Is Southern California part of the Southwestern United States? (Los Angeles, life, people)
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What is everybody's opinion on this? Does the Southwestern United States encompass Southern California?
On appearances alone, Southern California is decidedly Southwestern. The Spanish architecture, auto-centric lifestyle, and geographical features are far more reminiscent of Phoenix than San Francisco. The real difference SoCal has from the Southwest is the culture, which is dominated by the cosmopolitan prominence of Los Angeles. However, I think the culture is still quite different from that of the Bay Area or Seattle especially in suburban Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. Maybe California, like Texas, is a state that encompasses multiple regions, SoCal going with the Southwest and NorCal going with the Pacific Northwest?
What is everybody's opinion on this? Does the Southwestern United States encompass Southern California?
On appearances alone, Southern California is decidedly Southwestern. The Spanish architecture, auto-centric lifestyle, and geographical features are far more reminiscent of Phoenix than San Francisco. The real difference SoCal has from the Southwest is the culture, which is dominated by the cosmopolitan prominence of Los Angeles. However, I think the culture is still quite different from that of the Bay Area or Seattle especially in suburban Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. Maybe California, like Texas, is a state that encompasses multiple regions, SoCal going with the Southwest and NorCal going with the Pacific Northwest?
No the southwestern states are Texas , Oklahoma , New Mexico and Arizona , the state of California is in the West Coast region. The states of Oregon and Washington aren't in the Mountain States Region either , but the Pacific Northwestern Region 'just another example" to share with you is Las Veges it's considers itself as in the (West Coast Region or area) and not the Southwest or the Mountain States Region with States such as Colorado , Utah , Idaho.
No the southwestern states are Texas , Oklahoma , New Mexico and Arizona , the state of California is in the West Coast region.
According to the strictest definition, the Southwest solely consists of Arizona and New Mexico. Texas and Oklahoma are in the South. Multiple classifications are considered possible; Southern California might be considered as part of the West Coast and the Southwest. The broad definition of the "Greater Southwest" includes Sonora and Chihuahua, but that is generally a matter of Indian ethnology, so it would likely not be useful for our purposes.
What is everybody's opinion on this? Does the Southwestern United States encompass Southern California?
On appearances alone, Southern California is decidedly Southwestern. The Spanish architecture, auto-centric lifestyle, and geographical features are far more reminiscent of Phoenix than San Francisco. The real difference SoCal has from the Southwest is the culture, which is dominated by the cosmopolitan prominence of Los Angeles. However, I think the culture is still quite different from that of the Bay Area or Seattle especially in suburban Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. Maybe California, like Texas, is a state that encompasses multiple regions, SoCal going with the Southwest and NorCal going with the Pacific Northwest?
Southern Ca and Northern Ca have a lot more common with each other than they do the with the Southwest or PNW. I see some people try to lump Northern Ca with the PNW and Southern CA with the Southwest but they are more alike each other than other regions outside the state. Even with geographical features, SoCal is more like NorCal. Which makes sense given the climate of Southern CA is closest to Northern Ca than anywhere else outside the deserts.
Southern Ca and Northern Ca have a lot more common with each other than they do the with the Southwest or PNW. I see some people try to lump Northern Ca with the PNW and Southern CA with the Southwest but they are more alike each other than other regions outside the state. Even with geographical features, SoCal is more like NorCal. Which makes sense given the climate of Southern CA is closest to Northern Ca than anywhere else outside the deserts.
I have never been to the Bay Area but I lived in LA county in the early '90s. I will agree So Cal has a different feel especially near the coast, but there are also quite a bit of similarities with the Southwest that increase dramatically the further inland you go as well as in San Diego. I would agree Los Angeles itself (with the exception of the San Fernando Valley) has an entirely different feel and vibe despite the architectural similarities. The Valley has a very Phoenix-esque feel, at least from my memory.
As far as Vegas, outside of the tourist areas its a very Southwestern city, even moreso than Southern California.
The Valley has a very Phoenix-esque feel, at least from my memory.
I would say it is the other way around. Phoenix has a very San Fernando Valley feel to it.
Phoenix and Vegas have SoCal attributes to them. But the Bay Area and LA are ever more similar. For instance, Long Beach and Oakland are similar. South Orange County and the outer East Bay are similar. Parts of the LA basin and San Gabriel Valley/SFV are similar to San Jose/South Bay Area. These similarities are true with regards to geography/weather/ethnic diversity.
Thanks for setting us straight on California matters, Boston.
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No..............
