Southern California is a vibrant and diverse region with a rich history and diverse landscape. The region offers a variety of experiences, from the bustling streets of Los Angeles to the pristine beaches of San Diego. Living in Southern California means enjoying an unbeatable climate, spectacular scenery, cutting-edge culture, and the perks of a healthy, active lifestyle.
The region’s reputation for promoting a healthy, active lifestyle is due to its abundance of natural beauty and access to some of California’s best national parks. However, living in Southern California can be expensive, with extreme prices for housing, food, fuel, utilities, high taxes, and very crowded areas. Additionally, there are high crime rates, bad homeless problems, and over-regulation.
Despite these challenges, Southern California is known for its relaxed lifestyle, with sunny skies and mild weather year-round. People in Southern California place a high value on health and fitness, but even those not exercise enthusiasts can still reap the benefits of living in this state.
There are 15 million people living in Southern California, with 2 hour commutes and expensive housing that takes up 60% of your take-home pay. However, the region is known for its warm weather and proximity to the beach, making it an ideal place to live.
In summary, Southern California offers a diverse and vibrant lifestyle with a high cost of living, beautiful landscapes, and a high value on health and fitness.
📹 What It’s Really Like Living in Southern California
Does everyone in Southern California hate it? Is everyone leaving California? And is it super expensive and hard to find an …
What do Californians say differently?
The California vowel shift, primarily seen in younger Californians, is causing a sound similar to the California accent. This shift is becoming more widespread, with linguists citing shifts in Canada, the American South, and cities in Michigan. Other cultural dialects have also adopted this shift, as evidenced by Cambridge University’s extensive study on this shift. The shift has led to numerous YouTube and TikTok videos featuring the California accent challenge.
How much does it cost to live comfortably in Southern California?
California is the third most expensive state in the United States for a single adult to live comfortably, with a cost of living that exceeds the national average by 11. 7%. However, it is the fifth most expensive state for two working adults raising two children, with a total family income of at least $276, 724, a figure that exceeds the national average by 11. 8%.
What state has the best quality of life?
Washington residents have the highest life expectancy in the U. S., according to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. The state is also ranked as the No. 1 state for quality of life in 2022 by World Population Review. Washington’s landscape offers lifestyle-enriching activities that reduce stress, improve mental wellness, and increase overall health. With 64 mountain ranges, 50, 000 miles of rivers and streams, and 3, 200 miles of coastline, outdoor recreation activities like hiking, skiing, rock climbing, biking, and kayaking are popular.
Even those in large cities like Seattle and Spokane can enjoy these hobbies without sacrificing their love for the outdoors. The thriving employment climate in Washington is further complemented by the city’s diverse landscape. Bankrate listed the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro as the second-best city to launch a career in 2023 and No. 1 for employment opportunity. Despite the rise in tech layoffs, Washington is projected to add 13, 500 tech jobs in 2023, marking a significant increase in tech employment.
Is moving out of California a good idea?
Relocating from California offers a fresh start in finances, as the cost of living typically decreases. This can lead to savings and a better opportunity for change. Relocating also provides an opportunity for reflection, as it allows for the identification of positive experiences such as saving money, discovering new hobbies, or making new friends. Overall, relocation offers a win-win situation for both parties.
What is a good income to live comfortably in California?
California is the third most expensive state in the United States for a single adult to live comfortably, with a cost of living that exceeds the national average by 11. 6%. However, it is the fifth most expensive state for two working adults raising two children, with a total family income of at least $276, 724, a figure that exceeds the national average by 11. 8%.
What is considered rich in Southern California?
A survey of 500-750 individuals in 12 major U. S. cities indicates that a net worth of $4. 4 million is required to be considered wealthy in San Francisco, $3. 4 million in Southern California, and $2. 9 million in New York City.
What is it really like living in California?
California’s natural beauty is unparalleled, with sunny skies and mild weather year-round. Enjoy the beach, hiking, and exploring forests at the beach, mountains, or open spaces like Yosemite and Joshua Tree. The food, wine, and craft beer scenes are world-class, with scenic wineries in Napa, Sonoma, or Temecula, and over 900 breweries offering innovative beers. Enjoy cuisine from various cultures at restaurants, food trucks, and farmers markets. For entertainment and nightlife, California offers options in L. A., San Diego, and San Francisco, catering to various music, movies, and culture preferences.
