The Central Coast - where does it start for you and why? (Los Angeles: neighborhoods, beach)

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by BVitamin

Yes, I agree. SC completes the Monterey Bay, as well SC is cut off by "mountains" from the SJ/Bay Area. So yes, SB to SC, for me, makes up the Central Coast.

And growing up in Santa Cruz that's basically what I heard the Central Coast being described as. Despite the number of commuters going to the Bay Area from Santa Cruz, it will never really be part of the Bay Area. Not just that it's geographically different on the coast over the mountains, but it's also demographically different than the Bay Area--and culturally it has a different mindset with the beach/hippie culture there.

The interesting thing about the Central Coast is that if you consider it to be Santa Cruz, Monterrey, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara--each city feels unique and different from one another. Santa Cruz doesn't feel anything like Monterrey to me these days, and San Luis Obispo has more of mellow college town feel (and slightly more conservative) than the flashier, closer-to-LA feel of Santa Barbara. Where the Central Coast feels similar is the inland towns along 101. But north of Santa Cruz or south of Santa Barbara, it's obvious you're entering a different region.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by Deezus

And growing up in Santa Cruz that's basically what I heard the Central Coast being described as. Despite the number of commuters going to the Bay Area from Santa Cruz, it will never really be part of the Bay Area. Not just that it's geographically different on the coast over the mountains, but it's also demographically different than the Bay Area--and culturally it has a different mindset with the beach/hippie culture there.

The interesting thing about the Central Coast is that if you consider it to be Santa Cruz, Monterrey, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara--each city feels unique and different from one another. Santa Cruz doesn't feel anything like Monterrey to me these days, and San Luis Obispo has more of mellow college town feel (and slightly more conservative) than the flashier, closer-to-LA feel of Santa Barbara. Where the Central Coast feels similar is the inland towns along 101. But north of Santa Cruz or south of Santa Barbara, it's obvious you're entering a different region.

I agree with you as well especially your last sentence. Some don't know where Ventura belongs but while it's no LA at all, it certainly has a certain SoCalness about it all the same just in it's own unique way. Likewise, SC doesn't really feel like Half Moon Bay and points north. In a different way than San Rafael feels different from Fremont.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

You'd put Santa Barbara in SoCal? Geographically this makes some sense but culturally it doesn't.

Sure it does. LA TV stations (and even the odd radio signal), LA people with 2nd homes, and biogeographically it is unmistakable. The look of the Santa Ynez Mtns is similar to the other Transverse Ranges.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

Sure it does. LA TV stations (and even the odd radio signal), LA people with 2nd homes, and biogeographically it is unmistakable. The look of the Santa Ynez Mtns is similar to the other Transverse Ranges.

I sort of see your point as at least until recently, San Diego received one or two LA stations as well. Then again, as far as radio goes, SD's pop radio 93.3 was broadcasts from Tampa Fl not too long ago so I wouldn't put too much weight on radio. Also, would northern Baja then be part of SoCal as at least 3 radio stations and one TV station in San Diego are broadcast from Tijuana. The power grid of northern Baja is also connected to that of SoCal, not the rest of Mexico.

Having said all that, I'll repeat what I said earlier about how ambiguous "central Coast" is to begin with. Let's say we did away with this term, where then would Norcal stop and SoCal begin?

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

...
Having said all that, I'll repeat what I said earlier about how ambiguous "central Coast" is to begin with. Let's say we did away with this term, where then would Norcal stop and SoCal begin?

Exactly, then we would be having the same discussion on the ambiguous border separating the NorCal from SoCal.

The biggest question really is Santa Barbara which I really think sits on both sides when the entire county is considered. SB County is huge and while the city of SB feels very much like SoCal, places north of Point Conception do not at all. Visit little towns like Los Olivos whose primary focus is wine tasting form local wineries. Those green rolling hills are distinctly Central Cal.



Derek

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Exactly, then we would be having the same discussion on the ambiguous border separating the NorCal from SoCal.

The biggest question really is Santa Barbara which I really think sits on both sides when the entire county is considered. SB County is huge and while the city of SB feels very much like SoCal, places north of Point Conception do not at all. Visit little towns like Los Olivos whose primary focus is wine tasting form local wineries. Those green rolling hills are distinctly Central Cal.



Derek

Haha, I think you just figured out where the line would be if there were no Central Coast LOL.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

Haha, I think you just figured out where the line would be if there were no Central Coast LOL.

