Places in California that meet my criteria? (San Diego, San Jose: school, universities)

[JGC97]

Originally Posted by songbirdsmile

I grew up here and want to be reasonably close to my family, who live in SD. I don't care about a place having four seasons, as long as it has a distinct, cool, and beautiful autumn.

I'm surprised you don't know more about the seasons in the state since you've listed previous places you've lived and that you grew up here. You, being a gay trans man, should also know that not every place in the state is going to be as progressive as San Francisco, the bay area, the LA area and places like that. Funny how the state is like a patchwork quilt. You're going to find pockets of various ideology. I hope you find a place that checks all the boxes on your list, though. I don't see any one particular city that does so you'll have to make some concessions. Just decide what's the most important of your needs and go from there. Good luck

[DCMann2]

Originally Posted by songbirdsmile

I never said "true four season climate", just a real and beautiful autumn, which I know first-hand exists after living in the Stanford area for two years. I also never specified what time period of architecture constitutes "historic" but you can't really believe there are no beautiful, historic buildings in California.

Your reasoning?

I guess I misunderstood. To me, a "real and beautiful autumn" engenders visions of deciduous forest blanketed hills with classic fall colors and all that which is something we don't really have in CA. Stanford isn't exactly the first place that springs to mind when I think "real and beautiful autumn" lol


And of course there are beautiful, historic buildings in CA. Dunno where you got the impression that I thought there wasn't? There are lots of lovely old buildings around where I live including the Carson Mansion which is one of the most photographed buildings in the world.


As for the woke comment, it makes you sound like a partisan hack and a deeply unserious person. Can you even define what "woke" is? CA is a blue state and the most desirable places to live in the state are generally progressive. This has been true for decades at this point and odds of that changing any time soon are practically nil, so if you want to be around conservatives you have to look in areas that don't meet your other requirements.


I don't think CA is the place for you, and deep down I don't think you do either.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by songbirdsmile

They have beautiful autumn, at least in my opinion.

You said you wanted cool temperatures in September, October, and November. What is your definition of "cool"? The average high temperatures in Napa are 80ºF in September, 75ºF in October, and 65ºF in November. 80 degree Christmas Days are not that uncommon.

Then you said you wanted to be within an hour of an airport, but there are no airports in the North Bay. And driving to SFO would be well over 2 hours away. Then there are the politics of the area, which clearly don't mesh with yours.

So are you just going to throw all your criteria out the window? Which is fine if that's what you want to do. But I'm not sure why you made these criteria in the first place. Unless you are just looking for someone to lie to you and tell you that Napa is a nice conservative town, with cool fall temperatures and an airport that doesn't exist.

[songbirdsmile]

Originally Posted by CalWorth

Julian, Mt. Laguna, Palomar Mtn., Santa Ysabel, all in San Diego County.

I've been to Julian and have heard of Mt. Laguna, but will look properly into them, as well as Palomar Mt. and Santa Ysabel. Thanks!

Originally Posted by HereOnMars

I'm surprised you don't know more about the seasons in the state since you've listed previous places you've lived and that you grew up here.

Like I've mentioned several times, places like Stanford, Napa, Sonoma, and most of Northern California meets my criterion of having a beautiful autumn, but since I've lived in several places in the state, that means I should know all about every place that might meet all my criteria?

You, being a gay trans man, should also know that not every place in the state is going to be as progressive as San Francisco, the bay area, the LA area and places like that.

And I already said I know that. If I thought every place was just as "progressive" as SF and LA, why would I be asking for suggestions of placing that are not?

Originally Posted by DCMann2

I guess I misunderstood. To me, a "real and beautiful autumn" engenders visions of deciduous forest blanketed hills with classic fall colors and all that which is something we don't really have in CA. Stanford isn't exactly the first place that springs to mind when I think "real and beautiful autumn" lol

Google "Stanford autumn" and you'll see plenty of pics that align with what you're describing. Same with Napa and Sonoma. Google is your friend, remember?

And of course there are beautiful, historic buildings in CA. Dunno where you got the impression that I thought there wasn't?