What is the Southern California lifestyle?
Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate, abundant recreation, and cultural richness, offering a balanced lifestyle with world-class art, music, theater, and global cuisine. USC has maintained its commitment to its original University Park neighborhood and its “new” Boyle Heights/Lincoln Heights neighborhood, which houses the Health Sciences campus since its opening in 1952. The 79-acre campus, located northeast of Downtown Los Angeles and adjacent to Los Angeles General Medical Center, houses the Keck School of Medicine, the School of Pharmacy, occupational sciences and physical therapy programs, research laboratories, and three major teaching hospitals.
The surrounding neighborhoods, once called Paredon Blanco (White Bluffs), are steeped in cultural and historical significance. Boyle Heights, once called Paredon Blanco, was dominated by vineyards and grazing land until the 1850s when Andrew Boyle purchased land and built a mansion on Boyle Avenue. His son-in-law, William Workman, subdivided the land in the 1870s, named the area in honor of his late father-in-law, and fought for an irrigation aqueduct and transportation to make the land habitable.
How would you describe Southern California?
Southern California is a heavily developed urban environment, home to some of the largest urban areas in the state and the Deserts of California, which have been proposed to become a new county due to cultural, economic, and geographic differences. It is the third most populated megalopolis in the United States, after the Great Lakes and Northeast megalopolis. Southern California is famous for its large, spread-out suburban communities and use of automobiles and highways.
The dominant areas are Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and Riverside – San Bernardino, each with their respective metropolitan areas. The urban area is also host to an international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan region.
The main barrier to urbanization along the Interstate 5 corridor is Camp Pendleton, while the cities and communities along Interstate 15 and Interstate 215 are interrelated, with Temecula and Murrieta having as much connection with the San Diego metropolitan area as they do with the Inland Empire. The United States Census Bureau considers the San Bernardino and Riverside County areas, Riverside-San Bernardino area, as separate metropolitan areas from Los Angeles County.
Southern California has a Mediterranean-like climate with warm and dry summers, mild and wet winters, and infrequent rain. The region experiences flash floods, with snow being very rare in lower elevations and mountains above 5, 000 feet receiving plentiful snowfall in the winter.
What is the quality of life in California?
California ranks 39 out of 51 US regions in terms of Life satisfaction, with a score of 6. 9 out of 10. The region is also in the top 44 OECD regions for overall well-being. The OECD’s map shows each of the 447 regions, with each region’s performance measured by one or two indicators. A high score indicates better performance in a topic compared to other regions. The map allows users to explore the lives of different OECD regions and discover regions with similar well-being.
Is Southern California nice to live?
Southern California is a region known for its beautiful weather, diverse cultural experiences, and mild climate. It is home to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, including Malibu, Santa Monica, and Laguna Beach. The region is home to vibrant cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, and Santa Barbara, offering a variety of outdoor activities. Southern California is also known as the entertainment hub, with Hollywood as its home. The region is home to prestigious universities and colleges like UCLA, USC, and Caltech.
It has a robust economy with diverse industries such as technology, entertainment, aerospace, and tourism. World-class attractions like Disneyland, Universal Studios, San Diego Zoo, and Balboa Park are some of the best things to do in Southern California. The region’s diverse cultural influences make it a food lover’s paradise, with gourmet restaurants and food trucks. Southern California’s natural beauty, including national parks, deserts, and scenic coastal areas, contributes to its reputation for promoting a healthy, active lifestyle. Overall, Southern California offers a diverse and vibrant lifestyle that is perfect for those looking to call it home.
