Where are good areas to live in San Diego?

My boyfriend and I are wanting to move to the San Diego area and are looking for a good area that is laid back, cultural, and with good restaurants... near the beach and a good place to have dogs (2 pugs). We can afford about $1200 monthly rent. About how far is El Cajon from the coast? How is Oceanside? How is downtown living?Where are good areas to live in San Diego?
David is right on the money, look at any area north of Adams, very hip and affordable. Search for University Heights, Normal Heights and Kensington. As a rule of thumb anything north of Adams is going to be good. El Cajon, to hot and far away from the beach, Oceanside is really not very close to San Diego, Downtown is cool but not unless you have some paper to spend.
You aren't going to be able to live near any beach for 1200 a month rent.



El Cajon is probably a thirty to forty five minute drive depending on where you are and what the traffic is like and which beach you want to visit.



Oceanside is somewhere around thirty five miles north of San Diego and is like half of the little girl with the curl: when it is bad it is horrid and when it is good, it is o.k.



Some downtown areas are quite nice, but again not for 1200 dollars a month.



Try looking in the Adams Avenue area, off the I-15...nice neighborhoods, small town feel.



Though some will tell you no, Hillcrest is also a nice neighborhood, although the Gay Culture is more obvious there than anywhere else in San Diego.Where are good areas to live in San Diego?
Agree with Rosco and David. While cheaper, El Cajon isn't likely to be the place you are looking for. Oceanside is next to the Marine base, has some shady neighborhoods, and is too far from downtown to suite your cultural wishes.



Talk to some realtors in the neighborhoods Rosco mentioned.



Downtown living is very cool -- best restaurants, music, theaters, Balboa Park, Zoo, Museums, etc. all within a small area, but I don't know about your 2 pugs. And of course the $1200 won't go far near downtown.
next to the beach of corse, becouse in san deago, there are like noo stores at all, so there si like nothing to fkn do, all u can do is swin and sunwaith.

hope u move to a good spot
You are going to have a problem finding places that rent to an owner of a dog, especially more than one dog.
Downtown is good.........