La Mesa: Jewel of the Hills

Located just 20 minutes east of Ocean Beach, La Mesa is a city within San Diego County of around 60,500 people.  It's covers about 9 square miles and was founded in 1912 after settlers had chosen the area due to the springs that run through it.  The railroad soon followed, and from there grew the historic town of La Mesa.  Today that historic town makes up the downtown of La Mesa which, in my opinion, is one of the best kept secrets in San Diego.

 

Just about everyone who moves to San Diego envisions themselves living by the beach, but the reality is that most just can't afford to.  Because of this, I'm always on the lookout for inland areas that I think people might love as much as living in a beach town.....La Mesa is where I would choose to live if I needed to live in East County San Diego. 

One thing to note about La Mesa that not too many people will tell you about is that there is the city of La Mesa, and then there is an unincorporated area with a La Mesa mailing address.  The unincorporated area doesn’t get services from the city of La Mesa, it gets services (like the sheriff) from San Diego County and you won’t vote in any of the La Mesa city elections, but you will be able to vote for school district stuff.  Not really a big deal, but I wanted to point it out so you’re not surprised if you end up in the unincorporated area.

La Mesa’s got a good variety of neighborhoods depending on your vibe as well as a variety of price points.  Single family homes in La Mesa range from around $650k for a 2 bedroom house and go up to $5m for something fancy on Mount Helix with amazing view.  The average is around $1.1m. Condos and townhomes start as low as $350k and go up to around $850k, with an average of $571k.  If you want a home with a view you’re likely in the mid-one million range and up.

La Mesa doesn’t do neighborhoods the way a larger city like San Diego does - they’re not well defined - so different sources will give you different lists of what the neighborhoods are in La Mesa, but I’m going to cover the 4 most commonly mentioned ones.

Let's start downtown!

 

La Mesa Village is adorable and is the reason that I fell in love with this city; it’s got a real “Main Street USA” feel, including great old buildings. It's lined with shops and restaurants and coffee shops and antique shops and other services, and is surrounded by older homes, some of which date back to the beginning of the city.  This is a great place for people who want  to walk to coffee, restaurants, shops, and events including Oktoberfest, Holiday in the Village, the Classic Car Show and the weekly farmer’s market.

The homes around this area are also amazing and totally what I love.  They include Craftsman bungalows (including ones that were built in the early 1900s), some Spanish style, and midcentury ranch homes.  The landscaping around the La Mesa Village area is mature and oh so pretty, especially in the spring!  This is where you want to live if you really want that walkable lifestyle because you can walk to everything that is in the Village which includes fitness studios and other services, but you can also walk to the trolley so you can get to other parts of San Diego without having to deal with traffic or parking.

The downsides to living in the Village area is that it can get busy on weekends and during events.  The streets are also really narrow and windy since the area is very hilly, so may not be great if you have a huge car, and parking can be tight if you don’t have a garage. Because the homes are mostly older in this area you may need to budget for updating plumbing or electrical or just cosmetic stuff, but then you get all the charm that comes with an older house.

The La Mesa Secret Stairs are also in this area if you want to get a great workout in.  These stairs go up and down one of the hills in the area and connect the streets to each other because the streets literally spiral up the hill. The great thing about the hills though is that you could get both walkability to the village and a view if that fits in your budget.

Mount Helix

If you’d rather not be in the thick of things, you might prefer the Mount Helix area. This neighborhood is hillside living with huge views and unique custom homes.

Driving up Mount Helix and the surrounding areas is like driving in the mountains.  There are no sidewalks, the roads are winding and the houses are often hidden behind trees.  In a way, it reminds me of Rancho Santa Fe, but on a more compact scale.  Of course these windy roads can be a blessing and a curse, especially if you have a very large car. 

The best part of this area though is the views.  Because Mt Helix itself is a standalone hill, there are views from all sides of it.  One direction you can see downtown, another you can see Lake Murray, to the east are the mountains, and the ocean is visible to the west on a clear day.

The homes in this area are all different and private and some of the most expensive in La Mesa.  Pricing on homes can be hard to determine since they are all so unique, but you also get to know that your house isn't like all the others around you.  

