Moving from UK to San Diego
 

Hi There - I wonder if anyone can help....

I'm looking at a move with my current company from manchester UK to San Diego next year with my partner.

The offices are based on west broadway in downtown San Diego and just trying to figure out the right location to live.

I currently walk to work and live within manchester city centre - ideally in San Diego I want to be fairly close with really easy transport links to the office (no more than 30mins) I'm not sure how good the public transport links are in San Diego?

I would love to live in a complex with a pool and fairly close to a nice beach - considering anything from $1000 - $1650 dollars (ish!) if anyone can suggest a few areas I could be looking into?

Any suggestions of good areas would be really appreciated!

Thanks,
Heather

Re: Moving from UK to San Diego
 

This recent thread may be of interest:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/usa-5...-diego-858399/

Re: Moving from UK to San Diego
 

Areas to live in around San Diego downtown: Ocean Beach, Imperial beach - busy and buzzy beach towns. You would need a car to get to down town - 20 mins?

Loads of apartment for rent in the Mission Valley and Carmel Valley areas - again a car is needed.

If you want to be close to work and be able to walk you should be looking at areas immediately around your office. I was going to suggest Hillcrest or South Park but both are an hour's walk to West Broadway.

There is a metro in San Diego which covers the downtown area:

San Diego Metropolitan Transit System

If you want an apartment near a nice beach then you are looking up the coast towards Oceanside and there is a train called the Coaster which covers this area:

COASTER | NCTD

Looks like it's an hour's journey from Oceanside to downtown San Diego. All the towns on the route are nice places to live - if more expensive than inland.

Re: Moving from UK to San Diego
 

Glad to see a recommendation for Imperial Beach. We're looking at that area for a potential move as well as Chula Vista, and they get a lot of hate in SD. Went down there and was really impressed. CV not bad either.
There's a trolley line that can get you from IB to downtown in 30 minutes.

PB and OB also on the potential list. Missus grew up in Oceanside and Carlsbad... we love it there but it's dearer and takes a damn long time to get anywhere.

Re: Moving from UK to San Diego
 

Thank you very much for all your help!

I won't be driving so will need somewhere that I can easily get to via public transport? Ideally if there was like 1 bus or 1 train etc to and from downtown?

Are there any areas that have nice complexes with pools etc and fairly beach close but easily accessible to downtown via public transport?

Also I'm not sure on how it work for the equivalent bills in the US? Uk we of course have council tax / water / gas / tv licence - is it the same for San Diego?
Thanks again for any help!

Heather

Re: Moving from UK to San Diego
 

Have you read any of the info I gave you?

The coaster covers the coast area up to Oceanside.

All the sites along there, Oceanside, Encinitas, Del Mar, Carlsbad etc are on the coast and have good beaches.

There are loads of town with apartments which have pools and you can get to the beach within about 20 minutes; Inland there is Poway, Escondido, Carmel Valley; however if you are NOT going to drive you will may have problems.

While there is public transport it is not especially good and most people use their cars to get around. From Poway however there is a good bus service which gets you into downtown San Diego

Here is another link for transport around San Diego county:

Transit Home

These are the bus routes in and around San Diego:

Bus Routes

Also ask your fellow colleagues/HR department at the company where you are going to work about accommodation and transport.

No council tax, but similar utility costs.

Re: Moving from UK to San Diego
 

Check out the transport links SanDiegogirl provided. You have to remember, that whilst there is public transport, it's not the same as in the UK. It tends to run far more infrequently.
I would urge you to strongly consider getting a license and a vehicle if you are able to; you will find living here hard work without one. Popping to the shops, going to an atm, swinging by the coffee shop, nipping down to the beach, going out to see a movie, meeting up with friends or even meeting new people... attempting to get this done without a vehicle and being held hostage to an infrequent transit system sounds exhausting.

Most [decent] complexes have a pool. Check the reviews for the management companies to make sure they're decent. Check Google Maps to see where the trolley goes from downtown, and look for complexes that are near a stop. Or check out the links SanDiegogirl provided for North County towns that the Coaster stops in.

Most importantly, make sure you come out for a visit to get a feel for the areas before you commit to moving anywhere.

Re: Moving from UK to San Diego
 

Quick transit to downtown AND being close to a beach is a tricky combination. If Coaster schedules work the beach cities would be an option, but even that isn't going to be 30 minutes door-to-door... Working downtown is basically the best-case scenario for public transit here and it still isn't great.

The uptown neighborhoods (Hillcrest, University Heights, North Park), South Park or Golden Hill would be 30ish minutes by bus and less by bike, but not close to a beach and have fewer upscale condos with pools and such. That budget would get you a 1br apartment. There's more going on when you aren't working, but as usual depends on priorities - I take beer over beaches, but others may disagree!

Good comments on the previous threads Sandiegogirl and others pointed to.

Edit: For newer complexes with pools I guess Mission Valley would work too, and has the trolley downtown. Nothing much going on though unless you want to spend your time shopping...

Re: Moving from UK to San Diego
 

Partner as in Spouse?

Re: Moving from UK to San Diego
 

Thank you everyone for your help!

Looking at the mission valley area there is a green line which takes 15mins to downtown which seems ok?

I suppose I need to look into further public transport if it's not very reliable? I can drive and could easily get a car once there (work may provide one for me if I wanted) but I'm abit of a nervous driver so not sure I'll want to drive in a new country which is why I keen on transport links!

It wouldn't be until 2016 for a move but am keen to find out realistically where I could live / life style / commuting times and costs etc Etc advance!

I was also looking at Coronado which looks like it has some beautiful complexes however if the buses arnt very reliable maybe that's not too realistic either?

I will also look into complexes in downtown and therefore walking distance to work - if there are some nice ones again with pool and bbq communal areas that could work as I assume there are good links from downtown to different beaches?

Re: Moving from UK to San Diego
 

There are no good public transport options from downtown to nice beaches.

San Diego downtown area does not have beaches - it has a lovely harbor waterfront but no immediate beaches.

The closest ones would be Imperial beach, Mission Bay area or Pacific beach.

Take a look at Google maps, input the beach areas and see where they are and whether there is any public transport to get you there. Additionally, when looking at apartments downtown you can use Google maps to find out how long it would take you to walk to work.

It's not that public transport is not reliable. Where there IS public transport it usually works very well. (The bus from Poway to downtown is very efficient and cheap, although you would need a car to get you to the transport depot from most areas) - its just that in many cases there is very little or no public transport between areas.

Re: Moving from UK to San Diego
 

For rental information in the area you will be working try this;
San Diego CA Apartments For Rent - 111 Rentals | Zillow