people/culture/customs/attitude: Carmel vs Santa Barbara (Highland, Monterey: home, neighborhood)

[LAEscapee]

You're right about the valley landscape although there are some redwood groves there too.

The only downside to Carmel Highlands is the lack of walkability to town and the fact that Highway 1 can sometimes get congested so it takes a bit longer to get to other parts of the peninsula but those might not be considerations for you.

Take a look at Carmel Woods if you want to be able to walk to town and/or the beach with larger lot sizes than in city limits. It's mostly pines and cypress.

If you want redwoods, south of Highlands is Palo Colorado Rd on the inland side of Hwy 1. It's a little too dark and damp feeling here to me but you definitely feel like you're in the forest.

Carmel High students also come from Big Sur and parts of Pebble Beach and Carmel Valley so it covers a wide area.

[cityrocks]

Carmel Woods is a great tip. Walkability is huge for my wife and I can't stand road congestion. It looks like there are homes there on nicely sized little lots and oriented so that you kind of feel like you're in the forest. That could be the right spot!

[Fiona8484]

Originally Posted by cityrocks

Ouch, if that old lady is the typical Carmel resident then that might not be the right place for me after all. One thing I like about Carmel is that it seems to be largely forested and I don't get the same impression about Monterey and Pacific Grove.

I have been to Carmel and Monterey quite a few times for the day over the past 2 years. I have to say, that I agree with the comment about the old lady driving around her jag. I do think Monterey is a bit less snooty.

[harhar]

I've only visited both places, and visited SB more than Carmel.

SB, seems a lot more young due to the college. Carmel seems a bit older and somewhat stuffy...at least comparatively.

Don't get me wrong, Carmel is beautiful and I wouldn't mind living there, but SB just has a younger vibe...and its closer to LA, if that matters.

Both are pretty touristy, but I think since Carmel is a bit smaller that you just notice it more.

[chessgeek]

Originally Posted by cityrocks

I've read a bit about trouble from Salinas spilling over into PG and possibly Monterey which gives me pause. The thing that really draws me to Carmel is being able to live in the forest and near the ocean. PG and Monterey strike me as more dense and not as forested but maybe I have the wrong impression.

PG has significant forest cover in most of the city. Much of Monterey has that, too. Asilomar Beach in PG is the most beautiful IMO. Tourists believe the same so you will share it (Lol), but it is still worth considering IMO. I live in Salinas and have not experienced any fear and crime in my particular neighborhood (though some others are to be avoided) and definitely not when visiting Monterey and PG. You may get panhandled near the transit center on the east edge of Monterey's downtown from time to time. There are also "sign holders" near the Del Monte Shopping Center, but they are generally not aggressive. You also will want to lock your car and keep valuables hidden like almost anywhere else. Violent crime rates are very low in all three cities (Monterey, Carmel, and PG).

[chessgeek]

You may want to check out Carpinteria just 12 miles south of Santa Barbara before deciding to move 200 or so miles north. I have been there twice and enjoyed both visits. Very friendly people. It seemed more laid back, genuine, and family friendly than Santa Barbara IMO (which I have also visited a few times). That does not make me an expert, but at least you would be able to more easily stay in touch with your current friends/family/relatives there or nearby if you like it as a future place to live. You could also easily commute to your current job from there.

However if you make the move to the Monterey Peninsula, you will find friendly and welcoming people here IMO. As much beauty as there is down there, I don't think it can match this area. Good luck with your decision!

[MtnSurfer]

There are plenty of tree filled neighborhoods in Monterey, Pacific Grove and Carmel. You just have to drive the neighborhoods more in the hills surrounding the towns. For example, take a look at the neighborhood around Skyline Drive just above the town of Monterey. You can even check them out on from Google's street view https://www.google.com/maps/@36.5887...8i6656!6m1!1e1

Another really nice area in around Deer Flats. https://www.google.com/maps/@36.5747...8i6656!6m1!1e1

Honestly, if you simply talked with a local realtor, you would have no problem finding a neighborhood with large trees.

Regarding good areas for families, we've enjoyed raising our kids in Monterey. We've also lived in Pacific Grove which is also very nice. We have plenty of friends with families. Yet, we don not use the public school system as we prefer to homeschool. However, if you decide you want to public school your kids, they best districts are Carmel and Pacific Grove. The rest are average to poor. There are also some really great private schools which are also very expensive. So, you have to take all those things into consideration while raising a family in the area.

Regarding crime, I think you are reading into those news articles far too much. Crime happens everywhere. But in the almost 8 years of living here, we've never had a problem. I'm sure SB has some crime as well.

I've never liked the SB vibe either. Though I loved to surf there as a young man. It really feels like an extension of SoCal in too many ways. For similar reasons I do not like Santa Cruz anymore due to the overcrowding and influence from the Silicon Valley. Though, its a beautiful place to visit, especially the redwood forests. My son and I went mountain biking there on New Years Day on the most beautiful mountain bike trail I've ever seen. Redwood, waterfalls, banana slugs. What more could you ask for, right? The nice thing is, its was less than an hour away. And I'd prefer to visit SC than live there.

Big Sur has redwood forests as well. And when living here, Big Sur is literally in your backyard just minutes away. I've gone hiking there before and after work. There are also some redwoods scattered throughout Carmel. If you like hiking, Spring time is gorgeous as well.











Waterfall under the redwoods:






Derek

[Tolerance999]

Monterey is a quiet and relaxed beach town, kind of like Carlsbad. Santa Barbara is more edgy, but still laid back. Newport Beach is heavily commercialized, a totally different atmosphere where hwy 1 is 8 lanes!!!

The skyline forest hoa is beautiful. The mid century architecture and pine trees remind me of sunriver, Oregon.

[bigsurluvr]

Well, Big Sur is my favorite place on the entire planet (hence my screen name).... while it's been 36 years or so since I lived on the Monterey Peninsula, I go back to visit as much as I can. Like some others have said, I would definitely check into Pacific Grove.

[cityrocks]

Got back yesterday and it was a great trip. We really like Carmel and I think we'll move there within a year. The areas we liked the best were the Carmel Highlands and the south side of the town which feels a little less dense somehow.

The Highlands are really cool. It looks like you can either be in one of the little communities or on your own depending on what you're looking for. I could go for something a little south of the Highlands but that might be too far from town for my wife.

We drove around the outskirts of the town and didn't find anything we liked a lot. We didn't particularly like what we saw of Monterey. We didn't have time to check out Pacific Grove or the 17 Mile area but we will be back for that. Is 17 Mile mainly a golfing area? We generally don't go for that.

Does anyone know of a better beach in California (or even mainland US) than the one in front of the town in Carmel? Soft white sand, transparent blue-green water, and it's huge. Wow.

The northern half of the drive on Highway 1 between Carmel and Cambria is amazing. Gorgeous landscape, beautiful beaches, and crystal clear light. Is there any beach access along there?

Thanks to everyone for your help with this. Not a hint of SoCal to be found up there.