Bay Park neighborhood?? (San Diego, Encinitas, Kensington: homes, neighborhoods, magnet school)

[coco_w]

Bay Park was recommended to me as a good place for families. Can anyone tell more...Does it have a particular flavor? A walkable area? Old homes? It seems like a good location on the map - easy to get to beaches in the North and to commute to the city.

TIA for feedback.

[NYSD1995]

Originally Posted by coco_w

Bay Park was recommended to me as a good place for families. Can anyone tell more...Does it have a particular flavor? A walkable area? Old homes? It seems like a good location on the map - easy to get to beaches in the North and to commute to the city.

TIA for feedback.

It's a nice area. Right on the hill overlooking the bay. Some large upscale homes and some older funky ones too.

[coco_w]

thanks. are there any store/services in the area or is it exclusively residential?

[quazmar]

Do you have any children? The schools there are terrible.

[mandasand]

I live in Bay Park and really like it. I cannot comment on the schools since I don't have children yet. But, the AVERAGE rating is 5/10. There are some charter schools and academies that rate 9/10 in that area. So, it's not like there are NO good schools.

Like Sass said, it can be diverse in terms of housing. I would say the majority of homes were built from 1950-1980, single story ranch style. Many with views of the bay. It is very walkable to Kiel's food, Rite-Aid, taco shop, pizza, McDs, and coffee shop (not SB). I actually find that I have everything I need right there - dry cleaner, grocery, food, pharmacy, vet...and in a super central location! I see a lot of people taking transit from this area. It is SO central. Can't beat that! If you are ok with a little mix in the housing (i.e. not all yards are kept up, so you may have a nice home and be next to a home that is a little more neglected). I find this is quid pro quo in San Diego. I come from NorCal and while I am sure you can find "mixed" neighborhoods everywhere, I have never lived in one quite like San Diego. It is much more urban than where I come from!

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by quazmar

Do you have any children? The schools there are terrible.

Which school are you talking about.

[lrmsd]

Originally Posted by mandasand

I live in Bay Park and really like it. I cannot comment on the schools since I don't have children yet. But, the AVERAGE rating is 5/10. There are some charter schools and academies that rate 9/10 in that area. So, it's not like there are NO good schools.

Like Sass said, it can be diverse in terms of housing. I would say the majority of homes were built from 1950-1980, single story ranch style. Many with views of the bay. It is very walkable to Kiel's food, Rite-Aid, taco shop, pizza, McDs, and coffee shop (not SB). I actually find that I have everything I need right there - dry cleaner, grocery, food, pharmacy, vet...and in a super central location! I see a lot of people taking transit from this area. It is SO central. Can't beat that! If you are ok with a little mix in the housing (i.e. not all yards are kept up, so you may have a nice home and be next to a home that is a little more neglected). I find this is quid pro quo in San Diego. I come from NorCal and while I am sure you can find "mixed" neighborhoods everywhere, I have never lived in one quite like San Diego. It is much more urban than where I come from!

The charter schools in SD that are reputable/highly ranked, at this point have waiting lists and it's lottery admission. So you don't want to bank on that as your main option. Just a consideration.
Also, near Tecolote Canyon area of Bay Park has nice family homes. It's not walkable to amazing or quaint shops or restaurants, though. It's not that kind of area. And this is so cal where those types of neighborhoods are harder to come by.

Bay Park does have a magnet school that is dual language Spanish/English immersion, Longfellow k-8. It's a SDUSD school and anyone in the district can apply. I know people whose children attended and had a good experience. Not sure if it's on a waiting list or is easy to get a spot, at this time. On the other side of Tecolote in Clairemont, the 'mountain streets' ie, streets are named Mt. such and such...., is a good area for families. Schools are hit or miss. It's homes built in the 60's and 70's mainly. Not a lot of character, but many are on the canyon and some have been remodeled/updated.

In my experience, the best family areas of SD with older homes and walkable to shops, cafes, etc. would be Mission Hills, part of North Park [towards Balboa Park golf course], part of University Heights [south, I think, of Park Blvd.] and part of Normal Heights [north of Adams Ave] and Kensington village.

Also, north Pacific Beach bordering on La Jolla could fit this criteria, too.
The homes are not as old as the other areas mentioned, but not sterile suburbia, either. Oh, and Encinitas within walking distance to the 101/downtown area is good for families in that regard and in general. Similar to north PB, in that homes are not always as old, though some beachy bungalows, etc.

My two cents.

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