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

[Hawk J]

Originally Posted by 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!

Did y'all see Clint & Dina?

hahaha

[Wisteria]

Ha ha. No, but before he died, I did see Merv Griffith tooling around in his little sports car that had his name on his license plate! And Betty White's ranch isn't too far from there, and she actually helps one of the thrifts at the Carmel Barnyard to contribute for animals!

We don't go to see the famous folks -- we just like the ambiance there. It's just a nice place to spend the day or a weekend. Now, we're back in Santa Cruz and just went to the Farmers' Market on East Cliff Drive (near Twin Lakes Beaches), and it was an entirely different vibe -- there was a cool live band playing, lots of interesting people, but definitely not a Carmel appearance to it!

I just really like Carmel, though -- it is one of my favorite places to walk around, see the sights and have something to eat -- kind of a break from Santa Cruz -- ha ha!!

[Hawk J]

Originally Posted by Wisteria

Ha ha. No, but before he died, I did see Merv Griffith tooling around in his little sports car that had his name on his license plate! And Betty White's ranch isn't too far from there, and she actually helps one of the thrifts at the Carmel Barnyard to contribute for animals!

We don't go to see the famous folks -- we just like the ambiance there. It's just a nice place to spend the day or a weekend. Now, we're back in Santa Cruz and just went to the Farmers' Market on East Cliff Drive (near Twin Lakes Beaches), and it was an entirely different vibe -- there was a cool live band playing, lots of interesting people, but definitely not a Carmel appearance to it!

I just really like Carmel, though -- it is one of my favorite places to walk around, see the sights and have something to eat -- kind of a break from Santa Cruz -- ha ha!!

We lived in the Monterey area/CV/ Marina/Prunedale for several lustrums. Had Great Fun boonie camping/fishing many fav spots in
CA.
My first wife worked with Dina Ruiz at KSBW-TV8 Salinas. I was a mechanic in Carmel, worked on Clint's vehicles. He bought me a few beers at his Hog's Breath. I met Doug McClure there one time. I also liked the 'Mission Ranch'. I have some great memories back in those years around the peninsula. Spent some great times in Santa Cruz/Capitola/Felton/Camp Harmon/ too

Have a Beautiful Evening.

[Chimérique]

The Bay Area has always been called Northern Californian - North Coast but after reading some of these other posts I would agree that:
North Coast - Oregon Border to Golden Gate.
Bay Area Coast - Golden Gate to Santa Cruz.
Central Coast - Below Santa Cruz to just above Santa Barbara
Southern Coast - All of Santa Barbara down to Mexican Border.

[ferretkona]

Originally Posted by Hawk J

Did y'all see Clint & Dina?

hahaha

I used to sit a table or two from Clint when ever I ate at Baja Cantina in Carmel Valley. Never once seen him at his restaurant, which by the way has the best happy hour ever.

I have always considered central coast to be Santa Barbra to San Mateo.

[Highnlite]

Santa Ynez Mountains to the mouth of the Salinas River. Santa Barbara is in So Cal, and Watsonville is in North Cal, in my book.

[Hawk J]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

I used to sit a table or two from Clint when ever I ate at Baja Cantina in Carmel Valley. Never once seen him at his restaurant, which by the way has the best happy hour ever.

I have always considered central coast to be Santa Barbra to San Mateo.

Sometimes we would stop at the Carmel Valley Lodge, or the Stirrup Cup in the village, then go fishin' at Los Padres Dam. Or we drove through the valley to Miller's Lodge, Arroyo Seco.

[bigdrakes]

Is any one out there? Just came upon this thread about the dividing lines between southern california and central calif. I have for many years wondered this very same topic. Being born and raised in Santa Barbara, growing up in the early 60s SB seemed very distant from LA/Vent and so many people considered SB cental calif. Plus it was the gateway in many ways to central/nocal. But as I became older and more aware of topography, my many surf trips along SB county coast and Channel Islands, and now living 2 miles from Surf Beach outside of Lompoc and VERY near Vandenberg AFB, my gut says north of Pt. Conception, when the coast leaves the East/West shift and returns to a north/south rip.

With that said, Guadalupe State Dunes, just on the fringe of No. SB county might be the ideal setting. Have you been there? My God... what splendid beauty! Anyway, SLO county starts pretty much where the Dunes end. What do you think?

Santa Barbarians like to think they live in central california, but when on good traffic days you can be in Westlake Village or Neptunes' Net (both LA county lines) in less than one hour, hardly centr. coast? But just drive one hour north of downtown SB and yes it feels very central coast. Point Sal feels & looks like Pt Reyes area.

So, with so much time on my hands today I have concluded what I knew for decades: its all in the way you see your surroundings.

Quote from Paul Tolliver: LIFE IS FULL OF RENEWEL AND EVENTFUL DREAMS...JUST BE SURE TO LOOK WHERE ONCE YOU MAY HAVE SHUNNED

[jeffredo]

Point Conception to Santa Cruz County.

[.highnlite]

That is as good a boundary as I can come up with, Santa Barbara is the north end of So Cal, Santa Cruz is the south end of the Bay area. I don't consider the Bay area as Northern California, it is the Bay area, Santa Rosa can reasonably considered to be the start of Northern CA.

With that said, Guadalupe State Dunes, just on the fringe of No. SB county might be the ideal setting. Have you been there? My God... what splendid beauty! Anyway, SLO county starts pretty much where the Dunes end. What do you think?

The Santa Maria River is the SB/SLO county line and it splits the dunes at about the 1/3 mark, 2/3 of the dunes are in SLO County. You can see Mussel Rock at the south end of the Dunes in the last scenes of Hidalgo, and in Pirates of the Caribbean End of the world.