For a community that’s located just 21 miles from the heart of San Diego, Lakeside sure doesn’t live up to its expectations. Though the town’s name might lead you to believe it’s a posh waterfront suburb, Lakeside is really more Wild West than anything else. This picturesque neighborhood is all open sky and adventure, and it’s a great place to get rural if you’re buying a house in San Diego.
As one of the few remaining rural communities in San Diego County, Lakeside has become a major hit with commuters who want to escape the bustle of city life. It’s a town of horse corrals and mini-ranches, a place where farmers markets are the only markets and where the monthly rodeos draw more crowds than any concert or sporting event. Though a few upper-class housing tracts have been developed, the town’s 20,000 residents have steadfastly blocked any serious development within the town’s ten square miles.
Strolling through Lakeside, it’s easy to see why the community has fought so hard to stay rural. The vistas over Lindo Lake are absolutely breathtaking, and the newly opened River Park is the only park in San Diego where you can ride your horse down the walking trails without anyone raising an eyebrow. The town is such a slice of Western Americana that Hollywood often films movies and television shows there. If you’ve ever seen an episode of “Renegade,” then you’ve gotten a sneak peek at life in Lakeside.
As a rural community, Lakeside is home to some of the cheapest San Diego real estate on the market. A five-bedroom, 3,500-square-foot home can sell for $350,000 – a price that’s absolutely unheard of anywhere else in the county. A two-bedroom home can go for as low as $100,000.
If you’re buying a house in San Diego and want to settle down in one of the last remnants of the American West, then fire up your pickup truck and head down to Lakeside. It’s an excellent place to kick off your boots, pour some lemonade and watch the sun set over the canyon.
