My wife and I used to live in El Cajon, at the corner of Washington Blvd, and Magnolia ave, until 12 years ago, to re-locate in Springfield Mo, where our money goes further.
I miss the beauty of San Diego, but not the crowding, and when we were there, crime was on the increase. My wife retired from the USPS after 33 years, and our mortgage was getting hard to pay, being all I could find was temp work here and there.
Balboa park on a Sunday, always had something going on, and the drive to Cabrillo Monument on Pt. Loma was a nice way to get out of the house.
Have you been to the model railroad displays in the basement of one of the buildings in Balboa park?
http://www.sdmrm.org/