Things To Do In San Diego According To A Local

“My life is your vacation” -somebody’s bumper sticker, San Diego, CA

After living in San Diego for almost a year, this is my short, but comprehensive list of top things to do in San Diego when you vacation here. These are the places I take my friends and family when they visit and by the time they leave, they feel like they’ve seen a good amount of it. I hope this list does the same for you.

If you have any questions about specific places or San Diego in general, leave a comment below. I’d be happy to answer any questions you have. Enjoy!

Downtown San Diego

Gaslamp Quarter: historic Victorian-era buildings transport you back to the city’s roots with plenty of modern day shops and restaurants; you won’t find yourself bored in Gaslamp. If you’re looking for good  nightlife, Gaslamp will not disappoint. Check out Moonshine Flats for a fun sports bar  where they have life size beer pong, Foosball, table tennis (ping pong), and many fun other games.

Seaport Village:  not only is it located right next to the water, but it has many great shops and eateries along the way making for a nice adventure along the San Diego Bay. Check out Sinfulicious if you’re looking to freshen up after a long day of travel. I recommend trying their Mineral Body Scrub– it makes your skin feel amazing and fresh for hours! (I am SO picky about what I use on my skin too, so do not take this recommendation lightly, the product deserves it).

Walk along the San Diego Bay. The path winds along the outskirts of the city right next to the bay where you can see out towards Coronado Island (if you have time I definitely recommend taking the Flagship ferry over from San Diego Harbor).

My Top Picks

See the ‘Unconditional Surrender’ statue located right next to the aircraft carrier.

Stop in for a drink on the docks of the San Diego Pier Cafe, located in Seaport Village; the drinks are great and the views are incredible. If you’re a fan of Bloody Marys, make sure to try their Pier Mary– it’s got a kick!

Weekends in Downtown San Diego

Little Italy Mercato

Little Italy Market on Saturdays has a plethora of samples you can feast on (better than Costco’s). This market has it all! If you’re looking for some local food or souvenirs for friends and family, this is the place you won’t want to miss.

Towns to Visit in San Diego County 

La Jolla

La Jolla Cove

See Sea Lions up close and personal!

Shell Beach Tides Pools

See lobsters, fish and more in these awesome tide pools! Great pictures posted by a fellow blogger here!

Torrey Pines State Reserve: great hiking trails all along the water. A MUST do while you are in San Diego- the views are worth it. Also, if you pay to park inside the reserve you can drive your car to the top where most of the trails are instead of hiking the hill to get up there which will save you some time.

Blacks Beach great place for surfers as it is considered one of the strongest surf breaks in SoCal. It is known to be a nudest beach so don’t be surprised by the lack of clothing. Yelp review here.

Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial is a beautiful landmark located in La Jolla that gives you 360 degree views of San Diego. You will see downtown San Diego (and on a clear day Mexico) up the coast towards Carlsbad. This is a must see if you’re vacationing in San Diego. As  a local, it’s my favorite place to take my friends and family who visit. Also, it’s free.

Pacific Beach

Tavern at The Beach for a wild Friday night or for a chill  brunch on Sunday with a Mimosa and Bloody Mary Bar. The food is killer; I recommend ‘DA B.R.A.T’ and a side of ‘Soft Garlic Butter Pretzel Sticks’.

The PB Shore Club  has great outdoor seating right on the shore (the name says it all). If you really want to get rowdy, order a ‘Redbull Slushy‘- deadly, but fun.

Carlsbad

South Carlsbad State Beach: Make sure to join a game of beach volleyball!

Carlsbad Cliffs: Pictured on the left. If you’re going to watch a California Sunset, make sure to do it here. Park along the street and walk over towards the cliffs.

Carlsbad Flower Fields are beautiful especially after the rain! Make sure to check them out soon as they are only open until May 8th! Tickets can be bought here.

Carlsbad Premium Outlets good for any shopping fix you may need at a bearable cost.

 San Diego Specialty- Breweries

 San Diego is known for having the highest concentrated breweries in one area, so if you’re a beer lover here are some breweries you might want to check out!

