The Monterey Peninsula Region is located along the Central Coast of California, less than a two-hour drive south of San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Santa Cruz. The region is home to a number of neighboring small cities and towns with distinctive characteristics, cultures, and histories, including Monterey, Seaside, Carmel, Salinas, Marina, Pacific Grove and others. The weather is mild and temperate on the coast, with more sunny and dry areas inland. California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) is a mid-sized university that grants undergraduate and graduate degrees.