It's hard to find a city in California that hasn't been run through the ringer and emerged unscarred but Escondido just may be the exception. Situated about 30 miles northeast of downtown San Diego, while not on the coast, this big suburb with mostly temperate weather is well-located in the big scheme of things. The city is going through a major downtown renovation that is revealing a brand new Mainstreet USA-type of city. Prices are cheaper than the rest of the San Diego area and yet, you're still in the San Diego area. 


It's a Hidden Gem

The Best Thing About Escondido?

Virtually all west coast cities of any size has an unhoused population. While locals crave a compassionate solution the size of Escondido makes the issue more apparent than for residents of bigger cities. This means they're more likely to complain. 

The Unhoused 

The Worst Thing About Escondido?

Escondido is home to 150,000 people and there is a historic downtown that is undergoing a big upgrade but for most, this is suburban life; Masterplanned communities, gated housing developments, parks, community centers and plenty of ample lots. There are rural areas as well and it’s all plopped down in the middle of rolling hills and tranquil scenery with easy access to downtown and major highways (I-15) that will take you to San Diego and other coastal cities like Carlsbad and Oceanside. Most residents own but there’s more downtown development these days including luxury apartments.

The California Center for the Arts serves as a cultural hub, hosting performances, art exhibits, and educational programs. The annual Grape Day Festival is popular and the Dia de los Muertos celebration is lively. 

Notable outdoor destinations include Daley Ranch Preserve, which offers a network of scenic trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding and Kit Carson Park which features scenic walking paths, picnic areas, and a pond. 


Lifestyle of Escondido

Escondido Union School District CA K-5 gets great reviews. It is also home to highly regarded private schools as well as Palomar College, a well-respected community college while Lake Hodges is served by the award-winning Poway Unified School District.

Families with children in Harmony Grove Village have access to schools in the Escondido Union School District such as Elfin Forest Elementary School and San Pasqual High School and families in South Escondido have access to notable schools including L.R. Green Elementary School and Del Dios Academy of Arts and Sciences. San Pasqual Valley is served by the esteemed San Pasqual Union Elementary School and San Pasqual High School.


Schools in Escondido

Escondido is undergoing a major upgrade to its downtown. Turning a suburban city with a small commercial district into a more authentic Mainstreet USA vibe. It's hard to find cities before they become "hot" but one of the big early alerts is when an upgrade is coming to the downtown area. 

On The Rise

Why You Should Move Here Now? 

Lake Hodges is renowned for its strong community and outdoor recreational opportunities. At the heart of the neighborhood lies the lake itself which spans over 1,200 acres. This reservoir invites boating, kayaking, and fishing. Lake Hodges Park and the trails that wind through the hills and meadows provide for hikers and cyclists and offer playgrounds and picnic areas. 

Lake Hodges has a mix of single family homes and townhomes/condos so while popular with families, there are smaller footprint options if you're empty-nested/retired or just not in the family way. Some of the housing stock is classic socal adobe but you'll also find plenty of very modern homes. The median home price is $1.5m so that beauty and nature comes with a price. 

Families/DINKs/Retirees

Lake Hodges

The "center" of Hidden Meadows is the Community Center, which hosts year-round social and play (kiddo and grown-up) activities like holiday parties, fitness classes, and educational opportunities.

The neighborhood has plenty of parks with play structures, courts and green spaces for doggos and kiddos. The neighborhood is zones for nearby schools including Reidy Creek Elementary School and Bear Valley Middle School, both strong options in the district. Housing is mixed between massive new construction, older cottage/ranch style and some condo/townhome options. Homes average in the $1.5m+ but you can find some below that so Hidden Meadows can be a bargain for the area. 



Families

Hidden Meadows

Harmony Grove Village is another beautiful neighborhood built deep in the rolling hills of Escondido. It’s one of the rare planned communities that was smartly designed within the surrounding landscapes and possesses a commitment to preserve the natural beauty of the area. That means locals have acres of open space and preserved natural habitats including an extensive network of trails for hiking, running or biking while you enjoy the views of southern California. 

