Help! Santa Cruz or Scotts Valley? (Aptos: fit in, gated, living in)

[coyoteskye]

Originally Posted by krudmonk

Santa Cruz satisfies a strong niche. If you don't fall into that category, then it's easy to wonder what the fuss is about. If you're in a punk band, the love affair is clear.

there's such diversity though and it satisfies so many for so many different reasons.
so many different "types" of people that live in and love santa cruz.
i'm in the county but not santa cruz proper and the whole county is, to me, where it's at.

[nr5667]

Originally Posted by coyoteskye

regardless of whether or not you're impressed with santa cruz, to say that santa cruz is not more "interesting" than scotts valley is ... well ... interesting.
they are two very different places and santa cruz = "trashy"?
let's say funky and chaotic.
or let me say funky and chaotic (which scotts valley certainly is not).

Funky and chaotic, that's certainly another way to put it...

...Scotts Valley is 3 minutes away from Santa Cruz, I'm trying to figure out what the big difference for a family is going to be... ...the roller rink in Scotts Valley is way nicer... But really now, the two towns are right next to each other, so close...

[coyoteskye]

Originally Posted by nr5667

Funky and chaotic, that's certainly another way to put it...

...Scotts Valley is 3 minutes away from Santa Cruz, I'm trying to figure out what the big difference for a family is going to be... ...the roller rink in Scotts Valley is way nicer... But really now, the two towns are right next to each other, so close...

it's up HW17 a bit and "not right next to" and, i dunno, it just has a different vibe up there.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by coyoteskye

it's up HW17 a bit and "not right next to" and, i dunno, it just has a different vibe up there.

A whole different vibe. It's roller rink vs. mosh pit.

[nr5667]

Originally Posted by coyoteskye

it's up HW17 a bit and "not right next to" and, i dunno, it just has a different vibe up there.

You live in a small world if you think Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley aren't right next to each other! Indeed, I think I'm being generous when I say Scotts Valley is 3 minutes up HW17... But then, it takes me about 35 minutes from Aptos to Downtown San Jose, traffic permitting.

Santa Cruz, well, I'd rename the sticker "Keep Santa Cruz predictably weird."

I might add, that I recall someone from Santa Cruz telling me they thought Aptos was a conservative place... So take those pronouncements with a grain of salt.

[nr5667]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

A whole different vibe. It's roller rink vs. mosh pit.

I wish, man, Santa Cruz is dead on weekends... Pacific Avenue is a ghost town by 1 or 2 am on the weekends.

[coyoteskye]

Originally Posted by nr5667

You live in a small world if you think Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley aren't right next to each other! Indeed, I think I'm being generous when I say Scotts Valley is 3 minutes up HW17... But then, it takes me about 35 minutes from Aptos to Downtown San Jose, traffic permitting.

Santa Cruz, well, I'd rename the sticker "Keep Santa Cruz predictably weird."

I might add, that I recall someone from Santa Cruz telling me they thought Aptos was a conservative place... So take those pronouncements with a grain of salt.

"Right next to each other" ..... ummmm, different perceptions.
To me, it's kinda obvious that Scotts Valley is set somewhat apart from S.C. (and Capitola, Soquel and Aptos).
It's the HW17 thing.
Santa Cruz, Capitola, Soquel and Aptos easily move into and partake in each other whereas other town in the county are, as i perceive it, not in the heart of that S.C. "sphere".
It's the land / eco-system.
It's the energy.
It's the Soquel Drive connection.
And it's a whole bunch of other subtle things that give the various towns in any given county a flavor and a connection (or lack of it) to each other, etc.

[Wisteria]

Scotts Valley is good. I lived in Felton for 13 years and just moved into Santa Cruz, proper. Scotts Valley has excellent schools (so does Felton -- SLV -- San Lorenzo Valley).

No place around here is strictly conservative. What's interesting to me is that there are religious camps and areas (Mount Hermon) and no one seems to mind. It's a very liberal area, whether you are in Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Felton, Capitola, Soquel or Aptos. It is like any other town -- you have various sorts of people and values.

Basically, though, this area is quite liberal. I am agnostic but spiritual, and I lived in the redwoods for the past 13 years.

I have not run into any super conservative types, and even those are still influenced by the very liberal nature of the area. What is conservative in other places, would probably be considered liberal here.

Scotts Valley has good schools, it doesn't have a real downtown, but it has a nice park, and the roller rink. It also has the Highway 17 Express Bus to San Jose and outlying areas, which is great, and even has WiFi for computers! My daughter attends San Jose State and often takes that bus -- it is a really nice service -- especially in the winter! Scotts Valley is close to Santa Cruz, but away from the hustle and bustle of the tourists. It's very clean. There are really remote places there, too, in the woods.

Quite honestly, the whole area can't really be categorized into any "conservative" label.