1. Ballast Point  located in Little Italy and Miramar. Was bought out in 2015 for $1 billion dollars.
   1. Try the Sculpin or Grape Fruit Sculpin
2. Belching Beaver in Vista and North Park, CA- MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE PLACE.
   1. Try their Peanut Butter Stout, which is out of this world and their Here Comes Mango IPA.
   2. They have awesome outdoor seating and food trucks that create the perfect place for a chill evening or start to your night.

      

      Aztec Brewing Company

3. Barrel Harbor– relaxed atmosphere with games to play like jenga and the service is great!
4. Mother Earth Brewing CO. Downtown Vista. Make sure to have Urbn Pizza delivered to
   you while you’re there! Great thin crust pizza.
5. Barrel Republic  in Oceanside and Pacific Beach. The cool thing about Barrel Republic is you have THE FREEDOM TO POUR as their slogan goes. Try as many beers as you want at Barrel Republic, it’s your choice to pour as little as a taster and as much as a pint. Their food is good as well.

Thrillist San Diego has some great recommendations if you’ve already checked out this bunch and want San Diego’s Most Underrated Breweries.

The San Diego Classics

[Sea World] [San Diego Zoo] [San Diego Safari Park]

The difference between the zoo and the safari park is that there are more options (at a higher cost of course) at the safari park to get closer to the animals in a natural-habitat setting. Depending on what you’re looking for, it might be worth while to check out one or both places.

Balboa Park:  look for events to see what’s going on during your time here.

If you are driving to Balboa Park, I recommend parking outside of the park as it could take you over two hours just to get in.

I recommend  turning right at the stop light before the park entrance (which should be marked by a long line of cars, if not it’s you’re lucky day, but I still might not risk it) instead of going straight. You will be able to park along that road.

TIP: If you want to find a closer spot without walking, take that one-way road all the way to the end and follow it as loops back around. You’ll find a spot way closer to the entrance of the park and to the exit for when you’re leaving.

Local Life

1. Drink coffee from a non-Starbucks cafe. I recommend Better Buzzed in Encinitas- try their Acai bowl and vanilla bean latte – Delicious!
2. Take surfing lessons, kayak in a lagoon or stand-up paddle board
3. Brunch it up at Tavern at The Beach in PB
4. Catch the sunset as many times as you can. I recommend Carlsbad Cliffs, Point Loma Sunset Cliffs and at Mount Soledad
5. Most importantly – be happy, because if the sun is out you can’t have a bad day!

Sincerely,

Your San Diego Traveler Guidess,  Emily WorldCultureMag

My personal motto for living in San Diego: Hike, eat, drink (coffee), sleep, repeat.

TravelMD: 5 Tips for a Healthy Journey

Don’t let sickness inhibit your long-awaited travel plans. Use these tried and true tricks for staying healthy on any continent.

1. Bring the medicines you normally use.
   • If you’re prone to the occasional migraine, bring plenty of Advil. Succumb to

     

     The foliage is beautiful…but it might make you sneeze!

     sinus infections? Bring your Sudafed. Other countries don’t always carry the brands you are used to, and it can be daunting to find the foreign equivalent –especially when you’re under the weather and need relief fast. If you experience seasonal allergies, bring those antihistamines just in case. You never know what allergens you will encounter (if you’re in Granada, Spain, in Spring, you won’t be able to escape the pollen…).

