San Diego or Carmel??

[BENZBOY15]

The water is not that polluted. During the winter after storms, you get run off. I also think the farther south you go (towards the dump from hell, also known as Tijuana), the worse the water gets.

But really it's not bad during the summer. I go to the La Jolla cove a lot during the summer, the water is very clear. There isn't trash floating around or anything like that. Just wonderful fish and other wild life. Snorkling is great in La Jolla during the summer!

Try doing that in Carmel. Carmel is too cold for me anyway.

[cvcalgal]

Comparing Carmel to San Diego is kind of like comparing apples and oranges. One is very small, the other is very large. I live 11 miles inland from Carmel because I can't stand either the fog or the tourists. I love the small town feeling of the entire Monterey Peninsula. But do be warned, life is darned expensive here! Don't know about Carmel, which usually is pricier, but I doubt there's a rental in the valley for less than $1200; gas is $3.59/gal, or more right in Carmel. The peninsula has lots of world class places to eat. The beaches are beautiful but buy a wetsuit if you want to swim and bicycling is very popular both on road and off in our gorgeous parks.

[PureHapa]

Yes, they're so different, you can't know which you prefer unless you've visited both. I love San Diego personally. I think Carmel would be snoozerville for a young person, and the beach? San Diego beaches are better and the weather's warmer.

[Logan's Dad]

Carmel by a landslide! MUCH nicer IMO!

[dennismpat]

Originally Posted by Logan's Dad

Carmel by a landslide! MUCH nicer IMO!

Yes, I agree with Carmel, even though I like San Diego a lot, too. I just love how nice and cool it stays during the summer months.

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by Logan's Dad

Carmel by a landslide! MUCH nicer IMO!

You mean Big Sur. "Carmel by a landslide" - joke.

[Twinkle Toes]

Carmel! Don't even consider San Diego because there is no comparison!

[Starrynight227]

Originally Posted by cre8

You mean Big Sur. "Carmel by a landslide" - joke.

LOL That's a good one!

[MontereyLocal]

Both locations are going to be higher cost-of-living than average US, but on-par for California coastal living. Depending on your motivations, Carmel would probably fit well into your idea of a slowed down pace of life with a ton of hiking, biking, reading a book activities. I highly recommend http://monterey.craigslist.org to gather an idea of rental costs as well as the "locals" free newspaper the Monterey County Weekly (http://www.montereycountyweekly (broken link)) for an idea of activities (live bands, clubs, bars, food, etc.)

I lived in Irvine, CA (SoCal) and drove to San Diego quite often. I prefer the Monterey Peninsula. As said before though, employment is in much greater supply in San Diego and if you are even considering owning a home in the future, San Diego would be the way to go. I've accepted the fact I'll be renting for a LONG time but the Peninsula makes it worth it.

If you are looking for employment, here's the main employers for the area:

Pebble Beach Company (http://www.pebblebeach.com)
CTB/McGraw Hill (http://www.ctb.com)
Department of Defense (Northrop Grumman, EDS, Bearing Point, CSC)
Monterey Bay Aquarium (http://www.mbayaq.org)

Others are available as well, check the previously mentioned websites.

Good luck!