Does Santa Barbara or Ventura start southern california? (Los Angeles, San Diego: university, live in)

[the city]

I don't know many people other than movie stars who live in the SB and commute to work in LA. I don't know many Santa Barbarans that even go to LA for fun.

To me, it feels separated from So Cal. It's a small city with a university and tourism. It feels culturally more like the Central Coast. I feel Monterey, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara County all create the Central Coast.

Monterey and Salinas are about an hour and 15 minutes from San Jose.

Santa Cruz being 45 minutes without traffic to San Jose.

I feel not being an hour from San Jose puts Salinas and Monterey outside the Bay Area metro and Santa Barbara not being an hour from LA puts it outside of the So Cal metro.

[harob11]

Good question. I would say Ventura. SB is kind of a combo central/southern California in looks but definitely more central in attitude and feel. Like you said, SB is also disconnected from kind of... everywhere, whereas Ventura is not.

[dexter14]

From Wikipedia:

"Southern California is the region that generally comprises California's southernmost 10 counties. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The region stretches along the coast from about San Luis Obispo County, California to the United States and Mexico border, and from the Pacific Ocean inland to the Nevada and Arizona borders. The heavily built-up urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura, through the Greater Los Angeles Area, the Inland Empire and down to San Diego. Southern California is a major economic center for the state of California and the United States."

[V8 Vega]

Santa Barbara, you can really see it riding the Coast Starlight.

[the city]

Originally Posted by harob11

Good question. I would say Ventura. SB is kind of a combo central/southern California in looks but definitely more central in attitude and feel. Like you said, SB is also disconnected from kind of... everywhere, whereas Ventura is not.

Don't forget that Santa Barbara has that cosmopolitan feel too. A zoo, urban downtown, health food markets, ice skating rink, performing and visual arts venues like the SB Bowl, and a good sized university and 150,000 population in the area.

[bigdumbgod]

Hell no, SB wants nothing to do with LA.

[the city]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

Hell no, SB wants nothing to do with LA.

Oh? Many people there very into fashion, celebrities, hustle and bustle, partying, and money. Don't see how the culture different than LA.

[mysticaltyger]

When I go there from San Jose it feels more SoCal to me.

[7stringguitarguy]

Yeah , I think Santa Barbara on the coast is the beginning of So Cal. And Inland wise Bakersfield would start So Cal as well.