The biggest downside of living in this area is the lack of walkability.  There are no businesses nearby so you have to drive to everything.  However, the one thing you can walk to is Mt Helix Park at the top of of the hill.  This park is an integral part of the community as it's a place people gather to watch the sunset, they use the walk up the hill for their exercise, and there are lots of events that area hosted there throughout the year.  The park itself has an amphitheater and a giant cross on top and events held in the amphitheater range from church services, to food festivals, to yoga, to events such as pups and pizza.  They actually offer memberships to the park so that those who live nearby can attend as many events as they want.

Severin Grossmont Hills

If you want something low-maintenance and central and maybe a little more affordable, the Grossmont and Severin area has townhomes and condos close to shopping, restaurants, and the trolley.

The Severin Grossmont area is in the north east section of La Mesa.  It's very descriptive name refers to Grossmont Center and Severin Drive.  Grossmont Center is a large shopping center with stores like Target, Macys, Walmart and Famous Footwear.  Across the street is Sharp Grossmont Hospital.  Around these are a trolley stop and mostly apartments as well as lots of other stores. 

If you head over towards the Severin area you’ll find lots of condos and midcentury homes that make great starter homes.  Severin Dr takes you into Fletcher Hills which is known to be in El Cajon, but this one little section is actually in La Mesa. This area has great freeway access to both the 125 and the 8. This is a great area if you want the convenience to shopping and commuting, if you work at the hospital or are just looking for a starter home or a great downsizing option. 

Lake Murray

The last area we’re going to discuss is Lake Murray.  The highlight of this part of La Mesa is of course Lake Murray, which is a reservoir, that is a lovely place to get away from the hustle and bustle.  You can fish on the lake, or rent a paddle boat or kayak.  You can’t swim in it since it’s a reservoir, but there are beach areas where people do lay out or watch the sunset.  There is also a 3.2 mile bike path around the lake, but it isn’t a full loop, so you have to come back the same way making for a round trip of 6.4 miles.

This area is also easy access to Cowles Mountain which is one of the most popular hikes in San Diego.  The homes in the Lake Murray are vary from great entry level condos to larger single family homes. This area definitely has the suburban neighborhood feel, but doesn’t have a lot of restaurants or stores in the direct area.  That being said, it’s still easy to get to the Grossmont area to go shopping or to the Village to go out to eat.

The city of La Mesa is part of the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District for elementary and middle schools, and then high schoolers move into the Grossmont Union High School District. A standout option here is Helix Charter High School, which has a strong academic and arts program and draws students from all over the region.

The city has 3 places to play pickle ball, 5 places to play tennis and 3 basketball courts.

La Mesa is super commuter-friendly. You’ve got three trolley stops on the Orange Line: La Mesa Boulevard, Spring Street, and Grossmont Center. The trolley makes it really easy to get to SDSU, downtown San Diego, or even out to El Cajon without dealing with freeway traffic.

If you’re driving, you’ve got easy access to the 8, the 94, and the 125—which means whether you're heading to the beach, downtown, or up to North County, you've got easy access.  That being said, traffic on the 8 can be a bear.

One last thing to note is that La Mesa has put a focus on being a great place to retire.  The Livable La Mesa Action Plan was launched with the help of AARP’s Livable Communities Initiative.  The goal is to make La Mesa a great place for people of all ages, and specifically to make it more welcoming to aging adults. Through this program the city is focused on improvements in a number of categories including Outdoor Spaces & buildings, Social & Civic Participation, Housing, and Transportation. With the number of over 65 people living in La Mesa expected to increase by 13% by 2030, this sounds like a great initiative.

So that’s La Mesa—a historic hillside town with charm, walkability, and killer views. It’s perfect for folks who want a strong community vibe without being too far from San Diego action.  Whether you’re into hiking, local events, or just want more space and character in your home, La Mesa checks a lot of boxes.

If you're house hunting here or just figuring out your next move, I’d love to help you explore the neighborhoods and find your perfect fit.

Want to see video from La Mesa? Check out my YouTube video on the area: La Mesa Neighborhood Tour - From Hills to Lakes