The Village Commons is the community's central hub. It has a resort-style pool and spa, multiple parks for outdoor play and a BBQ area for family and community events. The Village also has a sports park for the kids to play little league etc., a great dog park, and community gardens when you want to get your zen on. The neighborhood is also close to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, which many consider the best zoo on the planet. Locals are typically zoned for Elfin Forest Elementary School and San Pasqual High School, both strong options in the district.
Much of the housing in the area is single-family homes, with the median price in the $800k+ range although some newer construction, larger homes can jump up in the millions quite easily. 

Harmony Grove Village

If you want to live in the heart of the action in the city then pick South Escondido. While it has suburban blocks it is also home to the downtown district and the highest density restaurants/bars, cafes and boutique shopping. If high walk score is important to you this is the place. Historic Grand Avenue is the center of this action and it’s in growth mode so more to come with growth in mind for this emerging Mainstreet USA-style neighborhood. 

The neighborhood, while centered around downtown also has several great parks and rec areas. Kit Carson Park is one of them and it really has it all. Lots of green spaces to run around, playgrounds for the kiddos, and sports facilities for little leagues and informal games. Schools where the locals attend include L.R. Green Elementary School and [**Del Dios Academy of Arts and Sciences**](https://ddaas.eusd.org/), which in particular is a prized academic choice. 
Housing options in South Escondido are more varied than other neighborhoods due to the mix of smaller single family homes near downtown, larger newer builds in the more suburban surrounding blocks and the condos/apartments, like [**Villa Escondido**](https://www.willowpartners.com/properties/villa-escondido/),   that surround the blocks near the commercial district.


Families/Young Professionals/DINKs

South Escondido

Perhaps the most fabulous neighborhood in Escondido, if rural luxurious escape is on your list of requirements is San Pasqual Valley. It’s really a retreat for those happy with being apart from the city. It has a rich vineyard and general agricultural heritage, built from the lush hills on the north end of the city. Amidst this beauty you also get the [**San Diego Zoo Safari Park**](https://sdzsafaripark.org/), that gives an element of rugged expedition energy to the bucolic blocks. 
You also get some of the more beautiful hiking trails, including the [**Santa Ysabel Preserve**](https://www.sdparks.org/content/sdparks/en/park-pages/SantaYsabelNatureCenter.html) and [**Daley Ranch**](https://www.escondido.org/daley-ranch), as well as plenty of golf, wineries, and stunning daily views of the valley. Homes here are pricey, many stretch up above $5m although the media home price is ~$2m. 


San Pasqual Valley

Escondido

**Escondido's strengths and challenges**

Moved here in 2019. We wanted to get into Poway but found a great spot in southish esco for a lot less.

At first we loved it, great neighbors and pretty quiet. Was able to leave packages on the door while we were at work, no crime, no homeless. Over the last 12 months, it’s take a large turn for the worse. Locked mailboxes being burgled, multiple packages stolen, sketchy characters snooping around at night, and a noticble increase in DUI (personally called and acted as a witness in 2 cases within 6 months). Had to do a security overhaul because of so many burglaries around the area, which is sad because this used to be “the nice area”.

I like to take daily walks and pick up trash around the area. I’ve stopped because whereas I used to barely fill up half a bag, I now have a full bag before I’m half done with the walk. I’ve tried reporting it to the PD since I’ve seen the same douche park in the same place with same car and always litters in the same spot, to which I get a “when we have time we will look into it”. Hasn’t stopped, same kid still does it, that’s an easy win they just decide to miss.

Grand renovation is looking good. Could be faster, but I understand how that goes. Hoping the eclectic/old/staples of main don’t get priced out, there needs to be some help for the cornerstone places!

All in all it’s gotten worse, but getting rid of the homeless, cracking down on drugs/alcohol drivers and general crime would be great!