Hmm, I dunno, maybe from you saying: "The place you're looking for does not exist in California...Most of our oldest buildings in the state are from the mid to late 19th century, and any town/city with buildings that old are either going to be 1) bustling, or 2) a ghost town and precisely none of them will meet your additional criteria."

I also don't know why you said "bustling" as if it doesn't meet my criteria. I don't mind a bustling place at all.

As for the woke comment, it makes you sound like a partisan hack and a deeply unserious person.

How so?

Can you even define what "woke" is?

Absolutely. "Woke" encompasses all radical leftist beliefs and ideology. If someone says he or she is "woke", it is safe to assume he or she supports critical race theory, radical gender ideology, radical feminism, climate change alarmism, COVID hysteria, and just about every other narrative that facts and logic easily disprove, facts and logic that "woke" people very rarely are actually open to even listening to.

CA is a blue state and the most desirable places to live in the state are generally progressive. This has been true for decades at this point and odds of that changing any time soon are practically nil, so if you want to be around conservatives you have to look in areas that don't meet your other requirements.

But as I have continued to say, just because a place is generally progressive doesn't mean it actually has a radical culture/vibe. You will likely concede that even a place like San Diego (while still too woke for my liking) is far less in-your-face about it than somewhere like Oakland. All I want to know is whether or not, in places like Napa or Sonoma, the leftism infiltrates most aspects of life and interactions with people, or if it's more live-and-let-live.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by songbirdsmile

Google "Stanford autumn" and you'll see plenty of pics that align with what you're describing. Same with Napa and Sonoma. Google is your friend, remember?

And when are those pictures taken? Hint: it is not September or October. Because if you have actually been to Stanford in October you would know that it's still warm and dry in October, and even into the beginning of November.

[sacreole]

I would recommend Auburn, which is the county seat of Placer County and is located 40 miles northeast of Sacramento. Maybe Ojai in southern California would meet the OP's criteria.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by DCMann2

I guess I misunderstood. To me, a "real and beautiful autumn" engenders visions of deciduous forest blanketed hills with classic fall colors and all that which is something we don't really have in CA. Stanford isn't exactly the first place that springs to mind when I think "real and beautiful autumn" lol
.

Berkeley has a beautiful autumn full of fall colors along deciduous tree-lined canopied streets with award-winning historical architecture, combined in some locations with views of the Bay. It's the first place I think of in CA re: a beautiful autumn with classic fall colors. I'm not suggesting the OP move to Berkeley; only saying that East Bay and Peninsula cities and small towns do check the "beautiful autumn" box, and the architecture box, and shouldn't be written off as not having those attributes.

The thing about Sonoma and Napa is, that summers will be hot, except for parts of northern Sonoma that get fog and rain. The climate is different than that of Stanford, Carmel, and other areas near the coast, which stay cool in summer. But being from SoCal, the OP may not mind the summer heat.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by sacreole

I would recommend Auburn, which is the county seat of Placer County and is located 40 miles northeast of Sacramento. Maybe Ojai in southern California would meet the OP's criteria.

Great suggestion! Closer to the OP's family members in SD, too. Better political match, as well; nearly 40% of voters are Repubs. I've read that the area attracts fall-color tourism, especially in the higher elevations, and has fall festivals.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Great suggestion! Closer to the OP's family members in SD, too. Better political match, as well; nearly 40% of voters are Repubs. I've read that the area attracts fall-color tourism, especially in the higher elevations, and has fall festivals.

But Auburn is not high elevation. It's a suburb of Sacramento on the edge of the Central Valley. If you want fall weather I think you have to go a lot higher than that.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Cloudy Dayz

But Auburn is not high elevation. It's a suburb of Sacramento on the edge of the Central Valley. If you want fall weather I think you have to go a lot higher than that.

Ojai isn't at a particularly high elevation either, but there are higher elevations nearby in the national forest, that can be hiked through on marked trails or driven through. The OP might find the town to be a good fit, that he's overlooked because it's in SoCal.