What makes the Northern half of California better than the Southern Half? (San Francisco: 2009, how much)

[Surfer619]

Here is my list of things that I think that makes Nor Cal a much more desirable place to live, but I also would like to know what the rest of you like about Nor Cal VS So Cal.

1. Weather - Northern California has a variety of weather and seasons, while it's Southern counterpart is boring with almost no weather. In fact, if there is so much as a drop of rain or a flash of lightning down here in So Cal, people are like "OMG, it's the end of the world! AHHHHHH!!"

2. Scenery - Nothing in So Cal can compare to the scenery of the Big Sur Coast (as well as the rest of the Central Coast down through Morro Bay and Pismo Beach), the Coastal Range with the Redwood forest from Santa Cruz to north of San Francisco, the lush green Sacramento Valley (along with the Delta Country) and finally, the towering Sierra Nevada's (along with Lake Tahoe).

3. Open Space - Unlike in So Cal (where available land is almost as rare as finding a Panda Bear in Siberia), Nor Cal has plenty of rural areas off the beaten path that are either close to the city, but make you feel like you are far from civilization or it is an area that actually is far from civilization (I mean this in a good way, lol).

4. Better Schools - I have heard from people that I met from Nor
Cal that the best public schools in the state are in Northern California. I don't know how much truth that there is to that, but I would imagine that they are much better than the ones down here, which are just downright garbage in most cases.

5. Friendlier Atmosphere - I have taken many trips to Northern and based on my interactions with locals, they were MUCH nicer, and more out-going. I also didn't encounter any pretentious, shallow phonies; the type of people that basically run wild in Southern California.

Well, that is my top 5. What's yours? There is definitely more that I like about Nor Cal vs. So Cal, but I don't want to make this any longer than it has to be.

[native56]

The northern half has Sacramento and all those like minded people who keep these bums in office.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by Surfer619

5. Friendlier Atmosphere - I have taken many trips to Northern and based on my interactions with locals, they were MUCH nicer, and more out-going. I also didn't encounter any pretentious, shallow phonies; the type of people that basically run wild in Southern California.

Why is it I have no problem avoiding these types while possessing an ability to find and befriend the unpretentious non-shallow people?

If these pretentious, shallow phonies are the kind of people you keep meeting, maybe something about you draws them like a moth to a porch light. If so, I suggest you look inward.

Or, maybe it's your age.

[Waterlily]

I travel to California just about every year. I have some relatives in Southern CA which we go to see. However I don't like the scenery much. Southern CA seems to crowded for my liking.

I do like most of northern CA. Once you are away from the big cities it's very nice. The land is lush with rivers and lakes. I am thinking about moving there sometime in the future.

[lucknow]

Mount Shasta gives me a thrill down my leg.LOL. I may laugh but I mean it.

[MtnSurfer]

Well,

Lets see... Big Sur, Coastal Redwoods, High Sierras, Mammoth, Yosemite, Tahoe, more green, trees, open spaces, etc... compared to San Bernardino Mtns, LA/OC/SD concrete jungle, LegoLand and Knotts Berry Farm, etc...

Yep, its the better half, no doubt about it IMO. Grew up in SoCal, lived in both and traveled the state extensively. I arrived at basically the same conclusion. That why I moved my family here and we have no desire to move south again.

Of course we still do to visit family on occasion. Otherwise its as different as another state compared to living on the Central Coast.













Derek

[user_id]

Originally Posted by Surfer619

1. Weather - Northern California has a variety of weather and seasons, while it's Southern counterpart is boring with almost no weather.

I think the seasonal changes are just as apparent in Southern as they are in Northern, in either case it does not compare to say the Northeast.

Regardless what weather you prefer is highly subjective. For some the lack of rain can be a real asset.

Originally Posted by Surfer619

2. Scenery - Nothing in So Cal can compare to the scenery of the Big Sur Coast (as well as the rest of the Central Coast down through Morro Bay and Pismo Beach)...

I agree that the north has more natural scenery, but the south has a number of very nice areas too.

Originally Posted by Surfer619

3. Open Space - Unlike in So Cal (where available land is almost as rare as finding a Panda Bear in Siberia), Nor Cal has plenty of rural areas off the beaten path that are either close to the city...

There are a number of areas like this in Southern California.

Anyhow, I think the only area where Northern California clearly wins is in terms of natural scenery, some of the most beautiful parts of the country are in Northern California. But how important this is obviously depends on your life style and its not like Southern Californians can't drive up and see it.

[Bideshi]

Demographics...

[capoeira]

Originally Posted by Surfer619

2. Scenery - Nothing in So Cal can compare to the scenery of the Big Sur Coast (as well as the rest of the Central Coast down through Morro Bay and Pismo Beach), the Coastal Range with the Redwood forest from Santa Cruz to north of San Francisco, the lush green Sacramento Valley (along with the Delta Country) and finally, the towering Sierra Nevada's (along with Lake Tahoe).

Your post is geographically confused. Big Sur,Carmel,Monterey,Morro Bay and Pismo Beach are all in the southern half of California. Close to Madera is the official north south geographical divison. These locations are all farther south than Madera.

Madera-County.com | Library | North Fork Branch Library

Or if you don't believe their calculations do your own. Take the Latitude of the northern most city(Hilt) and the Latitutde of the southern most city(San Ysidro). Average to get the midpoint and it comes out to 37 degrees 37 min which is very close to the 37 degrees 14 min. latitude of North Fork as mentioned in the linked article. Monterey is at 36 degrees 36 min. latitude which makes it definitely located in the southern half of California!

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by Surfer619

3. Open Space - Unlike in So Cal (where available land is almost as rare as finding a Panda Bear in Siberia), Nor Cal has plenty of rural areas off the beaten path that are either close to the city, but make you feel like you are far from civilization or it is an area that actually is far from civilization

Were you aware that there's a whole big world of wide open spaces in Southern California? It's right on the other side of the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges, millions upon millions of acres. You, like so many others, have myopically confined your definition of Southern California to the populated coastal regions. Get out and drive around.