📹 why I love living in southern california
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: overrated or a great place to live? Let’s break down why I love living in SoCal as a former East Coaster …
San Diego, Palm Springs, Riverside, Temecula, Carlsbad, Laguna, they’re probably the best places in Southern California, its not a horrible place to live as long as you avoid LA and San Bernardino. (Edit: y’all gotta stop hating if you’ve never been to certain places 😂 and yes most of the places I listed are decent if you have money that’s how California is don’t be butt hurt about it)
Something to mention about the Los Angeles area is that everything is so condensed that even nice areas aren’t very nice and things change block to block. Yes, Beverly Hills is a wealthy area, but you can be walking down the street looking at all of the fancy boutique stores and high-end restaurants, then turn the corner and all of a sudden be somewhere that you really don’t want to be. Almost every city has places like that, even nicer areas outside of LA city, like Altadena and Pasadena. You don’t want to be on the wrong side of Lake Ave… I’ve lived here my whole life and it’s still strange to me how quickly things shift from block to block. Also, the beach cities are very expensive and a lot of wealthy people do live there, but a lot of the major beaches are trashed from crowds and homelessness. I’ve seen some pretty strange things from being out at night by the beach
A well prepared and edited script, and a lot of fun to watch as well as telling us real social and geographical info. Nick J is now quite a phenomenon on these American road journeys. And of course the vocal quality strength in the song t the end is just well .. and I just learned an American term ” tract home” .
As a person who was born in Tarzana and lived in Toluca Lake / North Hollywood for the first 18 years of my life you made me laugh out loud and feel sad/nostaligic all at the same time! California will always be my true home. Its the best state in the country bar none I don’t care what the haters say. Im tempted to move back from time to time and very well may move back at some point.
The soaring buildings, palm-lined streets, and golden rush era buildings, paired with vibrant nightlife, luxury shopping, and world-class dining, make the city/county a sight to behold and be explored. Riverside certainly dazzles with its uber-modern design showcased in sights like the Mission Inn, and with its over-the-top attractions like the Riverside Food Lab mall, El Paseo Mall, and County Fair/Coachella and outer cities within Riverside County (like Palm Springs and Temecula). But it wasn’t the glitzy nightclubs and crowd-pleasing brunches that won me over, it was the traditional architecture, Californian culture, and delicious pistachio dates. So if you’re looking for a more traditional slice of life, here are some of my favorite places you should visit in Riverside. A city with a whole bunch of Old Money. When I visited the streets were clean and I didn’t see any homeless camps in sight just like San Diego. Someone told me a lot of ex-San Diegans are moving there so it might explain the skater vibe/burritos I get there haha. Peace and Love from Dubai ❤️ If my job stays remote I think I am going to move to Riverside county somewhere in it like Temecula, Palm Springs, or Downtown Riverside near that new futuristic library a realtor showed me. Seems like Riverside, Orange County, and San Diego are tough on homeless encampments just like Dubai.
This article is spot on! I was cracking up. I live in one of those higher end “closet Republican” places and we do NOT have homeless tent encampments (we have shelters and services). Those are only in the liberal places—even the rich ones (except Beverly Hills). And a lot of those tent cities start the fires these days.
Hey, Nick. Great article. I lived in Long Beach for most of 1985. Your take on Southern California is a lot of fun. For the year that I lived there, I had to work 2 jobs just to pay rent, so never got to see Knott’s Berry Farm, or Disneyland, or anything fun. I did, however, work on the Queen Mary, busing tables on weekends at The Capstan Restaurant, at the stern of the ship. Some great memories of my year in CA. If you’re ever headed to Cheyenne, Wyoming, hit me up if you want. Not sure if I’m social enough to tell you much about the state. We’re mostly leading lives of quiet desperation. LOL
Wow, you must be from here. Great description of how it is today. I love Southern California. Its falling down as I speak. The Southern California of my youth is never coming back. (valley, west side, hollywood, Fairfax. Actually the world I want doesn’t exist anymore. 😂 I saw it begin around 2000. WAY to many people here now. It was a good ride. Hopefully it’s future is blessed to those who don’t remember how great it truly was. Ignorance is bliss.
California’s agenda: raise prices and raise taxes. Keep the poor, poor. With that being said, California is still a very beautiful state. Full of diversity, rich in culture, and beautiful weather. That explains the reasons why no one wants to leave and thousands of people still move there every year.
