Moving to San Diego

Below are some resources our out-of-state students found helpful in moving to the San Diego area, but also feel free to reach out to our admissions staff at (858) 246-9700 or email sandiego@bastyr.edu.

Take a Virtual Tour of Campus

• See what our California campus has to offer for the best educational and recreational environment. Take a virtual tour!

Housing

Visit our section on Housing for resources and information.

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.

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 Ride Share 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.

Health Insurance and Medical Care

• All students are enrolled in a student health plan that covers visits to Bastyr University Clinic.
• For additional insurance coverage, the Office of Student Services can provide a list of potential options.
• 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.

Child Care

• Care.com is a popular site for finding nannies and other day care options.
• Students ­can use the Childcare 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.

Meeting People

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

Other Questions?

Our admissions staff is happy to answer question or put you in touch with student peer advisors. Contact the office at (858) 246-9700 or email sandiego@bastyr.edu.