The first time I drove through 4S Ranch I knew I had found something extraordinary. 2,900 acres of beauty. This beautiful community is minutes from High Tech Giants like Sony, HP, SAIC just to name a few. 4S Ranch is located next to another amazing area in San Diego, Rancho Bernardo or RB as it is known in San Diego. 4S Ranch is accessible from Highway 15 between Rancho Bernardo and Carmel Mountain Ranch. Just west of 4S are Del Sur, Santa Luz, Rancho Santa Fe, and Carmel Valley. From 4S Ranch it takes 15 minutes to get to Torrey Pines State Beach with minimal to no freeway driving. There are 3 public schools completed at 4S Ranch consisting of two elementary schools and one high school and the fourth public school is Del Norte High School which will open in the fall of 2009. Within a 10 minute drive there are several private schools such as Maranatha and Cathedral Catholic. High school. There is also a sheriff’s station and a fire station located on the west end of the ranch.
You’ll find a boys and girls club, many parks, hiking trails, baseball, soccer, football, and softball fields, and a library at 4S Ranch. There are houses, townhomes and condominiums of all sizes. There are also very high-end apartments that are set up like a resort. Home prices range from $300,000 to over a million. The city center is a great place to meet friends for lunch or dinner. A favorite spot of San Diego Padre Pitcher Jake Peavy is the Chilis restaurant. He has been seen eating with his family. My favorite restaurant is the Italian and Wine Bar La Villa Capri.
The story behind 4S Ranch began with the Native American inhabitants. Fittingly, 4S Ranch has historically been an important place for families to gather, commerce to grow, and nature to thrive. Until the 1990s, cattle could still be seen roaming the landscape of 4S Ranch. 4S Ranch was originally occupied in 1842 by Joseph Snook, a British sea captain. in 1938, the property was purchased by Albert Ralphs, head of the Los Angeles-based grocery store chain. The San Diego Union Tribune published an article some time ago explaining the Ralphs family’s connection to 4S Ranch and how Albert’s ancestors were actively involved with helping and designing many of the homes and communities within 4S Ranch. There is still some farmland that produces lettuce and strawberries.