful Hotel del Coronado, and before hitting the pristine beach, check out the hotel.
Or you can pay $6 for a round trip 'people ferry' from the spot near the Maritime Museum/Ruth's Chris/Anthony's. The view of the city can't be beat and it takes you to a little beach once again, with a great view of the city. There are some restaurants and shops right there too. You can rent a bike to drive it all around the island and check out the Hotel del Coronado.
I hope this helps!
p.s. Other things I do with visitors...dinner in Old Town, Seaport Village, The Gaslamp District, Little Italy...and that's not including all the great scenic things to do and see like hiking, etc.
well, you are luck re: the smog; we've had issues with our camrys more than once. and they are in state already. most recent was a 99 camry with very low miles. so i'm not sure the OP should 'not worry about it'. I think it's def. something to look into ahead of time.
I'm originally from Chicago area--lived in Wrigleyville and Lincoln Park and lived in San Diego for four years, all of which were in North County. I personally think living north of the 52 is a must by I guess that depends on your taste---I think I can help! =o)
Last I checked, a good way to look for rentals is www.sdreader.com. Probably still the case. My personal opinion--stick to North County. Important question: How old are you both?
What are good ways to make friends in the San Diego area? It's like any other place. It can be through work depending on your industry. Or, you can get involved in adult extra curricular activities like beach volleyball, etc. Do you surf? You're right...very clicky in chicago.
2 malls to recommend? Carlsbad Outlet Mall and Fashion Valley
Beaches: Moonlight Beach in Encinitas or Fletcher Cove in Solana Beach.
I'm originally from Chicago, as well. I agree that North County is more like Wrigleyville and Lincoln Park. However, I grew up in Ashburn. There are plenty of good San Diego neighborhoods that are south of North County, just as there are plenty of good Chicago neighborhoods south of Wrigleyville/Lincoln Park.
My long-term boyfriend and I are very possibly relocating from Chicago to San Diego as of June, this year. We are planning a networking/exploring visit early March, and would love some advice. I have been reading on this forum for the past few hours, and haven't been 100% satisfied with other's inquiries. Here is what I'd like to know:
1. Can someone personally recommend a realtor to me, who will be 100% honest with areas and work very hard to help me find either a house/condo to purchase or rent within my short timeline?
* If you cannot recommend a realtor, do you personally know someone looking to rent out their home as of June-ish? We are moving with (2) 5 lb dogs (very clean and well-behaved - also, adorable JS).
2. What are good ways to make friends in the San Diego area? In Chicago, it's very difficult unless you work or go to school with someone. People aren't the most friendly!
3. Is there anything California state-specific that one should be aware of before moving? I heard there is difficulty with registering a car, due to smog testing and such (My boyfriend is a Subaru enthusiast, and has all kinds of modifications done. He is involved in Subaru forums and looking into what he needs to do to prepare his car, so I don't need car advice, but is there anything else I should know?!)
4. Are there any networking or other events that would be worth attending? My potential visit dates are March 4-10.
5. We would love to hit the town while we are there. We are looking to stay at the Andaz hotel. Can anyone recommend some fun clubs/lounges that coincide with the Andaz atmosphere?
6. if I were to visit 2 malls, which ones would you recommend?
7. And finally, we probably won't have too much time to dedicate to beaches, but which one would you highly recommend? I'm looking for one that isn't too crowded, but has beautiful/clean sand and maybe some restaurants or places we could walk to.
Thank you, in advance, for your responses!!
La Jolla Shores is a great beach and there are a couple very good restaurants that are on the beach.
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