Where would recommend a 50+yr old Latina live in SD? (San Diego: apartments, rental)

[tfig31]

Hi, I am a single 50+yr old latina who will be moving to SD in a couple of weeks. I will be working in the business park off of Mira Mesa Blvd.
About me: active, outgoing, into salsa, R&B, tango, yoga, street markets, festivals, hanging out at the beach.
Places I have lived before and really liked: Philly, London England. I love parts of Brooklyn and the Village in NYC eventhough I've never lived there.
Rental budget: up to $1,700 monthly
Housing requirements: I would like a 2 bedroom apartment and a parking space for my SUV. A balcony, small patio or garden would be nice. To be to walk to stores, restaurants, parks. Be within a 25 minute drive to my job. Oh and a nice view from my apartment would be the icing on the cake.
So what part of SD would you recommend I move to?

[kettlepot]

When you say a business park off of Mira Mesa Blvd, do you mean near I-15 (east side) or I-5 (west side)? I'm going to assume you are working near I-5 and make recommendations accordingly.

Fortunately, your rental budget seems pretty comfortable. Though I don't believe it will put you in view of the ocean.

Judging by your desire to walk to stores, restaurants, and parks, and attend street festivals, I'm going to suggest Little Italy, Hillcrest, Mission Hills, and Park West. You also might like University Heights and northern Normal Heights. However, Normal Heights might put you a little too far east. Driving on the 805 during rush hour will not be a 25 minute commute. Parking can be an issue in these neighborhoods, however with the rent you are willing to pay, parking should be provided.

I would not suggest La Jolla. The parts that are walkable and urban are so distant time-wise from the freeway, that I don't think you will be 25 minutes from work. Plus, I don't think you will find what you want within your budget there.

Finally there is this outlier possibility, along with Little Italy, you might choose the Marina area of Downtown and take the Coaster up to the Sorrento Valley RR station. I'm not familiar though with how they get the commuters from the Sorrento Valley RR station up to the Sorrento Mesa business parks. Downtown would put you walkably close to the Gaslamp, with the possibility of nice walks along the harbor. Would you have a view or a garden, no, but you should have a patio.

Pacific Beach might be an option. There might be something in northern Pacific Beach along the Turquoise Avenue arterial. That is where the adults live in Pacific Beach. Further south is college kid central and not for you.

There are plenty of new modern apartments in Mission Valley, however, that area is auto-centric. You can walk to places, but it's not a walking area. However, if in the end you find that your lack of knowledge of San Diego makes it difficult to decide on a neighborhood, you could move to Mission Valley as a starting point, and move again in a year or two.

I'm not familiar enough with the coastal cities north of San Diego, such as Del Mar and Solana Beach to say whether they would fill your wish list.

North Park and South Park are walkable to stores and restaurants, however you would find yourself commuting up the 805 and that would not be a 25 minute drive - more like 45 minutes.

[tfig31]

Thank you kettlepot for your recommendations! What I have read about Hillcrest in other threads caught my eye. I will certainly have a look at the other areas you recommended.