does my ideal cali city exist? (San Jose, San Francisco: rentals, low crime, home)

[phree_spirit]

Hey all, I'm thinking of moving to cali next year, but I have a few things I would like to consider before making my final descion. I'm from Connecticut and things can be pretty quiet around here, but I must admit I kinda like it that way. Ok, so to start with, I'm looking for something a little warmer; I just can't take another New England winter! Those nor'easters sure do take a lot out of me. I'm 23 and will be getting married next year, so the single scene isn't exactly what I'm looking for, although we do like to go out on occasion. I love the summer, but I hear that many places in Cali are just too hot. I can take the heat, but out here its the humidity that gets to me. I've looked into Chico, which as I understand it, has quite the artist/hipster scene-something right up my alley. I like the home prices in that area, but I fear it may be too far from the ocean. Where I'm from now, I'm about an hour away from the beautiful Rhode Island beaches, and that is just far enough away for me. I also would like to be closer to the mountains. I'm an outdoorsy type.

So does my ideal city exist? Not too pricey, low crime, at least an 1 to 1&1/2 hours from the ocean, and even closer to the mountains? I understand that I may be setting the bar a little too high, but hey, where I'm from, California is like the promised land. I almost forgot, about crime...I've also looked into Salinas and have read a lot of your posts about the area. Is crime really that bad? I mean, if you don't go looking for trouble, will it still find you? Or is it more "in your face"?

Any help would be appreciated.

[Guingirl]

You might take a look at Davis (just west of Sacramento) if you like that hip/artsy/college feel. UCD is one of the best aggie/vet universities in the country. A lot of people ride their bikes around there and it has a nice feel there.

In the Sacramento Valley, we are an hour and half to either the beach (SF) or the Sierra Nevadas. Its great because you are really in the middle of everything! The only thing is that when you do go up to the Sierras, you have to continually hear the story of the Donner Party .

Not sure if you have looked into the area, but it might be something you mght want to look into.

[gizmo980]

Hi there - Are you only considering Northern Cali., or the whole state? I'm up in the Bay Area, so of course I'm a bit partial to (and more knowledgeable about) the top half. First off, if warm weather is your thing, keep in mind that it gets awfully chilly in parts of NoCal. The coastal towns have very temperate climates, where it's rarely very cold or hot, and gets some heavy fog. The Central Valley is slightly more seasonal, with hot/dry summers & cool/wet winters. Finally, the Sierras and mountain areas get lots of snow, but usually have pleasant summers. That being said, we do have some great places to choose from!

I've never been to Chico, but have heard good things about it... it's a college town, so I assume there's a decent social/nightlife, and it is known to be artsy. Prices are also affordable, especially compared to the Bay Area and L.A. Have you heard of Arcata, up at the far north coast? It's a very cute college town as well, with a serious hippie/artsy vibe, and fairly mild (but often gloomy) coastal weather. It's right next to the ocean, a few hours from Mount Shasta area, and about 5-6 hours from the Sierras. The main drawback is that you're kinda far from civilization... closest "city" is Redding (not much there), which is 2.5 hours away, and San Francisco is a 5 hr. drive - but nearby Eureka does have all the basic amenities people need. Anyway, I've always loved that town, so maybe you should check it out.

Other suggestions: Sonoma, Petaluma, Sonora, Davis, Tahoe/Truckee (gets cold!), and many towns in the Sierra foothills. And if you really don't mind the hot & dry weather, there are some nice places around San Joaquin County. Good luck!

[phree_spirit]

Thanks for the help, Guingirl. How's the crime rate in Davis? Like I said, I don't yet have kids that I need to worry about, and where I come from, if you just mind your business, you can keep yourself out of trouble...for the most part. Is Davis similar?

Gizmo, as far as those coastal towns up north are concerned, can you swim in the ocean? Or is it too dangerous with rip currents and the like? I'm sure there's great surf up there, but what about just jumping in and swimming? Also, I hear that the fog can be a bit cumbersome, is that true? Would I be able to "sunbathe"?

