Where's the best place to live in California?

Somewhere off the grid in the Mojave Desert -- I love deserts, and the Mojave is my favorite.

My sister was in San Diego and just moved to Del Mar. Both apparently wonderful.

Big Sur. I love the woods, mountains and ocean, but feel no need to actually swim in the ocean.

I would want something with sea views, but not too hot and low humidity. Suggestions?

R3 here.

Monterrey

Carmel-by-the-Sea

San Jose

Renata Klein's house.

Santa Cruz

I second Carmel-By-The-Sea.

Possibly somewhere along the central coast. No part of California is especially humid -- especially not compared to other states -- as the climates range from Mediterranean, arid, coastal cool, and way further up north, similar to the Pacific Northwest.

r6 Monterrey is in Mexico

MONTEREY is in California.

I grew up in LA and agree with some posters above:

Santa Cruz

Carmel/Monterey

Big Sur

Marin County near the John Muir woods

Joshua Tree is a nice, funky town in the Mohave for those that love high desert

La Jolla if you like nice weather year round and a gorgeous setting.

San Luis Obispo was ranked number 1 for "quality of life" and "overall happiness"

I think about this a lot. I was born and raised in the Bay Area, lived in the Sacramento area for around six years, and have been in SoCal for the past 33. I'm retired and can live anywhere, and would like to stay in California, but it's hard to decide--no place has everything, and they all have drawbacks. You need to prioritize which factors are more important to you. I'd like a place that has decent weather (no really hot summers), but is not super crowded or has bad traffic. But with those attributes you also usually get fewer healthcare options and inconvenient access to airports and big city amenities.

Psychic spies from China try to steal your mind's elation And little girls from Sweden dream of silver screen quotation And if you want these kind of dreams it's Californication It's the edge of the world and all of western civilization The sun may rise in the East at least it's settled in a final location It's understood that Hollywood sells Californication Pay your surgeon very well to break the spell of aging Celebrity skin is this your chin or is that war you're waging? Firstborn unicorn Hardcore soft porn Dream of Californication Dream of Californication Dream of Californication Dream of Californication Marry me girl, be my fairy to the world, be my very own constellation A teenage bride with a baby inside getting high on information And buy me a star on the boulevard, it's Californication Space may be the final frontier but it's made in a Hollywood basement And Cobain can you hear the spheres singing songs off Station To Station? And Alderaan's not far away, it's Californication Born and raised by those who praise, control of population Everybody's been there and I don't mean on vacation Firstborn unicorn Hardcore soft porn Dream of Californication Dream of Californication Dream of Californication Dream of Californication Destruction leads to a very rough road but it also breeds creation And earthquakes are to a girl's guitar, they're just another good vibration And tidal waves couldn't save the world from Californication Pay your surgeon very well to break the spell of aging Sicker than the rest, there is no test but this is what you're craving? Firstborn unicorn Hardcore soft porn Dream of Californication Dream of Californication Dream of Californication Dream of Californication

I've lived in La Jolla and Del Mar - be careful: the cliffs are rapidly eroding and the beaches are disappearing.

R18 The cliffs and beach have have survived millions of years and will probably outlast OPs life expectancy.

I just visited the Ojai valley not too long ago and would be fine living there!

For R19

It's happening now. The beach by the the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club has mostly eroded away ( My family used to visit in summers).

I’ve always dreamed of living in CA before I die. I’m 52 now and see the dream fading away. My fantasy has always been western Marin Co or even farther up the coast. I love western Napa Coast up to Monterey. But if you have a heart attack up there, you’re a goner. Much of CA is impractical for the elderly. I will probably continue to vacation there for a week at a time and die with the Dream unfulfilled.

Ideally? Big Sur, Malibu, Santa Barbara, Monterey, Carmel...where can you live though without fear of earthquakes or fires?

I could probably even accept Laguna or Torrance or Santa Monica.

Favorite places in CA off the top of my head: Ojai, Big Sur, Julian, Lone Pine and Bishop, Sonora, Healdsburg, Mendocino, Guerneville.

There are lots of beautiful forest towns way up in the northern reaches of California, but they're in the middle of nowhere/weed-growing land.

Montecito is heaven on earth. You're close to UCSB which has some of the most handsome and beautiful students in the world.

Mother always said "Live in San Juan Capistrano, get buried in Eureka. That way, you'll have the best of California."

R22...You are mistaken. I live near the Sonoma coast. Our emergency crews are the best. They know all the hidden spots. EMTs are only a couple of minutes away. Then a helicopter ride to the hospital.

I would say it's what do you want in summer? Do you want a hot summer, with outdoor living and wearing as little clothing possible? Then the deserts and/or valleys of SoCal are where you wanna be. Want the summer weather with a more "traditional" colder winter? Then Sacramento Valley for you. Want a very "spring-ish" summer? Then the Bay Area close to the water. Want no summer at all? Eureka and the Redwood Coast is where you should be.

Montecito... the closest you can get to feeling as though you are living in the hills above Cannes and yet still be in the States.

I can think of any number of real estate listings I’ve salivated over, most of them on Telegraph Hill. Walking distance to ChinaTown and not terribly far from my beloved Grace Cathedral.

I'm from Canada but visited San Diego a few years ago, stayed in La Jolla. I love the vibe of California! It's my dream to go back soon.

Palm Springs.

Gay community, reasonable real estate, urban amenities, art, culture. NO TRAFFIC that is present EVERYWHERE else in DEVELOPED CA.

Quick enough access to the big 3 - LA/SF/SD by air and/or car.

Note: 45 YO here.

Marin County

Closely followed by Palm Springs- I’m looking at condos in PS- second home, staying in BYC!

