A Peek Behind the Gates: The Most Exclusive Gated Communities in San Diego

San Diego is a city where you can live anywhere, from beachfront neighborhoods to exclusive gated communities. While gated neighborhoods range in price, the most exclusive ones come with a steep price tag and offer unparalleled luxury living. Naturally, this attracts those looking to live a high-end lifestyle and can afford the price.

The most exclusive gated communities in San Diego are:

• Fairbanks Ranch
• Rancho Pacifica
• Meadows Del Mar
• Santaluz
• The Crosby Estate
• The Bridges in Rancho Santa Fe

What Is a Gated Community?

A gated community is a neighborhood or residential area that controls access to who enters and exits. Usually, it is surrounded by fences or walls with gates that people must pass through. Residents get a card, access code, or some other method of entry so they can get in and out. Sometimes the gates have guards, while other communities are unmanned.

These communities can be small or large. While we look at some of the most exclusive communities in San Diego in this article, gated communities are not always expensive. They may not have as many luxury amenities as the exclusive gated communities have, but they still offer enhanced security and controlled access.

Features of Exclusive Gated Communities

While there are many gated communities, what makes one exclusive? Exclusive gated communities offer higher-end characteristics like:

Luxury amenities

Some membership-only clubs or resorts provide luxury amenities near or within gated communities. Amenities include pools, golf courses, high-end fitness centers, personal trainers, fitness classes, tennis courts, clubhouses, on-site dining, social events, and spas.

Community events

The community hosts events and clubs that bring neighbors together. Whether it’s a holiday gathering, fireworks show, or book club meeting, these events help the community socialize and bond.

Safety and privacy

One of the biggest draws for gated communities is that they offer enhanced safety and privacy. The gates, guards, and surveillance limit non-resident access.

Well-maintained

Exclusive gated communities are often landscaped and cared for by an entire team, so the property stays impeccable. Homeowners Associations (HOAs) are often involved with gated communities.

Size

Homes are much larger than the average house and have expansive plots to match. The square footage of the homes is impressive, with backyards that further extend the living space.

Location

Exclusive gated communities are often in highly desirable locations, whether because of the beautiful scenery or proximity to popular areas. Residents can take in panoramic views of the surrounding landscape or head to nearby restaurants and shopping.

San Diego’s Most Exclusive Gated Communities

Now that you know what an exclusive gated community is and the key features, take a peek at some of San Diego’s most premier rental homes tucked behind the gates. Explore the architectural styles, designs, features, and characteristics that make these homes stand out.

Fairbanks Ranch

Fairbanks Ranch is an expansive and prestigious gated community next to Rancho Santa Fe with about 600 estates on over 1,200 acres. Homes are perched atop hills with countryside and ocean views. Guarded gates and security patrols ensure privacy and safety. The community clubhouse sits beside a private lake with four tennis courts and eight pickleball courts. Trails, parks, and playgrounds wind throughout the area. It even has an equestrian center, a rarity among the most exclusive communities.

The Fairbanks Ranch Country Club, the Farms Golf Club, Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, and Del Mar Country Club offer the luxury amenities expected of upscale communities. Membership at one of these will get you access to golf courses, tennis and pickleball courts, a fitness center, social events, pools, dining, and more.

6103 Avenida Picacho

• Rent: $35,000/month

Spanning over 10 acres, 6103 Avenida Picacho is a 10,000 square foot residence that has plenty of space with six bedrooms and eight bathrooms. Walking down to the private bass-stocked lake, you’ll pass views of the San Dieguito River, a man-made creek, a tennis court, and a gazebo. A waterfall feature flows into the pool next to the hot tub.

It is a great place for entertaining with two guest houses, two living rooms, a formal dining room, and a well-stocked kitchen. The primary suite is a marvel with glass doors leading to the deck, looking out to the rolling hills. Several private areas are just off the suite, such as an office clad in wood and a loft above a sitting room. The primary bath is like a resort with a sunken marble tub under a skylight and across from a fireplace.

17211 Circa Del Sur

• Rent: $25,000/month

Nearly 8,000 square feet, the Mediterranean-style 17211 Circa Del Sur is surrounded by concrete walls and a private gate within Fairbanks Ranch. Large windows and glass doors cover the residence's walls, lighting up the dark floors made of aged oak wine barrels. The multi-tiered yard has a gazebo and outdoor kitchen at the top of the waterfall feature, with a built-in slide that leads down to the pool.

There are plenty of rooms for guests with a primary suite on the second floor and another on the first floor next to two en-suite bedrooms. Light-colored cabinetry and counters make the kitchen feel even more open than its already expansive footprint, with seating at the large island and a table to the side. Two living rooms reside in the house, one opposite the formal dining room and the other with opulent dark wood that covers the cabinetry and bar.

16653 Avenida Molino Viejo

• Rent: $20,500/month

Light-colored walls, wood, and details combined with plenty of floor-to-ceiling windows and doors keep it spacious and airy inside 16653 Avenida Molino Viejo. On a hill, the main floor is on top with the kitchen, two living rooms, an office, a formal dining room, a primary suite, and other bedrooms, with an additional room and wet bar downstairs. The multi-level deck has an outdoor kitchen, sitting area, and dining area. The pool and hot tub are at the bottom of the deck; if you continue down, you’ll arrive at the garden.

Rancho Pacifica

148 custom-designed luxury homes fill up the guard-gated community of Rancho Pacifica. Every home has sweeping views of the Gonzales Canyon or the Fairbanks Ranch Country Club. This club offers golf, swimming, fitness centers, racquetball courts, dining, social opportunities, and anything else you could want.

