Ventura!

sfamylou, had to laugh at your comment about crawling with restaurants with strong drinks! LOL! You're right, that's one good thing about Orange County, the restaurants!

I'd have to 2nd the San Luis Obispo area over Santa Barbara although both areas are great as I have lived in both.

SB is closer to LA if you ever want to do "city stuff" for a day. I personally didn't like the SB people, very prejudiced against newcomers and sort of snobby. SB traffic can be a killer on weekends because of the tourists but it's mostly jammed on city streets, not the freeway.

SLO is soooo beautiful and the people are very laid back. A traffic jam is 2 people coming to a 4 way stop at the same time, except for the weekends when Cal Poly starts and graduates plus some festivals during the year.

good luck

I second Ventura . . . I love it here!!!

Hi nez, I have family in Ojai and my favorite place to go to is Ventura! You are so fortunate to live there. And so much more relaxing IMO than Santa Barbara.

Pharmacist salaries are actually pretty good these days, but cost of living - especially housing - can be a shocker. If you have a PharmD there are some great clinical positions but if your credential is RPh you stand a good chance of winding up in a godawful retail job or the equivalent in a managed care system - look carefully before leaping!

It'd hard to recommend that anyone move to southern CA right now with the housing market the way it is... but if you're sure....

I live in L.A. and it's just non-stop gridlock. Makes you crazy. I like it here, but from what you say you want, I think this is not the right place for you. Ditto San Diego.

I have to say that if you're nature-loving people I highly recommend looking at the areas north of L.A., specifically Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Santa Barbara is just the most beautiful, postcard-perfect S.CA area. It's not cheap to live there, but the quality of life is really nice, it hasn't built up quite as much as L.A., San Diego and Orange County, and there's lots of stuff to do outdoors. I like the proximity to the central coast, wine regions, horse trails, hiking, etc. You might also consider Ventura, which is a less expensive area to live in than Santa Barbara while sharing some of its better qualities.

I'd like to add my vote for San Luis Obispo or even Pismo Beach. San Luis is very close to the ocean without the fog--June gloom we call it Santa Barbara is beautiful but SLO is more relaxed and as someone else mentioned, close to great wineries!!

What can you afford?THAT is the question.
From there, you need to do a lot of homework. The closer to the coast the higher the price. Expect $500,000 and up if you have a view of the sea. There are deals like fixer-uppers for less, but then you have to fixer-upper.
Lots of thought to be had on your part.

Arroyo Grande to Santa Maria may be a little more affordable than SLO or Pismo. But I love that whole are. As well as Santa Cruz/ Monterey/ Pacific Grove. But it is pricey. Watsonville/ Castroville in that area may be a little more affordable.

I live in southern OC, Capistrano Beach to be exact and a teardown in my neighborhood cost you a million. I was born and raised here and will never be able to buy a house here now. I am looking at Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.

You will love the Central Coast!! Great climate, great people, and no traffic!

In San Luis Obispo, there are two hospitals... Sierra Vista, which is owned by Tenet and French, which is owned by Catholic Healthcare West. (CHW also owns Arroyo Grande COmmunity Hospital and Marian in Santa Maria.)

$500,000 will not buy you much home here... anywhere here... ocean views are much, much more than that... a previous poster was a little off the mark.

It's a beautiful area... great quality of life... hope it works for you!

I have lived in various parts of California for the better part of 40 years. There are advantages and disadvantages to various areas. Southern California has much better climates than Northern (they have cold winters up North!) but is more congested.

I think taking everything you've mentioned into consideration I'd go for South Orange County. Homes are expensive but more affordable than LA County and there is less congestion. Shopping, restaurants and schools are excellent too. It doesn't have as many cultural spots as LA County or the Bay Area but if you're into sports you've got the Angels and the Ducks near by. You can golf year around. You'd be near John Wayne Airport too. It's also a breeze to get to San Diego for the day. OC is quite dog friendly so you should be OK with your two labs (just may take a bit more searching and an additional security deposit will be needed).

I'm in northern Cal (Bay Area) and love it but the home prices are truly awful.

Sticker shock aside--I agree with recs for central coast (San Luis Obispo and nearby areas--university town and decent hospitals) and Santa Barbara, which I think, however, may be expensive.

Up north, one area to consider is Santa Rosa--yes a bit suburban, but thriving, and they are working to avoid turning into San Jose (with regard to sprawl etc.) If you were to need to commute to San Francisco, though, or even just south of Santa Rosa during communte time, ICK!! But it has a couple of good hospitals i.e., Santa Rosa memorial).

My nephew is a pharmacy director for one of the Kaisers in the south bay area, and he can't keep up with hiring needs, but as another poster said, that is for pharm.d's; I don't know about the job situation for other pharmacy profs.

Hi o2deep2...

Just poking through some posts and saw/read this one. I hope you have found your dream town by now but if you have not I would highly recommend the San Luis Obispo area. We have lived all over CA and the East Coast and this is it...San Luis Obispo is a wonderful easy place to live. We will never leave.

Good luck!

Thousand Oaks. We know people who love it there, and it is pretty nice, and yes, there is a moderate housing market.

I live in Orange County and would recommend it. Laguna Beach is beautiful, but the traffic - especially on weekends - is terrible.

What about Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, San Juan Capistrano, Ladera Ranch or Dana Point?

They're all south county cities within 30 min of the Pacific and if you get a job at a local pharmacy, you won't have to deal with freeway traffic.

And there are many hiking trails in those areas.

Avoid Riverside/Temecula. You might be able to reach the ocean within 45 min (if you're lucky), but the heat is brutal.

The Central Coast is beautiful, but it's not the most exciting place in the state.

o2deep2 posted her questions in March 2006 (and has not been on any other thread since August.)

Doubt she will see your info . . . .

Wow. When I read your question I thought, "San Luis Obispo", and I've only been there once - briefly. I do know that it has a great college, and is in a nice part of the State, and I usually like the folks I meet from there. Guess the place has a great reputation. Better buy now!