Probably the Lost Coast, near Eureka/Arcata. I love the mountains and I love the sea, and I would want more of the change of seasons you get up there. I could never live south of SF.

If I ever hit the Lotto I'd buy my main home in the Sea Cliff area of SF. Gorgeous bat view is a must. My vacation home would be a cottage in Carmel.

Carmel and LaJolla are dream towns for me, but both require $$$$$$$.

[quote] Gay community, reasonable real estate, urban amenities, art, culture. NO TRAFFIC that is present EVERYWHERE else in DEVELOPED CA.

That might be true for a few more years, but there is such a building boom about to happen in downtown PS. In a few years it will be a huge clusterfuck.

Malibu baby...

The construction boom in PS will be stopped for a long time as we head into Coronavirus Greater Depression.

[quote] I love western Napa Coast up to Monterey.

Actually, Napa County is completely landlocked and has no coast, nor is it near Monterey, which raises the question, what IS that coastal area from San Luis Obispo to Monterey called?

Surprised by all the Marin County responses.

Yes physically beautiful... but you are literally in the middle of KAREN country.

And they are liberal, educated, progressive KARENS so their entitlement is justified.

You can't escape them as they all are house KARENS with nothing better to do.

R41, central coast?

Corona Del Mar

Laguna Beach

Caftans

Earrings

San Diego

It's a little south, but why not try Rosarito Beach. Affordable and the ocean views are just as lovely as in San Diego.

Bakersfield. It’s the Paris of the Central Valley!

My friends in beautiful downtown Fresno laugh at Bakersfield.

My parents had a house in Carmel for about 10 years and it was a lot of trouble and expense. Beautiful for sure, but the conditions are very harsh if you are close to the ocean. The heavy winds and salty air wreck havoc on your home and it will require frequent and EXPENSIVE maintenance. They couldn't wait to sell their house.

Do deserts have wildfires? I know they don’t have many trees, but they have bushes, tumbleweeds, scrub grass. Do brushfires sweep through entire desert regions?

The roads to the hilly areas of Carmel also often get blocked when big branches fall, or during rock slides (which are frequent).

I lived in the carmel area for 2 years. The weather sucks. It rains all the time and it totally depressed me.

Carmel is better than Sea Ranch - beautiful but wholly impractical.

Anywhere along the coast of California is humid because you're right next to a huge body of water. The coast is often cool and foggy. I lived in California 49 years. There's no one perfect climate. You don't have the combination of heat + humidity lije in the eastern U.S. In California you can go inland from the coast to escape the fog, but then you'll face heat. The photos in R5 show that house on a sunny day. It's frequently cool and foggy in Big Sur.

Fires are very rare in deserts because there is not enough fuel. Fires are common in wooded areas of California, and in brush areas (chaparral) especially in late summer and fall. Earthquakes are possible anywhere in California. Despite the hazards and high cost of living, California as a whole is basically unmatched anywhere in the world.

[quote] Anywhere along the coast of California is humid because you're right next to a huge body of water. The coast is often cool and foggy. I lived in California 49 years.

R55, respectfully, "humid" is relative. Those coastal areas of CA may be "humid" by CA standards. But if you've ever lived in a truly humid place, coastal CA is dry.

R50

Reread the OP's question. It said if money were no object.

Coastal CA is humid but not in the same sense that the rest of the world knows it. There is a lot of moisture in the air, but it is the cold Pacific type.

I'd never live next to the coast in CA, especially Northern CA. Way too gray for more of the year than you'd expect. Yes, it is very hard on homes and vehicles.

[quote] There's no one perfect climate.

IMO, Mediterranean climates are the closest thing to weather perfection as you'll find anywhere in the world. Mild, non-humid, perfect for outdoor activity, perfect for wine-grape-growing. California is one of the five lucky regions of the world in this regard.

R58: Damp. The word you all are looking for is damp. And all the implications of using that word.

R59: Perth and Los Angeles have almost the EXACT same type of climate and weather. Cape Town would seem to be more like San Francisco in that regard. It's possibly the rarest climatic zone in the world.

California has far fewer bugs than elsewhere. Except for ants. Everyone seems to have an ant problem at some point.

Bodega Bay.

Rancho Santa Fe in a heartbeat. I love how private/secluded and off the beaten path it feels there even though you're in San Diego County. I think if I could chose anywhere in the world to live it'd be there!

[quote]California has far fewer bugs than elsewhere. Except for ants. Everyone seems to have an ant problem at some point.

I haven't had an ant problem in a long time, but I have a lot of mosquitoes every year. (LA suburbs.) Also spiders, moths, and sometimes those huge flying roaches.

San Diego is America's San Sebastian!

Native Angelino here, grew up in the Hollywood hills under the shadow of the Hollywood sign. Now I live in my favorite neighborhood which is Los Feliz. But if I had to leave my current place I would want to live in funky Venice Beach, on one of the canals. I love it there. But all things considered, I will probably retire to Palm Springs or Cathedral city, aka: God’s waiting room. And will be hanging out with all my current friends as we age out of the bar scene, the desert has a vibrant gay community for older gentleman.

R53 is right. Sounds like most of you have visited Carmel for a weekend.

Southern Californians are just like people in NYC: they cannot believe everyone else in the world doesn't want to live there.

I've lived in SoCal for 33 years and I don't think that way. What I don't understand is why anyone would want to live where they have to deal with snow or humidity (or both.)

I love snow

I absolutely detest the desert. I could never live in PS.

[quote]String of Bluff Collapses in Del Mar Has Residents On Edge

R21 Very punny.

