Neighborhood Recommendations for 30/F

Hi everyone. I'm going to be moving to San Diego in May/June. I'm trying to find neighborhoods. I am mostly looking at PB, North Park, and Little Italy. I'm mostly looking for a walkable and relatively safe neighborhood. I have a German Shepherd and walk him for an hour or more every day. I just turned 30 and am looking for neighborhoods that have walkable gyms, bars/restaurants, etc. I love the beach!

I lived in DC for 11 years but grew up in a Los Angeles suburb. I lived in Dupont Circle in DC and loved the walkability and proximity to restaurants and nightlife, but also how it was near a safe neighborhood to walk my dog (Kalorama). I also lived in Clarendon, in Arlington, VA which was walkable, safe, and close to shops and restaurants. I'd love something similar. I've heard about the homeless problem downtown but don't know how bad it really is. I'm looking for a 1 bedroom with a budget up to $2400. What would you recommend neighborhood-wise?

I'm aware living in SD mostly requires a car, which I plan on bringing -- but I would love to be able to run some errands on foot. :)I work from home so a commute is not an issue.