Meaning “beautiful view,” Chula Vista is the seventh largest city in Southern California, and the second largest city in San Diego. And yet, Chula Vista is often overlooked when considering the San Diego area. With an easy commute and a lower median home price than San Diego, Chula Vista is the place to move to in San Diego County, offering you the city feel without actually being in the city.

Here are six reasons why people are flocking to Chula Vista. 

35th Happiest City in the U.S.

Friends enjoying a BBQ

This year, WalletHub released its top 182 happiest cities in the nation, and Chula Vista came in at 35, putting it in the top 19 percent. To earn this rank, Chula Vista scored in three categories: Emotional & Physical Well-being (21), Income & Employment (84), and Community & Environment (53). These figures factored in weather, poverty rate, adequate sleep rates, sports participation, weekly work hours, separation/divorce rates, life expectancy, depression and suicide rates, commute time, bankruptcy rates, and income growth rates. Chula Vista’s total score came to a 64.55.

Fun Fact: San Diego came in 32nd place, with a 65.37 overall score.

Recreational Programs

Youth aquatic classes

From kids to seniors, no one is left behind with the variety of Chula Vista recreational programs. Aquatic classes are available for just about any age, and there are numerous youth and teen groups and camps. Seniors can head over to the Norman Park Senior Center for senior classes, such as dancing, health programs, educational courses, yoga, creative writing, painting, and Tai Chi. The city also offers therapeutics and inclusion classes for those with physical and/or developmental disabilities. There are even job and volunteer opportunities within the recreation center.

Close to Downtown

Aerial view of San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter

Commuting is a big concern for many, and rightly so. Luckily, Chula Vista is only 7.5 miles away from Downtown San Diego (and equidistant from the Mexican Border). Chula Vista is centrally located between the Bay and the mountain foothills. Even better? You can get all of the benefits of being downtown without having to pay for the downtown living prices.

Chula Vista’s Economic Boost

Drone quadcopter with digital camera

Chula Vista became one of ten drone testing sites due to an FAA program designation, according to 10 News. Called the “Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Pilot Program,” this has opened a few important doors for the city. In addition to providing an expected boom in Chula Vista’s economy, the testing site is also expected to turn the city into to a technology hub. 375 acres of land have been chosen, making this the largest testing site for the San Diego area.

Action Drone Inc owner Darryl Anunciado told 10 News, “That same week we got the FAA designation, big companies started talking to us and started visiting us,” thus putting Chula Vista on the map. Some of the organizations that have taken a peek include the US Navy, CalTrans, Siemens, GM, and SDSU.

Chula Vista is also working with the Department of Transportation for driverless cars, making it the only city in the country to be a test site for autonomous vehicles as well as drones, according to the report.

Chula Vista’s Capital Improvement Program—Measure P—has allowed for infrastructure improvement. This temporary, ten-year tax deducts a half-cent sales tax, and it was approved by taxpayers in 2016, showing that residents are looking towards a better future for their city.

Transportation

Sidewalk through the Chula Vista Bayfront Park

Its proximity to Downtown San Diego has certainly helped Chula Vista in terms of public transportation. In addition to its extensive roadway system with freeway connections, it’s also part of the trolley system and offers a variety of pathways and trails. Though the city is a pedestrian-friendly community (with 475 miles of walkable roadways), bicycling is also heavily encouraged with 100 miles of bike paths and bikeways. Bike lanes are distinguished by class—1, 2 and 3. 

Craft Breweries

Beer flight

Chula Vista offers a refreshing variety with its shops and restaurants, especially when it comes to craft brewing. Chula Vista is home to Bay Bridge Brewing, the city’s first microbrewery (established in 2006), as well as Third Avenue Alehouse, the city’s first tasting room that’s specifically dedicated to local craft beer, and Thr3e Punk Ales Brewing, known for its quality ales.