Single parent seeks advice about Central Cal move (San Diego, Carlsbad: apartment, for rent)

[ThanksABunch]

Here is my situation: I'm a single mom, late 30s, and my son and I have lived in Portland, Oregon for ten years. Every winter I tell myself it is the LAST time I'll go through it! The cloudy, damp, chilly environment has finally gotten to me!! I absolutely love California. I've experienced numerous road trips over the years...but never researched specific communities (schools, crime, etc)...which is what I'm starting to do now.

I would like to live near the coast...but even a half-hour inland..or a bit more...would be fine. My main concern is a nice community with low crime and good schools. We have a small dog we take everywhere...we hike, walk a lot, bike, enjoy the outdoors tremendously. We currently live in a modest 2-bedroom apartment here in Portland and frankly prefer great location to large or fancy home..although SAFE is very important!

I'm planning a road trip this spring to explore San Luis Obispo and San Diego..but am open to other areas as well.

I'm very blessed that I am able to make a nice living at home..so truly I can live anywhere. I'd prefer to spend a max of $1200 per month on a 2-bedroom apartment for awhile...at least for the first year...and then possibly move up from that when I get a feel for the area and know more about what I want. I can spend more...but that is my target range.

Does anyone have any suggestions beyond San Diego or SLO? I have always loved the central coast..but friends have told me not to rule out San Diego.

Funny...but I am meeting so many people from California in my neighborhood and I'm so ready to head south!

Thank you for any info or suggestions!!

[greatbasinguide]

Sounds like you know what you are doing. You will like SLO or any of the small towns around it, Arroyo or Morro etc. Not Santa Maria.

[ThanksABunch]

I'm so relieved to hear a positive response. I hear so many negative things about Cal, I was hesitant to even read the responses of my post.

Cheers!

[la quinta family]

If you chose San Diego area.. Carlsbad is really nice, great schools,
low crime and is really, really quaint and right near the beach!

[stellar9]

I think you would love SLO. Even though it is a college town and has lots of retirees, there are many families also and has a solid offering of community services. You should be able to find a 2 bedroom in SLO for $1200, but not very many. There are better and worse neighborhoods, of course, but I cannot think of an area of town in which I would be afraid of living with children. My college aged daughter is living by herself in an apartment there and I'm not worried about her crime wise.
If SLO is too expensive, then Paso Robles is a great family oriented city as well. Its inland and gets more sunshine than SLO or the coast. The 5 cities (Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach, Shell Beach, Grover Beach and Oceano) have nice areas, but PB and SB are way expensive and GB and O have gang areas, so I have never wanted to rent down there. Los Osos is another option if you want to be right by the coast. We have raised our family for 16 years on the central coast and have loved living here.

[gypsychic]

I'm jealous! lol Seriously, I am a native Floridian, wanted for years to get out of here at least part time. Hubby and I ended up with a place in the mountains of NC, but for years I pined for California, in particular SLO and the Central coast. That place is a paradise. I have visited a lot of other areas of California, but the central coast area is the only place that I really love. Sadly, it was just waaaay out of our budget....

I agree about Paso Robles - this is where you will probably get a better bang for your buck. Prices in SLO itself even for rent were outrageous, and that was even a few years ago when we were looking. Paso is not far from the coast, however, and it's an easy drive to Morro Bay, which is where we stayed on our last vacation a few years ago. That is really a beautiful little town!