West Coast Capitalized? Here Is the Answer

When referring to a specific region, you should capitalize the words West Coast such as “I’m traveling to the West Coast” since “West Coast” is a proper noun in this case. However, if you are referring to a general region, such as “the west coast of the United States” then you should keep the words lowercase.

Is West Coast capitalized AP style?

when they indicate compass direction, but capitalize when they indicate a region: the West Coast.

Should you capitalize east and West Coast?

Capitalize north, south, east, west, and derivative words when they designate definite regions or are an integral part of a proper name. Do not capitalize these words when they merely indicate direction or general location.

Certain areas in California are increasingly recognized as popular names (Bay Area, Southern California, Central Coast, etc.) and as such are capitalized. Use consistency, however, and don’t have a sentence that says: “Visitors to Southern California increased, while those to northern California decreased.”