I lived in the suburbs for a few years, had some of my childhood and adult life there too in the San Fernando Valley area. I moved out of there once it was time to buy a house for me and my and daughter. It was get too expensive, traffic was a nightmare, too many high taxes, etc. I really like where I am now. San Antonio TX. I do miss the food, the great aquarium shops and family. That’s about all I miss. And the mild weather.
I also think our perspective on places to live changes as we age. My wife and I loved Venice Beach, and Long Beach, when young. There was so much to do and the coastal beauty was amazing. Now days, post kids, we love Northern California and all that it has to offer. Both have positives and negatives, BUT I am not leaving the beautiful state of CA.
I was born and raised in San Diego and beautiful Southern California! I made a horrible mistake of moving to the Tampa Bay Florida area a few years ago for a job. But I can’t wait to get back to my beautiful San Diegos! I’m making the arrangements to set that in motion now. There is no greater place in this country to live than beautiful San Diego, California!
Nick… you did it! Seriously you’re the best. I couldn’t help but think all the first unboxing articles (NY, California, Florida & Texas) got the short stick because their articles are so short and not very detailed in comparison to the rest of the states but they’re the most popular ones. I’m so happy you’re doing this.
Omg I was cracking up through this whole article!!!! You hit the nail on the head with the places in this article!! Thanks for focusing on the IE quite a bit because LA County likes to forget we exist. Most of Fontana is crappy, and people who now live in the north end like to always specify “I live in NORTH Fontana, above the 210 Freeway.” So annoying, you’re still in Fontana buddy. 😂
I grew up in Highland too! East of the freeway off of Pacific Street. It was nice. Lived in SB and Loma Linda as well. Loma Linda is one of the better parts of SoCal that is not well known. Griping about SoCal is a SoCal past time. How anyone affords houses there is beyond me. I live on the East Coast now but everywhere has its issues.
umm parts of long beach aren’t great but it’s clean and very few homeless camps compared to the rich areas of venice. Unpretentious down to earth people who work hard to live by the beach. I’ve lived here for 12 years and other then no parking downtown its great. Cute little craftsman homes and feel safe walking and biking.
Wow I saw Beaumont. But I went there once didn’t do anything about it. My sister wanted to buy a house there but you had bad credit wanted somebody to co-sign which none of us would. Place was going to be about 180k and I kind of regret it but at the same time my sister was thrashing every rental she was on
I’m from Redlands! 🤣 You nailed every city mentioned lmao But, Redlands …. 😞 …. the orange groves are disappearing so fast, it’s starting to become too crowded, it doesn’t have the close community vibe it use to have …. pretty sad to see how much it’s changed in the last 2 years Way more warehouses than anyone cares to see, “Affordable” new houses? yeah starting off at $600,000+ Rent is stupid high for nothing Don’t even get me started on traffic … it’s getting even worse But, I’ll always love Redlands, at least what it use to be
i ve been living here in southern california for 16 years…i originally from indonesia..i ve been living in.los angeles county, orange county, and now im in san bernardino county..its getting crowded and expensive here..but i dont want to move other state coz i dont like snow and i dont really like state that is too humid like florida..i bought my house for 100k 10 years ago..now its worth 450k..and its a n old house
I used to live in Yucaipa and yes I commuted to LA, Orange, and even Ventura counties. It’s a nice affordable area. One of the few left in SoCal. I also grew up in Covina/West Covina. You sort of brushed over that area. There are some nice upper/middle class neighborhoods in those cities. I would probably still live there if I could afford it.
Still, I won’t live anywhere else. Yes, expensive but you get what you pay for, sure it is cheaper to live in Alabama or Kentucky but people are not moving there, they still keep coming to SoCal, LOL. SoCal has the best weather, international food and there are many things to see and do unless one is a boring person. We have beaches, deserts and mountains. We also have many theme parks, music festivals, county fairs, casinos, concerts, sports, etc. SoCal has its problems, all places have issues but at least SoCal is more fun, if you can afford it. If you cannot afford it, it is better to live in a State with lower cost of living.
