BEACH ? CA or MEXICO (crime, home, neighborhoods)

[sheena]

Originally Posted by SoCal78

Stick with California man. You shouldn't have to drive to a 3rd world country and see poverty everywhere just to go to a beach. I'm from San Diego and these desert rats don't know what the hell they're saying about San Diego beaches being cold. 70 degrees is not balls out freezing cold for beach water. 45 to 50 degree water back on the east coast is cold water. They probably have gone to Mission Beach, which is where all of the tourists go. Zoners don't go to the rest of the 100 miles of ocean coast line that San Diego County has.

I myself would be too depressed driving through those areas to enjoy my vacation.

The beaches here in South Carolina are warm, I'm not sure about the rest of the eastern seaboard. Anyway I like San Clememte......

[SoCal78]

San Clemente is extremely beautiful and nice. I wanna see a poverty strucken mother with her 3 kids that she's utilizing to sell hand made goods, while I'm sipping my margarita on the beach with my gringo attitude. No thanks. There isn't anything in Mexico that I can't do in my own country.

[Leaving AZ]

Rocky Point is ok not all that great to me its Mexico its a very sad place seeing kids beg for stuff. Although I have gone down there several times and Thank God nothing has happened. You do have to just be aware of your surrounding dont go down any dark roads and keep your kids by your side at all times. Depending on how old your kids are if they are young I would go to San Diego there is more for young kids to do up there if there teenagers they will probably love Mexico.

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by SoCal78

Stick with California man. You shouldn't have to drive to a 3rd world country and see poverty everywhere just to go to a beach. I'm from San Diego and these desert rats don't know what the hell they're saying about San Diego beaches being cold. 70 degrees is not balls out freezing cold for beach water. 45 to 50 degree water back on the east coast is cold water. They probably have gone to Mission Beach, which is where all of the tourists go. Zoners don't go to the rest of the 100 miles of ocean coast line that San Diego County has.

Thanks to the Gulf Stream, East Coast waters are FAR warmer than anywhere along California (where the currents bring water down from Alaska). Here's the offical NOAA site for coastal water temps. It shows average and actual (current) water temps for most of the US seaboard (and some Hawaii locations). Click on any state to see the data for the coastal regions of that state. As you can see, Southern California water temps are more or less equivalent to those found in the northern Middle Atlantic and southern New England regions of the East Coast - even though those areas are way further north. When comparing East vs West coast at the same latitude, there is no comparison - the East Coast waters are much warmer. Compare Sourthern California locations to Savannah, Georgia for example. Georgian waters are are good 10-15 degrees warmer at mid-summer (topping out in the mid-80s). That's quite a difference.

NODC Coastal Water Temperature Guide

So yeah, California waters are relatively cold for their latitude (certainly wayyyyyyy too cold for me - though admittely I'm a tropical waters type of guy).

Ken

[LordBalfor]

PS - These higher water temps go a long way towards explaining why the East Coast of the US is subjected to Hurricanes and the West Coast is generally not. From time to time Hurricanes strike as far north as southern New England. When was the last you heard of a hurricane striking anywhere north of the LA area? Just doesn't happen - in part because of winds and currents, but also to a large degree because the water there is just too cold to sustain tropical storms for very long.

From what I understand, because of the enclosed nature of the ocean there, water temps at Rocky Point area to be 80+ range or so in the summer months.

Ken

[SMG]

Originally Posted by sheena

OMG I couldn't agree more!

I like San Clemente Ca.

I have driven to Rocky Point for years. Tens of thousand so Arizonans do every year. Do you really hear about bad things happening? I feel safer driving to Rocky Point than I do if I drive to west side. Point me to some links of the horrible things happening to people driving there.

[wit-nit]

Rocky Point is beautiful with great beaches and weather, but you must remember that you are in a foreign country and you have no rights there. Many cars do get hijacked on the roads to and fro, plus there have been some murders of Americans, and as someone else mentioned muggings. People there look at Americans (Gringos) as having lots of money with them, making you a target.
If you should get thrown in jail for any offense minor or otherwise, kiss your lifestyle away.
For safety sakes I'd go to San Diego with their beautiful beaches too.

[azloafer]

Originally Posted by nitram

Rocky Point is beautiful with great beaches and weather, but you must remember that you are in a foreign country and you have no rights there. Many cars do get hijacked on the roads to and fro, plus there have been some murders of Americans, and as someone else mentioned muggings. People there look at Americans (Gringos) as having lots of money with them, making you a target.
If you should get thrown in jail for any offense minor or otherwise, kiss your lifestyle away.
For safety sakes I'd go to San Diego with their beautiful beaches too.

I totally agree.

[sheena]

Originally Posted by SoCal78

San Clemente is extremely beautiful and nice. I wanna see a poverty strucken mother with her 3 kids that she's utilizing to sell hand made goods, while I'm sipping my margarita on the beach with my gringo attitude. No thanks. There isn't anything in Mexico that I can't do in my own country.

I know it, my friends have been going down to Rocky Point for years and tell me how much they love it. I just can't get passed those children begging, it would just leave me in a funk. I'll take California over that anyday. I just can't see myself driving through that while I'm getting ready to start sipping my margaritas either. Very very sad.

[sheena]

Originally Posted by nitram

Rocky Point is beautiful with great beaches and weather, but you must remember that you are in a foreign country and you have no rights there. Many cars do get hijacked on the roads to and fro, plus there have been some murders of Americans, and as someone else mentioned muggings. People there look at Americans (Gringos) as having lots of money with them, making you a target.
If you should get thrown in jail for any offense minor or otherwise, kiss your lifestyle away.
For safety sakes I'd go to San Diego with their beautiful beaches too.

Scary! I don't care if it's 4 hours away or how nice it is.