2. Find out what the local drugstores are called.
   • In Italy, they’re called “Apothecaries”—so Shakespearean! Others just have a symbol of a green cross on the overhang. One name you definitely won’t see is CVS. 24-hour drug stores are not as commonplace in some countries, so it is important to find out where you can purchase medicine. Many overseas pharmacies are like mini doctors offices—you can tell them your symptoms and they will choose the appropriate medicines from behind the counter (note: this is a definite perk, but requires that you can explain your symptoms in the native language).
3. Get the 9-1-1 equivalent for the country you’re in.
   • In the unlikely and unfortunate event that your symptoms progress and you need immediate medical care, it’s essential to have the emergency number memorized or saved as a contact in your phone. (Tip: when traveling to a new country, it is a good idea to add this number to your contact list as soon as you arrive).
4. Check your insurance plan before you go.
   • See if you are covered by your insurance plan when you travel abroad. If not, look into global insurance plans if you intend to stay longer than a month. This is a great safety net to have—otherwise, if you end up getting ill or breaking a limb, medical expenses could drain your precious travel budget. Another thing to keep in mind is if you purchase global insurance, do not cancel your insurance back home. If you have a serious medical emergency and have to be flown back, you won’t be covered in your home country.
     
5. Pack your vitamins.
   • Traveling to new places exposes you to people, water, food, air…and germs…that you might not have encountered before. Even if the location you’re staying in is known for its clean water, you don’t know how your body will react to it until you try it yourself. Same with food—some countries have different methods for storing and preparing meat and dairy products, so don’t assume you won’t get sick just because you’ve had something similar before. Taking daily probiotics will help your stomach transition from your old diet to the array of new flavors your destination has to offer. Taking vitamin C while traveling is a good way to protect yourself from anything you could pick up while crammed in close quarters on a plane. Any regular multivitamin you take is also a must-bring.

 

If you have any other medical travel advice for readers, please let us know by leaving us a comment!

 Monica Mula.

7 Reasons Why You Need ‘Study Abroad’ in Your Life

 If you’re scared to take the plunge and apply for a study abroad trip, these are a simple 7 reasons to push you to hit that ‘APPLY’ button.

1. Your perceptions of the world and of yourself will change. Once you live in another country and are immersed in their culture, you begin to see how big this world is. You unknowingly will start contemplating your part in it, the one you will choose to play and carry out in this world.
2. The people you meet will forever change your life- in the best way possible. I’m sure you’ve heard the classic, “I met some of my best friends while studying abroad”, statement, but you don’t just meet some of the most amazing people who will change your life forever, you meet people who you now share some of the most fantastic memories with. Friends who become family, people who you don’t know how you survived this long without knowing (promise I’m not being dramatic), and individuals who challenge you to be the best version of yourself. You meet people who have similar interests in exploring the world, growing, pushing the limits of what is ‘the norm’, and they will be forever the reason you are thankful for studying abroad. 
3. You’ll learn things about yourself that you never would have, like if you’re fantastic at planning trips or are really good at handling tough situations. You’ll be surprised how much you learn about yourself over the course of your study abroad trip, that no one in a classroom could have ever taught you- only the world could.
4. Your heart will be placed all over the world. With everyone you meet on your trips a piece of your heart stays with them in that place forever- a beautiful reminder of everything that once was, but a painful reoccurring ache to fly across the world to be reunited again (no one said having friends in other countries would be easy!).
5. You’ll have a new appreciation for coming home, a place to unwind and take a step back to examine all the wonderful places and people you met.
6. Your current major is temporarily put on the back-burner, as your new major becomes: ‘Exploration of the World: Becoming a Global Citizen and Local Cuisines, Artisan Craft Beers and Wines Connoisseur’ – best. major. ever.
7. It’s only the beginning of realizing all that life has to offer you, if you just take the first step and apply yourself, to whatever it is, and in this case to study abroad.

What are or were your reasons for studying abroad? What did you learn about yourself and about this world?