R69, agreed. It never crosses my mind why someone might or might not want to live here. Like any place, it has its pros and cons, but the pros far outweigh the cons, IMO. Love access to the beach, mountains, deserts, wine country, city life, blue politics. Hard package to match.

Ski in ski out place at Heavenly but I’m told there’s better view ski areas near there maybe north star? Place in SF where I could walk to shows and coffee shops and restaurants! Mid century house in Palm Springs designed by Richard Neutra to use November through April only—some don’t like it hot. Stays at the Big Sur Ranch and Yosemite Valley lodge too...CA is so awesome 😎

^Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur I meant

Coronado

Malibu. I loved living there.

[quote]Damp. The word you all are looking for is damp.

We like it.

When I was a kid, I loved cold weather and snow and rainy days. Now, I want mild sunny days 95% of the time. Living in CA would be a dream because the weather is so mild and predictable.

Southern Calif Coastal areas are very low humidity. It's a dry cool air. Maybe one day a year we will feel something akin to high humidity, but it is nothing like the deep south and gulf states. Coastal Northern California has more moisture in the air from all the rain and cold temps.

Pottersville.

Where men are men, and pixies are...well...hopefully all in San Francisco or Palm Springs.

Malibu, thread closed

Sebastopol.

I have a friend who lives in NoCal & couldn’t be happier. All that rain & damp then long droughts would make me sad & nervous.

My top three are Montecito, Laguna Beach, and then the Santa Ynez valley.

Rancho Cucamonga, just for the name.

The warmer climates are nice. Napa Valley is lovely. Good vibes, maybe all the wine tasting.

I’m afraid of NoCal woods, where serial killers lurk.

What is this “go” shit? It’s some millennial thing I guess, like “bae” and “she is goals.”

I have always loved Aptos. It’s a quiet suburb of Santa Cruz.

Sea Cliff (SF) or Bel Air (LA).

La Jolla area is gorgeous, but I think somewhere around Encinitas might be the best fit for me. Santa Barbara would also work...I love the European vibe.

[R59]: Perth and Los Angeles have almost the EXACT same type of climate and weather. Cape Town would seem to be more like San Francisco in that regard. It's possibly the rarest climatic zone in the world.

R60, I lived in Perth/Freo. It was amazing: the weather temperate and the Fremantle Doctor (winds to cool) would arrive in the afternoons to provide any needed heat relief.

I now live in a coastal LA County place (locally called The Bubble because it’s under the radar), and withstanding the Marine Layer (“May Grey / June Gloom”), find the climate to surprisingly be even superior to that of Perth/Freo: temps range from 65-78F with little humidity during the day. (The temps cool at night into the 50s, and occasionally into the 80s daytime, but it is rare to extend beyond those. And humidity is thankfully even more rare.)

Having lived in other places (NorthEast, South, Midwest) in the US; I appreciate everyday (and do not take for granted) the amazing climate in The Bubble.

Santa Monica

Barstow

Laguna Beach if you want a pricey laid back beach town.

[quote] Perth and Los Angeles have almost the EXACT same type of climate and weather.

Like my mom (from Italy) says -- and I agree with her -- California has a better Mediterranean climate better than the Mediterranean.

San Diego seems wonderful.

It's wonderful on a postcard. The people ruin it.

If money were no object, I wouldn't choose to live in California. Just to name a few reasons: horrendous traffic, droughts, water shortages, earthquakes, wildfires, and poor air quality. Yes, it's beautiful, but so are many other places. That said, if someone said California or death, I would probably choose Montecito or La Jolla.

Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, San Pedro, Carson

R101, San Pedro?

r101, Oh hell yes, gorgeous views of the harbor and unbeatable weather.

If money is no object...I haven't been to a lot of places in California but I prefer Sonoma to Napa. Sausalito is pretty nice. One of my friends lives on a houseboat there. I'd like to do that except it's pretty damp. I like the JHollywood Hills and I like Big Bear and Idyllwild.

I live in the harbor area near where R101 is mentioning. It’s pretty damn perfect. Torrance and the Beach Cities have great schools. The Palos Verdes Peninsula and San Pedro peninsula are beautiful. Great weather. City folk and Northern CAers can keep it.

Areas between Hope Ranch and Montecito - decent year around weather, the ocean, good shopping and restaurants, interesting people that tend to be progressives. My other choice would be Aptos, or Cambria into the central coast wine growing regions, and just south of Carmel by the Sea. I'd pass on any areas north of Aptos and south of Montecito. If I had my druthers I'd pass on California. It's a great change of pace but I prefer Hawaii to every other place in the world I have visited.

Another Californian here. This is the only place I've ever really been and I will never want to leave. I would say, choose anywhere within 25 miles of the coast, north or south. The north to me seems greener with paler people, while heading to the south, the land becomes more caramel-colored with darker, tanned people. Popsicle sunsets and palm trees and peaceful ocean views. In my opinion, you can see bits of the whole world in CA. Take your choice. We have all different types of people and places.

If I could, I'd have a darling little cottage in a countrified part of Marin County. That would give me all the advantages of country living, lots of room for animals and my own herb garden, and I'd be an hour away from San Francisco and its restaurants and opera house, plus a climate that's sunny but cooler than the rest of the region. I'd also have a second darling little cottage up by Lake Tahoe, for weekends in the mountains.

And I'll start shopping for both, just as soon as I win the lottery!

Ojai. Used to live there.

Cedarville in Surprise Valley in northeast corner of the state.

[quote]Perth and Los Angeles have almost the EXACT same type of climate and weather.

I thought LA ad more of a dry heat. Perth is very humid.

2nd generation Californian here, currently living in one of the locations mentioned by R24.

I spent my first four decades bouncing between Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties. About twenty years ago I moved to my little town in NorCal.

A friend once described the difference this way: Southern California has climate, where Northern California has weather.

If I had an unlimited amount of money, I could definitely see myself moving back to Southern California. I’d probably pick a small cottage or condo on/near the coast; most likely in Santa Monica, but possibly in Venice.

Anywhere south of Long Beach would be a definite no. If you want to live in Trump-land, you can do it for a whole lot less elsewhere in the USA without paying the premium it would cost to live in Orange or San Diego counties. Similarly, if the desert is your thing, Nevada is much cheaper than California.

But my guess is that I'd end up picking San Francisco. It'd be nice to be somewhere where I was less dependent on a car. My impression is that SF is an amazing place to live if you have unlimited funds; it's only those of us who are less comfortable who find it frustrating.

But that's for me with my interests and values — it'd be a lot easier to help you out, OP, if we knew your goals.

Hey everyone, thanks for yours posts! I live in Chicago (I come in piece). Many of my friends are reassessing their lives and thinking about making the big move to NYC. I am continually unimpressed with NYC, but my dad is from California (LA) so I've always had a soft spot for your amazing state. I can technically work anywhere in the country, but the prices have been a deterrent. I'm about to enter into my 30s; I too am considering changing things up, thought I still love Chicago. This thread has been very helpful as I Google the various cities and towns you've mentioned. When that bitch Rona gets off our backs I'd like to take a road trip up the coast and stop off at some of these communities.

We are so lucky to live in a country with so many geographical options.

The Razor House in La Jolla

I could also live in the hills above LA if it was this house.

The house on Gilcrest is beautiful. For 40M I'd be hard pressed to live in an area with that kind of fire danger. Look at it on Google Earth and tell me you're willing to invest 40M in an an area that would be difficult to escape in a Santa Ana wind driven fire emergency. the streets are crazy narrow and tight, the hills and canyons are full of old growth brush so dry that it's not brown, it's gray. I might live up there if I had a helicopter and pad. Buy it for me?

Half Moon Bay always sounds so magical, what say you? And I went to the town where Lindsey Wagner lived I think, and there was a high end gardening store, was it Mill Valley? That seemed pretty damn nice.

Living anywhere along the California coast is gorgeous as long as you don't mind being fogged in 300 days a year. I was born in California, been all over the state. My first choice would be the hills between Saratoga, San Jose and Santa Cruz that 280, 9, and 17 traverse. Or the Goleta/Santa Barbara/Montecito/Carpenteria area. Or Gurneville/Rio Nido.

[quote]I thought LA ad more of a dry heat. Perth is very humid.

Only when it rains, which is rare for Perth summer. But even then the humidity is nothing compared to Sydney or Auckland. The most humid month in Perth is also its coldest month. It's pretty much exactly six months of hot/warm dry, and six months of cool damp with sunny days in between.

Summer humidity over 40% happens but it's not that common, often the humidity only rises to 10 percent in the hottest months. The southerly areas of the West coast near Albany are far milder, it's also more damp with it drizzling every fourth day on average in summer.

[quote](I come in piece)

How many pieces r113?

R108: Sweetie, darling!

R117: Half Moon Bay is one of those "spring-ish" summer towns I mentioned above, if no summer at all. You're luck to hit 70 there at anytime in the summer. If you're OK with that, then go for it. I need some 80s and even a 90 in my life. I can't see myself doing summer in such a chilled town.

Someplace where it snows a lot....I don't need to be close to any big metro areas. Suggestions?

[quote]I thought LA ad more of a dry heat. Perth is very humid.

[quote] Only when it rains, which is rare for Perth summer. But even then the humidity is nothing compared to Sydney or Auckland. The most humid month in Perth is also its coldest month. It's pretty much exactly six months of hot/warm dry, and six months of cool damp with sunny days in between. Summer humidity over 40% happens but it's not that common, often the humidity only rises to 10 percent in the hottest months. The southerly areas of the West coast near Albany are far milder, it's also more damp with it drizzling every fourth day on average in summer.

All in all, compared to the rest of the world, relative humidity for Perth, Fremantle, and LA is low.

However, will say that when contrasting the SW coasts of Oz and the US, it did feel that the humidity was higher in Perth and Freo than it is in coastal SoCal.

It has taken me some time to acknowledge the fact what other posters have written above (as I am a massive Western Australia lover and Mediterranean fan): coastal SoCal has the best climate of anywhere I have had the privilege of living or visiting.

That is, if you appreciate relatively warm, temperate days with cool nights, low humidity, gentle breezes and few bugs. (No AC here and windows completely open most all year long.)

R113 I don't know if people have mentioned it but isn't California now considered one of the worst places to move/live right now? Rents and home prices are ridiculous, there is unfortunately an enormous homeless population, with thousands of people living in their cars or in tent cities. Not just in the big cities but outside of them as well. I guess people have normalized this in their minds or something. It's a fairly recent phenomenon. The wealth gap between rich and poor, the shrinking of the middle class, is real in San Francisco and LA. Not that there aren't a huge number of beautiful places to live.

Despite what people have said about climate, also, there are a lot of very hot places - not just in the desert. The Central Valley and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta can be hellish. People from CA might not find that uncomfortable but someone from the east or midwest might.

Since I first visited my aunt in Marin when I was 15, I’ve wanted to live there. The perfect combination of CA country beauty, coast line, politics - and one of the greatest cities in the world within an hour. Western Mill Valley would be ideal. Of course, I’m 50 now and accepting that I will never be rich enough to live there - sigh.

"Someplace where it snows a lot....I don't need to be close to any big metro areas. Suggestions? "

The Lake Tahoe basin and nearby Truckee is about the only place in California where you've got medium-sized towns in an area that snows a lot. Except during drought years, of course, and droughts in California can last for five years or more.

Really, if it's snow you want, Colorado might be more your speed. Or Minnesota.

I love Half Moon Bay (and nearby Moss Beach and Montara), always have, and for decades now I've been sorry that I've never found a way to live there. Charming little places on the coast, lovely little downtown in HMB, lots of nice houses up in the redwood-dotted hills, and all of it just half an hour away from San Francisco... in light traffic.

Some people wouldn't want to live there because they'd find the fog depressing, but I like fog and gray and cool weather. However, housing prices are as high as you'd expect for someplace nice that close to San Francisco, and the traffic is a major, major issue. Lots of residents commute over the few two-lane highways to SF or the Bay Area, and then on summer weekends, the highways in and out of town can be jammed with Bay Area residents going to the beaches for the day. And there aren't any detours or side roads in a lot of areas, if Highway 92 or Highway 1 jams up, your options are staying home or joining the jam.

[quote] isn't California now considered one of the worst places to move/live right now?

Homelessness remains a complex issue in the bigger cities -- as it does in other major cities in warmer climates, including places like Dallas and Houston -- and short of an authoritarian-style government that infringes on people's civil liberties (which, ironically, Republicans love to whine about so much lately when it comes to wearing a damn mask), politicians are testing out various approaches and solutions. There is no magic wand that somebody is going to wave and the problem will just clear up overnight.

Is it "one of the worst places to live?" Well, not to point fingers and name names, but I see some of those states east of here where Evangelicalism reigns supreme, gay people can still be discriminated against in the workplace, Trumpism is rampant, and I can see why somebody might actually prefer to struggle here than live over there.

Agree R128.

By no means is CA perfect, but with its economy larger than most countries, being in the state at this time is interesting.

It seems that as the US unravels, local governments will become more significant and take on new roles.

I honestly don’t recognize much of the US anymore.

Short of Hawaii, I don’t know that I could live anywhere else in the USA.

[quote]and short of an authoritarian-style government that infringes on people's civil liberties (which, ironically, Republicans love to whine about so much lately when it comes to wearing a damn mask), politicians are testing out various approaches and solutions. There is no magic wand that somebody is going to wave and the problem will just clear up overnight.

Homelessness was not really my point, poverty and wealth disparity was my point. I. e. if you want to live in a city where only your wealth (not a middle class income) shields you from the sight of poverty everywhere, this is not the paradise people are painting. And it's not just in the big metropolitan areas (I didn't quote the whole post, but cities are mentioned). I mean there was a big homeless encampment on the Santa Ana River in Anaheim and there are hundreds of homeless people in Huntington Beach. (By the way I don't believe in authoritarian solutions, and only very progressive politicians seem even to address the problem. Basically there can't be a comfortable lower-middle class or lower class in the USA if all the manufacturing jobs have been outsourced and no one can afford decent housing.)

[quote] Homelessness was not really my point, poverty and wealth disparity was my point.

That is another topic in and of itself, friend.

The USA is a country of extremes. And this has become more evident as the world has become more polarized.

Your point is well-taken. And I am assuming that you are outside the US. Oz? NZ? Parts of Europe?

There are no easy solutions to the issues you present.

Keep in mind that things are rapidly changing as we speak. And it is unlikely that we will return to “normal” (thankfully as “normal” was anything but).

We are in an in-between stage at the moment.

Stay tuned for what follows.

Sense some changes ahead....

[quote]The USA is a country of extremes. And this has become more evident as the world has become more polarized. Your point is well-taken. And I am assuming that you are outside the US. Oz? NZ? Parts of Europe?

Haha why would you assume I'm outside of the US? I don't get that. I'm on the East Coast but have lived in California.

Anyhow I just thought it needed to be said if the OP was actually thinking of moving to California to retire. But I don't want to derail the thread, so I hope people will continue to write about spots where they'd enjoy living in the state. It's still a beautiful state.

I want to live wherever Sharon Stone's house was in Basic Instinct. I would sit on that deck and never leave. Pure heaven.

R133 - that landscape is why I love Northern CA Coast. SoCal seems so brown and boring in comparison,

I have family living in the Monterey area. The last few times we went to the beach in Carmel I noticed how overgrown and dry the area was. Such narrow streets in places. I'd hate to see a wildfire in that area.

SoCal might be nice to visit but the insane cost of living, overpopulation, endless droughts and hellish traffic makes it less attractive for permanent living.

[quote]The Lake Tahoe basin and nearby Truckee is about the only place in California where you've got medium-sized towns in an area that snows a lot. Except during drought years, of course, and droughts in California can last for five years or more.

How about Big Bear Lake?

r133 Sharon's beach house is in Carmel. It was listed last year for $52.4 million. No word on if it sold or for how much.

[quote] Haha why would you assume I'm outside of the US? I don't get that. I'm on the East Coast but have lived in California.

Apologies R132. I have often encountered many whilst living abroad who are shocked at the abject homelessness and the economic disparity in the US. And this was pre-Trump.

So you are well aware of what it is like to be in the US? Homelessness is not limited to CA. Empathizing with those who find themselves economically very challenged (homeless, etc.): the milder climate and more supportive influences would be attractive in California. Then that makes it more challenging for those that support such policies. And round and round the system goes.

Nevertheless, apologies also for you on the East Coast; unless that was your choice. It’s getting harder and more extreme (climate, politics, and psychological topography-wise) to be on the Right-Sided/Southern Coasts of the USA at this time.

(I wonder if our Australian, Kiwi and Canadian friends don’t have kinder nations in general?)

