Commuting to san diego from chula vista? (Escondido, Bonita: real estate, apartment) - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

Mela88 · 05-30-2011, 09:27 AM

Hello there,

I am considering moving to Chula Vista and working in San Diego..What is the commute time by car? Also, is Chula Vista a decent area?
Thanks

BTW I am moving from NY so is it a big change?

shmoov_groovzsd · 05-30-2011, 10:24 AM

Mela,

1. Are you talking normal commuting 5 days a week 9-5 type of hours? Without traffic depending on where in CV can vary. Once you hit the 5 it should take no more than 15 mins. If you are east CV like Easlake area tack on another 15 minutes just to get to the freeway.

Why CV? It sounds like you have never been here before? San Diego is great all around and CV is nice, but large, older CV and new CV. The newer parts are Eastlake and Otay Ranch. Its newer but doesnt necessarily mean 'better'. Looks nicer yes, but these areas were crushed in the real estate bubble so who has moved in recently is an unknown to me. There are probably some posters on here that could give a better hands on perspective.

2. NY State or NYC? The differences in layout and topography are significantly different. Say goodbye to greenery and dense forest. SD is essentially desert with an ocean view. There are areas where there are more trees and such but on the whole a very arrid climate on the ocean.

jksouthbay88 · 05-30-2011, 11:50 AM

What part of CV?Name some cross streets.

Mela88 · 05-30-2011, 04:20 PM

Thanks for the feedback guys ; )I am from long island, Ny btw. I am 23 years old and a pre-physician assistant student. I don't know much about San Diego at all, but i recently visited my cousin who lives there in April. Drove around, saw some areas but not much. Loved Balboa Park area and downtown but im assuming to live there is crazy expensive..not what im looking for at the moment. Chula Vista because from the research i have been doing on my own it seems do-able. shopping, very populated kinda like long island. i would like the same feel of new york without the weather

I'm just so sick and tired of the crazy snow and cold weather. I need a change ! I'm A ok with that beachy hott weather.

ALSO, the otay ranch area is where i was looking into in CV, i'm going to be working full-time most likely for the first year in a hospital to establish residency in order to attend school there, then part time after, so i mostl likely will be working 5 days a week M-F ..Are there many hospitals in Chula Vista? b/c i know when i was passing through san diego i saw a ton of hosptials there.

bmd69 · 06-01-2011, 09:00 AM

805 is nuts and so are some of the others. Use the 125!

bajaxtreme · 06-01-2011, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mela88

Thanks for the feedback guys ; )I am from long island, Ny btw. I am 23 years old and a pre-physician assistant student. I don't know much about San Diego at all, but i recently visited my cousin who lives there in April. Drove around, saw some areas but not much. Loved Balboa Park area and downtown but im assuming to live there is crazy expensive..not what im looking for at the moment. Chula Vista because from the research i have been doing on my own it seems do-able. shopping, very populated kinda like long island. i would like the same feel of new york without the weather

I'm just so sick and tired of the crazy snow and cold weather. I need a change ! I'm A ok with that beachy hott weather.

ALSO, the otay ranch area is where i was looking into in CV, i'm going to be working full-time most likely for the first year in a hospital to establish residency in order to attend school there, then part time after, so i mostl likely will be working 5 days a week M-F ..Are there many hospitals in Chula Vista? b/c i know when i was passing through san diego i saw a ton of hosptials there.

Hi Mela, I'm from Long Island (Farmingville,NY (Suffolk)) and just move to Eastalke/Otay Ranch 5 month ago. I love this area. Everything is brand new here. I really like this move.My family is so happy living here in Chula Vista. No more cold weather and snow !!!!. I just miss the summer and the beach (Joners Beach and The Hamptons) from Long Island.

Justin Time · 06-01-2011, 10:42 AM

Quote:

. . . is Chula Vista a decent area?

I don't know about your definition of decent. For me? NO.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mela88

. . . 23 years old and a pre-physician assistant student. I don't know much about San Diego at all, but . . . it seems do-able. . . .

It seems doable because you are just looking at prices and not crime ratings. I don't think that a med student wants to live in Chula Juana (That's what locals call it: Chula Vista/Tijuana).

Check out the statistics here or wherever: Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed
Also, check out school ratings. Those will tell you a LOT about an area, Doc.

Quote:

. . . shopping, very populated kinda like long island.

That would be downtown SD, Mission Valley, or Fashion Valley (UTC) for the shopping.

Quote:

. . . Are there many hospitals in Chula Vista? . . .

There are hospitals all over SD County. Lots of Scrips, Sharp, & Kaiser Permanente, hospitals. La Jolla also has UCSD Medical Center if you are that ambitious.

Check them out: San Diego Hospitals

I suggest that you consider staying in a hotel or with your cousin for a week while you check out the areas that you are interested in--in person. As a Med student, you may be able to rent a room (in a house) or an apartment or condo in a NICE AREA and enjoy some of the shopping, city life, and beach perks.

In any event, I would see where you plan to go to school (after you wait out the (a year + September) residency requirement and where you plan to do your internship/residency so that you can determine what your commute will be like.

If you are going to school at UCSD and interning at Children's Hospital, why would you live in Chula Vista anyway? Consider gas prices, vehicle wear and tear, and time spent commuting.

shmoov_groovzsd · 06-01-2011, 11:08 AM

If you think an area like Carle Place is decent then Otay Ranch is about on par with that but with better weather and newer.

I would be cautious about taking in too much data from statistical websites as mentioned above from Justin Time. For one Chula Vista is MASSIVE so blanket statistics about a city could very well be focused on activity in specific areas. With that being said, there are older parts and newer parts of CV and to my knowledge the older parts closer to the freeways are where the car thefts would be (naturally).

As a rule of thumb out in SD, because commuting is a way of life here by car. Its best to strategize the best that you can according to your commuting and lifestyle habits. Thus doing it by map should be taken as a point of reference more so than staking out real estate not having lived here.

sdurbanite · 06-01-2011, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mela88

Hello there,

I am considering moving to Chula Vista and working in San Diego..What is the commute time by car? Also, is Chula Vista a decent area?
Thanks

BTW I am moving from NY so is it a big change?

Where in SD will you be working? A close friend works in Mission Valley and lives in east CV and he says it normally takes 35 mins to get to work in the morning. If there's traffic or an accident it could take up to an hour.

Is it a decent area? I think it is. Look into the Bonita area if you want to live closer to the freeway and further west.

Jenkay · 06-01-2011, 05:11 PM

I'm not certain about the morning commute out of CV, but I do know the afternoon commute into CV is nasssty. Takes longer to get from the 8 to Chula Vista than it does for me to get from Escondido to the 8, and it's not even half as far..

I do hear the traffic reports in the morning and at 7 a.m. when I leave for work they're already talking about the Northbound drive backing up from down there.