Making the Most of Your Weekend Trip to Catalina Island

An easy how-to-guide on making the most of your quick  trip to Catalina Island

Credit for the Adventure: Kyle

1. On Catalina there are only a certain amount of cars allowed on the island, so everyone drives golf carts instead of cars. It is essential you rent a golf cart to drive around the island to experience it like a true local. It is filled with gorgeous scenic views (like the featured story photo) and a fun ride!
   1. If you’re under 25, and don’t want to be ripped off, rent from Island Rentals- it’s cash only, but the guys are awesome and funny.
2. Go zip-lining (and ask to be put in Sam and Justin’s group). It has some breathtaking views of Catalina and is so much fun!
   1. Don’t let your fear of heights stop you from participating! You are securely strapped in and nothing but fun awaits you!
3. Get Kona coffee and breakfast/ lunch at Original Jacks Country Kitchen. It is delicious and you won’t regret it. They are known for their eggs benedict, so if you’re an eggs benny fan you have to try them.
4. Go see the Botanical Gardens at Wrigley Park (you known the guy who created Wrigley gum? Yeah, this is his park and basically his island too).
   1. If it is your birthday (or near your birthday) you get in for free, or if you are a student you get 1/2 priced tickets, otherwise it is $10 a person.
   2. Make sure you find the Dragon Tree.
5. Even though Avalon (the town in Catalina) is rather small, there is more than plenty to do there, especially in two days!

Hope you enjoy your trip to Catalina Island! Don’t forget to look for dolphins on the ferry ride over from Dana Point! 

Have more fun local activities to add to the list? Put them in the comments below! Can’t wait to see what local tips you have for fellow travelers like me! 

People, Places and Things: Markets in Melbourne

If you’re in Melbourne make sure you stop by one of the many markets this beautiful city has to offer! For each one has it’s own charm (and taste!). It’s an experience you won’t forget. 

Credit for the Adventure: Maddy

Queen Victoria Market The most notorious market place in Melbourne. Known not only for its food and goods, but festive night markets as well. Open everyday except Mondays and open Wednesday after 5 pm.

1. For shopping Victoria Market is a great place to stock up on local fresh produce.
   • Tip: (From a wise local Melbournian named Madeleine) If you go just before the daily market (around 2 or 3pm ) is going to close, you may not get the most attractive looking produce, but you will get it for dirt cheap or even free. 
2. Summer Night Market  Filled with live music, fantastic eatery stands, sangria and lots of gorgeous mini pop-up shops. The summer market on Wednesday nights from 5 pm-10 pm is perfect for a mid-week meet up with friends or the perfect start to your Wednesday night out.
3. Winter Night Market A wonderful night market as well, however filled with a bit of
   a chill, but plenty of mulled wine to keep you warm inside. It is less crowded than the Summer Night Market, so it is more of a peaceful experience rather than a tourist hot spot. It runs the same day and hours as the Summer Night Market. 

 

South Melbourne Market Open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the South Melbourne Market has a lot to offer not only for the traveler, but for the local as well. It is very similar to Queen Victoria Market, however with a smaller selection of stands for produce, meat and fish.There are a lot of shops/ traders inside the market that cater to the arts and imagination.

1. Night Market For a limited time from January through March, South Melbourne Market hosts its very own night market with food, art and drink on Thursday nights starting at 5:30 pm.
2. Tours For just $5.00 a person, you can schedule your own market tour with a local along with free tastings. Quite the bargain if you want a quick look into a local experience.

View of Melbourne from St. Kilda

St. Kilda Esplanade Market The arts and crafts market of Melbourne. Fantastic place to pickup some unique pieces for your flat or gifts for friends, family or yourself! Located next to Luna Park, it can be a fun-filled day for all with some theme park adventure and artistic inspiration to fill your soul.

1. Night Market St. Kilda’s Night Market, called Twilight Market, is hosted every Thursday in the summer from 5 pm- 10 pm in the O’Donnell Gardens right next to Luna Park. Filled with wonderful jewlery, clothing, art and food stands for the perfect summer night out, especially after spending the day at St. Kilda Beach!

More photos here of St. Kilda Market.

Things to do in St. Kilda

For more information on the endless wonderful markets Melbourne has to offer, click here.

Did I miss any awesome markets in Melbourne? Let me know and I will add them to the list! Which ones are your favorites? Mine is definitely QV Market.

People, Places and Things: Visiting the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary in Tasmania

If you are going to be spending some time in the southern part of gorgeous Tassie, make sure to check out the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary in Brighton- it’s an experience you won’t ever forget. 

The greatest part about the sanctuary is that the kangaroos roam freely- they even provide you with feed for them! Lots of opportunities to take selfies with the kangaroos!