5130 Rancho Del Mar Trail

• Rent: $55,000/month

On the edge of the hill overlooking the Fairbanks Ranch Country Club, 5130 Rancho Del Mar Trail is a stunning Mediterranean residence with 11,200 square feet of space. This five-bedroom, six-bathroom home has a putting green, basketball hoop and court, and a resort-style pool and hot tub. Wood highlights add warmth to the white walls in the home theater, kitchen, primary suite, office, and other rooms.

Meadows Del Mar

When you go down the streets of Meadows Del Mar, you will find huge Mediterranean and Tuscan-style homes. With 134 residences behind the guarded gates of the community, Meadows Del Mar offers elegance, privacy, and safety.

Right next to both the Fairmont Grand Del Mar Resort and the Grand Golf Club, residents with a membership can enjoy a variety of high-class facilities. The Grand Golf Club boasts a private 18-hole championship course designed by Tom Fazio and all the clubhouse, pro shop, and dining options that go along with it. The five-star Fairmont Grand Del Mar Resort provides a world-class spa, decadent restaurants, pools, fitness centers, tennis courts, an equestrian center, and more.

5106 Meadows Del Mar

• Rent: $25,000/month

The backyard of 5106 Meadows Del Mar peers over the Grand Golf Club course and hills. You can enjoy the views from the pool, hot tub, putting green, built-in BBQ/outdoor kitchen, or one of the outdoor seating areas. The 7,755 square foot residence has six bedrooms and seven-and-a-half bathrooms. Cream colored walls, recessed lighting, and dark wood cabinetry bring a cozy air to the modern home. Each room in the house flows into the next with the open-plan layout, and the outdoors is brought in with the many windows and glass doors.

Santaluz

Known for its integration of nature within the guarded gates, Santaluz is one of the top gated communities. The community centers around the Santaluz Club, where membership will get you access to the 18-hole championship golf course, clubhouse, spa, dining facilities, resort-style pool, tennis courts, fitness centers, and social events. There are miles of trails right at the edge of the community as well as nearby Black Mountain Open Space Park, to explore at no cost.

Community events are free for residents and bring the community together on or along the Village Green. Every month and season are celebrated with special events that the neighborhood looks forward to. Even outside of organized events, there is always something going on, from a basketball game to a book club.

8076 Entrada De Luz East

• Rent: $25,000/month

Styled after a Tuscan villa, 8076 Entrada De Luz East has five bedrooms and six-and-a-half bathrooms over two levels. The 6,655 square foot home backs up against the hills and mountains with trails leading to Black Mountain Open Space Park. There are many unique features found in this home, such as the pub-style sports bar on the second floor, home theater, and the private outdoor areas and plunge area attached to the primary suite on the ground floor. The indoors meld with the outdoors as large glass pocket doors open to the backyard loggia, saltwater pool, hot tub, putting green, outdoor kitchen, fireplace, and seating areas.

The Crosby Estate

Over 722 acres, the Crosby Estate has hundreds of luxury homes behind gated entrances. The Del Dios Gorge and hills provide scenic views and outdoor activities, as many trails run throughout the community. The Crosby Club is fused with the neighborhood, with the 18-hole championship golf course running between homes. Those with a membership can enjoy the golf course as well as the clubhouse, which has dining and social events, and the athletic club, which has a pool, tennis and pickleball courts, and fitness centers.

16943 Going My Way

• Rent: $11,000/month

You can see one of the holes on the famous Crosby Club golf course from the backyard of 16943 Going My Way. As you enter the home, you’ll pass through a charming courtyard. Five bedrooms and four bathrooms are spread over 4,205 square feet. Hosting is a joy, with the kitchen opening up to the living room and a more formal dining room. The party can even spill outside with an outdoor kitchen and bar, patio, and fireplace.

The Bridges

The Bridges is a premier gated community. You can enjoy a championship golf course, a high-end fitness center, tennis and pickleball courts, and a resort-style pool. Gates are guarded at all times.

Right within the community is the country club, the Bridges at Rancho Santa. It has an excellent 18-hole golf course, clubhouse, restaurants, outdoor pool, hot tub, fitness center, indoor basketball court, spa, and much more; that list only scratches the surface what the Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe offers. For socialization, the club hosts impressive events like golf tournaments, weekly wine tastings, and holiday parties.

18482 Calle Tramonto

• Rent: $33,000/month

The one-story 18482 Calle Tramonto embodies luxury living in every corner of its 6,700 square feet. The four bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms of the main building are centered around a central courtyard seating area and fireplace. One guest house has one bedroom and one bath and the other has two bedrooms and one bath. High-ceiling rooms with wooden beams open through glass doors to the loggia that covers outdoor seating and a fireplace. An infinity pool, hot tub, and an outdoor kitchen complete the space.

6725 Calle Ponte Bella

• Rent: $35,000/month

Taking inspiration from Montecito, 6725 Calle Ponte Bella sits on .74 acres with a living space of 8,650 feet. Wood beams cross high ceilings to meet white walls. Those walls are covered in floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors for a seamless transition between the indoors and outdoors.

An impeccably landscaped front and back yard offers plenty of outdoor space, like a pergola-covered patio, outdoor kitchen, pool, hot tub, and bocce ball court. Every room is designed with comfort and purpose in mind; the primary suite and attached spa-like bathroom are designed for relaxation, the home theater for unparalleled entertainment, and the wine cellar for tasting.

Find the Gated Community Perfect for You on Apartments.com

Whether your budget is $2,000 or $20,000, you can find the perfect gated community on Apartments.com. Filter to see only gated communities by entering the filter menu, going to popular amenities, and choosing the “gated community” button. Now, all the properties shown on the map will be gated communities. You can also enter your budget, choose pet policies, and select what amenities you want to refine your search further. Start your search on Apartments.com and discover the gated communities that fit you!