San Diego Pros and Cons

San Diego is one of the cleanest and most adorable cities in the US. Hence, you wouldn’t think that there could be some negative aspects about the city. There is no question that San Diego can offer people a lot of perks, but considering its drawbacks – is this place good for you?

This article will tackle the pros and cons of San Diego. This discussion aims to give light to people who are planning to live in San Diego.

What are the Pros and Cons of San Diego?

Don’t be overwhelmed yet with the idea of living in San Diego. Although the thought of experiencing the city is very tempting, you should try to hold your thoughts first and think smartly. Before you fix your mind whether you should move to San Diego or not, here are some of the pros and cons of San Diego that you may want to discover:

Pros of San Diego

1. Weather

One of the best things about San Diego is the great weather. You will love the weather here as it is normally a hearty 75 degrees. There are around 10 days for rain. During winters, evenings can get cold, however, the temperature remains in the low 70s.

2. Road Trips

Despite having heavier traffic, you will enjoy the many activities during the daytime in San Diego. Going to Disneyland will take one and a half-hour of driving. After two hours of driving and one hour of riding a ferry, you will reach Catalina Island.

Coming from the lake, it will take around two and a half hours to reach Big Bear. You can also enjoy a long 4-hour trip going to Las Vegas.

3. Family-Friendly Atmosphere

The city is known to be a perfect place for the family. Throughout San Diego County, you can see a lot of activities that can be enjoyed by the family. Other than the incredible city parks, you can also enjoy the SeaWorld San Diego, Balboa Park Children’s Museums, LEGOLAND California, and a lot more.

4. Schools

San Diego has some of the best public schools in the US. It has 5 school districts that take spots in the top 30 school districts in the state.

If you have kids and you are planning to move to San Diego, sending them to any of the schools in San Diego could give them an incredible and well-balanced education.

5. Beaches

When you decide to live in San Diego, strolling in the Pacific Ocean can become a routine. You can go out there early in the morning and enjoy swimming or surfing. The closeness of the sunlight to the sand will make it a perfect time for you to try tanning or just enjoy playing your sports.

It is because of this perk that you will notice that the city has a lethargic reception compared to the mix-ups that are likely to occupy in Los Angeles to the north.

6. Outdoors

People in San Diego also have a great time outdoors as they maximize the excellent weather. If you take the time to discover more about San Diego, you will soon realize how engaged the community is. You can find superior biking and hiking trails close to the mountains and beaches.

For instance, the Torrey Pines Hiking Trail is a panoramic trail famous for its magnificent sceneries of the pacific.

7. Culture

San Diego has a strong and progressive culture. The biggest urban cultural park in the US is situated here. Balboa Park exhibits numerous museums, the zoological park, and the Globe Theatres. There are lots of wonderful gardens that you can check out. Live symphonies, opera, and more than 7,000 restaurants are just around the corner, too.

If you have been longing to experience the different cultures of California, then living in San Diego can give you the best exposure to these cultures.

8. Superior Craft Beer

Currently, there are over 100 approved producers of craft beer in the city. The industry has impacted the creation of individual brands and distinct brewpubs that could make an excellent evening when far from your home.

This culture does not only attract more tourists. It also becomes the groundwork for Beer Week, International Beer Competition, and more. In fact, a few breweries in San Diego are constantly recognized as being the excellent breweries in the world.

Cons of San Diego

1. Pricey

Home prices in San Diego have increased in the past years. If you will find an aged home settling in a less covetable part of the city, the average price of the property would be around $500,000.  A lot of the newer homes are sold for more than $1,000,000.

You can consider renting a studio apartment and pay around $1,500. Renting a 2-bedroom apartment will cost $2,200 per month, excluding utilities.

Despite these figures, it would be good to note that these prices are still more affordable compared to the prices of northern cities like LA and San Francisco.

2. Parking

The majority of the households in San Diego own a car. Because of this, you will see that is a difficult task to look for a good spot for parking. If you properly reside in the city, this can be an important issue as you will be required to pay for the parking space.

You have to option to take a bus to reach your destination. However, you should allocate several hours to make sure you get there on time. Driving can save you more time as it can only take you around 20 minutes to reach your destination. However, you may have to allocate 10 more minutes so you can find a good place for your parking.

3. Traffic

Although most of the communities in San Diego are just a walk away, the County is essentially widespread. Since many of the people here own a car, you can expect poor traffic. In fact, the city ranks the 40th in the county traffic.

You should also bear in mind that the public transit network isn’t a well-established system as compared to other big metropolitan cities.

4. Difficulty with Precipitation

People in San Diego are known to be very focused on their habitual activities. You will see that it does bring comfort during warm days, and the water in the ocean remains cool year-round. However, there are rare moments that the weather does not cooperate and this can cause the traffic chaos to quickly go bad.

It will not take enough precipitation to begin urging more accidents to happen. Considering this fact, you have to be very careful when on the roadways during these times to make sure you can safely arrive at your destination.

Conclusion

Just like other cities, you may have to do some adjustments when you decide to live in San Diego. Surely, you cannot expect your entire experience to be pure joy and fun. The pros and cons in San Diego are something you need to seriously consider if you intend to make the city your new home.

If you think that the pros of living in San Diego can outweigh the drawbacks you will possibly experience, then you can start with your preparation so you can finally experience San Diego!