I lived in perris a long time and it’s actually great because I feel we are not too far from cool places. Palm Springs is 1 hour away, Oceanside (1hr), San Diego and Mexico boarderline (2 hrs). LA(2HR) riverside (30 mins with multi ways to get there) Temecula/wine country (30mins) Huntington 1.5 (hrs). So lots of places to travel to on a day off. We also have a nice lake. It’s not a perfect town but I think it’s quiet, affordable and overall decent.
I moved to san diego about 2 years ago from Austin tx. I used to love austin but its lost its identity and is full of pretentious people. Might as well move to california then lol. Actually san diego hasnt been that bad. Rent is crazy but if you stick to northern san diego or even some central parts its not bad at all.
Almost moved to Claremont but the liberal vibe was odd, yard signs everywhere talking about inclusion and wanting to be friends with Asians etc lol Liberals are so odd lol about race, my wife’s Asian but from Japan, Very conservative, her perspective is amazing on liberals lol Any way….. I moved to Glendora, now thats nice, wow, very very happy here, we have our own police…..that are amazing, its like private security!
Lived in So Cal for over 30+ years. This is what I tell people: Has the best food I’ve had(granted I havent been to the south or the east so…). Best weather…anywhere? The Santa Anas are lame but they tend to only last 2-3 days. Great natural beauty outside the city. The beach. Alot of job opportunities….but….. ALOT of people so you are really competing for jobs. Traffic is flat out horrible. If it’s not the middle of the day or after 7pm, you always have to check the traffic report to see how long it will take to go somewhere. Alot of bad parts of the city. Rent is through the roof. Not quite as bad as San Fran or New York, but super high. And here’s the misnomer on the cost of living argument…your salaray is often not correctly adjusted to make up for the high cost of living. It’s adjusted…just not enough. In my opinion, if you were to move to So Cal, move to Ventura County. It’s what Orange County was 20 years ago. Stay as far away from Los Angeles County as possible. South Orange county is very nice but expensive. Also, Oxnard has nice areas but alot of it is NOT nice. If you’re near the freeway in oxnard, chances are it’s new and nice. Camarillo is THE place to live in ventura county.
Just so you know I took a drive down to Santa Barbara the other day I moved to Glendale 3 years ago but I was born and raised in East Hollywood / Los Feliz area about 15 minutes away from here. However I went to Santa Barbara the other day and there were homeless encampments EVERYWHERE it’s like downtown LA yeah it’s really bad there now too. As soon as you exit the freeway you’re greeted by blue tarp encampments with trash strewn all over the place.
I ended up in Downey by accident, at the Days Inn. I loved it! It’s a great area, and technically it’s east LA! I was shocked, a very livabele nieghborhood. All the Hispanics were so nice! I’d live there for a year, it had some great side streets with adorable homes. My Dads ex took the family fortune and she lives in Rancho Santa Fe, one of the most expensive towns in the state.
I’m from the Boston area living in southern Maine. I visited LA this past April. The traffic was NOTHING compared to Boston rush hour or 95 south in Maine in the summer on a Sunday or 95 north on a Friday. We stayed in Glendale and saw all of the touristy destinations including universal studios. We borrowed a relatives car and we were surprised how little traffic there was. When traffic moves past 30mph it’s not bad. Ours is stop and go and sometimes stopped completely.
I enjoyed the article. I was born in North Hollywood in 1954 and grew up in the San Fernando Valley (Canoga Park) until I finished with UCLA in the 70s and moved away in the early 80s. I’m in St. Louis now. I thought the part about “Hispanics who don’t cause trouble” was right—because it’s true that a large percentage work their butts off to support their families and are model citizens. Large parts of the SFV have been ruined due to development into 3-story apartment blocks. So. Calif was great in the 50s through 70s due to the fact that homes were affordable. After that everything went haywire.
