Los Angeles vs San Francisco vs San Diego vs Sacramento vs Fresno (Modesto: live in, bars)

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by Hawaii4evr

Sacramento is very hot in summer to the point where, while not humid usually, is still unbearable. Even if you have a pool. The nights cool off most of the time, though, unlike New Orleans (and I lived in New Orleans for my freshman year of college, so I know). However, it is quite cool in the winter and still far from the beach. NorCal beaches, while beautiful to look at, have very cold water all year long, usually like 55F all year. And the weather on the coast most of the time is cool, windy and overcast. Not conducive for swimming.

So I guess you've never lived in Sacramento. Sacramento summers are by far more "bearable" than more than 2/3 the nation's cities in the summer, Sacramento weather is only less desirable than coastal California.

Humidity matters alot! Sacramento cools into the 50's normarly in the spring and summer when places like Phoenix, Texas, Florida bake in high humidity and heat indexes all evening, night and morning. This is based on 30-40 year averages.

Quick comparison Austin averages 39 days of 100+; Sacramento averages only 12 days. And when its 95 in Sac it feel like 90; whereas, in Austin when its 95 it feels like 100. Averages over the course of the whole spring and summer.

As far as Sacramento's winters, they are only slightly cooler than coastal California, milder than most of the South, similar to New Orleans.

Great thing amount Sacramento is it has great easy access to mountain recreation, as close as Denver is to it's to Mountains.

Sacramento's access to the ocean is around 2hrs with varied rugged coastline and spectacular beaches. True ocean dwellers use wet suits up here and the ocean is no different than down south, actually under the sea by far more diverse.

Right in Sacramento we have fresh cold mountain spring run-off in American River, Folsom Lake, and Sacramento River for water recreation, jet skiing , water skiing, kayaking. Right in the heart of Sacramento are some great fun rafting, tubing for 10 miles on American River.

I'm from California, grew up in San Diego, lived in LA and SF, college in LA. Most people in Southern Cal including San Diego has absolutely no idea what Sacramento is really like.

No where in California is there an urban grid as there there is in Sacramento - a very walkable, bikable, urban garden of trees and foliage mixed in a very liveable urban style neighborhoods.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by Chimérique

Sacramento's access to the ocean is around 2hrs with varied rugged coastline and spectacular beaches. True ocean dwellers use wet suits up here and the ocean is no different than down south, actually under the sea by far more diverse.

Except most people don't use wetsuits during summer in Southern CA. The beach scene is drastically different in Southern CA compared to Northern.

If you want warmer, sunnier beaches with a stereotypical beach scene I really would not recommend Northern CA.

[ExeterMedia]

lol, who wants to drive 2 hours every time they want to go to the beach. A 4 hour round trip is ridiculous.

[Chilly Gentilly]

Originally Posted by ExeterMedia

lol, who wants to drive 2 hours every time they want to go to the beach. A 4 hour round trip is ridiculous.

This and a few other things is why Sac is out. ..

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by ExeterMedia

lol, who wants to drive 2 hours every time they want to go to the beach. A 4 hour round trip is ridiculous.

No, it's not ridiculous, I actually take surfing days from Sacramento to the San Mateo coast and because it is by far less crowded in NorCal than SoCal it's a very pleasant experience and if I do not want the massive crowds of SoCal I can avoid that.

In SoCal you can't find secluded sparsely populated beach towns and areas on the same level of NorCal. I know SoCal well, I grew up surfing in San Diego. Of course, SoCal has an awesome beach scene and I love it, I'm in SD right now.

If DAILY beach activity (surfing, running on the beach) is a high priority SoCal is awesome. But let's be honest, 75% of Southern Californians have absolutely nothing to do with the beach. And the time and energy it takes for the average Southern California to "do" the beach because of the parking and massive crowds is one small notch easier than it is for Sacramentans.

At least its a reasonable easy option for a day trip or extended weekend from Sacramento, most other cities across the nation do not have such options. Denver has mountains, so does Sacramento within equi-distant, but Denver doesn't have an accessible ocean like Sacramento does.

[dexter14]

San Diego, and its really not even close. It has some of the best weather and beaches in the country, friendly people, great food, nice diversity, a large variety of things to do and a great skyline. San Francisco is far too expensive and filled with pretentious hipsters sipping their lattes and trying desperately to be NY. LA is just a dump really. Hot, overcrowded, loaded with illegals and homeless people etc...Unless you are above Sunset or in BH and you think trying to catch a glimpse of Lindsay Lohan at Katsuya is a fun night Sacramento and Fresno? LOL

[sav858]

Originally Posted by Chimérique

No, it's not ridiculous, I actually take surfing days from Sacramento to the San Mateo coast and because it is by far less crowded in NorCal than SoCal it's a very pleasant experience and if I do not want the massive crowds of SoCal I can avoid that.

In SoCal you can't find secluded sparsely populated beach towns and areas on the same level of NorCal. I know SoCal well, I grew up surfing in San Diego. Of course, SoCal has an awesome beach scene and I love it, I'm in SD right now.