**Escondido's strengths and challenges**

I moved to Escondido with my family in 2017. We live near Felicita Park. We moved here because, at the time, we could get more house/land for our money. I feel very comfortable and safe in my neighborhood. We're very close to Bernardo Elementary which I believe is one of the better elementaries in Escondido. I feel confident our child is getting an excellent education there.

I tend to stay away from north and east Escondido as I see those areas as less desirable. As many people have mentioned already, we, too, have homeless in our neighborhood. There are homeless living in the tree line off of Park Rd and Bernardo. We know they cruise the neighborhoods after midnight looking for easy hits on unlocked cars. My sister's car has been robbed a couple times. They tend to take sunglasses and loose change. So, yes, no matter where you are in Escondido, you cannot escape the homeless crisis. I would say that the homeless issue definitely needs to be addressed with realistic solutions.

I think the redevelopment of downtown is nice and gives the city a hometown feel. Overall, I think there are a lot of great restaurants throughout Esco. However, I do find myself going to San Marcos, RB, Carmel Mountain for shopping and entertainment. I think the shops along Escondido Ave could use some sprucing up. They look pretty run down and old.

We love to mountain bike and Lake Hodges and Daly Ranch are amazing for that. Kit Carson park is awesome, too. We spend a lot of time at Kit Carson for various sports.

Overall, I love our area of south Escondido (west of the 15). It has a pleasant rural but still city feel to it. Like most places in SD County, there are good and bad parts of town. I feel fortunate to live in one of the better parts.

**Escondido's strengths and challenges**

Current Escondido Resident. I was born and raised here, moved away for a bit but returned when I got married since it was a central hub between family, friends, and work, and rent was cheaper than San Marcos.

Pros: Everything that's being done on Grand Ave. All the new restaurants, and the redesign of the street gives it a small town Main Street vibe.

Cons: As has already been stated, the homeless population is a huge problem. There are places in the city that I won't take my kids because of this. While my kids love Grape Day Park, it's getting worse and worse, and I've started taking my kids to parks in San Marcos to avoid it. Also, the streets are a mess. So many potholes and even areas where the streets are crumbling. Lastly, rent isn't cheap anymore. I know that's a problem everywhere right now, but we're currently looking for a bigger place, and the prices might dive us out.

More cons than pros at this point

**Thinking of moving to Escondido and looking at apartments, how's the food, safety, etc of the area?**

In terms of safety, the safest places are in the northern most part of town, and the southern part of town. I used to live in the west end, at times it can be sketch but old esco is really nice and pretty safe imo. For food, there are places like Killer pizza from Mars, Dominics on Grand ave, Agrussa’s, burger bench also on grand. When we get back to normal, cruisin grand occurs every Friday for a few months. And we have other local events that go on. I’ve loved hear my whole life, but with that being said it’s pretty easy to get a feel for the town.


I agree with everything this person said about Escondido, but I have a few things to add.

The other nice part about living on the north or south end of town is that there are nice hiking trails on the north end of town by lake Dixon in an area called Daley Ranch and there are also some nice trails around Lake Hodges and in the Elfin Forest. (if you like to get outside). On the south end of town, Kit Carson Park is really nice.

As far as food goes, there are lots of good Mexican food places dotted around. Stone Brewing has expensive food (it is good), but the garden is a great place to have drinks. Filippi's Pizza is a downtown classic. Taco Tuesday at the Brigantine is pretty awesome if you like fish tacos. Hernandez Hideaway sits down by Lake Hodges and is a great secluded spot for a date.

The California Center for the Arts typically has some cool art events and they used to have some decent musical acts come through. That will probably pick up again once things get back to normal regarding covid.

If you are thinking about having kids, I believe the top public elementary schools in Escondido are Bernardo Elementary and L. R. Green (both on the southern end of town). I think (I may be wrong) the middle schools in Escondido are all pretty mediocre. As far as high schools go: there are a couple of academies and a charter high school that have pretty high rankings, Escondido and San Pasqual are decent, and Orange Glen is not great.




Escondido, California

Hidden Treasure

Looklyloo Score: 80

We're on it!