Morro Bay, Carpinteria or Port Hueneme (San Diego, Oxnard: environment, agriculture, smog)

[LDDiamondGirl]

Are you a country mouse, or a city rat? Are you urbane/chic, or do you prefer a hippie/rustic milieu? Are you a loner type with solitary pursuits, or are you a social butterfly who needs lots of entertainment?
How do you dress? Do you like to wear jewelry and accessories? Do you like to see well groomed, fashionable people around, or, are you happy to be in a place where you will predominantly see birkenstocks and/or rubber flip-flops, t-shirts and old jeans on everyone, everyday, everywhere.

Are you an A-type who likes (and expects) things done on time, professionalism, cutting edge current services, resources, and creature comforts?
Or, are you a DIY, live-and-let-live, no big deal, I'll do it tomorrow, margaritaville type who doesn't mind stores with few choices and very little inventory and having to wait and wait for things and people?

That being said, and not knowing anything at all about you with regard to the traits mentioned above:

Morro Bay: This is in SLO County and 10 minutes from the town of SLO
People: The old-timers are a mix of small town blue collar families and vacation home owners. Trailer parks, RV parks, industrial buildings, and funky old beachy "60's" shops abound. Time has stood still here.
You'll see houses with commercial buildings right next door to them, and ramshackle shacks mixed in with new stucco tract homes. You get very little for your money here. It is very fogged in and damp a lot of the year.

The place is kind of hippie grunge, mixed with vacation home remodels, retirees, and new tract home developments for younger blue collar families. Other than working in an ice cream shop on the Embarcadero, or in a small (and inexpensive) art gallery on the Embarcadero (which mostly hosts middle class tourists escaping the heat in the valleys inland) I have no idea what one would do for a job there. There is absolutely nothing to do after 8 p.m. at night. Oh, there is one run down old movie theatre.

In fact, all of SLO county is in a development/job stranglehold. I don't think anyone but retired people who don't need jobs are going to be moving there in the future. I think it would be emotional death for me if I were in my late 30's, single and living there.

San Luis Obispo: Close to Morro Bay and more of a real town

People: 100% College town. I think at least 60% of the head count of that city in the published stats are students. The people you meet will be somehow affiliated with the college.

The stores, shops, restaurants, services, etc., all cater to the college student age group. It is a cute, albeit thread-bare, little town. Slow with a capital S. Think academia and academic, tattered, tweedy, bohemian.

If you expect sophisticated shopping, services, or resources, forget it. More do NOT fit that description than do.
And what about healthcare?

(If you have any special physical health care needs I would advise you to unequivically stay away from rural designations altogether when considering a move... the insurance companies reimburse the least in a rural area and there are always a shortage of good doctors as a result.)

This could be a deal-breaker for a lot of people with regard to moving anywhere in SLO county....so it's something to think about.

In my estimation, the central coast of SLO county, which includes Morro Bay, SLO, Pismo, Arroyo Grande, Shell Beach is, for many people (especially if you're under 50), a place that looks best "just passing through."

Remember.....vacations are not the same as living in a place.

Carpinteria:

People: Really changing. Used to be like the people in Morro Bay, however, being so close to Santa Barbara, which is much more chic and sophisticated in every way than anywhere in SLO county, Carpinteria is more likely to have a higher class mix of people who want to be near Santa Barbara, but who wish to live a little outside the city. This saves a little money, too, because the rents and real estate prices are a bit less than SB, and it still has a more rural feel if one likes animals, horses, and property. Beaches are nice. Many, many more jobs down there I would think. The proximity of Carpinteria allows a possibility to draw from other areas for work.

Don't know much about Port H....but from what I've heard, I wouldn't want to live there. The only area I'd want to live in around there is Thousand Oaks, which I just passed through last week and it looks lovely. But then, I like people and places that are somewhat suburban, groomed, clean, sophisticated, fun and a bit hip. No Margaritaville for me.

Hope that helps.

[greatbasinguide]

Holy Cowabunga!!! There are a few extra postage stamps on that rotor!!

[la quinta family]

The description of Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo is right on the
money! Of course I loved Morro Bay but I'm married, almost 50 and
we just visited from Pismo for the day. Pismo Beach is also kind
of a grungy, funky little beach town. I did love it though.. I couldn't
wait to get back to the city life and a mall.

[greatbasinguide]

Great piles of baloney, but then the poster liked the cultural wasteland of Thousand Oaks.

SLO is pretty darned cultural, with great little women's clothing boutiques. Not that I give a hoot, unless there is tack or guns I don't go in, but my deranged Palo Alto rich kid sister in law loves it. As do my quite fashion conscious wife and daughters.

SLO is a fine town to be human in.

Morro Bay ditto, casual, sea birds on the piers, sail boats in the harbor.

