About Southern California Getaway

We are just a simple travel site with bloggers traveling around the beautiful Southern California to write about the hidden gems and talk about places you should visit. Whether you are coming for a visit or trying to find out your next vacation spot, we got the insight for you, so you can travel comfortably.

About Southern California

Southern California is a megalopolitan area in the southern region of the United States in California. The large urban areas comprised of Los Angeles and San Diego.

To the west of Southern California lies the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands. To the south is the international border between the United States and Mexico. Towards the Arizona state border in the east lies the Colorado Desert and the Colorado River. Towards the Nevada state border lies the Mojave Desert.

Southern California is a culturally diverse and well known area worldwide. Many tourists frequently travel to South Coast for its popular beaches, and to the eastern desert for its dramatic open spaces. Southern California, along with the San Francisco Bay Area, is a major cultural and economic center for the state of California and beyond. 

Southern California (aka SoCal) consists of 10 counties in California. These counties include: Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. Some local residents think that anything above Los Angeles is Northern California, but there is a line that separates it. The three counties that make up the line are San Luis Obispo, Kern, and San Bernardino County. These boundaries are located on the northern part of the county (check the map below). In addition, it touches two states and one country. *Note: Some Southern Californians will argue and have their own interpretation of Southern California, so kindly respect their opinion.

SoCal Weather:

SoCal is known for its mild and pleasant weather, especially the winters. The region is dry and mild. However, there is a difference in climate between the coastal region and the inland region.

The coastal region, stretching from about Santa Barbara in the north to San Diego in the south and averaging no more than 35 miles eastward from the Pacific Ocean, is generally touted as having the most pleasant weather in the United States --outside of Hawaii that is. In this long but narrow strip, summer daytime highs are mostly comfortable, but with variations. For example, during the month of July, Santa Monica averages daytime highs of 75 degrees Fahrenheit while Los Angeles averages daytime highs of 84 degrees Fahrenheit. 

There may be occasional heat spells thrown in, but the summers are generally pleasant never-the-less. During the winter, daytime highs are usually in the mid-60 degrees Fahrenheit for the entire coastal region, with occasional low 70 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures thrown in. Year-round outdoor activities can be enjoyed day or night on the coastal region due to the mild climate that is dominated by Mediterranean-type weather.