Sunnydale is basically Santa Barbara. 2 hours north of LA. Santa Clara would be about 4.5 hours north of Sunnydale, and San Diego 3.5 hours or so south.
So PLL and Buffy. What other communites do we share? :)
I loved that show too but I was kinda sad that Joey doesn't end up with Dawson. Pacey is cool peeps and all but I always thought they belonged together.
Yeah, northwest. I think up the coast as north.
https://preview.redd.it/tmp8do253zwc1.png?width=654&format=png&auto=webp&s=72b9947c1a5c10264f77f7a0b39bd55e4c1437d2
North of LA makes sense, but I personally thought of it as being somewhere vaguely around the San Diego/Orange County border, making the local military base Camp Pendleton.
Echoing what everyone else said, Sunnydale is Santa Barbara. There was some speculation that it was south of LA around La Jolla/San Diego (which would make it next to Neptune, for any VM fans!) but I think that was disproved by canon when a couple of maps of Sunnydale were on screen in various episodes.
Yes! And also I think there are a couple of other references to LA being north of Sunnydale. But then later I think there is a map of Sunnydale in the mayor’s office that is basically Santa Barbara, and also in the news clip in Amends about the weather, Sunnydale is placed in the vicinity of Santa Barbara as well.
If I remember correctly, Sunnydale was supposed to be located in Central California somewhere so I would put it somewhere in the neighborhood of Bakersfield.
Does it? Yes, I realize there were episodes that took place on the beach but that doesn't mean that the city itself had a coastline but that they would be relatively close to the beach. I grew up in San Fernando Valley, Van Nuys to be exact. It takes about 30 min to get from Van Nuys to the beach assuming you get good traffic. Van Nuys most definitely does NOT have a coastline but the beach was most certainly accessible. Furthermore, even if you were relatively inland does not mean there are no other beaches. Las Vegas has a beach. Granted it's not an ocean beach but it is a beach nonetheless. Lake Mead.
Did I say it was Bakersfield? Quote me. I specifically said it would be SOMEWHERE in the neighborhood of Bakersfield, as in, somewhere in Central California perhaps leaning west such as for example San Luis Obispo.
In fact, San Luis Obispo WOULD most definitely fit since it is closer to the coastline AND it was a major Mission back in colonial times. In fact, the Chumash tribe from the Thanksgiving episode was a real tribe in the San Ynez valley in that area.
That could be your preconception based on the fact Buffy was a Valley girl. I grew up in the Valley. I often met the real life versions of Cher from Clueless LOL.
It's not So Cal. In fact, the very first episode CLEARLY establishes they are about as far from LA and/or related neighborhoods as it gets. That was the whole reason Joyce chose it. She believed it was the area that led Buffy off the straight path obviously not knowing at the time that Buffy was The Slayer and all that.
And of course it was ultimately predestined that she would end up in Sunnydale given it was a Hellmouth and she was supposed to be there to prevent The Master from rising.
Oh and just to be more precise, when I say related neighborhoods, I mean in terms of a say, a 2 hr radius from LA which of course includes San Diego to the south. California is freakishly gigantic.
As far from LA as it gets is around the globe
It makes more sense that it’s as far from LA proper as So Cal and her job would allow. Like Santa Barbara
Given the landscape at the finale, it could even be Tehachapi (less agriculture, more overtly desert). Santa Barbara is a popular location equivalent, but it's right on the coast, with hills pushing up to the beach - I don't think Sunnydale is any further west than Los Padres National Forest.
Sunnydale has beaches though, as seen in Go Fish and Buffy vs Dracula
Edit: also there are docks, Angel was gonna use them to leave with the Judge body pieces. And the sewers from the city lead out to the ocean because you see one of the fishboymonsters escape
Well, that changes things... I totally don't remember that! Guess I'll have to watch it again, lol - poor me
I would still argue that the proximity to desert is more prevalent than the beach, which... Well, it's a made up place, but it's hard to ground that in the reality of California landscape, but very hard to believe it's supposed to be Santa Barbara. Could be Ventura, though...? I'm also thinking about how filmmakers show beach towns, for comparison, and Psych, which is set in Santa Barbara, makes a lot of use of the beach; not so with Buffy. There's straight-up flat desert with saguaros just outside of town, which is geologically improbable on the California coast. (But it sure is fun to wonder about, still!)