Carpenteria... can one escape the freeway noise? We used to go to Santa Claus land in Carpenteria, great place for a four year old.

[la quinta family]

[quote=greatbasinguide;347047]Great piles of baloney, but then the poster liked the cultural wasteland of Thousand Oaks.

SLO is pretty darned cultural, with great little women's clothing boutiques. Not that I give a hoot, unless there is tack or guns I don't go in, but my deranged Palo Alto rich kid sister in law loves it. As do my quite fashion conscious wife and daughters.

SLO is a fine town to be human in. Quote)


True, but all those cute little womens clothing boutiques are
geared to size 3 or under college girls with tons of Mom's and
Dad's money. If you are a regular person... there is a Mervyns
and an overpriced Gottshalks. Not exactly the regular person's
shopping haven. However, I did love San Luis Obispo!

[greatbasinguide]

I would disagree, there, we are just plain folks living on teacher's salary. The shops my kids like are pretty cheap. No one shops at Mervyns or Gottshalks.. not even me, I buy my clothes at Costco, trying them on is a real pain though.

There are folks all over these forums who dislike CA and chat up their new home. Having traveled all over this country and the world, I have found few towns to compare with SLO for being a great place to live in a quite scenic setting with so many things to do nearby.

[la quinta family]

Originally Posted by greatbasinguide

I would disagree, there, we are just plain folks living on teacher's salary. The shops my kids like are pretty cheap. No one shops at Mervyns or Gottshalks.. not even me, I buy my clothes at Costco, trying them on is a real pain though.

There are folks all over these forums who dislike CA and chat up their new home. Having traveled all over this country and the world, I have found few towns to compare with SLO for being a great place to live in a quite scenic setting with so many things to do nearby.

Too true! I loved it there! One of my favorite things about San
Luis Obispo is how quaint it looks. They have done a fantasitic
job preserving it. I miss Firestone Grill like you wouldn't believe.
The other nice thing about it... on Farmers night or really
any night. I could drop my daughter and her friends in
downtown San Luis for them to walk around... and I didn't
even worry about it. Where else could you do that at!
And for the most part.. the majority of drivers around there
drive slow and courteously Not cut throat like they do in Southern
California where I'm back at now. And Avila, Morro Bay and Pismo
are gorgeous. On a sunny day it just doesn't get any better!!
We spent a year living in that area. And frankly, we enjoyed
our year there, more than any other place. I didn't want to leave
but have been trying to convince myself it's great to have a mall
and so many choices again.. but to be honest, I'd rather be in SLO!!!

[stellar9]

Originally Posted by la quinta family

True, but all those cute little womens clothing boutiques are
geared to size 3 or under college girls with tons of Mom's and
Dad's money. If you are a regular person... there is a Mervyns
and an overpriced Gottshalks. Not exactly the regular person's
shopping haven. However, I did love San Luis Obispo!

You forgot Sears and Ross. And now SLO has a Costco. And the thrift stores have great clothes. The kids get their shoes from Payless. It's only a 15 minute drive to Walmart or Kmart, which I don't mind the drive down the coast to get there. Its a beautiful drive.

[LDDiamondGirl]

I am on here to give my opinion. Not to judge anyone else's, but I see some people on here like to comment on other people's opinions.....as if opinions or taste could be right or wrong ? Cowabunga, how silly.

But anyway, who in the world said the traffic and the drivers were safe in downtown San Luis Obispo? Now that is a laugh......please! Maybe that was on Spring break or at 4 a.m. in the morning on a Sunday or something. I have never lived in a noisier, more polluted with smoke and gas exhaust (except for NYC) place. Higuera Street in Downtown SLO is filled with students speeding, reeling around corners, spewing smoke out of Harleys (along with the local tatooed, bearded and leather clad low-riders in their souped up pick-ups and Choppers) and revving up those bikes to make as much noise as any good Hog could possibly make. The streets are anything but safe and quiet....(I wonder how 2 people could have such different perceptions?) You had better look before you cross next time you come.

Secondly, Someone who considers Costco upscale boutique shopping would definitely love it in San Luis Obispo. It is certainly not a cultural wasteland for someone of that status.

[greatbasinguide]

Costco is kewl, where else can you get blue jeans for $13.00!! Heck when I was in college I was lucky to afford a bicycle, good to know those kids can afford $25,000 Harleys.

And it should actually always be Cowabunga Dude, or Cowabunga Dudette, depending on reciepient.

Here is a photo of Higuera Street, Oh, I asked my wife which was the girls favorite store, she said there were a ton of really nice women's clothing stores, the girls like Urban Outfitters and the secondhand stores in addition. Eldest Daughter says there are a ton of great clothing stores and SLO has one of the finest downtowns in California. A website with downtown photos http://www.slosoles.org/Album/2003-05-25-SLO-YRE/2003_may_25_SLO.htmAs (broken link) Higuera Street: