CA Small-Med town with good walking trails, water... (Santa Barbara, Arroyo Grande: school, college)

[Gidget]

[quote=bellalunatic;6834493]Obviously you are smarter than your average Aussie Sheperd...


Oh, lots smarter, and cuter too! If it didn't take so long to type out responses, for lack of opposable thumbs ("disposable" as my nephew would say), I would write more posts.

Good point...California IS a huge state, and so varied. At least narrowing the search to northern or southern CA would be helpful to those making suggestions.

...

[Dean Trails]

Originally Posted by SusJon

Lived in Sun Valley, Idaho for years and loved everything about it, except too much snow. Now in California looking for a small to medium size town which is cute, quaint, clean air, hopefully by water of some sort (ocean, lakes, or water-ways) and lots of nice walking paths and hiking trails. And if not by water, would like an alpine setting, just below the snow level. Also a place where the weather does not get too hot, but also no snow. Would appreciate any suggestions.

I am curious. What is wrong with the town you are presently living in?
Healdsburg seems pretty darn perfect?

[CA central coast]

Morro Bay or Los Osos.

[Dean Trails]

Originally Posted by CA central coast

Morro Bay or Los Osos.

Doesn't Los Osos get a lot of early morning fog? The humidity seems very high there. I am not sure if you can grow grapes as they would mildew.

Morro Bay has more breezes?

What about Cambria? or Nipomo?

[StaffSgt]

Originally Posted by SusJon

Lived in Sun Valley, Idaho for years and loved everything about it, except too much snow. Now in California looking for a small to medium size town which is cute, quaint, clean air, hopefully by water of some sort (ocean, lakes, or water-ways) and lots of nice walking paths and hiking trails. And if not by water, would like an alpine setting, just below the snow level. Also a place where the weather does not get too hot, but also no snow. Would appreciate any suggestions.

Yes. Join the army, go new places, meet new people, then kill them

[TheDragonslayer]

There are many small towns in Humboldt county. In the southern part of the county the weather is both hot in the summer and cold with snow in the winter. Starting with Rio Dell on the Eel river north to Trinidad are many small towns that do not get hot and seldom get snow, yet are close enough to the mountains to get to the snow easy. Ferndale, Eureka, Arcata, McKinleyville and Trinidad are right on the coast and rarely get hot or too cold. If you want a little more heat there are very small Fieldbrook, Glendale and Blue Lake a few miles inland from Arcata and McKinleyville, but just minutes from the coast. The largest town here is Eureka at 28,000 and next is Arcata at over 17,000 and McKinleyville at a bit less. Coast side of Eureka is Samoa and Manila on dunes. More expensive than most towns in Humboldt county is Shelter Cove on the coast side of the Kings Range in Southern Humboldt county. It is quite small, more like a village, has a small airport, beautiful beaches, a golf course and good restaurants. The Kings range is a little over 4,000 feet high and get some snow in the winter and lots of rain. While Garberville and Redway on 101, just 30 miles inland, may be will over 100 in the summer, Shelter cove may only be 70 or 80.

[family first]

Susjon, I'll second the emotion for Calaveras County (Gold Country) Alpine feel at upper end, water aplenty, a blind dog could find trails to recreate in. The general location is pretty good for getting to the ski resorts, desert, ocean and yet far away enough from the major population centers. Close enough to airports and yet they don't shake windows coming and going.

[bellalunatic]

Originally Posted by Dean Trails

I am curious. What is wrong with the town you are presently living in?
Healdsburg seems pretty darn perfect?

Healdsburg does get pretty flippin' HOT, (with no coastal breeze)
like high 90's and 103 kinda days....so i could see the interest in an Alpine setting.

[CA central coast]

I didn't know the OP wanted to grow grapes? But regardless, no argument here. I don't think you can go wrong anywhere in SLO Co. Not sure if you can distinguish Morro Bay and Los Osos weather. I mean they are right next to each other. They're similiar one day and completely opposite the next. One town sunny, the other foggy and only 5 minutes apart. Early morning fog? sure, but not always. The weather can actually be better this time of year than in summer.

[Dean Trails]

Originally Posted by CA central coast

I didn't know the OP wanted to grow grapes? But regardless, no argument here. I don't think you can go wrong anywhere in SLO Co. Not sure if you can distinguish Morro Bay and Los Osos weather. I mean they are right next to each other. They're similiar one day and completely opposite the next. One town sunny, the other foggy and only 5 minutes apart. Early morning fog? sure, but not always. The weather can actually be better this time of year than in summer.

Sorry, I got carried away. I want to grow grapes and avocados. Yummy!

I was in Santa Barbara and they have avocado orchards all over. I bet SLO County has the weather for them also.

Now let's see get a goat for nice cheese and bake some bread. This could be the way to go for self-sufficiency.

Which is better for kayaking? Morro Bay or around Pismo Beach area?