Yeah, but then when you look at the map of the state and draw a line from Point Conception east toward Bakersfield that is only 1/4 of the state. It's like saying cut off the SoCal from the rest of the state and the remainder = NorCal. But then as you travel to the NorCal coast above Santa Cruz and especially above the Golden Gate it is distinctly different.

I think the Central Coast has a uniqueness all its own - not at all like SoCal and also different from NorCal.

Derek

[BVitamin]

Originally Posted by Deezus

And growing up in Santa Cruz that's basically what I heard the Central Coast being described as. Despite the number of commuters going to the Bay Area from Santa Cruz, it will never really be part of the Bay Area. Not just that it's geographically different on the coast over the mountains, but it's also demographically different than the Bay Area--and culturally it has a different mindset with the beach/hippie culture there.

Yes.

The interesting thing about the Central Coast is that if you consider it to be Santa Cruz, Monterrey, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara--each city feels unique and different from one another. Santa Cruz doesn't feel anything like Monterrey to me these days, and San Luis Obispo has more of mellow college town feel (and slightly more conservative) than the flashier, closer-to-LA feel of Santa Barbara. Where the Central Coast feels similar is the inland towns along 101. But north of Santa Cruz or south of Santa Barbara, it's obvious you're entering a different region.

Yes and no. SoCal cities and even SoCal counties feel different from each other as well, Los Angeles County feels different from Orange County and from San Diego County. When I was living in O.C., there was a tendency to omit San Diego when referring to SoCal. As well with the term "NorCal" and its respective cities/counties.

I'm sure regions can be further subdivided but I was referring to bigger regions, I suppose that's the problem in trying to fit things in neat little boxes.

Originally Posted by Gentoo

Having said all that, I'll repeat what I said earlier about how ambiguous "central Coast" is to begin with. Let's say we did away with this term, where then would Norcal stop and SoCal begin?

In reference to the post I replied to, I think the greater divide is between East and West.

[Parsec01]

As a former resident of the NorCal, living on the Central Coast has been a wonderfully refreshing experience. The Central Coast itself has many subregions which owe their characteristics to their exposure and topography. The Cuesta Grade forms a very distinct boundary between the weather I grew up with (NorCal-esque hot summers and cold winters) and the Southern Central Coast weather I am now accustomed to (pleasant summers and mild winters).

One of the more remarkable boundaries I've noticed is right around the city of San Luis Obispo itself. Drive north from SLO on Highway 1 towards Morro Bay and you are likely to encounter thick fog or marine layer. On the other hand, 10 minutes south of SLO you hit Shell Beach which is often sunny and pleasant. Even the vegetation and landscaping look different - Morro Bay is landscaped with cool-weather shrubs and trees reminiscent of plantings in San Francisco, while Shell Beach is filled with palms and hibiscus bushes evocative of San Diego. A friend from the Bay Area even remarked about this to me: when we were in Morro Bay, she told how she felt she was in Monterey. A half an hour later we were in sunny Shell Beach, and she said the palm trees and warmth made her feel like she was in SoCal.

Head north of Morro Bay and things develop a more intense NorCal feel. Rolling green hills and forested mountainsides, the southernmost Monterey pines in Cambria, and eventually the southernmost redwoods just after you head over the Monterey County line. Conversely, traveling south on the 101 from SLO yields a distinct flavor of SoCal (especially around Avila, Shell, and Pismo Beaches) in line with the increasingly scrubby/chaparral landscape.

Other posters have referenced biogeography as forming borders between California's regions - indeed this is true. The San Luis Obispo area is a NorCal/SoCal mixing ground for various species of plant and animal. Giant coreopsis and lemonade berry, typical SoCal coastal vegetation, both grow naturally around the Pismo Beach area. Both the Northern Pacific and Southern Pacific Rattlesnake are found in the SLO city area, further evidence that SLO is a significant boundary. As far as Point Sal in Santa Barbara County looking like Point Reyes (as one poster mentioned), I'd beg to differ - you won't find cacti growing naturally at Point Reyes, as you do at Point Sal, and you won't find redwoods growing around Point Sal, as you do at Point Reyes.

The Central Coast as a whole? Based on what I've seen, once you hit Ventura heading south, the landscape develops a sprawling, commercialized LA feel. Heading north, Monterey and Salinas seem like the border to me - redwoody Santa Cruz has always been identified as NorCal to anyone I've known in NorCal.

[ZhugeLiang]

Generally, the central coast begins at Ventura and stops at Monterrey.