Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Monterey Bay are the four regions of the Central Coast. Central Coast consists of kilometers of rocky coastline, perfect beaches where surfing and other water activities are actively performed in front of the panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean.
Off the rocky shore, sea lions, harbor seals, elephant seals, gray whales, sea otters and several species of sharks can be seen. It is also home to many species of seabirds including gulls, cormorants, arrowheads, sandpipers, shorebirds, herring gulls and many others.
California’s Central Coast is a unique area.
The Redwood forests located in the Santa Cruz Mountains are a magical nature experience. The vineyards of the Big Sur coast are not to be missed, and the ranch grounds of San Luis Obispo are spectacular. Santa Barbara’s sandy beaches along the coast are hard to beat and are the most desirable in the entire state. To protect and improve the region’s natural and wildlife, there is the Coastal Conservancy. They work with local, state and federal partners. Their task is to ensure that all the scenic resources remain for future generations.
California’s Central Coast is a quiet and peaceful region and the goal is to keep it that way.
Central Coast offers many beautiful beaches and a calmer way of life.
Counties in the Central Coast area are Monterey County, San Benito County, San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara County,
and Santa Cruz County.
Big Sur is a small town where tourists can get away from all the hustle and bustle of the big cities. The city is located on a cliff above the sea.
Carmel is a city with trendy and kitschy shops in contrast to a nice beach.
Monterey is Northern California’s oldest city, known for its seafood and an outstanding aquarium. San Luis Obispo is a famous town with Cal Poly, Madonna Inn, Farmers Market and lots of outdoor activities. Other cities worth mentioning are: Morro Bay, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, Cambria, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz.
The Central Coast offers the scenic drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles with outstanding scenery. The central coast was the route of the Spanish colonizers through the country. They got to where Highway 1 is today.
A large part of the Central Coast consists of agriculture. Crops that thrive in cool coastal climates, such as artichokes and strawberries, are grown there. The cultivation of grapes has expanded over the years and taken an increasing place among farmers, especially in the counties of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara.
Santa Barbara has been portrayed as a wine country through famous films. With its 40,000 acres of grapes, Monterey County has become a famous wine district.
In the past, fishing was a major source of income among the inhabitants along the central coast. Today, there has been a sharp drop back and more investment has been made in oil production off the coasts of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
In relation to the relatively small population in the Central Coast (about 2 million), there is a large selection of colleges.