I agree with you regarding most of SoCal, but surprised you picked on Long Beach. I have a condo that I rent out on 1st Street, which is one block from the beach, and I visit it on occasion. It’s between downtown and Belmont Shores. It seems like a very nice area. I live in NorCal now days, but have fond memories of Long Beach and do not plan to sell it.
if i could do the same version of this article that expanded on your description of noho, i’d really differentiate between NoHo, tuluca lake, studio city, sherman oaks, and encino to explain the Valley mentality. I’d even explain why Burbank is different, but glendale just isn’t LA. …… LA native here!
As a general rule, houses here are triple what they would be in Idaho or Iowa. So to get a dumpy 3 bedroom 1,700 sq ft house built 40-50 years ago in an area that is mostly safe but shit schools, and within a 50 minute drive to employment centers, expect to pay $500k to $600k. If you want updated to this century and ok schools, $700k. Good home with good schools start at $800. Above average home in above average neighborhood with above average schools has a price of admission of $1 million.
Great article the best things about LA and SoCal are the ocean seaside beaches, historic sites, restaurants and discount shopping 🛍 both my mother’s and father’s families started moving away from SoCal in the 1960s for all the reasons highlighted in this article and higher crime, expensive cost of living, air pollution, lack of friendly community etc Love ❤️ these Unboxing articles I lived in several areas in SoCal agree that Santa Barbara was the best but it has some undesirable surrounding areas too
Hey, Nick,! You hardly said anything about Long Beach, Iv’e lived here 45 yrs+, ( doesn’t mean I would’nt want to live anywhere else) you just about trashed it!, there are nice areas here, just come and spend a couple of or so cruise around. Nice Breeze in the summer ( mostly) Lots of folks with Dogs. Shoreline Village, The Grand Prix. Long Beach is probably one of the most Ethnically Diverse Cities in the US, White, Black, Fillipino, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Hmong( Laos) and, of course Hispanic( not just Mexican) El Sslvador, Peru. Anyway, Always appreciate your articles, especially, the ones on Wyoming, and Utah, take care, come to Long Beach and check it out more sometime( when you can)
There seems to be some really weird economics that happens about housing in big cities like these. Most people want to make a lot of money during their working years, buy a house as soon as possible, then sell their house to increase their nest egg, and retire to someplace much cheaper. Of course, this only works if you buy housing, not rent. So owning becomes more expensive relative to renting. Not that renting is cheap, but it’s not as insane as the price of owning.
Born, raised, and reared my own 2 kiddos in S. Cali (Alta Loma/Rancho Cucamonga)~My Daughter married my SIL, who is from Newport, and they now live in Mission Viejo, OC😎. Say they will NEVER leave as it is home and want to raise their own family there…I quit trying to convince them it is now “Commiefornia” since they simply don’t care as it is their happy place and up to them anyway🤷♀️:) Me, heading for South Dakota, where the excellent Governor still believes in actual FREEdom with other true Patriots🇺🇸~ P.S. Did first sign the RECALL against that Creepy Greusome Newsom~You are OUTta here🤬!!!
I was born in Panarama City Ca. and lived most of my younger days in North Hollywood near San Fernando (way before the whole NOHO label) but sadly the crime got to be out of control and as a young parent, my hubby and I moved out to Washington, now I reside in Iowa🌽🐄….I do have some great memories of Cali…but I dont miss it😉
I was waiting to hear what you had to say about Costa Mesa, where my cousin lives, but ohhh you just missed it. My friends once told me we were all going to a club in Rancho Cucamonga and I thought they were making it up but as I found it really does exist. And your convo with Mappy being Jewish – too funny. I had to look up where the Fairfax neighborhood is.
Come on Nick! You went easy on us! The I.E. is an episode in itself. Some of the things you missed: The scandals of the Hollywood & Laguna hills, the beautiful beach scenery that is all private vs the public trashed beaches, the cost of parking at the beach(anywhere), and don’t forget the forced coccaine addicted staff everywhere! Dude, you didn’t even mention all of our awesome dispensary signs you get to see while sitting in traffic! Born and raised in Vista, orange county, corona, Norco, riverside, Carlsbad, Solana Beach, lake Elsinore, and finally Bonsall…just moved out of state for the first time and haven’t smiled this much since I smoked my first joint!
