Safari Mobile Lodge in El Cajon, CA

Pros

• The park is a nice and safe place for seniors, with very reasonable rent and home prices.
• The park prioritizes safety for its 55+ residents.
• It is a very nice place to live for seniors, with friendly neighbors who respect privacy and a quiet environment.
• The park is kept neat and clean and is within walking distance to stores, with a nearby bus stop.
• Management is excellent, with the park manager being professional and able.
• Fia the Safari manager is awesome and takes good care of the park and its residents.
• Office and maintenance staff are consistently helpful and friendly, and emergency services respond quickly.

Cons

• The park fails to keep residents safe, with drug addicts and homeless people visible right outside the front gate.
• Management is criticized for not assisting after a death, neglecting tasks like changing the carpet.
• The park is said to have outrageous prices for the elderly, making it something not worth recommending.
• Some tenants are described as rude, harassing a contractor and lacking proper identification, which harms the park’s reputation.
• A few residents’ vigilante-like behavior is noted, underscoring a negative impression of the park’s public relations.

Review

Safari Mobile Lodge in El Cajon is best suited for independent seniors who want a quiet, well-kept 55-plus mobile-home community with a clear sense of stability. It is not a care facility, but a long-term residential option where privacy is respected and the on-site management takes pride in keeping the park orderly. The setting tends to attract residents who stay for years, creating a predictable, low-drama environment. Accessibility to essentials matters here: stores are within walking distance and a bus stop sits a short stroll away, making daily errands manageable without relying on private transport. Importantly, the park has earned praise for a manager who is reachable, responsive, and focused on keeping the community functioning smoothly.

Those who should consider alternatives are those who need daily living assistance or constant on-site medical oversight. Safari Mobile Lodge may not meet expectations for families seeking a formal assisted-living experience or a security net beyond the park boundaries. Several reviews flag safety concerns tied to the area beyond the gate, claims of drug activity and homeless presence outside Main Street, which can be a deal-breaker for residents who want a stronger exterior safety boundary. Additionally, for seniors who value absolute affordability with predictable, all-inclusive pricing or who require a rigorous, visible enforcement of community standards by outside vendors or care providers, other options may offer a closer match.

The primary strengths of Safari Mobile Lodge lie in management quality, neighborly privacy, and a clean, quiet atmosphere. Residents repeatedly highlight the park’s neat appearance, low-key environment, and the courtesy of fellow residents who respect boundaries. The proximity to everyday services, combined with quick emergency responsiveness, creates a practical sense of security that matters for daily living. The most credible offset to the concerns about outside-area safety is the inside-the-park reality: residents feel protected by a well-run, engaged management team and a stable community where routines are predictable and maintenance needs are handled promptly.

Long-term residents provide the clearest signal of value. Stories of extended stays, families with decades of connection to the park, underscore a culture of continuity and trust. Fia, the park manager, is consistently described as professional and effective, with office and maintenance staff viewed as helpful and friendly. This leadership continuity translates into reliable maintenance, clear communication, and a welcoming feel that helps residents settle in and stay. When management is as dependable as it appears, it can mitigate many of the ordinary worries that come with living in a park setting, from upkeep to administrative clarity.

Yet the negative threads in the mix deserve direct attention. A minority of reviews raise red flags about safety and behavior: a few tenants’ confrontational attitudes toward service workers, and the perception that some individuals inside the park don’t engage constructively with outsiders. There are also mixed feelings about price, with one line of critique suggesting that costs can feel steep for the elderly, even as others describe space rents and home prices as reasonable. These tensions don’t negate the overall value, but they do limit the appeal for spouses or families who weigh a secure, low-stress environment against outsider safety concerns and price ambiguity.

For families evaluating options, the practical takeaway is clear. Safari Mobile Lodge delivers a dependable, quiet, and well-managed home base for independent seniors who prize privacy, stability, and convenient access to everyday amenities. It works best when the resident does not require daily care and can tolerate potential external area risks in exchange for a strong on-site community and effective park management. If care needs, 24/7 supervision, or a hard guarantee of exterior safety are non-negotiable, or if pricing predictability and broader on-site services are priorities, it makes sense to explore other communities with formal care options, more controlled environments, and clearer price structures. A firsthand visit, conversations with current residents, and direct questions about safety, costs, and on-site services will crystallize the fit.

Restaurants

• Saray Restaurant (0.4 miles)
• Jack In The Box (0.5 miles)
• Mal Al Sham (0.9 miles)
• Black Bear Diner El Cajon (2 miles)
• Jack In The Box (2.6 miles)
• Sonic Drive-In (3.2 miles)
• Brigantine Seafood Restaurants (3.4 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.4 miles)
• Rite Aid (1.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.7 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (2.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.5 miles)

Physicians

• Dr Dominguez And Dr Ancona-Young Office (0.5 miles)
• Fereshteh Jahanpanah Medical Clinic (0.9 miles)
• Pushpanjalie Wijeratne, MD (1.4 miles)
• Elahe Toulouie, MD (1.4 miles)
• Kaiser Permanente Vandever Medical Offices (9.1 miles)
• West Coast Eye Care & Acuity Eye Group - Alpine (9.8 miles)
• NBHC Eastlake (9.9 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (1.4 miles)
• Starbucks (3.6 miles)
• Starbucks (4.9 miles)
• The Simple Coffee House (5.9 miles)
• Starbucks (6.7 miles)
• The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (11.1 miles)
• CroBean (11.3 miles)

Places of Worship

• El Camino Grace Church (1.6 miles)
• Foothills Christian Church (2 miles)
• Skyline Church (3.8 miles)
• Our Lady Of Perpetual Help Cathollc Church (4.8 miles)
• Corpus Christi Church (10.1 miles)

Parks

• Mount Helix Park (3.1 miles)
• Shadow Hill Park (3.2 miles)
• Town Center Community Park (4.2 miles)
• Semillon Boulevard. Mini Park (11.2 miles)

Hospitals

• Stanford Court Nursing (3.6 miles)
• Sharp Grossmont Hospital Brier Patch (3.7 miles)
• Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center/Kaiser Foundation Hospital (8.9 miles)
• Sharp Soc (11 miles)

Transportation

• Grossmont Transit Center (4.1 miles)
• Montgomery Field Airport (MYF) (11.5 miles)