WanderMan wrote:Dougly, thanks for the info! I actually like the city setting very much so being crowded is not a problem for me, so long as the city is well planned and managed. Big cities always have something fun to do.
Are there any good hippie communities like Co-Op housing projects or things like that in SD? Where are the good, but reasonably priced places to live? I have been told Ocean Beach is nice.
Is there are a subway system? Is it good? Does it run from downtown to Ocean Beach? Are there traffic jams and congestion on the roads?
Is there sprawl?
Is crime a problem?
Is there much pollution?
How are the police?
How are the parties?
Haha. I'm just overflowing with questions!
I'm living in San Diego right now...it's nice, but I was raised in the foothills, so it's not quite my cup of tea. Too much urban sprawl, and the humidity can be annoying. I think that I would enjoy it much more if I was simply visiting.
That being said, there ARE some really cool places. If you're looking for Co-ops, check out North Park, the section of the city basically devoted to thrift shops and cafes. Ocean Beach is fucking awesome as well, but I don't know about any co-op/communes there. I'll ask around - they should be there somewhere. I lived on a vegan commune in North Park over the summer (my roommate and I would sneak out to get donuts), and it was a great experience. Most of the organized co-ops that I know of aren't hippie-oriented, though. There's the Bike Kitchen, the Freeschool, the Garden Co-op...lots of cool folks and good times. They know good beer and throw good parties, too. Mmm...kegs of Arrogant Bastard smoked porter. Ugly Dougly should be able to vouch for the quality of Arrogant Bastard, as it is brewed locally and seems to be THE beer of San Diego.
Unfortunately transportation is not S.D.'s particular strength. There is no subway, the public transit system is pretty bad, and San Diego drivers are absolutely terrible. Sorry Dougly, but it's true. I estimate that I almost die about once every five miles on my bicycle, and a lot of drivers ACTUALLY think that bikes are supposed to be ridden on the sidewalk. If you need to get anywhere when you're here, though, check out sdcommute.com. They have all of the information on San Diego bus routes as well as a trip planner to figure out how to get from one place to another.
Piece of advice for hitchhiking, too. Never accept a ride unless you know that your drop-off point isn't a place where you'll get stuck, and trust me, there are a LOT of places in SoCal that aren't hitcher-friendly. For example: Orange County. Fuck that place. Not only will they refuse to give you a ride, they seem to feel the need to emphasize this by screaming obscenities and telling you to get a job while they drive past in their white Lexus. That was the single most depressing hitchhiking experience I have ever had, though I have hitched all around San Diego without any problems and met some really great folks. A trio of Mexican businessmen once helped me chase down a bus.
Like I said, there is sprawl. I have never had an issue with crime. Pollution isn't that bad thanks to the sea breeze. The police are absolute dickwads. Seriously, the meanest group of cops I've ever come across. The parties...well, I don't know how to generalize something so specific to a city of over a million people. Obviously there will be good parties SOMEWHERE - it all depends on who you end up hanging out with. See my comment above on the Co-ops.
Feel free to give a holler if you have any other questions. And I would have to agree with SilverOrange. DEFINITELY check out Northern California while you're over here. The giant sequoias are spectacular, Yosemite will absolutely blow your mind, and the northern coast has views that I didn't think existed. Just north of Elk is a Druid graveyard right on top of a sea cliff that is surreal.
