California's "Central California" region is the middle ground between the two most populated areas of California--Southern California with Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino and Northern California with San Jose / Silicon Valley, San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento region.

Central California includes the Central Coast that runs several hundred miles along the Pacific Ocean, Central Valley and the Sierra foothills and central Sierra Nevada mountains. 

What this area is known for:  Central California features many superlatives. Among them are the world's biggest trees in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks; the most stunning golf courses along the Pebble Beach & Monterey coast; the nation's farm belt, Big Sur, Pinnacles National Monument, Salinas Valley, Yosemite National Park, California Coast Mountain Range, and a portion of Gold Country.

Southern California at either the Tehachapi Mountains or the county lines which cross the state west to east below Monterey, Kings and Tulare Counties. Central California is considered to be west of the crest of the Sierra Nevada. (East of the Sierras is Eastern California.) The largest cities (over 50,000 population) in the region are Fresno, Modesto, Visalia, Salinas, Merced, Turlock, Madera, Hanford, and Porterville.

Cities Area cities and towns listed below are major regional centers or county seats. * Fresno * Hanford * Hollister * Madera * Mariposa * Modesto * Merced * Monterey * Salinas * Sonora * Turlock * Visalia Porterville Salinas Valley