My daughter went to San Lorenzo Valley High School in Felton and loved it. There is a LOT to do around here. There are the mountain towns and they are beautiful. There is the beach area (Santa Cruz, Soquel, Capitola, Aptos), and it's just a nice place.

Go around to the different places and see which one appeals to you -- that's probably the best way to do it. This is California, and this is Santa Cruz County -- you will be hard-pressed to find hardcore conservatives here.

Relax, find the spot that feels right, and I am sure you will find you will be easily accepted. It's a quick drive to Santa Cruz (maybe ten minutes), and you have all the amenities of Santa Cruz at your fingertips. I also loved going to places like Quail Hollow Ranch with the horse stables and wonderful hiking trails (in Felton). You are close to so much. Being in Scotts Valley is a quick trip to Hwy. 17 to San Jose, and it's an even quicker trip to Santa Cruz -- in some ways, it's the best of both worlds.

I just sold my home in Lompico (which also has an old reputation which no longer applies), and now live in Santa Cruz proper, I see no difference, except for terrain. Scotts Valley is only about 7 miles from Santa Cruz -- it is not another planet. And, the good thing about Scotts Valley is that it doesn't get the ocean fog each day! I always liked that about living in Felton, knowing that in Santa Cruz people had fog, and I didn't. Now, I've joined the ranks of those who have fog, but it's a trade-off.

I just moved into a 55+ mobile home community -- one of the first people I met was a "Bible Thumper," and she did have a southern accent. But....I also frequently see lots of new Baby Boomers moving in and have seen guys with pony tails here and VW buses, and the like. You will always find someone who is not quite what you want, but I am sure you will find plenty more who ARE what you want.

Just relax, look around, see what feels comfortable to you, and then decide. It's not some hotbed of conservatism, so you can relax. Anyone who lives around here would easily know that it is an area that is very liberal. If you don't like liberals, why move to this area? As for any conservative or religious person you might meet, just be polite and let it go by. The majority are very liberal, tolerant and open-minded.

Good luck to you in your search.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by Wisteria

Scotts Valley is good. I lived in Felton for 13 years and just moved into Santa Cruz, proper. Scotts Valley has excellent schools (so does Felton -- SLV -- San Lorenzo Valley).

No place around here is strictly conservative. What's interesting to me is that there are religious camps and areas (Mount Hermon) and no one seems to mind. It's a very liberal area, whether you are in Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Felton, Capitola, Soquel or Aptos. It is like any other town -- you have various sorts of people and values.
...
Just relax, look around, see what feels comfortable to you, and then decide. It's not some hotbed of conservatism, so you can relax. Anyone who lives around here would easily know that it is an area that is very liberal. If you don't like liberals, why move to this area? As for any conservative or religious person you might meet, just be polite and let it go by. The majority are very liberal, tolerant and open-minded.

Good luck to you in your search.

Great post Wisteria! I was hoping you would chime in as you have so much experience in both areas.

Let me give a look at things from another perspective. I consider myself a moderate conservative. Yet I don't mind living in a liberal area. My wife and I actually got married at Mt. Hermon Chirstian Camp in Scotts Valley. We always dreamed about living in the Santa Cruz/Monterey area and now we finally have the chance.

To us variety is nice. I don't really want to live in an area where everyone thinks or acts the same. I like having thoughtful discussions about a variety of topics. But certainly don't try to shove my views down ppls throats. I have lately been getting more upset with my conservative counterparts when I see all the rediculous behaviour at the townhall meetings regarding national health care. I actually voted for Obama because I think he at least wanted real change. So I guess I am one of those Republican spoilers who votes my conscious. This also upset some conservative friends because they just coudn't understand why.

Anyway I say all this so you might realize that all conservatives are not alike and not all unreasonable in the same way that not all liberals are alike. That is another reason I like Obama. He is not afraid to at least try to work in a bipartisan way and acknowledges good ideas on both sides of the aisle. To us the whole area is quite liberal. But thats ok. The key is to be polite as Wisteria mentioned and strive to be truly open minded - something which is difficult for both conservatives ands liberals when meeting ppl who are different than they are.

Just some food for thought.

Derek

[nr5667]

Originally Posted by coyoteskye

"Right next to each other" ..... ummmm, different perceptions.
To me, it's kinda obvious that Scotts Valley is set somewhat apart from S.C. (and Capitola, Soquel and Aptos).
It's the HW17 thing.
Santa Cruz, Capitola, Soquel and Aptos easily move into and partake in each other whereas other town in the county are, as i perceive it, not in the heart of that S.C. "sphere".
It's the land / eco-system.
It's the energy.
It's the Soquel Drive connection.
And it's a whole bunch of other subtle things that give the various towns in any given county a flavor and a connection (or lack of it) to each other, etc.

Set apart geographically, sure, but a meaningless distance. I'd say Aptos is more like Scotts Valley than Santa Cruz.