Birdland - San Diego, CA

Known as "the birthplace of California," San Diego Bay was the first place discovered by the Europeans settlers. Residents have always been afforded the privilege of living next to historical landmarks such as Balboa Park, with 17 museums, a large art scene, the San Diego Zoo, and beautiful gardens, in addition to Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.

Birdland's development occurred during the late 1950s and early 1960s. In planning documents, Birdland was known as "El Dorado;" however, the neighborhood is in fact part of San Diego's city of Serra Mesa.

The Serra Mesa Community Fair remains a free annual event with live bands, dance performances, food, local vendors, DJs, over 60 booths, crafts, raffles and carnival rides. You will also find the annual Linda Vista Multi-Cultural Fair and Parade to the west with cultural exhibits, varied ethnic food offerings and artistic performances.

Birdland is surrounded by a wide variety of potential dining choices ranging from corporate restaurants to dining experiences unique to the area. For the liveliest nightlife, travel west to Mission Beach and Pacific Beach for an array of bars, dance clubs, and restaurants.

Locally, you can find line dancing at the country music bar, Incahoots, located two miles south of any spot in Birdland. This location is within walking distance from the San Diego Trolley system and not only features free parking but also an 11,000 square foot multilevel facility, three full-service bars upstairs and downstairs, a monthly dance lesson calendar and frequent special events. Moreover, their restaurant highlights fantastic food, perhaps the most popular being the Incahoots sampler platter with spicy onion petals, jalapeno poppers, mini corndogs, and fried mushrooms.

Another popular restaurant choice would be the local favorite, Bully's East Sports Bar, which has been known for their prime rib since 1967, located just a few miles south just past Interstate 8. Chef Luis Martinez prepares fantastic dishes, including the favorite 22-ounce bone-in ribeye, lobster tail, a half pound of king crab legs with green beans almondine, and crispy salt and pepper steak fries.

Public transportation strives to be accessible in Birdland. There might even be a good chance you could find a quick cab in the area since there is a hospital in the neighborhood. Uber can also be a viable option for ride sharing, partially due to the close proximity of neighboring communities.

Fortunately, no need to worry about dealing with parking meters because parking does not require a permit or fees. The streets are residential and very safe; they are perfect for jogs or riding your bike to school.

Birdland's central location, in respect to the freeway system, allows access to virtually any highway desired. The community is nestled between the 163 and the 805, which can get you to the 8, 52, 15, and the 5 freeway within 10 minutes.

Residents of Birdland enjoy a multitude of large parks in neighboring areas. Cabrillo Heights, one of the closer ones, features sports fields, a track, picnic areas and a playground. Kearny Moto Park is a unique park that focuses on BMX racing. Linda Vista Community Park provides illuminated sports fields and courts, a recreation center, and picnic areas. Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, less than 10 miles away, lives up to its name as the best place to watch a sunset.

The biggest and arguably best spot in all of San Diego is Mission Bay Park, which has a massive bayside park with a large playground, popular sand and surf sports, perfect sunbathing spots, boats, picnics and dog-friendly beaches. On the north end of Mission Bay, De Anza Cove Park also provides several options for amenities such as multiple volleyball courts, picnic areas, playgrounds, and a beautiful open green space for residents and visitors to enjoy.

Despite Birdland's close proximity to the coast, downtown San Diego, and two major freeways, the average cost of living is 8.6 percent less than the county average and 27.8 percent greater than the national average. As far as gas prices go, Birdland is no different than the rest of San Diego - gas prices hover around 11 percent higher than the national average.

The cost of renting exceeds the national average, although that statement also holds true to most of Southern California. An average one bedroom apartment in Birdland ranges anywhere from $1100 to $1300 per month.

Pacific Beach and Mission Beach remain two of the greatest places to find unique buys and everything beach related. Check out Dziner Eyez if you need cheap but decent quality shades, and the must-try place for bathing suits goes to Gone Bananas -- they have a huge selection and tons of sizes. Fashion Valley and Horton Plaza malls are less than 20 minutes away, and they both have well-known and very high-end stores.

Looking for a shopping experience other than the mall? With, quite possibly, the most eclectic group of stores, make a day trip out of visiting Seaport Village near downtown San Diego. They have everything from the Village Hat Shop to Hot Licks, which features hot sauces from all over the world. Wyland Galleries features pieces by the acclaimed artist, Wyland. This village overlooks the San Diego Harbor and features fun street performers and events on the weekends and holidays.

The larger Ralphs Grocery Store services the area, but the smaller stores such as Food 4 Less also give residents plenty of fresh produce options.