<I'm familiar with all those hospitals but still get confused as to where they all are exactly>

It sounds like you need a good map, and some google-ing and mapquest-ing to put hospitals with their nearest towns.

My abbreviation for California is Calif. hey, i know it's old fashion but I grew up in LA and that's how we used to write it before the 2-letter postal codes were invented!!

Yep - Calif. works.

Anyone see Eddie Izard's stand up routine he did in SF? Funny stuff about how particular we are about abbreviations and all of that.

The Central Coast, although it does have its own charms, is nothing like San Diego. Sounds like you want way more action than exists here.

The Central California Children's Hospital located in Madera is the only Children's hospital I am familiar with in Central California.(LA Children's in LA and Lucille Packard in the Bay Area.)

I'm 4th generation Californian, and I didn't mind Darby's Cali abbreviation. Anyway, she mentioned, Santa Maria so we were helping with that area.

I also like Grover Beach and Arroya Grande. They would be an easy commute to Santa Maria. IMHO, Southern California beach towns for the most part are more congested.

Correction, I meant Arroyo Grande. It was a typo not a mis-spell. :-)