Resources for Moving to San Diego

Moving to a new area for school can be exhilarating – and daunting. Here are some resources our out-of-state students found helpful in moving to the San Diego area.

See also our Moving to Seattle resources.

Note: We cannot vouch for information provided by other websites.

Housing

Search our Housing Board of rooms and rentals available near campus.
Many students find housing on Craigslist San Diego.
Forrent.com has comprehensive, up-to-date information for housing in the University Town Centre neighborhood, 5-10 minutes from campus by car.
Ask people who know the area — or contact Bastyr Admissions to connect you with someone who does.

Transportation

The Coaster commuter train stops within walking distance of campus and connects to additional light-rail lines.
BREEZE buses serve north San Diego County, including Sorrento Valley, where campus is located.
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System buses serve central and southern San Diego.
Students can use the After Hours forum on MyBU to arrange carpools.
511sd.com has traffic, transit and commute info.

Driving, Voting and Licensing

The New to California page at the Department of Motor Vehicles includes information on driver licenses, vehicle registration, ID cards and other topics.
Voter registration info appears at the Secretary of State website.
The Department of Consumer Affairs has information on transferring a professional license.

Child Care

Care.com is a popular site for finding nannies and other day care options.

Students can use the After Hours forum on MyBU to search for or collaborate on day care.

Schools

Academic Performance Index (API) has school by school performance reports.
Greatschools.org provides school performance data, including parent ratings and reviews.

Libraries

Bastyr University California has its own campus library and study room.
Students have access to Kenmore campus library resources, including staff assistance, online databases and digital collections.
Students also have lending privileges at the UCSD Biomedical Library.
The San Diego Public Library has 35 branch locations, including the North University branch a few miles from campus.

Groceries and Food

The area's many farmers markets link eaters with local farmers.
Nearby groceries with organic foods include Ocean Beach People's Organic Food Market, Jimbo’s Natural Foods, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Sprout's Farmer's Market, Keil’s Food Stores and the UCSD Food Co-op.
Several food trucks move around the area, often stopping near campus. Find them here.

Recreation, Fitness and Yoga

Next to campus is the Los Penasquitos Canyon Reserve, with hiking, biking and equestrian trails and 4,000 acres of wilderness. Just a few miles away on the Pacific Ocean lies Torrey Pines State Beach, a popular surfing and body-boarding spot.
The area includes many yoga studios, including Yoga 80, the donation-based One Love Yoga and Shafa Yoga, owned by a Bastyr student.
Fitness clubs include CrossFit gyms, other gyms, the Vavi Sport and Social Club and the San Diego Fitness Club near campus, which offers free first-time training sessions.
San Diego also has abundant beaches, dog beaches and dog parks.

Medical and Emergency Care

All students are enrolled in a student health plan that covers visits to Bastyr University Clinic.
Students can also purchase a health insurance plan that covers major medical expenses and partial reimbursements for doctor visits, lab work and other basic medical expenses.
Health.usnews.com includes a searchable listing of hospitals and urgent care centers in the San Diego area.
The California Naturopathic Doctors Association can help you find an ND in San Diego.

Shipping

The Sorrento Valley Post Office is just a few blocks from campus.
Amtrak offers affordable shipping rates for non-furniture items you may want to bring with you.

Meeting People

Several students recommend Meetup.com for meeting people with shared interests.

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