Probably a good thing everyone has a different idea of the “perfect” place to live, or we’d all end up in one overly crowded location.
Even though we love RSF, we’ve always been open to moving, and have checked out many places over the years. Family and friends in Santa Monica, Laguna, Malibu, Calabasas, etc. have tried to encourage us to move to those locations, but even though they are fantastic places, and would be closer to my wife’s connection to the film business, we just can’t deal with the proximity to LA on a daily basis.
As far as the OP is concerned, as long as you folks know exactly what to expect from living in the Los Angeles area–you should be fine–but I’d still check San Diego County (and Temecula) out thoroughly before making your final decision.