Monterey/Pacific Grove vs. Aptos/Soquel (Santa Cruz: renting, home, neighborhoods)

[Reader123]

I know they're close by, but can anyone compare the 2 for pros and cons for a family w/young kids?

Thanks!

[amykis5]

Funny that I saw this before I wrote my own thread because I am personally debating the same question. I was thinking about maybe living in Pebble Beach, Pacific Grove or Soquel, Aptos. We must be in the same boat!!!!!!! I acually just wrote a thread asking how bad the commute is between P.B and Soquel. Business is in Soquel but I would rather reside in Pebble Beach or that surrounding area. Let's keep in touch!

[MtnSurfer]

Well,

That is a tough one to compare. They are different and yet the same in many ways. How is that?LOL...

More seriously though it really comes down to personal preference. We live in PG with our three kids and love it here. And one of my best friends from college lives in Aptos with his four kids and wouldn't live anywhere else. Either way you really can't go wrong.

I guess I would say that I find the coastline near PG and Pebble Beach to be much more beautiful. And having Big Sur as our next door neighbor is great. Both areas are a bit pricey so will have a lot of old money and older folks/retirees living here. But there are families as well, some rent, some own. We sold our home in CO and are renting for now and watching the RE market as it is still a bit unstable in CA.

There is a ton of stuff for kids to do here in Monterey with the aquarium, the museums, the beaches and of course Big Sur. Santa Cruz is larger and has more ppl, traffic and stores. I don't really care for central SC. But Aptos is really nice and very green.

Both towns have there own unique vibe that is for sure. Santa Cruz is a surfer town with a lot of hippies and college students. Of course there are business ppl and retirees there as well.

Monterey has more of an international feel to it because of the Govt higher education institutions - Defense Lanugage Institute and Naval Post Grad School. Consequestly you have more ppl from around the world moving here and visiting. Then there are the world famous golf courses which bring in a different group.

So I recommend visiting them for yourselves, walking the neighborhoods, eating out at the restaurants and seeing what is best for your family. If you have more specific questions feel free to ask and I will try to answer them or someone else may be able to as well.

Derek

[amykis5]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Well,

That is a tough one to compare. They are different and yet the same in many ways. How is that?LOL...

More seriously though it really comes down to personal preference. We live in PG with our three kids and love it here. And one of my best friends from college lives in Aptos with his four kids and wouldn't live anywhere else. Either way you really can't go wrong.

I guess I would say that I find the coastline near PG and Pebble Beach to be much more beautiful. And having Big Sur as our next door neighbor is great. Both areas are a bit pricey so will have a lot of old money and older folks/retirees living here. But there are families as well, some rent, some own. We sold our home in CO and are renting for now and watching the RE market as it is still a bit unstable in CA.

There is a ton of stuff for kids to do here in Monterey with the aquarium, the museums, the beaches and of course Big Sur. Santa Cruz is larger and has more ppl, traffic and stores. I don't really care for central SC. But Aptos is really nice and very green.

Both towns have there own unique vibe that is for sure. Santa Cruz is a surfer town with a lot of hippies and college students. Of course there are business ppl and retirees there as well.

Monterey has more of an international feel to it because of the Govt higher education institutions - Defense Lanugage Institute and Naval Post Grad School. Consequestly you have more ppl from around the world moving here and visiting. Then there are the world famous golf courses which bring in a different group.

So I recommend visiting them for yourselves, walking the neighborhoods, eating out at the restaurants and seeing what is best for your family. If you have more specific questions feel free to ask and I will try to answer them or someone else may be able to as well.

Derek

What do you think about commuting from Pebble to Santa Cruz for work?? Is is a bad idea with it being 45 miles?
Thank you!

[MtnSurfer]

As I mentioned in Amy's thread Pebble Beach probably has the fewest children beacuse of the highest cost of RE.

We have met quite a few families in Monterey and Pacific Grove since moving here. Pacific Grove is a real small town but with modern stores like Trader Joes! It has good sense of community with annual actvities such as the Butterfly Parade, the Feast of Laterns and Holiday Parade of Lights.



Also check out this thread about Living in Monterey with kids.

Derek

[investorscooter]

I am staying overnight in Pacific Grove and find myself highly attracted to its size, siting and level of activity. Then I run across your photo of the kids parading with their monarch wings and I am enchanted! Thanks for the submission.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Broadly, Soquel / Aptos has more of a "North Coast" vibe (more rain in winter, redwoods, a "rural" oriented culture) and is a serious bedroom community area for the Bay Area.

Monterey et al has more of a "Central Coast" vibe (less winter rain, more of a sage scrub with areas of pines, the only redwoods are a few miles south in canyons in Big Sur, more of an "ocean oriented" culture - think old Italian American fisherman).

That is the broad brush ...

[Mvn2nc]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

Broadly, Soquel / Aptos has more of a "North Coast" vibe (more rain in winter, redwoods, a "rural" oriented culture) and is a serious bedroom community area for the Bay Area.

Monterey et al has more of a "Central Coast" vibe (less winter rain, more of a sage scrub with areas of pines, the only redwoods are a few miles south in canyons in Big Sur, more of an "ocean oriented" culture - think old Italian American fisherman).

That is the broad brush ...

Im impressed! You are so right in your description, so true about both areas.