Carmel Valley

Life in Carmel Valley

Slightly North of La Jolla and East of Del Mar sits the planned community known as Carmel Valley. In the early 1990s, the Carmelite Sisters of Mercy ran a monastery and dairy farm in the area and that is where the name Carmel Valley originated. The primary plan commissioned in 1974 adopted the name "North City West". Carmel Valley has become a model for other planned communities in San Diego, providing community parks and recreation areas, athletic clubs, golf courses, walking, running, and biking trails.

 

The proximity to freeways, employment centers, award-winning schools, world-class beaches, shopping, and dining makes Carmel Valley an ideal place to live. Mornings and evenings bring the freshness of outdoor space and nature, and the workday is enlivened by the commercial center corporate offices, hotels, shops, and restaurants. Recent developments include Pacific Highlands Ranch, One Paseo, and a makeover of the Del Mar Highlands Center all featuring a multitude of dining and shopping experiences. In addition, Carmel Valley has its own fire station, police station, and public library.

Homes in Carmel Valley

The first homes in the planned community were constructed in 1983 and consisted of single-family tract homes, condominiums, and townhouses. Most of the homes were Spanish-inspired designs with stucco exteriors and tile roofs. Larger homes and homesites can be found in the southeast part of Carmel Valley in communities such as Del Mar Mesa which is situated near the 400 acres, 5-Star Fairmont Grand Hotel, and Resort. The area further east that was once farmland is now developed into Pacific Highlands Ranch which has newer custom and tract homes and its own community shopping center and schools.

Schools in Carmel Valley

One of the highlights of living in Carmel Valley and surrounding areas are the highly acclaimed schools. Many residents reside here to be involved in the award-winning schools and parent participation ranks high. From the elementary schools all the way through high school, the private and public schools located in and around Carmel Valley set a tone for renowned student achievement. The local Carmel Valley high schools often feed students into some of the top universities in the country.

 

The public grade schools fall within the Solana Beach School District in the north and Del Mar Union School District in the south, while its middle and high schools come under the San Dieguito Union High School District. Torrey Pines High School was named one of the top one hundred high schools in the nation, but it is far from the only one to receive educational accolades. Private alternatives include Catholic schools Notre Dame Academy and Cathedral Catholic, Del Mar Pines School and High Bluff Academy, as well as the San Diego Jewish Academy, ranked third for Jewish schools in the state of California.