Credit for the Adventure: Monica

How to get there:

There are two main ways of getting to the wildlife sanctuary from Hobart:

1. The easy way- Rent a car, use your own car, take a taxi or an Uber (although the latter might be quite expensive). It’s about a 28-30 minute drive on either National Highway 1 to c/321 or  Highway 1 to B32 to C326 to C325. A gorgeous drive either way!
2. The adventurous way- If you are taking this way, you MUST plan a day or two in advance because there are specific bus times that you will need to coordinate. Bus map here. If you are non-Tassie natives (or Australian natives at that), don’t or can’t rent a car, don’t want to spend money on a taxi or Uber (if available), then the bus and walking route it is for  you! This is the route my friend and I took and it was quite the adventure, but filled with the best memories as adventures usually are.
   1. Try and take the X21 if it is running that day because it is an express to Brighton and will cut your trip down. 
   2. Take the 520 bus from downtown Hobart at 90 Elizabeth St. towards Cove Hill Fair about 48 minutes. You will get off at Green Point Rd/ Scott Rd in Bridgewater.
   3. You will then take 521 towards Brighton. 
   4. You will be on the bus toward Brighton for about 18 minutes where you will get off at 22 Munday St. It is a quite street in a beautiful neighborhood area.
   5. From here, you will walk 1.7km or about 1 mile to the sanctuary. It is a gorgeous walk there.
3. Tip: If you do choose the adventurous way, communicate with your driver about where you are going. They usually are extremely friendly and caring and will let you know when your stop is, where to change and more. It was a great adventure taking the bus, getting to stop in many different parts of Tasmania, but it did take almost two hours to get there, so depending on your day’s schedule or what you are up for, make sure you take this into consideration.
4. Additional directions from the sanctuary’s website.

The Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary:

Website: http://bonorong.com.au/

Admission: Adult- $26, Child- $12, Under 2- Free

Hours of Operation: Everyday 9 am-5 pm (including holidays)

Do you know of other great wildlife sanctuaries in Australia? What do you like about them? I can’t wait to go visit more soon!

People, Places and Things: Finding Accommodation in Australia

Some helpful tips for finding accommodation on a new continent- Australia

This information is all from my own research from when I decided to study abroad in Melbourne, Australia. However, a lot of these websites can be used to find housing throughout Australia, not just Melbourne.

Housing:

1. Gumtree.com.au – an extremely helpful website for finding places to live anywhere in Australia
   1. You can post an ad about yourself, what type of accommodation and flatmates you’re looking for to have people contact you
   2. Also, a great place to look for work in the hospitality/ service industry as well as for used goods such as bicycles
2. Flatmates.com.au – great if you’re looking for a place to live or to find a roommate for a place you have already found
   1. Strictly a housing website, unlike Gumtree.com.au
3. Au.easyroommate.com – another website similar to flatmates.com.au to assist in finding a place to live and/or a flatmate
4. I highly recommend checking out some housing Facebook groups , they can prove to be extremely helpful and produce leads to other housing opportunities/ groups

Student Housing:

1. Depending on your university, they might have housing websites available for you. For The University of Melbourne, they do have a Housing Online Noticeboard . This is a great source for students trying to live with other students, in a student community or who feel more comfortable using a university site.
2. Unilodge.com is a student housing website, however their accommodation  is on the pricier side.
   1. Finding accommodation through a student housing company will produce more expensive listings than on Gumtree or Flatmates
3. Urbanest.com.au is another popular student housing provider
4. RMIT Village is specifically in Melbourne and is an extremely popular choice among foreign exchange students
   1. I had a lot of friends who lived here and generally liked it. It is in a fantastic location, close to Uni Melbourne. However, the rooms are very small and you share it with one other person. For the price you pay at RMIT village, you could find a nice one bedroom, close to Uni and have plenty of extra cash to enjoy exploring Australia.
5. At the University of Melbourne, they provided student housing in their colleges, which are equivalent to dormitories in the United States. They are expensive and require a separate application, but if you are a freshman or a sophomore, this will be a really great way to meet people.
   1. If you are not staying in a college at the University of Melbourne, consider participating in their Week Of Welcome program. It’s a great way to meet other locals and other foreign exchange students. I met my two best friends there; one was my group leader, a native Melbournian, and the other a free-spirited girl from Denmark.

