Looking for towns with walkability (San Diego, La Mesa: apartment, renting, condo)

[gobaby1]

We are currently N.E. of Boston in a small coastal town with great walk & bikeability.

When my husband is done with school I get to choose our next place to live... HELLO SD! I lived there years ago when my mom moved us out there. She lived there for 20 years, when I got pregnant (my son is 15mos) she quit her job and moved here. She is, as I suspected she would... HATING being back here. It's much too cold and she really became a Cali girl and New Englanders are just too uptight.

Anyway, we LOVE our life here... we are right on the water and can walk all over town. I know Cali is a driving state, but there has to be some places with bike/walkability... right???

Part of our (my) desire to be back there is to be outside as much as possible with our son. Being inside so much here is terrible & depressing. I used to live in La Mesa, but I think we would enjoy being a little more north. We love the water, but don't need to live on it as we do here as long as we can still get to it.

Can we walk to a Farmer's Market? Could we walk to town? School? Library etc?

Thanks for any input... if it matters- we're in our 30's, husband will be an architect, baby will be school aged (at least preschool)...

[moved]

You can start by not calling it "Cali."

When would you be moving? Will your husband have a job lined up first? Renting or buying? Do you want a house, apartment, or condo? How much do you want to spend per month on rent? If you're buying, what's your budget? Answer these questions are more, and we'll be able to help you.

[gobaby1]

Why? Would that help it have a higher probability of walkability?

It was easier than typing it out over and over... I don't know if you noticed, but most states get shortened. I live in Massachusetts, and don't take offense to it being called Mass, and not even the "endearing" M*******.

[moved]

People here take offense to it being called Cali. You can abbreviate it to CA, and San Diego to SD. People that call the state "Cali" make me cringe.

The walkability factor is mainly in the city. You can walk to the grocery, Farmers Markets, and libraries. Walking to school might or might not be feasible. It'll depend on where you live, what school district you move into, and what school your son will be going to.

[gobaby1]

I don't disagree is speaking, but in typing I think it's silly. Having lived there for years myself I would never care about that, nor does anyone else I know there... but to each their own, no biggie.

We're def. looking for a town (or city with a town feeling) that we can feel community in. We won't be there for a while. I'm sure my mother will get back there sooner (I would guess in a year or less) and then I may be able to be bi-coastal for a while. But now that we have a child we do need to be more duck-in-a-row like with school systems and such. But I feel like (general statement) most places that have community, emphasis on walkability, farmer's markets and such generally have a good school system... again- general statement.

[loveautumn]

In California, walkability means you drive somewhere, get out of your car, and then walk around for awhile

[moved]

The best school system is not in the city, it's in Poway. Poway is not walkable at all. You'll have to decide between the walkability factor and good schools.

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by moved

The best school system is not in the city, it's in Poway. Poway is not walkable at all. You'll have to decide between the walkability factor and good schools.

Or consider using private schools.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

gobaby1,

Plenty of neighborhoods and cities (we dont have townships) around SD that are walkable. Most of the coastal towns are so long as you are close to the downtown/Main Street. They are all fairly close to the water.

Now in MA, are you talking about a town like Marblehead? I used to live in MA so some of the north of Boston beaches is where I used to go. It sounds like you are looking for something similar?

[sfosyd]

In terms of walkability, the central San Diego neighborhoods come to mind. I'd look into Mission Hills as the schools are good there. South Park is another some what family friendly area, I think. Hillcrest and North Park are much busier and urban.

Good luck! Both Massachusetts and San Diego are wonderful places! I can't decide between the two so I spend Winter/Spring in SD and Summer/Fall on Cape Ann!