Like you, not wishing to derail, CA can be really great. May OP find the spot that resonates most.

r124 the issues you raised fall into the "not in my back yard" category. The residents of these cities may want to fide solutions to homelessness and the wage gap, but they don't want it to mean personal sacrifices within their neighborhoods. If you can afford to live in many of the locations mentioned in this thread, you can insulate yourself from these issues. I'd also point out that you may be on the winning side of the wage gap if you can afford to purchase a property in many of these zip codes.

It's not CA's fault that the homeless flock or were sent on busses to the state. It's also not CA's fault that other people decided to bum-rush the state over the past 80 years, causing the real estate prices to skyrocket. There are many affordable areas, but you might have to live east of the popular so-cal cities or move to the other 49 state in the union. If you want warm weather with affordable real estate consider AZ, TX, FL, NV, UT, or NM. CA is what it is. The prices are no secrete and millions of families make it work. This is like when people complain about the price of an apartment in NYC, well it's NYC. The government isn't going to hold a rent controlled apartment for some transplant to live out their 90210 or FRIENDS fantasies. Struggling actors make it work in LA, it's possible.

r129 I don't know what part of the US you were living in back in the day, but the issues of today were the same issues from yesterday. Only difference is that you have the internet and millions of camera phones to turn the abstract into a reality. Remember Ted Kennedy taking on childhood poverty and welfare? We've always had an underclass. Despite the whining form many Americans, the comfortable middle class is present, but people have to be more selective in their life choices. It might sound cold, but Americans have so many luxuries that people around the world would kill to obtain, but they can't because they aren't Americans. So if a few have to stay on the East Coast or in some (affordable) flyover state, then that's a really small hardship in the grand scheme of things. They can always visit.

I’m retired and have lived in California for decades, but the abnormally high costs of everything here... plus crowding, traffic, etc. have me planning a move back to the east coast where I grew up. A Google search will show you that California is NOT considered a “retirement friendly” state, as it taxes all retirement income at rates up to 10% and more. Many other states charge low to no income tax on retiree incomes. Personally, I pay around $600/month in CA income tax from withdrawals from my 401-K. I look at it as the “California Premium” I must pay to live here, but that’s also in addition to extremely high home prices (equaling high mortgages and no SALT deductions any longer), high rents, high utilities, etc.

Topanga.

If I could afford it, I'd live in Santa Barbara. I've lived in California, 51 of my 54 years, and it's my favorite spot in California.

What's it like living in far north California, as in north of Mendocino up to the Oregon border?

R145, like living in the town in Bates Motel.

Sea views are great, OP, and if money is no problem, go for it.

Otherwise, you might pay 1.5M in LaJolla or the like for about 750 sqf.

R145: It all depends on how you feel about meth and weed.

The further north you go, the less “Mediterranean,” and more PNW it becomes (duh). Fog and daily rains in late fall/winter with some fairly intense storms. The coastline is less spectacular as one goes toward Eureka. Very sparse population

Where they shot East of Eden was gorgeous. I could see cliffs at one point so I know it is somewhere in CA.

r127, If you like tat kind of weather, you might want to look into the Oregon coast. It's a lot cheaper and the Oregon coast is beautiful.

"What's it like living in far north California, as in north of Mendocino up to the Oregon border? "

We had a long thread about that in the last couple of years. Basically, the natural beauty of the far norther coast is stunning but the towns are mostly poor and extremely geographically isolated, hours of winding road away from anything resembling cities or major hospitals, so it's not a good retirement option if your plans include visiting anyone or getting good healthcare. Population includes plenty of trumptards and old hippies, plus an endless stream of methed-up drifters.

If you go inland, you get fewer hippies and more trumptards. Again the landscape is beautiful, and the towns are populated by people who aren't necessarily going to welcome new neighbors who aren't white, Christian, straight, or as fond of meth as they are.

I drove an hour and a half north from the Golden Gate to just get a little lost and see what was up there. It did not feel like "California", from my midwest perspective. I was happy to get back into San Fran.

An hour and half north of SF you're still in nice areas, like Sonoma County and southern Mendocino County. North of that, you get into the redwoods.

To live in Palm Springs year-round, you must love heat, as it is very hot for half the year.

IMO, Napa and Sonoma can get hot and stifling.

R156, no more so than any other place in California that's more than six blocks from the beach. Wine Country heat doesn't feel anywhere near as enervating as, say, inland San Diego county.

Yes, today's high was 99°, but that's why air conditioning exists.

I lived in Monterey County for 12 years. Loved it. If I could relocate there, I would want to live in Carmel Valley or Carmel by the Sea.

I would choose the California side of Lake Tahoe. Tahoe is the most magical place in the US in my opinion.

R93, where is "The Bubble" specifically? That's the nickname we gave to our San Diego neighborhood.

R32 If you're 45 and pushing Palm Springs you must be still looking for a Sugar Daddy.

I did a road trip from Southern California to Oregon a couple of years ago. Took my time and did the coastal routes until heading inland was the only option. For the return trip I took l-5 through the central valley which is fast, boring and ugly. I've also driven hwy 395 along the eastern side of California, and that can be a pretty drive in places. The towns along 395 are too rural for my taste. The feeling I took away from these drives was that the northern third of California is overloaded with Libertarians, Republicans, gun-toting cowboy types, some druggies (users, growers, makers, sellers) , and a lot of run of the mill deplorable types. Coastal Oregon was very conservative, the college towns were better. Fun in fact. I don't think I could be ok with living in the northern half of California, including San Francisco. The central valley reminds me of Oklahoma. OP, if you are looking for mostly nice mild weather, something a bit upscale, slanted toward liberal and you have the funds, Santa Barbara is where you'll be the happiest. I've owned property there and have to admit I'm sad to have sold it last year. It would have been an ideal place to have as a second home in my retirement.

carmel highlands, specifically on Spindrift road......its a location used in a clint eastwood movie (his house in the movie), play misty for me.......................... Its also a location area that was suppose to be sharon stones beach house in the movie basic instinct that was pretend Stinson Beach. Second choice would be pacific palisades as I actually love los angeles in general.