If DAILY beach activity (surfing, running on the beach) is a high priority SoCal is awesome. But let's be honest, 75% of Southern Californians have absolutely nothing to do with the beach. And the time and energy it takes for the average Southern California to "do" the beach because of the parking and massive crowds is one small notch easier than it is for Sacramentans.

You're really exaggerating about how crowded SoCal beaches are and, as usual, over selling Sacramento.

There's a reason why Northern CA's beaches are so empty; it's chilly to cold much of the time, few people want to go to them b/c of that, and they aren't that accessible for a lot of people either. But even on those few days a year where it's nice at the beach in Northern CA, you know damn well there will be "massive crowds" and parking issues as well.

Outside of summer most beaches in SoCal don't have "massive crowds". And even during summer it's not hard to find beaches without "massive crowds" either.

The beach is WAY more accessible in SoCal than Sacramento, millions of people live within a 15-30 mile radius of the beach. Sure the Inland Empire might just be a notch below Sacramento when accounting for traffic but the majority of the population of SD county is within a 15-30 minute drive of the beach.

Very few people in the Bay Area spend time at the beach, I can only imagine how many fewer Sacramentan's bother making the daylong trek to and back.

Why do you keep bringing up Denver btw? lol

[NorCal Dude]

Originally Posted by ExeterMedia

lol, who wants to drive 2 hours every time they want to go to the beach. A 4 hour round trip is ridiculous.

Doesn't seem to stop people from monrovia and upland

People in sac swim in the river and the lake, not the ocean

[Hawaii4evr]

The OP already said Sacramento is out, he doesn't seem to care about swimming in rivers or lakes. He can do that back in Louisiana. And to really enjoy the ocean and swimming in it, SoCal is the place to be. Sure, the water is not as tropical as Hawaii, nor is the weather as warm. But NorCal has foggy and chilly weather most of the year on the coast and the water is simply too cold to enjoy all year. Many beaches in SoCal hit the low 70sF for water temperatures in August and September, and the weather in summer is typically in the 80sF for a high, sometimes even warmer. And while beautiful, the long commute for the beach isn't worth it if you aren't going to swim. In SoCal, the beach is like 15 minutes away from most people's houses and everyone in SoCal goes to the beach very often, whether it is to walk, surf, tan, or swim.

Originally Posted by Chimérique

No, it's not ridiculous, I actually take surfing days from Sacramento to the San Mateo coast and because it is by far less crowded in NorCal than SoCal it's a very pleasant experience and if I do not want the massive crowds of SoCal I can avoid that.

In SoCal you can't find secluded sparsely populated beach towns and areas on the same level of NorCal. I know SoCal well, I grew up surfing in San Diego. Of course, SoCal has an awesome beach scene and I love it, I'm in SD right now.

If DAILY beach activity (surfing, running on the beach) is a high priority SoCal is awesome. But let's be honest, 75% of Southern Californians have absolutely nothing to do with the beach. And the time and energy it takes for the average Southern California to "do" the beach because of the parking and massive crowds is one small notch easier than it is for Sacramentans.

At least its a reasonable easy option for a day trip or extended weekend from Sacramento, most other cities across the nation do not have such options. Denver has mountains, so does Sacramento within equi-distant, but Denver doesn't have an accessible ocean like Sacramento does.

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by sav858

You're really exaggerating about how crowded SoCal beaches are and, as usual, over selling Sacramento.

There's a reason why Northern CA's beaches are so empty; it's chilly to cold much of the time, few people want to go to them b/c of that, and they aren't that accessible for a lot of people either. But even on those few days a year where it's nice at the beach in Northern CA, you know damn well there will be "massive crowds" and parking issues as well.

Outside of summer most beaches in SoCal don't have "massive crowds". And even during summer it's not hard to find beaches without "massive crowds" either.

The beach is WAY more accessible in SoCal than Sacramento, millions of people live within a 15-30 mile radius of the beach. Sure the Inland Empire might just be a notch below Sacramento when accounting for traffic but the majority of the population of SD county is within a 15-30 minute drive of the beach.

Very few people in the Bay Area spend time at the beach, I can only imagine how many fewer Sacramentan's bother making the daylong trek to and back.

Why do you keep bringing up Denver btw? lol

It's all about perspective, SoCal is way overcrowded for someone who really wants quiet secluded beaches. And it's not like SoCal ocean water is warm; it's pretty darn cold to someone from Florida, Hawaii, or east coast in the summer.

Also, not everyone wants a warmer SoCal beach scene, NorCal coastline is unique and offers cool secluded redwood covered coastline with spectacular coastal walks/hikes. The activities one does at a NorCal beach/coastline are not necessarily the same as what one values in a SoCal beach. Again, I still love SoCal water temps and beach scene; it's just that you refuse to accept and/or value the virtues of Sacramento, itself and downplay it's accessibility to varied environments.