Thanks again

[Des_Demona]

Santa Cruz might fit you well. It's also in NorCal. Very.. free spirited there and it's pretty small by California city comparison but not too far removed. NorCal has more fog and cooler temps in general and the closer you get to the bay or the coast the more that is true (and wind as well). In Southern Cali you don't get much fog and wind sticks to certain areas and it's sunny most of the time. In SoCal it's also polluted and over populated because of the great weather so there's always that decision to make. From your name and description of what you're looking for my opinion is to keep your options up in NorCal despite the fog.. it's still really sunny up there most of the time and I think it would fit more with your personality. Just my 2 cents tho!

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by phree_spirit

Thanks for the help, Guingirl. How's the crime rate in Davis? Like I said, I don't yet have kids that I need to worry about, and where I come from, if you just mind your business, you can keep yourself out of trouble...for the most part. Is Davis similar?

Gizmo, as far as those coastal towns up north are concerned, can you swim in the ocean? Or is it too dangerous with rip currents and the like? I'm sure there's great surf up there, but what about just jumping in and swimming? Also, I hear that the fog can be a bit cumbersome, is that true? Would I be able to "sunbathe"?

Thanks again

I guess you could swim in those waters, but you'd probably need a wetsuit to avoid hypothermia! They are very cold most of the time, and sharks are not an uncommon sight (especially here in the Bay Area). Surfing is more popular around here & in Southern California, but as for sunbathing - well, that would be most likely in SoCal! We do occasionally get nice, sunny days at Northern California beaches, but it's more often foggy & cool. Sorry!

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by Des_Demona

Santa Cruz might fit you well. It's also in NorCal. Very.. free spirited there and it's pretty small by California city comparison but not too far removed. NorCal has more fog and cooler temps in general and the closer you get to the bay or the coast the more that is true (and wind as well). In Southern Cali you don't get much fog and wind sticks to certain areas and it's sunny most of the time. In SoCal it's also polluted and over populated because of the great weather so there's always that decision to make. From your name and description of what you're looking for my opinion is to keep your options up in NorCal despite the fog.. it's still really sunny up there most of the time and I think it would fit more with your personality. Just my 2 cents tho!

I love the town of Santa Cruz, and have actually considered moving there. It's a really nice, laid-back place, and the beaches are very beautiful... and I guess we do get plenty of sunny days, despite what I said in the last post. But certainly not as many as in Southern California! Though if the original poster is looking for something smaller and safer, I might suggest the nearby town of Aptos... I don't know much about it, but it always seemed really nice to me. There are also some great small towns in the Santa Cruz & Los Gatos mountains, like Boulder Creek (adorable!), Felton, and Scotts Valley.

[outaPA]

Gizmo980, the area you just mentioned (the small towns up in the mountains northeast of Santa Cruz) is high on my list of relocation choices. I prefer forests to the ocean. Specifically, I'm looking for someplace that is less expensive for rentals, at least near an art town, not too far from San Francisco for visits, and most importantly, close access to equestrian trails. What's your take on that area? Also, is there sun and warmth away from the coast?

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by outaPA

Gizmo980, the area you just mentioned (the small towns up in the mountains northeast of Santa Cruz) is high on my list of relocation choices. I prefer forests to the ocean. Specifically, I'm looking for someplace that is less expensive for rentals, at least near an art town, not too far from San Francisco for visits, and most importantly, close access to equestrian trails. What's your take on that area? Also, is there sun and warmth away from the coast?

I mentioned it briefly above, but Boulder Creek is a great little town... it's about 12 miles from Santa Cruz, and 20 or so miles from San Jose. San Francisco would a bit of a drive, but definitely do-able once in a while. It feels like you're deep in the mountains, except for the fact that it doesn't snow, and there's a real artsy vibe to it. Also, the prices are fairly affordable for the Bay Area! If you wanted to be closer to San Francisco, you'd probably have to stick with coastal towns (rather than mountain)... some cute ones are Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, La Honda, Pescadero, and Montara. But forget about abundant sunshine if you live in those towns! Basically, the farther you go from the water, the more sun you'll get - though the trade-off is much hotter temperatures, which I personally hate. Anyway, I hope that all helps.

[gizmo980]

Oh, and as for equestrian trails, you'll find plenty of those along the mountain and coastal regions... Half Moon Bay is known for that, and is actually where I attended horseback-riding camp as a kid. You can also go to Portola Valley or Woodside, if you'd like to ride around a more suburban area.