san diego is an intellectual black hole.
traffic is phenomenally awful, especially near UCSD - try to live elsewhere if you can. la jolla sucks.

try to make it down to mexico, it'll be an eye opener.

recommend going to the anza-borrega desert, about 90 minutes due east of SD.

oh, and avoid the sharks

i grew up in la jolla, my parents still live there, i actually kind of like it now. especially the ucsd campus and nearby area - drive down to the shores by scripps institute is beautiful. the tennis courts up there have the best site ever, not that i play but if you do its fantastic.
it is pretty devoid of culture, but its a nice city, esp to be in for the summer... i'm sure there are some other posts on here about things to do, food etc. my favorite breakfast place in la jolla is the pannikin, good espresso mocha & greek eggs, but that ages me - definitely not a hangout for cool kids or anything.
the shores is a good beach for general swimming, surfing etc but can get really crowded. marine streeet which is off la jolla blvd just south of 'downtown' la jolla is better for seclusion and the waves break right at the shoreline, kind of fun for bodysurfing.
i think the area to hang out in for fun are downtown, hillcrest, north park, south park, kensington. all sort of east of the airport and vicinity of balboa park, which is a really nice big park w/museums, japanese garden, zoo etc. same as 20 years ago, which tells you something about san diego.
my favorite thai restauront is saffron on india (i think). right next to gelato vero with really good gelato.

I loved living in San Diego. Rent. Torry Pines is a great place to hike and the beach is great.

I try and get back when ever I can.

Culture is what you make of it w/ animation fests at the museum in La Jolla, great bars in Mission Beach (only if living as a local. note. rent is cheaper there than by UCSD) wonderful sunsets on the strand and Trader Joe's. have a car or better yet a motorcycle.

What is not to love for one summer!

why are you moving here?

afrdzak,

I got an internship for the summer.

Is it possible to get by on 500/month for rent anywhere?

nik

there might be some foreclosures you can pick up!

yeah, very possible if you can stand living with a roommate. Start at craigslist.

lol holz, your love for the city is overwhelming.

I always thought of San Diego as boring but beautiful sister of Tijuana who married to a rich republican American.

i does what i cans.

it's actually a love-hate relationship:

i'd love it if there were like 12 people.

unfortunately, it's always gorgeous out, hence the 12 billion zombies.

i don't mind getting away to SD/north county, but i just don't think i could ever live there.

i have a feeling that we have the same sentiments for the city

i grew up in san diego, and yeah, its a beautiful but boring city. and blond. very blond. and it has the best burritos in the world. a city with alot of Bs apparently. beaches, bros, babes, burritos, beers, barrels (surf), uh...

seriously though, you should be having a burrito at least every other day. if not twice a day.

while surfing or boogie boarding

I live in San Diego.
Like alot of Southern California, the culture tends to be hidden here. You have to know where to find it. But its there...

I live in South Park and work downtown. You'll find La Jolla to be beautiful but somewhat shallow. Windansea beach in Birdrock (south of La Jolla) is my favorite beach. Check it out. Grab a citybeat and check out the local happenings. Lots of music venues and cool bars. Try to head out of town also, check out Idyllwild for hiking or get out to the desert. There is a wide range of landscapes here.

yes go to borrego springs if you get the chance - beautiful hiking and camping, reasonable hotels if you arent into camping. the salton sea is worth seeing for its craziness.

the salton sea smells awful

locals,

what all music venues?

anyone have a couch that i can sleep on?

casbah, 4th and b, whistle stop, etc. etc.

If you like blue cheese dressing definitely go to Albie's Beef Inn in Mission Valley.

I grew up in SD and like many of the comments, it was BORING if you have an urban itch. I moved to NYC to scratch that itch and now Im in Vegas. If you think SD is a cultural void.... Then AVOID Las Vegas. I went backwards and I now see San Diego as a having more culture than anywhere else in the South West (LA more culture but very very shallow and too much traffic). You can find culture in SD, via music especially. Art and architecture, a little tougher but it can be found. At least there is a bit more 'urbanism' and history than Vegas. So all you critics of SD, count your blessings!. Still prefer NYC over SD but stay away from Vegas. I AM SUPER DUPER BORED!

out of the three cities, SD, LA and SF that I've resided it I prefer SF.

cultural void? Only if you consider surfing, hot rods, swing dancing and tiajuana electro to be voids.

SD is still into swing dancing????? that is so '96. No wonder that city puts me to sleep.

come down to TJ i will give you a tour.

So I fly out in tomorrow and still have little clue as to where I'm living.

i'll take you up on that tour of tj

very cool site brer M.! wish I had known about it last summer but will definately sign up and use it in the future!