San Carlos Tutors

About San Carlos

Just west of the city of El Cajon and about 30 minutes east from San Diego Bay, San Carlos is a neighborhood in the eastern part of San Diego. Originally part of Mission San Diego de Alcalá land, the area which would become San Carlos wasn’t developed until the 1950’s. Nestled between two natural areas, Mission Trails Regional Park and Lake Murray, San Carlos was the project of real estate magnate Carlos J. Tavares who had already built the Clairemont subdivision a few miles west from San Carlos. Born in China, Tavares was a naturalized citizen of the United States who earned architecture and engineering degrees from Notre Dame University. He spoke several languages and was particularly adept at figuring out difficult engineering problems. During World War II his Tavares Construction Company built concrete ships for the war effort. After the war, he turned his attention to real estate. His first project was the building of 100 homes in Chula Vista. Next he undertook his largest development project just a few miles east of La Jolla which he would name Clairemont after his wife Claire. By 1958 Tavares was securing 4,200 acres in east San Diego where he built his namesake community. Tavares died in 1975, survived by his wife and three children. Tavares appeared to be fond of naming the streets of his developments after landscape features such as mountains, lakes, creeks and bluffs. Streets in San Carlos include Cowles Mountain Boulevard, Lake Adlon Drive and Birchcreek Road. Today, San Carlos is an affluent residential area with the average price of a home over $500,000.

It’s certain that a San Carlos tutor will keep you ahead of the academic curve so you can take a vacation from your studies to experience the exciting attractions and activities in San Carlos and San Diego. Mission Trails Regional Park on the north edge of San Carlos and the man-made reservoir Lake Murray to the south offer a variety of recreational opportunities for residents. The park covers over 7,000 acres of natural and developed area with about 60-miles of trails. The Mission Gorge region of the park features easy to moderate hikes with the Junipero Serra Trail covering 1.8-miles with a slight elevation gain of 47 feet. In contrast, the Cowles Mountain region has more challenging hikes to the Cowles Mountain summit climbing over 900 feet in less than three miles. Hikers will be rewarded by views of the ocean and the rest of San Diego County.

Lake Murray is open to boating and fishing as well as being a perfect spot for barbecues and picnics. Near Lake Murray, the Mission Trails Golf Course is a par-71, 6,000-yard gem designed by one of the kings of California course design William Bell. Mission Trails became famous when a 14-year old Tiger Woods won the Junior World Championship in 1990.

It’s just a short drive from San Carlos to Mission San Diego. Founded in 1769, it is the oldest of California’s twenty-one missions. Originally built near the San Diego Presidio it was soon moved east. In 1775 the Kumeyaay Native Americans rebelled against Spanish occupation and burned the mission to the ground. For a brief time, the Spanish considered abandoning San Diego but soon rebuilt the mission and expanded their presence. Today, the mission not only serves as a functioning Catholic parish but also as a tourist and cultural center.