California City Nicknames

Slogans Help Put California Cities on the Map

By C. MacDonald

My late friend, Bill Arballo, former Mayor of Del Mar, once told me of a slogan the city had, "Park your car in old Del Mar." That got me thinking about other fun slogans that were used officially or unofficially in other California cities.

Some of them had a nice poetic ring, like "Take pride in Oceanside;" "Eat a peach in Solana Beach;" "Tan your carcass in old San Marcos;" "Meet your sister in downtown Vista," and "It's neato in Escondido." I like stuff that rhymes.

But other Golden State cities became known for certain things: Castroville, "The artichoke center of the world;" Pacifica, "The fog capital of California," and Orange, "A slice of Old Town charm."

Santa Maria used to known as "The Center of the Best," and Torrance, "Halfway to everywhere." Bakersfield, "California's Country Capital," Santa Clarita, "Where the good life takes you," Chico, "Where everything grows," Greenfield, "Broccoli Capital of the World," and Bishop, "Mule Packers Capital of the world."

Does your city have a slogan? If not, why not create one. It's a fun thing to do that might just get your town its proper due!

Alameda - The Island City
Anaheim - The Heart of Orange County.
Antioch - Gateway to the Delta
Auburn - Endurance Capital of The World
Azusa - A to Z, USA
B
Bakersfield
California's Country Music Capital
Berkeley
Berzerkeley
The People's Republic of Berkeley
Athens of the West
Bishop - Mule Packer Capital of the World
Buena Park - Center of the Southland
C
Campbell - The Orchard City
Carlsbad - Village by the sea
Castroville - Artichoke Center of the World
Chatsworth - San Pornando
Chico
City of Roses
City of Trees
Almond Capital of the World
Where Everything Grows
Clovis - Gateway to the Sierra
Coachella
City of Eternal Sunshine
Gateway to the Salton Sea
Colma (founded as a necropolis in )
The City of the Silent
"The City That Waits for 'the City that Waits to Die' To Die" - because San Francisco, located on the San Andreas Fault, is sometimes called "The City That Waits To Die"
Motto: "It's good to be alive in Colma."
Compton - The Hub City
Corning - Olive City
Corona - The Circle City
Coronado, California - The Crown City
Culver City - Heart of Screenland
D
Dinuba, Fallbrook, and Selma have nicknames that celebrate the production of raisins.
Daly City
Gateway To The Peninsula
Little Manila
Davis - Bicycle Capital of the World
People's Republic of Davis
Del Mar, California -Where the turf meets the surf
Dinuba - Raisinland, USA
E
El Paso de Robles
The Pass of the Oaks
Paso
F
Fallbrook - Avocado Capital of the World
Raisin Capital of the World
City of Youth and Ambition
Forestville - Poison Oak Capital of the World
G
Garden Grove - Big Strawberry
Gilroy - Garlic Capital of the World
Glendale - The Jewel City
Glendora - The Pride of the Foothills
Goleta
The Good Land
Greenfield - Broccoli Capital of the World
Gridley - Kiwi Fruit Capital of the World
H
Half Moon Bay - Pumpkin Capital
Hayward - Heart of the Bay
Hercules - The Dynamic City on the Bay
Hollywood - Tinseltown
Holtville - The Carrot Capital of the World
Huntington Beach - Surf City, USA
I
Indio - Date Capital of the World
Irvine - Center of Orange County - CA
Isleton - Asparagus Capital of the World
L
Linden - Cherry Capital of the World
Lodi
Tokay Grape Capital of the World
Zinfandel Capital of the World
Lompoc - Flower Seed Capital of the World
Long Beach - The International City; The Aquatic Capital of America
Los Angeles City of Angels
M
Marysville - Gateway to the Gold Fields
McCloud - Blackberry Capital of the World
Merced - Gateway to Yosemite
Milpitas - Crossroads of Silicon Valley
Modesto - Water, Wealth, Contentment, Health
Monterey - The Cradle of History
N
Newport Beach - Newport; City of Villages
Norco - Horse Town USA
Norwalk - The Keystone City
O
Oakdale - Cowboy Capital of the World
Oakland
Bright Side of the Bay
Detroit of the West (historical)
Oaktown
O-Town
Oxnard - Strawberry Capital of the World
Lima Bean Capital of the World
P
Pacifica - Fog Capital of California
Palm Springs - Golf Capital of the World
Pasadena
City of Roses
Crown City
Pearsonville - Hubcap Capital of the World
Placerville - Old Hangtown
R
Reedley - The World's Fruit Basket
Redwood City
Climate Best By Government Test
Deadwood City
Richmond - City of Pride and Purpose
Riverside
City of Arts and Innovation
City of Trees.
S
Sacramento
Almond Capital of the World
Big Tomato
Camellia City
City of Trees
River City
Sacratomato
Sactown
Salinas - Lettuce Capital of the World
San Carlos - City of Good Living
San Diego
America's Finest City
City in Motion
Silicon Beach
San Francisco - The City by the Bay
Fog City
Frisco
San Jose - The Capital of Silicon Valley
San Luis Obispo - SLO (as in, Experience the SLO Life)
Sanger - Christmas Tree City
Santa Barbara - The American Riviera
Santa Catalina Island- The Island of Romance
Santa Cruz - Surf City, USA
Santa Monica
Dogtown
Home of the Homeless
People's Republic of Santa Monica
Soviet Monica
Santa Paula - Citrus Capital of the World
Selma - Raisin Capital of the World
Smith River - Lily Growing Capital of the World
Solvang - Danish capital of America.
South San Francisco - The Industrial City, South City
Stockton- Asparagus Capital of the World
Sunnyvale - The Heart of Silicon Valley
T
Tulelake - Horseradish Capital of the World
V
Visalia - Gateway to the Sequoias
W
Wasco - Rose Growing Capital of the World
Watsonville - Strawberry Capital of the World
Willits
Gateway to the Redwoods
Heart of Mendocino County
Solar Energy Capital of the World
Willow Creek - Bigfoot Capital of the World
Y
Yorba Linda - Land of Gracious Living
Yuba City - Prune Capital

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