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Old 01-31-2012, 09:07 AM
 
3,441 posts, read 5,221,207 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jaijai View Post
Consider inland properties in either Santa Cruz or Monterey County.
You won't have the warm ocean water of SoCal but you'll be in the vicinity of the S.F. bay area and that influence is present and more so in S.C. county.
"Warm" ocean water in SoCal happens about ten days a year, in late August... Unless you consider 65 degree water warm. I call it "less frigid." But west coast water temps are a joke. We've had Chicago transplants complaining about SD water temps in the summer. The beaches are nice, but the water's too cold for enjoyable swimming. Of course, that doesn't stop people from going in. Heck, they go in the water in NorCal too. Because they're crazy.
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Old 01-31-2012, 09:10 AM
 
Location: Washington, DC
4,321 posts, read 5,116,147 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jaijai View Post
But i wouldn't guide a retiree looking to move to the west coast to Oakland or San Jose or anywhere else in the overly impacted, hyper-driven, commute crazy, polluted S.F. bay / Silicon Valley area.
This might be my biggest challenge (I'm the OP), I want to be urban but would rather not go from one rat race (Wash DC) to another. So some of the smaller cities folks have mentioned will be researched carefully.

Thanks for all the comments folks! I'm heartened by the weather being quite variable, not necessarily all sunny down South and all rainy up North.

I'll keep reading, and eventually plan a trip to visit some of the possibilities.
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Old 01-31-2012, 12:11 PM
 
Location: West Coast
1,310 posts, read 4,123,529 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tstieber View Post
Santa Cruz does not have the same weather as SF or most of the NorCal coast. Because it's a south-facing beach area on the Monterey Bay, the severity of fog, wind, and chill that plague some costal areas is strongly diminished. It's the same thing that happens at all south-facing beaches on the west coast. If you look at Wikipedia, you'll see SC averages in the 60s for 6 months of the year, and in the 70s for 6 months of the year. SF doesn't even come close. And as someone said, there are plenty of warm days there even in the winter (as there have been recently in the low 70s). The vibe seems to be a mix of NorCal and SoCal. It's suburban beachy, even with a lot of palm trees. Just go on Google Street View around the Boardwalk, Capitola, or Rio del Mar, and you'll see that the vibe isn't that different from Venice Beach or Manhattan Beach. However, the downtown is more Portland-esque, and there is a strong hippie stronghold.
Quote for truth about SC weather. It is very different than SF due to the south facing location of the coast.
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Old 01-31-2012, 12:19 PM
 
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
2,190 posts, read 6,835,918 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Back to NE View Post
This might be my biggest challenge (I'm the OP), I want to be urban but would rather not go from one rat race (Wash DC) to another. So some of the smaller cities folks have mentioned will be researched carefully.

Thanks for all the comments folks! I'm heartened by the weather being quite variable, not necessarily all sunny down South and all rainy up North.

I'll keep reading, and eventually plan a trip to visit some of the possibilities.
For what it's worth it's just my sense but it seems like either Monterey, Santa Cruz county and maybe San Luis Obispo county might be a match.
The central coast is wonderful.
edit: i just read that you want city.
Santa Cruz proper has the most city vibe although there are many options throughout the county that are sub-urban, semi-rural and rural but all relatively close and with access to Santa Cruz.
It's just whether or not you'll like the particular Santa Cruz vibe ... some do, some don't and often the ones who don't really don't.

Last edited by jaijai; 01-31-2012 at 12:33 PM..
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Old 01-31-2012, 04:03 PM
 
Location: Quimper Peninsula
1,981 posts, read 3,140,276 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jaijai View Post
For what it's worth it's just my sense but it seems like either Monterey, Santa Cruz county and maybe San Luis Obispo county might be a match.
The central coast is wonderful.
edit: i just read that you want city.
Santa Cruz proper has the most city vibe although there are many options throughout the county that are sub-urban, semi-rural and rural but all relatively close and with access to Santa Cruz.
It's just whether or not you'll like the particular Santa Cruz vibe ... some do, some don't and often the ones who don't really don't.
I would throw in Marin and Sonoma county too....A little cooler and more rain as one goes north, but maybe they should have a look...
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Old 02-01-2012, 04:50 PM
 
Location: SoCal
6,418 posts, read 11,560,620 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gentoo View Post
I still wouldn't say SD is a good choice. SD does not have a Norcal vibe anywhere with the slight exception of the Hillcrest, University Heights and Mission Hills area. It mostly looks like Norcal there (especially Berkeley). It still has a mostly Socal vibe though.
How about the Little Italy neighborhood of SD?
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Old 02-01-2012, 05:03 PM
 
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
2,190 posts, read 6,835,918 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TrueTimbers View Post
I would throw in Marin and Sonoma county too....A little cooler and more rain as one goes north, but maybe they should have a look...
Yes, except for weather seems to be a big issue for him.
And why does Marin county give me the heebie jeebies?
I've yet to grok that one.
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Old 02-01-2012, 06:28 PM
 
Location: Quimper Peninsula
1,981 posts, read 3,140,276 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jaijai View Post
Yes, except for weather seems to be a big issue for him.
And why does Marin county give me the heebie jeebies?
I've yet to grok that one.
Thats funny.. Monterey does that to me... I get real uptight, and just gotta get out ASAP..

I do not know Marin that well except for Inverses, point Reyes area.... Which I suspect you would be cool with... Way laid back, in a northern coast town way... I have never been to southern Marin county... Maybe because the southern part of the county gives me the heebie Jeebies too....

On weather, if one is a gardener, much of Marin is in sunset zone 16... Which is about good as it gets for a gardener in the state..
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Old 02-01-2012, 06:53 PM
 
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
2,190 posts, read 6,835,918 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TrueTimbers View Post
Thats funny.. Monterey does that to me... I get real uptight, and just gotta get out ASAP..

I do not know Marin that well except for Inverses, point Reyes area.... Which I suspect you would be cool with... Way laid back, in a northern coast town way... I have never been to southern Marin county... Maybe because the southern part of the county gives me the heebie Jeebies too....

On weather, if one is a gardener, much of Marin is in sunset zone 16... Which is about good as it gets for a gardener in the state..

Monterey? Hmmmm, that's interesting. You're weird.

And granted, i was being very general and not specific about various communities in Marin county which i'm not that familiar with anyway.
But there's a certain point just a bit north of the Golden Gate Bridge where i just start to freak out a little and i don't know why.
I just get really, really uncomfortable and it happens every time i travel north of S.F..
It messes with my swirl man.
I actually had to get off the freeway once and just sit for awhile and gather myself.
Like i said, i don't know why. It's strange. Maybe it's all of those dot.com millionaires.
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