The most distinctive, characterful places in California (San Diego, Berkeley: live in, beaches)

[apple92680]

My favorite beach towns:

San Luis Obispo -- old California mission city without the congestion or pretentiousness of Santa Barbara.

Monterey / Pebble Beach and Carmel-By-The-Sea

Cambria

My favorite mountain towns:

Bishop

Lake Arrowhead

Quincy

Julian

Tehachapi

[dsb1067]

I'd pick the Eastern Sierra towns of Lone Pine, Independence, Lee Vining, Bridgeport.

[heavymind]

Originally Posted by paperntea

Places that feel unique, have a lot of character, ambience, that really stand out to you?

To answer the original question in a different light...



Compton, East LA, and Blythe. Movies are made out of the characters and ambience in these places. All of worth at least a visit.

[ccm123]

A place I forgot - the view from the top of Getty Museum in Los Angeles is spectacular on a clear day. Summer or fall is best, IMO.

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by dsb1067

I'd pick the Eastern Sierra towns of Lone Pine, Independence, Lee Vining, Bridgeport.

This whole area is often overlooked but is so incredibly beautiful and unique to California! We really are so lucky to have so much to explore right here in our own state.

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by heavymind

To answer the original question in a different light...



Compton, East LA, and Blythe. Movies are made out of the characters and ambience in these places. All of worth at least a visit.

This reminds me of another place I find cool, which is Amboy. If you want to see a whole other side of California, drive from Twentynine Palms to Amboy via Amboy Road and then on to the Southern entrance of Mohave National Monument. Along the way, stop to explore a few abandoned homesteads, dry lakes, the cleghorn wilderness and the Amboy volcanic cinder cone. End the day at the San dunes in Mohave NM. One of my favorite drives in California. The desert areas of California have so much to reveal to those who take the time to look. (Best to go in the winter months though!)

[RosieSD]

Originally Posted by ccm123

A place I forgot - the view from the top of Getty Museum in Los Angeles is spectacular on a clear day. Summer or fall is best, IMO.

The entire Getty Museum grounds and buildings are beautiful but that view is amazing. Another architectural gem in Southern California is the Salk Research Institute. The view down the carefully balanced structure and courtyard to the Pacific ocean just mesmerizes me every time I visit. And it is free to visit! Just up the road is the Torrey Pines gliderport, which is a place I always take out of town visitors. There's nothing else quite like standing on a cliff above the ocean at sunset watching people glide by you on air currents over the water. Also close by and worth visiting are the outdoor art/sculptures.

[echo7tango]

California is beautiful and so varied geographically! I’m a transplant from the northeast — I was 18 when my dad moved the family to the SFBA. I’m so glad he did! Thank you dad! (He passed away 8 years ago)

From the ocean and the coastlines, to the tall mountains, to the deserts, to the lush redwood forests, to the deep snows and winters of the Sierras, to the hot Death Valley, to Lake Tahoe, to the beauty of Yosemite and Kings Canyon and Sequoia and Death Valley… California has so much to offer!

[jcp123]

Carmel
Big Sur
Chico
Santa Cruz
Dutch Flat/Grass Valley/Auburn
Capitola
Gilroy

That’s my first few which aren’t the majorly known places, though a few like Santa Cruz are probably too well-known for that list.

[ccm123]

Yes, the entire Getty area is beautiful. The Getty Villa in Malibu is quite gorgeous also.

I’ve never visited the Salk Research Institute, but you have provided me with some ideas on places to go and visit!

Torrey Pines is another beautiful area.

Originally Posted by RosieSD

The entire Getty Museum grounds and buildings are beautiful but that view is amazing. Another architectural gem in Southern California is the Salk Research Institute. The view down the carefully balanced structure and courtyard to the Pacific ocean just mesmerizes me every time I visit. And it is free to visit! Just up the road is the Torrey Pines gliderport, which is a place I always take out of town visitors. There's nothing else quite like standing on a cliff above the ocean at sunset watching people glide by you on air currents over the water. Also close by and worth visiting are the outdoor art/sculptures.