Your Naval Base San Diego Area Guide

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PCS Orders to Naval Base San Diego? Congratulations and welcome to the Southern California Coast! The area has a lot to do and see and has something for every type of family. The city has a lot of military due to the concentration of Naval and Marine Installations. So read below to find out more about your new duty station, then head over to PCSgrades.com to start your housing research, or find your A-graded REALTOR.

WHERE IS NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO?

Naval Base San Diego is located on the Pacific coast in San Diego, California, about 15 minutes from Downtown San Diego and 3 hours from Los Angeles, California. The base is supports over 20,000 military members and serves as the home-port of the Pacific Fleet. Being stationed in Southern California provides many opportunities for every sort of family. The location boasts beautiful beaches, outdoor fun, and plenty of close attractions to keep you busy through your time here.

NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO HOUSING

ON BASE

San Diego Naval Station housing is managed by Lincoln Military Housing. Forty-eight communities serve the San Diego area Naval and Marine population and consist of apartments, duplexes, and single family homes. Some options are on base while others are off and roughly 5-15 minutes away from the base. While there is definitely some options for Officers, most of the communities are for the Enlisted Ranks and serve E1-E9.

OFF BASE

If you are looking to rent or buy while in San Diego, it is essential to define your priorities. In general, San Diego housing is costly. If you are ok with smaller living spaces (I.E., condo, apartment or townhouse) and enjoy the urban lifestyle, you have a lot of options in fun neighborhoodslike downtown, North Park, South Park, Coronado, and Hillcrest. If you want/need more space, a yard, or a good school district; you will need to move farther out from Central San Diego. People speak highly of the school districts in East Lake and Poway. Coronado is a beautiful place to live, but the housing tends to be very expensive.

Check out our partners, Homescout and start searching for your new home today using their MLS listings to see the same info your agent sees!

BAH & COST OF LIVING

The San Diego area is not an extremely affordable area to live in or buy a home in. With the median home price of $575,000, the local markets are quite a bit higher than the national average and an increase in rate is inevitable. However, if you don’t mind paying what some refer to as a “Sunshine Tax,” San Diego is a beautiful place to live, work, and play.

Read the pros and cons of renting and buying here.

SAN DIEGO WEATHER

The San Diego area boasts a moderate climate with tends to stay around 75 degrees all year long with a small amount of rain. The temperature does cool in the winter and even in the evenings. This means you can save on your electric bill all year long as it’s rarely necessary to have an air conditioner aside from in July and August when there are a few hot days (in the ’90s). Even then a portable window unit should suffice. Mostly it is beautiful here year round, the perfect climate for the outdoor activities that are so popular in the area, bike riding, surfing, and beach bumming.

CULTURE AND CUSTOMS

LOCAL CUISINE

San Diego Cuisine is diverse and varied and based on fresh ingredients. Taco trucks, burritos, and California pizza are all popular choices, but perhaps the defining dish of San Diego is fish tacos. Served with lime on the side this yummy concoction can be found pretty much everywhere and is a local favorite. Other favorites include Asian cuisine of all sorts and of course fresh seafood.

AREA ATTRACTIONS

There is seriously so much to do in the Southern California. Individuals, couples, and families are all sure to enjoy their time here. From museums to beaches, San Diego has it all.

MUSEUMS

San Diego is sporting some serious military museums and memorials. Among the most popular are the USS Midway Museum, The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, and the San Diego Air & Space Museum. The USS Midway Museum is housed on the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier. One could spend days here exploring the history through tours, interactive exhibits, and a wide variety of events and activities. The USS Midway is even host to the virtual exhibition, The Wall of Gratitude, in which you can submit a photo of your Service Hero and have them honored with their brothers and sisters in service.

The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum is the only Marine Corps Aviation museum in the nation and worth a visit. Admission and parking are free to see all this unique museum has to offer.

The San Diego Air & Space Museum offers an extensive collection of aircraft and spacecrafts from all over the world as well as simulators and special interactive activities for the kiddos. Admission is free for active military.

LOS ANGELES

In the mood for a day trip? Visit the second most populous city in the U.S.A.! Soak up the L.A. culture, catch a Lakers game, or take a hike through the beautiful Hollywood Hills. Los Angeles is a city like nowhere else and definitely deserves a weekend visit or two during your time in San Diego. It’s only 3 hours away and is a cultural hub of entertainment, art, and fashion. You might even see a celebrity or two.

BEACHES

The San Diego area is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in America, 70 miles of beaches to be exact. Some local favorites are Mission Beach, La Jolla, and Del Mar. Enjoy surfing, bike-riding, or just some relaxation. All of the beaches offer something a little different and you could spend a while exploring all beach life here has to offer.

FOR THE KIDS

If the beaches happen to get boring for the kiddos, there are tons of other things to occupy their time and energy. San Diego is home to the famous San Diego Zoo which you are probably aware of, it’s also home to the 100-year-old Birch Aquarium and the San Diego Zoo Safari.

Other excellent attractions for families include; Legoland, Belmont Park, Sea World, and Aquatica. Aside from theme parks, favorite activities include whale watching, seeing the sea lions at La Jolla, or catching a baseball game at Petco Park. With so many options San Diego it’s hard to not have a good time while stationed here.

Are you ready to start your research? Head over to PCSgrades.com and read reviews for on-base housing, neighborhoods, REALTORS, and more!

This post sponsored by PCSgrades.