CA is an attitude, dudes. And it's unlike any other state. Either you feel it or you don't. If you really want to live here, you can make it work. Some live in million dollar homes next to the ocean, some live in tents or cars wherever they won't be bothered, and some rent a room for $800/mth. I'd rather be homeless here than in a million dollar house anywhere else I think. If you like snow, try Lake Tahoe or Lake Arrowhead. Up north along the coast, there is Ft. Bragg, a peaceful little coastal town, not glitzy, but not rundown either. If you like dry heat year-round choose Santa Monica to San Diego. Wat to be a hermit in the heat, head east past Palm Springs to the Mohave Desert and get yourself a trailer. Or live like a hippy and live in a camper along our beautiful coast. A lot of us have a "live & let live" attitude. Go off and find yourself; you do you. I'd say we have somewhere for everyone. If you don't like us, that's fine, too.✌😉

[quote] CA is an attitude, dudes. And it’s unlike any other state.

^Good points R164.

Thanks.

[quote][R129] I don't know what part of the US you were living in back in the day, but the issues of today were the same issues from yesterday. Only difference is that you have the internet and millions of camera phones to turn the abstract into a reality. Remember Ted Kennedy taking on childhood poverty and welfare? We've always had an underclass. Despite the whining form many Americans, the comfortable middle class is present, but people have to be more selective in their life choices. It might sound cold, but Americans have so many luxuries that people around the world would kill to obtain, but they can't because they aren't Americans. So if a few have to stay on the East Coast or in some (affordable) flyover state, then that's a really small hardship in the grand scheme of things. They can always visit.

R141, I’ve been back and forth in the US interspersed with living in other countries. Currently in California.

My experience is that things are globally more intense. Remarkably within the US. We’ve become a much more polarised society. And extremist in some respects.

This is a personal preference, but issues like healthcare/weapon safety/affordable education/economic disparity/holiday leave are very different in other places (thinking of our Northern neighbours or our Antipodean allies ATM.)

Add to the mix placing children and their immigrant families in cages whilst the leader of the USA calls other places “sh*tholes” (and enacts all kinds of unprecedented activities), the country seems to have taken a darker turn of late.

And perhaps part of the issue in all this IS rather than those outside the USA, but........“Americans” HAVE killed to obtain their own luxuries.

Believe it or not, it is possible to have a high (or higher) quality of life living outside of the United States of America. Although many of us in the USA wouldn’t know that until they experienced it themselves.

Again, don’t wish to derail OP’s thread on nice CA places. They exist. And there are many choices.

r166, I happen to agree with you. Would you care to share places to live outside the US with a wonderful quality of life? I have truly pondered this idea, but then when it comes to dealing bureaucratic red tape with a government I don’t yet understand, healthcare, citizenship, etc etc. I feel like because I’m not wealthy (I would call us middle class), that I couldn't live abroad, that it would be super complex to pull off.

[quote] [R166], I happen to agree with you. Would you care to share places to live outside the US with a wonderful quality of life?

R167, yes. There are several, but things like language and culture can make a things a bit more complex.

Whilst keeping in mind no place is utopia, including things like environment, climate and the mindset of the populace (and social mores) here are some preferences:

1) New Zealand (Isolated but has “The Whole World in Two Islands”)

2 & 3) Australia and Canada

4/5) Iceland/Denmark

I’m sure there are many others, yet I cannot speak from experience of having lived in them. I know from experience that visiting a place is often very different than actually living in it.

I appreciate your concerns regarding residency or visa status to live in other countries. As things have become more intense, it seems that movement in terms of residency has become a bit more challenging: even prior to the pandemic.

The world will change following the virus. And while things may be even more restricted for global movement for a time, people will begin moving and settling in areas that resonate more naturally with them.

As OP’s post suggest, many are questioning things at this time. And one of the things they are asking is whether their location is a good fit to Who They Are.

May you, OP, and all of us find those places that “sing” (as my Aussie Aboriginal friends would say) to us.

I've had several people tell me that Oregon is more beautiful than California. For those of you who have been to both states, would you agree with that?

[quote]Lake Tahoe basin and nearby Truckee is about the only place in California where you've got medium-sized

Thanks for that tip, maybe I will take the wife and kids up Donner pass, hear food is great during snow season.

Oregon is unique as is California, not more beautiful. But just keep in mind it above California so it's going to be even colder and wetter year round. I had a friend that moved up there said it rained almost 2 months non stop he was getting so depressed between the rain and the mud he started thinking of suicide. He eventually moved out of state just because of the weather.

R20, just so you are aware, Jaime Sommers ("The Bionic Woman") no longer works or lives in the Ojai valley. No need to live there now.

Most don't know this, but after Max (the bionic dog) died from a horrible kitchen grease fire, Jaime located Bigfoot and, building on the relationship she had with him years ago, the two start dating and she moved into his hovel/cave.

There is no good place in California, but maybe the least worse is up in the northern part.

R170 Don’t forget your doll.

Steve couldn't sing worth shit R172 so I left him for a more manly man.

