The Central Coast - where does it start for you and why? (San Francisco: camping, living)

[BlackShoe]

Perhaps we should look to the marine biologists for the answer. The scientists have always given Pt. Conception as the South/Central coast boundary. North of this point the water cools considerably and fish species commonly caught change. How far north does the Central Coast go? Imo the entire SF Bay area is Central California, not North, so perhaps Pt. Reyes might be defined the the start of the North Coast.

[BVitamin]

Originally Posted by BlackShoe

Perhaps we should look to the marine biologists for the answer. The scientists have always given Pt. Conception as the South/Central coast boundary. North of this point the water cools considerably and fish species commonly caught change. How far north does the Central Coast go? Imo the entire SF Bay area is Central California, not North, so perhaps Pt. Reyes might be defined the the start of the North Coast.

What? SF Bay area is Central California? lol, you're kidding, right? Central CA is mostly Ag, there are very, very few similarities between the two.

[slo1318]

I could be talked into SF bay as the northern boundary, but generally most people think of the central coast from Monterey to Santa Barbara.

[BlackShoe]

Originally Posted by BVitamin

What? SF Bay area is Central California? lol, you're kidding, right?

Nope, in fact, will go ya one further; you are not in Northern California until there are no more big cities. That means that Sacramento is still CenCal. This is not just my idea, just ask someone from Redding, for example, what they have in common with a person from San Francisco, and quite possible they would reply "nothing". Remember the "State of Jefferson " movement, that would split NorCal from the rest of the state to join with the Southern Oregon counties to form a new state? Has always been taken as a joke, but with the sad state that California is in, who knows?

[slo1318]

Yeah, I always find it funny talking to people born and raised south of LA, like OC or San Diego. I had some friends from OC, refer to me as being from Northern California (San Luis Obispo).....

[Lifeshadower]

From a cultural standpoint, I'd say everything between Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara (Santa Cruz county, Monterey County, San Luis Obispo County, and Santa Barbara County). North of Santa Barbara and south of Santa Cruz, settlements along the coast become increasingly sparse, with most of the settlement being done in a series of inland valleys (Salinas Valley, Santa Maria Valley, etc etc). The endpoints, to be sure, have a lot in common with the larger metropolitan areas they are near to, but they also have a distinct feeling about them that I can't quite put my finger on.

Geographically speaking, Coastal California is 840 miles long. The literal halfway point between the 42nd parallel (Oregon border) and roughly 32nd parallel (Mexican border) would be the 36th parallel, or at around the Santa Cruz/Monterey county line. If you were to divide the state into 3rds, Northern California would be from Oregon to Sonoma County line, Central California would be from the Sonoma County line to the Santa Barbara County line, and everything else would be Southern California. However, the only people who conceptualize the state in this way are extreme purists. The Bay Area has been considered "NorCal" for so long that I doubt that it would change anytime soon. Sorry Northstaters!

Ecologically speaking, its really hard to say. The North Coast has significantly more redwood trees, while the South Coast is associated more or less with coastal chaparral, while the Central Coast has both (in fact, Big Sur is one of the few areas in the world that have BOTH cacti and evergreen trees looking at each other in close proximity)

Me personally, I'd consider the "core areas" to be Monterey County, San Luis Obispo County, and Northern Santa Barbara County, while Southern Santa Barbara County and Santa Cruz County are more or less a toss up. Geography ALONE, at least in my mind, doesn't determine boundaries like this.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by Lifeshadower

Ecologically speaking, its really hard to say. The North Coast has significantly more redwood trees, while the South Coast is associated more or less with coastal chaparral, while the Central Coast has both (in fact, Big Sur is one of the few areas in the world that have BOTH cacti and evergreen trees looking at each other in close proximity)

It's funny that you mention Big Sur in this way. Because one of my favorite local hikes (Garrapata SP) has everything from coastal redwoods to cacti to many wildflowers during the Spring. It's weird, kind of like hiking through different ecosystems as one goes up in elevation. It's a pretty amazing place.







Derek

[vdy1985]

All I can say is that I love the central coast. It has an enchanted feel.

[Lifeshadower]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

It's funny that you mention Big Sur in this way. Because one of my favorite local hikes (Garrapata SP) has everything from coastal redwoods to cacti to many wildflowers during the Spring. It's weird, kind of like hiking through different ecosystems as one goes up in elevation. It's a pretty amazing place.

Derek

I drove by that area on CA-1 and it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life! I wish I had a camera and took more pictures while hiking, but man oh man, Big Sur is something else.

It kind of exemplifies the extreme diversity that California has all in one area; it can simultaneously support both the plants that need the most amounts and need the least amounts of water. That's what makes the Central Coast so special. That's what initially drew my interest in the area (all of my friends thought that was EXTREMELY nerdy though)

That's why I don't think the Bay Area would qualify as Central Coast (at most, a transitional zone from Central Coast to North Coast) because its way too wet throughout the whole metro area to support any kind of cacti (there's no spot in the Bay Area that gets less than 10 inches of rain/year. Not even Eastern Contra Costa County)

Every single person that I've taken to visit Monterey have loved it to death. It's really something else. You're lucky to live there, that's for sure!

[Wisteria]

Just stumbled on this thread. I live in Santa Cruz, and consider San Francisco more Northern California -- it's a bit too wet up there, and it does seem considerably different weather-wise.

After seeing these beautiful photos, I regret not taking my camera yesterday when my daughter and I took a trip from Santa Cruz to Carmel. We didn't stop in Monterey because we've been there so often and have a good friend there who wasn't home, so we went straight to Carmel.

Carmel is so beautiful, so charming, and we had a wonderful day in that most gorgeous town. Carmel is also so inviting to those who own dogs -- many, many establishments had little doggie water dishes outside, and other establishments allow dogs inside. It's just fun to go up and down the hilly town, to the beach, through the shops, get some fresh French cheese at a cheese store with thousands of varieties.

We stopped at the Tuck Box for tea time, and got our regular English scones with jams, fresh whipped cream and loose tea with a tea strainer. And we had to add the cheese and fruit plate, too! The Tuck Box Tea Room, Carmel, California, USA - GourmetVoyageurs.com

Each time we go we are enchanted. And this is definitely part of the Central Coast! It's very different from Santa Cruz which has a younger, lively vibe, with the surfers and college kids. And Monterey is great for the Aquarium and Cannery Row (although it's a bit too windy and overcast for my tastes in Monterey).

The Central Coast is a little jewel in California. Most people talk about Northern California and Southern California, and I don't think to people outside of California that it occurs to them that there is a central part, as well. On our nightly news, Santa Cruz is always mentioned along with Monterey as "the Central Coast," so I assume that it is.

I am grateful for living in one of the most beautiful places in the world!