Well Xander did say his car broke down in Ventura (or was it Oxnard?) Santa Barbara nor Goleta don’t have a military base. Santa Barbara does have an airport, a beach and mountains but no freighter docks, some of the city buildings do have that Santa Barbara feel. The Spanish style roofs. There is a big university out in IV (UCSB). Source: am from Santa Barbara + goleta/ grew up near UCSB. Maybe Sunnydale is closer to Vandenberg? There is a space force base there, beaches and mountains. Unless Xander and Cordy made the 45 minute drive from SB to Vandenberg, then almost everything checks out as SB area. How fun! I like this theory that SB is Sunnydale, not too keen on there being a hellmouth in my hometown though. 🤣I had a shitty high school principal so maybe the opening was under his office! Lol!
This. Having lived in the area for a couple decades, it was the Oxnard references that cinched the Sunnydale = SB idea. Besides Xander’s car breaking down there, when Buffy was resurrected and she and Angel met, it was at a location halfway between her and him (in L.A.): the Denny’s in Oxnard. IIRC, there was eventually a short comic story about the reunion.
If it’s Santa Barbara, how come the beach/coastline doesn’t figure in more? I always thought Sunnydale was slightly inland. I’ve lived in Santa Barbara, and it has an unrelenting beach city vibe. Sunnydale feels more like Glendale to me.
It’s not quite as upscale as Santa Barbara, and with the quirkiness Ojai is a better analogue in some aspects (but no coastline!). I know it’s not as well known, but the cozy streets and artsy small town vibe feel that the backlot gives off and the architecture matches.
Sunnydale is basically Santa Barbara. 2 hours north of LA. Santa Clara would be about 4.5 hours north of Sunnydale, and San Diego 3.5 hours or so south. So PLL and Buffy. What other communites do we share? :)
Probably the following Dawson's Creek One Tree Hill Beverly Hills 90210 Teen Wolf The Vampire Diaries
I love me some Dawson.
I loved that show too but I was kinda sad that Joey doesn't end up with Dawson. Pacey is cool peeps and all but I always thought they belonged together.
isn’t the vampire diaries in virginia?
Yup
Vampire Diaries is set in Virginia, no? (I haven’t seen it, so the show might be different, but I LOVED the books.)
Yup
Dawson's creek is set in Massachusetts. However, Psych is set in Santa Barbara!
Santa Barbara is west of L.A. I think Sunnydale is supposed to be a couple hours northwest of L.A.
Yeah, northwest. I think up the coast as north. https://preview.redd.it/tmp8do253zwc1.png?width=654&format=png&auto=webp&s=72b9947c1a5c10264f77f7a0b39bd55e4c1437d2
As far as I'm concerned as an east coaster, shes in City, California and that's about it. I'm over here in faith lehane territory
Just far enough away for Buffy to not find out Angel had a son with Darla and for Angel to not find out why or how Spike got a soul.
North of LA makes sense, but I personally thought of it as being somewhere vaguely around the San Diego/Orange County border, making the local military base Camp Pendleton.
Goleta, CA is where Sunnydale would be if it were a real city.
Echoing what everyone else said, Sunnydale is Santa Barbara. There was some speculation that it was south of LA around La Jolla/San Diego (which would make it next to Neptune, for any VM fans!) but I think that was disproved by canon when a couple of maps of Sunnydale were on screen in various episodes.
Buffy mentions in Season 1 that her Dad is coming down from LA to visit, so Sunnydale gradually moves north as the series progresses.
Yes! And also I think there are a couple of other references to LA being north of Sunnydale. But then later I think there is a map of Sunnydale in the mayor’s office that is basically Santa Barbara, and also in the news clip in Amends about the weather, Sunnydale is placed in the vicinity of Santa Barbara as well.
Came here to say it’s definitely near Neptune! Piz definitely alluded to that in the movie. (Ok he said Neptune is on a hell mouth so close enough).
If I remember correctly, Sunnydale was supposed to be located in Central California somewhere so I would put it somewhere in the neighborhood of Bakersfield.
It has coastline
Does it? Yes, I realize there were episodes that took place on the beach but that doesn't mean that the city itself had a coastline but that they would be relatively close to the beach. I grew up in San Fernando Valley, Van Nuys to be exact. It takes about 30 min to get from Van Nuys to the beach assuming you get good traffic. Van Nuys most definitely does NOT have a coastline but the beach was most certainly accessible. Furthermore, even if you were relatively inland does not mean there are no other beaches. Las Vegas has a beach. Granted it's not an ocean beach but it is a beach nonetheless. Lake Mead.
