Lakeside

Situated among San Diego’s northeastern exurbs, Lakeview combines suburban and rural lifestyles while still being just a 25-minute drive from downtown. While many of Lakeview’s residential lanes are teeming with Spanish Revival homes and palm trees in the style of a traditional SoCal suburb, vast sections of this community consist of ranch-style homes on lush hillsides, with mountain views as a backdrop. Lakeview’s proximity to outdoor adventures adds just as much to its appeal as its shopping and dining conveniences do, and the popularity of the local rodeo keeps the rustic soul of this San Diego suburb alive. Not only does the pristine nature of the Cuyamaca Mountains dominate the skyline of Lakeview, but outdoor exploration is a common pastime among Lakeview locals. The trailhead for the 3,700-foot-tall El Cajon Mountain starts just 5 miles from the neighborhood, also connecting adventurers to the hiking, biking, rock climbing and horseback-riding opportunities that the Oak Oasis Preserve offers. The wealth of flowering chaparral and woodlands may tempt ardent hikers, but laid-back outdoor recreation can be had at smaller neighborhood parks like Lindo Lake Park. This small lake, home to a Romanesque boathouse built in 1887, is an idyllic setting for skating, picnicking, sunny strolls and games of soccer and tennis. The much larger Lake Jennings is a popular site for camping, fishing and hiking, and travelers can visit the historic Whitaker House, a stone-built, 1940-established estate nicknamed "Hilltop" by its owner-builders. One of the most popular venues in Lakeview is the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds, which has hosted the Lakeside Rodeo since 1964 and also holds a Miss Lakeside Scholarship Pageant. Lakeview’s housing inventory expresses this community’s diverse character and geography. Ranch-style homes built in the 1970s line quiet, lush streets, while Spanish Revival houses of varying sizes sit on hillsides that offer panoramic views of the San Diego area. Front gardens often feature blooming cacti and palm trees, while well-maintained sidewalks are perfect for evening walks. Estates on large acreages include Spanish-inspired homes with stucco walls and terracotta roofs, as well as working horse ranches and farms. Manufactured homes sell for between $113,000 and $637,000, while condo developments near the town center range in value from $325,000 to $625,000 and single-family homes range between $600,000 to $1.5 million. Lakeview is located just up State Route 67 from Winter Gardens’ shopping conveniences, which include an Albertsons supermarket, a Rite Aid pharmacy and a half-dozen brand-name restaurants. At the southern edge of the neighborhood, Gaetano’s Pizza Ristorante has been a local favorite since 1973, selling Italian classics from pizza to lobster. Lakeview’s proximity to rural California gives residents access to farmers’ markets that are routine in the foothills outside of town. Neighboring El Cajon is home to its own selection of shopping outlets, including the big-box stores at the Parkway Plaza Mall. On summer nights, filmgoers might cruise down to the Santee Drive-in Theater for family-friendly movie screenings. Lakeview’s students start their education at Lakeview Elementary School, which Niche gives an A-minus rating, and go on to attend the B-rated Tierra Del Sol Middle School and the A-minus-rated El Capitan High School. Aspiring polyglots can make use of Tierra Del Sol’s wealth of foreign language programs, while El Capitan provides personalized curriculum pathways in fields as diverse as horticulture, health careers and computer science. Though Lakeview may be located where the San Diego metropolitan area meets the Cuyamaca Mountains, downtown is easily accessible via a network of state routes. Drivers can reach downtown San Diego within a 25-minute and 21-mile drive down State Route 94, while the San Diego International Airport is 25 miles away. For medical necessities, the Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center is about 15 miles away.