R172 I always worshipped the Bionic Woman, and Ojai held this epic magical place in my consciousness because of that. When I finally got there, decades later, I was so disappointed, even the regaled farmer’s market didn’t present anything interesting beyond a thousand other town farmer’s markets. Solvang, San Luis, and Santa Barbara were much more interesting. While living in California I thought I would like to live in one of the Mission towns as they seemed to have an interesting vibe. Ventura has been fun, I’ve gone back there many times. I never need to see Ojai again.

Upthread I was the one who asked if Mill Valley was the town Lindsay Wagner lives in now, or did awhile back. Also, the name of the high end garden store there, they had a glossy catalog that was like wealth porn. Can anyone answer those questions?

R175 Lee Major’s was the Pierce Brosnan of his day.

As Santa Barbara and Montaceto have been over exploited by rich people, Ojai has been discovered. It's not cheap there any more either.

These reads always end with those who daydream never hearing how to make it work, there MUST be reasonably priced towns that are charming and eclectic but don’t start at $1mil.

I would love to live in Belvedere, CA.

[quote]there MUST be reasonably priced towns that are charming and eclectic but don’t start at $1mil.

Nope! I live in CA born and raised and it's changed a lot since I was a child. There are plenty of small towns or neighborhoods that are affordable, but they are not charming or beautiful. Unless maybe you are a lower class suburban Karen who loves 1970's tract houses. You can only have one, charming and expensive or boring and affordable.

Carmel/Monterey

Agree, R181. I love certain areas of CA, but it just seems unaffordable or a constant financial struggle. The driving and traffic are also a huge factor. I'm glad I got to experience it (SF and southern CA) when it was more affordable.

I was born in the Bay-area (but raised in the PNW), lived for 5 years in San Diego (North Park, then Normal Heights), 9 years in L.A. (by the CBS lot and then by Hamburger Mary's in WeHo), spent half a year on/off in Sonora, and travelled extensively around the rest of Northern California for work, and, I love it all. The only drawback is that you really need a car, if you like and enjoy nature (Sydney is perfect for me in this way, as the train goes everywhere). L.A. has kind of lost its charm for me, but the only area I really struggle with for long lengths of time are Modesto, Fresno, Bakersfield, the bread basket. Too inland, flat, and dry for me (and apparently it's sadly sinking as well). But, I have nice memories of driving through there and smelling onions and garlic on the way.

Given the choice, I would pick San Diego because one of my best friends lives there and she'll never leave. But I love San Fran (I don't have the money though). I always said I would retire in Palm Springs-area, but 1) I don't quite have the money and 2) I'm not sure I want to anymore. I think Reno, NV is a cute town.

I'll always be a Californian boy at heart though.

Central California is the ass hole of the state. No one moves there unless they own 10,000 acres of dry flat land for oil production or you are a migrant working from Mexico hired to hand pick crops for less than minimum wage. Basically it's our Texas.

"I've had several people tell me that Oregon is more beautiful than California. "

I disagree, but that's a matter of taste. Both states have spectacular coasts and mountains and deserts (yes, Oregon has deserts), but IMHO California has more varied and spectacular coasts and mountains and deserts!

Oregon has much better forests, though, if that's what you're into. California has some damn good redwood forests, but Oregon has much more forested land, and it's much greener than anything in California. There isn't anything in California like the lush cool green forests of coastal Oregon and Washington, some places are borderline rain forest.

[quote]I've had several people tell me that Oregon is more beautiful than California. For those of you who have been to both states, would you agree with that?

I agree with r185. I had a 2 month bus pass in1975 and discovered the . In 1990 I moved from Boston to Portland. I love to hike and backpack and Oregon and Washington are perfect for that, really it is absolutely gorgeous.

The Oregon coast is breathtaking and unlike Washington and California, the beaches are all public and they are huge.

That being said, once I retired the winter rain started to get to me. We now winter down in Palm Springs. This year we stayed longer due to the virus. It will be 112F today. We are driving back to Portland on Sunday. The seasons between Palm Springs and the PNW offset each other perfectly.

[quote]The Oregon coast is breathtaking and unlike Washington and California, the beaches are all public and they are huge.

California beaches are all public.

[quote]Where they shot East of Eden was gorgeous. I could see cliffs at one point so I know it is somewhere in CA.

The coastal scenes were filmed in Mendocino. It was doubling for Monterey (further south), which probably looked too modern by the 1950s. Some other old movies shot in Mendocino were The Summer Of 42, The Russians Are Coming..., and Johnny Belinda. In those movies it doubled for the East coast (I think Massachusetts, and Cape Breton, Canada) because it kind of has that look.

The last time I visited California it was funny because several times, in San Francisco, Glen Ellen (Sonoma County), and Yosemite, when I told Californians I was from New England, they said they felt sorry for me because it is "so crowded" on the East Coast. I guess this is a common thing people think, in California? I mean yeah the East is crowded, on maps, but actually most people think New England is one of the nicer places in the world to live.

No love for Catalina Island or the Channel Islands? Lovely places to kayak -- I always wonder how the people who live there manage to make it work.

Barstow, Bakersfield, Needles?

[quote]The coastal scenes were filmed in Mendocino. It was doubling for Monterey (further south), which probably looked too modern by the 1950s. Some other old movies shot in Mendocino were The Summer Of 42, The Russians Are Coming..., and Johnny Belinda. In those movies it doubled for the East coast (I think Massachusetts, and Cape Breton, Canada) because it kind of has that look.

Also the exteriors for "Murder, She Wrote" and the movie "Same Time, Next Year."

R159, Lake Tahoe is beautiful! DL should hold its upcoming 25th Anniversary Party there. 😆

Santa Barbara, Carmel Valley, Napa Valley. I lived in Monterey County for 12 years. It was spectacular but you need to know where to live as there a 100s of micro-climates. Lake Tahoe would be great if you had another home away from the snow.