My recommendation:

• Save your money for seeing Australia, not sleeping in Australia. Live in a shared house in North Park, Fitzroy, Brunswick -near Sydney Rd. All are near the University of Melbourne.
• DON’T sign a lease or anything until you see the room you are leasing (unless it is through one of the main student housing websites listed above) or you could end up losing a lot of money.
• Be cautious of what you sign or don’t sign.
  • In Victoria, your lessor must legally send in bond paperwork to the state of Victoria (which is like a security deposit) and these funds may only be accessed if their is damage done to the property. If there is no damage, you receive the bond back at the end of your lease agreement. Legally, the bond cannot be used to pay your last months rent.

Enjoy every moment and explore as much as you can. Australia is quite an amazing place to be.

How was your finding accommodation experience? Easy? Hard? Dreadful? I’d love to know!

View of Melbourne from Eureka Tower

People, Places and Things: How to Drive Cross-Country in 6 Days

A brief, cut to the chase, list of how to drive cross country, cheaply, affectively, yet still sightsee.

This is based on our trip from Connecticut to California.

1. Pack the essentials: Food, a case of water, clothing for the different climates you drive through in an accessible bag and (of course) pack what you need for when you get to your final destination.
   • packing food and water before you leave eliminates stops and is more cost-effective along the way.
2. Maintain the speed limit, or a little under. With out of state plates on your car, you’re more likely to get pulled over in another state for going even just a couple of miles over the speed limit. Getting a ticket in another state will not only affect your finances, but can delay your overall trip.
3. Staying with friends and family definitely cuts down on costs for hotels/ motels. If possibly, I recommend basing your route based on accommodation if you’re pressed for time and is cost effective.
4. Plan some scenic stops along the way to get the most out of the trip.
   1. Planning to stop for dinner in a city or in area you want to see and taking extra time for exploration will be worth it and give you a break from being in the car.
5. If you’re tired, pull over. It’s hard driving alone if you don’t have someone to trade driving with, so if you’re getting tired it’s worth it to pull over somewhere for a bit and sleep.
6. Have fun, take pictures and enjoy seeing the country!

What was your cross-country experience like? If you haven’t had one yet, what places are on your list to see? 

1. 

   Exploring Dallas, TX!

    

People, Places and Things: Finding a Job in Southern California

Here are some tips for finding jobs in Southern California:

My number one piece of advice is to not jump at the first job offer you get, unless it is your dream job. It takes time to find the right company or position, so take it slow, keep researching and you will find it.

1. Indeed.com and Monster.com are good places to start, but beware of companies who post “Entry-Level Marketing, Advertising, Sales etc.”. A lot of them are door-to-door sales jobs with no starting salary, just commission. If that’s what you’re looking for, then great! However, if you just starting off, I recommend something with a steadier income. You will need it especially if you’re looking for a place to live.
2. Believe it or not, if you are in the trades business, service industry or want to get a feel for what is out there, looking on Craigslist.com is a great place to see jobs specific to your industry.
3. Working for a University or a community college as an Administrative Assistant is a good way to transition and also is a great way to finish up some credits.
   1. Any of the UC schools would be a great place to start, although they receive a lot of applications and take their time getting back to you, so don’t be disappointed if it’s been some time since you applied. It’s always good no matter what job you apply for to call and check on the status of your application.
4. Research the best companies to work for in your area using a source like http://www.referenceusa.com. You will need to subscribe through your local library, so make sure you have a library card to gain access. It’s a great way to search for businesses around you, in your field and obtain contact information on the point of reference person for that company.
5. Go to a temp agency. It may sound unappealing, I know, BUT a lot of times going through a temp agency gets your foot in the door with lots of different companies. If you temp at a company, and they like your work ethic, they’ll often hire you after your temping period is complete. It’s also a great way for you to test the company out to see if you would like working there before fully committing.
   1. I recommend Robert Half Temping Agency/ Office Team (that’s how I got my first job out here in California).
6. If you’re from out-of-state and are planning on moving extremely soon, or are in California staying in a motel, make sure to put a California address on your resume, not your old home address. Most companies won’t even look at your resume if it is from out-of-state. If you have a relative or a friend who lives in California, ask if you can use theirs. As long as you’re committed to moving out to California for the job, use this tactic.
   1. Once you get the interview they’ll be impressed that you’ve uprooted and moved to California. It’ll show your level of commitment

