Life’s viewed from many angles in Vista

Approaching Vista from the freeway, the city doesn’t appear to live up to its name — as far as the eye can see, there’s no “vista” in Vista. The first impression is that of a flat, nondescript town dotted with older storefronts and strip malls. But head north or south from the city center, and roads wind into the hills, revealing secluded neighborhoods with views galore.

Beginnings

Vista’s recorded history dates back more than 200 years to the arrival of the Spanish explorers and missionaries who traveled north from San Diego along the original El Camino Real, “the king’s highway.”

Transportation helped shape the area: Starting in 1852, a stagecoach line stopped downtown on its way from Los Angeles to San Diego. In 1887, the Santa Fe Railroad laid tracks for a line passing through the area on its way from Oceanside to Escondido; a depot was used into the late 1970s.

After World War II, the population started to soar along with new-housing construction. Vista was incorporated in 1963. There were 5,000 residents in 1951; today, there are more than 94,000.

Drawing card

Vista’s neighborhoods have a wide variety of house styles. Smaller older houses in the flatlands give way to large custom homes in the hills. Many houses are on spacious lots, and some have views of the ocean or foothills. A golf-course subdivision, Shadowridge, is on the city’s southern end.

There is a thriving performing arts community: The outdoor Moonlight Amphitheatre started as a venue for a small summer festival in the 1980s and has steadily grown. Many locals are involved, with casts including skilled amateurs as well as professional actors. The old downtown Avo Theatre was renovated in the mid-’90s to house winter productions.

Just across the railroad tracks from the Avo and the small historic downtown is the Vista Village redevelopment project. A new multiplex, restaurants and stores mark the start of a revitalization effort that will eventually spill over to the old storefronts on South Santa Fe Avenue and create mixed-use retail, condos and lofts.

Hennessey’s Tavern just opened across from the redevelopment area.

“This area is starting to take off,” said tavern operating partner Bryan Klungrester. “In 2007, the Sprinter [a new commuter train] will stop here, bringing in a whole new set of customers.”

A couple of fun attractions are the Wave Waterpark, a family aquatic center with a wave pool; and Cal-a-Vie, a health spa resort on 200 acres that draws such celebrities as Sharon Stone and Oprah Winfrey for mega-pampering.

Insider’s view

Anita Long has lived in Vista for 17 years. Her hilltop house sits on 2 acres and has panoramic views of hills and the ocean in the distance.

“There’s lots of privacy and quiet,” Long said, “but the rest of the neighborhood is a mixed bag. There are funky houses on the street next to nice houses.”

Good news, bad news

“Vista really is a mixture,” Long said. “There are lovely rural areas with backcountry views as well as grittier neighborhoods in other areas of the city. And on the plus side, you can still get an acre of land for a reasonable price compared to other areas of north [San Diego] County.”

Stock report

With a housing mix of old and new, “Vista offers something for just about everyone,” said Judy Ritter, a real estate agent and city councilwoman. In mid-February, there were 267 single-family homes for sale in Vista, with hillside homes with views and acreage on the high end of the price scale. The listings included 79 in the 92081 ZIP Code, ranging from $269,000 to $1,850,000; 75 in 92083, from $200,000 to $975,000, and 113 in 92084, from $277,000 to $2.6 million.

Report card

Vista Unified School District elementary schools’ scores on the 2004 Academic Performance Index ranged from a low of 620 out of 1,000 at Olive Elementary to a high of 845 at Empresa Elementary. For the middle schools, Lincoln trailed with 660 and Madison topped the list at 800. Vista High scored 662 and Rancho Buena Vista High, 703.

1995...$145,000

2000...$226,000

2003...$355,000

2004...$455,000