SeeCalifornia.com

From the alphabet of cities & town in California–A to Z– you’ll usually find a “Main Street”.  Main Street is thought of as the equivalent of mom’s apple pie, the hometown parade, tree-lined streets and quaint shops that take you back to another place in time. Some cities formed an organization devoted to California’s Main streets and they actually strived to create that old-fashioned appeal through preservation of historic buildings. Called Certified California Main Street Communities, here’s the list from a year or two ago of cities that belonged.

For travelers looking to get a sense of where a town’s heart lies, you can stop and ask someone where the main street is and although there may be some confusion, just tell them you want to go downtown to the shopping and restaurants.  Once you find it, park your car if you can and walk around.

MAIN STREETS TO SEE (Only a few of too many to mention. If you have one, send it to us to promote.)

Lively:

• Anaheim – Disneyland Main Street USA was artificially created but is the most visited Main Street in California. It is the only Main Street that charges admission. (disneyland.com)
• Belmont Shore – 2nd Street. Busy thoroughfare filled with over a mile of shopping and dining, 2nd Street sizzles. (belmontshore.org)
• Huntington Beach – Main Street. Bikinis, surfboards and eateries line Main Street near the Huntington Beach Pier. Tuesday nights Main Street closes for a huge street event called Surf City Nights. (huntingtonbeachmainstreet.com)
• San Luis Obispo – Thursday Night street closure for Farmers Market and entertainment. San Luis Obispo was awarded The Great American Main Street Award by the National Trust For Historic Preservation based on its successful preservation and downtown revival.  (downtownslo.com)
• Santa Barbara – State Street. Shopping, dining, street entertainment, art and even a red tile walking tour. You see it all on this walkable street in a college town with a beach.
• Santa Monica – 3rd Street. With several main streets, the most popular of them is 3rd Street Promenade. Closed to traffic, it hosts entertainment, and includes shops and indoor/outdoor dining. Not a bad place to celebrity hunt. (downtownsm.com)

Historic:

• Ferndale –  mostly on Main Street in the  Victorian Village (victorianferndale.com)
• Folsom – mostly on Sutter Street  (historicfolsom.org)
• Sonora – on Highway 49, Washington Street. This  Gold Rush town is the best preserved 1849 gold rush era town  with Columbia State Historic Park. (sonoraca.com)

Character:

• Seal Beach – Main Street. It’s so old-fashioned that they fought against Starbucks, so you won’t find it here. Free parking, too!  Shops are eclectic, beach-themed and there’s an adorable Britta’s Garden Shop and old-fashioned hardware store.
• San Clemente – El Camino Real. Along the historic “Kings Highway” the downtown features many shops you won’t find at shopping malls. First Sunday Village Arts Fair is held here. (villagesanclemente.org)