What has your post-college job experience been like? Are you ‘climbing the corporate ladder’? Are you following your true passion?

People, Places and Things: Finding an Apartment in Southern California

What you need to know as a young College Graduate trying to find an apartment in Southern California:

You’ll need about $4,000 to start, a car and a determined spirit to find the place that’s right for you.

1. For a 2-bedroom/2 bath by the beach, let’s say in Carlsbad Village, you’re looking to pay over 2,000 a month PLUS utilities like garbage, sewage, hot water, electricity and gas. On top of that, if you’d like to add Internet and/or cable add an additional $100 per month. Your total per month would be around $2,250.
2. The more roommates you have to split the rent, the better. If you’re looking to live alone or without roommates, you’re going to be paying more. Makes sense right? The more space for yourself, the more money it will cost you.
3. Laundry in-unit is rare and you will be paying extra for it. For example, in Vista if you were to live in a 2-bedroom/2 bath without laundry it would be around $1,600 a month, not including utilities. For the same location, with laundry, tack on an extra $100-150. Luxury comes at a cost my friends.
4. The more inland you go, the cheaper rent is, but be cautious of safe areas. I recommend the site http://www.neighborhoodscout.com to check out the areas you’re looking at. In general, when you’re new to an area and don’t know much about safety and location, it’s best to ask locals and to do some online research.
   • Everyone is friendly and more than willing to help you in California, so ask your server or local shop clerk and they’ll be more than happy to give you some advice.
5. If you choose an area like Vista or inland Oceanside, which are both about an hour away from downtown San Diego, without traffic, you’re looking in the mid-1700 to 1900 including utilities and internet/cable. BUT you won’t be in walking distance to the beach. However, in Vista there are some great hiking trails and breweries, so if you like to hike and drink beer, that might be a reasonable trade-off.
6. DO NOT SIGN A LEASE LONGER THAN 6 MONTHS. You won’t really get a feel for the area until you live there, so don’t sign your life away for a year without knowing the area and if you like it. 6 months is a good test period.
7. While looking for an apartment, stay in a motel or Air B&B. You don’t want to spend all your money on luxury accommodation and have no money for a security deposit, first AND last months rent. The Motel 6 in Downtown Carlsbad is extremely affordable ($70 a night with tax for two queen beds) and is perfectly sanitary. There is always enough parking and it’s in perfect walking distance to the beach and Carlsbad Village.
   • What I would recommend doing, if you have the time and don’t mind motel-hopping, is staying in Carlsbad Village for a couple of days and getting a feel for it. Then, if you don’t mind motel hopping, stay in Oceanside, Vista, Encinitas, Pacific Beach and Downtown San Diego to really get a feel of where you would like to live. Especially if you want to sign more than a 6 month lease.
8. If you go through a leasing agency, they are going to require you to make X amount times the rent. For example, if the rent is $1,500 a month and the leasing office requires you make 3 times that, your monthly income must be equal to or greater than $4,500 per month. Now, if there are two or three of you, it can be combined income. However, the tricky part is they usually want proof of income from a job in California. You can prove that income by bringing in two pay stubs OR by bringing in an offer letter.
   • Other requirements are usually a credit report to make sure you have over a 600 credit score and a criminal background check.

Enjoy your time getting to know the areas, California has a lot to offer! Happy hunting!