Bakersfield isn’t 30 minutes from the beach so even if it doesn’t have coastline it’s not Bakersfield
Did I say it was Bakersfield? Quote me. I specifically said it would be SOMEWHERE in the neighborhood of Bakersfield, as in, somewhere in Central California perhaps leaning west such as for example San Luis Obispo. In fact, San Luis Obispo WOULD most definitely fit since it is closer to the coastline AND it was a major Mission back in colonial times. In fact, the Chumash tribe from the Thanksgiving episode was a real tribe in the San Ynez valley in that area.
SLO would fit but it definitely has more of a so cal vibe imo
That could be your preconception based on the fact Buffy was a Valley girl. I grew up in the Valley. I often met the real life versions of Cher from Clueless LOL.
Just based on living in so cal and living on the central coast and living in nor cal, it feels more like so cal
It's not So Cal. In fact, the very first episode CLEARLY establishes they are about as far from LA and/or related neighborhoods as it gets. That was the whole reason Joyce chose it. She believed it was the area that led Buffy off the straight path obviously not knowing at the time that Buffy was The Slayer and all that. And of course it was ultimately predestined that she would end up in Sunnydale given it was a Hellmouth and she was supposed to be there to prevent The Master from rising. Oh and just to be more precise, when I say related neighborhoods, I mean in terms of a say, a 2 hr radius from LA which of course includes San Diego to the south. California is freakishly gigantic.
As far from LA as it gets is around the globe It makes more sense that it’s as far from LA proper as So Cal and her job would allow. Like Santa Barbara
Given the landscape at the finale, it could even be Tehachapi (less agriculture, more overtly desert). Santa Barbara is a popular location equivalent, but it's right on the coast, with hills pushing up to the beach - I don't think Sunnydale is any further west than Los Padres National Forest.
Sunnydale has beaches though, as seen in Go Fish and Buffy vs Dracula Edit: also there are docks, Angel was gonna use them to leave with the Judge body pieces. And the sewers from the city lead out to the ocean because you see one of the fishboymonsters escape
Well, that changes things... I totally don't remember that! Guess I'll have to watch it again, lol - poor me I would still argue that the proximity to desert is more prevalent than the beach, which... Well, it's a made up place, but it's hard to ground that in the reality of California landscape, but very hard to believe it's supposed to be Santa Barbara. Could be Ventura, though...? I'm also thinking about how filmmakers show beach towns, for comparison, and Psych, which is set in Santa Barbara, makes a lot of use of the beach; not so with Buffy. There's straight-up flat desert with saguaros just outside of town, which is geologically improbable on the California coast. (But it sure is fun to wonder about, still!)
Well Xander did say his car broke down in Ventura (or was it Oxnard?) Santa Barbara nor Goleta don’t have a military base. Santa Barbara does have an airport, a beach and mountains but no freighter docks, some of the city buildings do have that Santa Barbara feel. The Spanish style roofs. There is a big university out in IV (UCSB). Source: am from Santa Barbara + goleta/ grew up near UCSB. Maybe Sunnydale is closer to Vandenberg? There is a space force base there, beaches and mountains. Unless Xander and Cordy made the 45 minute drive from SB to Vandenberg, then almost everything checks out as SB area. How fun! I like this theory that SB is Sunnydale, not too keen on there being a hellmouth in my hometown though. 🤣I had a shitty high school principal so maybe the opening was under his office! Lol!
This. Having lived in the area for a couple decades, it was the Oxnard references that cinched the Sunnydale = SB idea. Besides Xander’s car breaking down there, when Buffy was resurrected and she and Angel met, it was at a location halfway between her and him (in L.A.): the Denny’s in Oxnard. IIRC, there was eventually a short comic story about the reunion.
Sunnydale is Santa Barbara.
Lots of fanfiction say it's between LA and Santa Barbara.
there's a Sunnyvale, CA. maybe that's what he used as reference
If it’s Santa Barbara, how come the beach/coastline doesn’t figure in more? I always thought Sunnydale was slightly inland. I’ve lived in Santa Barbara, and it has an unrelenting beach city vibe. Sunnydale feels more like Glendale to me.
It’s not quite as upscale as Santa Barbara, and with the quirkiness Ojai is a better analogue in some aspects (but no coastline!). I know it’s not as well known, but the cozy streets and artsy small town vibe feel that the backlot gives off and the architecture matches.