San Diego is a family-friendly rural town in South Texas
When people want to get away from big city life in South Texas, they go to San Diego. Located halfway between Laredo and Corpus Christi, San Diego is a small rural community with green spaces, local schools and a historical courthouse. The population boomed after the Texas-Mexican Railway was built in the 1880s and connected Corpus Christi to northern Mexico. Today, State Highway 44 continues connecting San Diego to big city attractions while retaining its countryside appeal. “There are a lot of ranches around the area,” says Sally Soliz, an Alice resident and real estate agent for Realty Executives Corpus Christi & Coastal Bend. “It’s a very good little family-oriented community.”
Mexican restaurants, fast food and limited retail
There are a handful of small shops and restaurants throughout town. Many Mexican restaurants are found along the main highway, while chain restaurants include Dairy Queen, Church’s Texas Chicken and Hunt Brothers Pizza. The Luchazie General Store & Restaurant serves burgers, fries and loaded baked potatoes inside a rustic dining room with deer mounts and a cougar taxidermy mount. Secret Ranch Boutique is a woman-owned business that offers western wear, jewelry and air fresheners. There are also a couple of dollar stores, tire shops and a Lowe’s Market grocery store.
Traditional and Spanish-style homes with low cost
San Diego has one of the lowest living costs not just in Texas, but also in the nation, with a median sale price of $209,000. Most older homes were built in the early 1900s and are situated on city blocks north and south of the main highway. Roads with cracked pavements and potholes lead into small fixer-uppers and manufactured homes with patchy lawns and chain link fences, selling for $44,000 to $60,000. Traditional and Spanish-style homes are more common in this community with picket fences, sidewalks and brick and stucco exteriors, costing between $150,000 and $275,000.
Plazas, baseball fields and a county museum
There are playgrounds and basketball courts at Vaquero Park and the school district to the south, along with a few baseball fields throughout the community. Plaza Padre Pedro has a small walking loop and gazebo, while Plaza Alcala hosts community events, barbecues and live music performances. The Duval County Historical Museum has exhibits featuring old photos and artifacts dating back to the 1880s.
Three schools all in one campus
The San Diego Independent School District serves over 1,500 students and has all three campuses in the same building. “They keep the kids very on-task with their schoolwork,” Soliz says. “I have one grandson in the elementary school, and he’s very proud of his As and Bs.” Collins-Parr Elementary has a Gifted and Talented program and a C on Niche. Bernarda Jaime Junior High School has a 13-to-1 student-teacher ratio, while San Diego High School offers advanced placement courses and an early college program. Both schools have C-plus ratings on Niche.
One highway between Corpus Christi and Laredo
Driving 55 miles east on State Highway 44 leads to Corpus Christi beaches and the international airport. Freer is 25 miles west, and merging onto U.S. Route 59 will take travelers to Laredo and the U.S.-Mexico border 88 miles southwest. The Christus Spohn Hospital is open for 24 hours and is over 12 miles east in Alice.