Very informative article thank you! I hope Newsome is recalled! Its tragic what he did to that beautiful state! If it was not such a trash hole now we would move there and do our escape from NY! NYC is horrible there is nothing good about it any more. But at least California has nice beaches and weather though! Best article I have seen in a long time! I didn’t know Mappy was Jewish? The warm weather LOL!
Spent a su.mer in Oxnard when I was 12. I am now 70. I loved it then, because we spent days doing all the fun stuff. Got to go to Santa Barbara Mission and even at 12 I was highly impressed!! Then, when I was 35, my sister in law and family moved to Oakland. We visited them twice in the next 4 years. We took trips to the Lake Tahoe area and to Reno.They didn’t actually live in Oakland. I can’t remember where they actually lived, but the places where they did live was really pretty and nice!!!! From the looks of it, I don’t care to go back to California. But, thanks for the info!! Great job!! I LOVE maps!!!!
Nick please consider unboxing Southern Ontario. (no not Ontario California lol). I know it’s not in the USA but it’s ”midland” culture is traced back to the Quakers who settled and built Philadelphia and then expanded west and now make up one of the most American cultures to this day. 1/3 of all of Canada live in Southern Ontario… perhaps an unboxing article for South Ontario could be next?!! …If you need a article chat with somebody from here I’m your guy!! or help with anything at all. 🙂
Besides some parts of the coastline and national park and nature, Calofornia was the least attractive state of the USA when i visisted your country(west coast and midwest). Really didnt felt welcome there, people are out of their mind or fake as F. No, not a place that i would recommend to anyone. Greating from Amsterdam-The Netherlands
Good Vid. Mostly accurate. Hemet & Perris are gang infested which wasn’t pointed out. Long Beach has some very nice parts (i.e. Belmont Shore) along with the bad ones and Pasadena has some very bad parts to go with the good ones, as does Riverside. I haven’t been in San Diego for a little while but the last time I went it was still nice, but crowded just like everywhere in SoCal except for some of the ex-burbs. Overall, no longer a good place to live and hasn’t been for at least 25 years now. Glad I’m out.
he aint lying about downtown or hollywood, both areas are dumps.. and its always looked like that i remember when they would take us on field trips to hollywood or griffith park or dtla all those place looked shitty like they do now and i was a kid more than 20 years ago.. yall shouldnt move here its a really shallow pretentious place to live in.. and even the outside counties are the same..
When I first moved to the Central Valley in the 1990s, I used to..well, I still do… put “THE” in front of the freeways, like “The 5, 205, 580, 99, 120, 680, 101”..and the people up would say, ‘Why do you say THE before the freeway name…I’d say, “Well, I grew up in SoCal (West Covina) and this is how one describes what freeway they are going to or are on.”
Good one. The overall sweep. Nice places to visit but wouldya want to live there? I like Carlsbad. Its laid back seaside and clean. Prefer over San Diego. Lived upper Burbank hills edges in youth a while. The “bad” areas outside LA proper and rough ones have changed a lot in a few decades. Nicer high end areas remain that. Nicer and high end. They are beautiful. The closet Republican comment is accurate – imo. Image and even if false image Rules mindset and lifestyles. Just pick one (or two, depending on where you’ll be that week) and ride it out- like a wave. There seems to be an unspoken respect for masters of this among masters of this. Location location location might have started in So. Cal. To visit, its still the coast and lots to do and chose from, with a given being heavy traffic and tolerating attitudes. Residents can be very proud of any area they come from, and still have the art of a chameleon type nature. Those settled and comfy love there homes, wealthier preferred- with no shame in that. The states focus and goals are present from appearances but the actual plans to achieve them can be sketchy seat of your pants. Band aids and pasicifying encouraged and accepted. The snobs with out jobs excluded, kept kids who don’t have to worry about it… this State is confused. It maintains allure with areas that mesmerise and if one is, or can be, set financially for it, California remains a desired destination. There are areas where population work hard and take it a day at a time enjoying life with the same simplicity.
Thx Nick. Now there will be absolutely no way I can persuade my already reluctant wife to visit the country and state I’ve been willing to visit since the 1980’s. Almost ashamed to say I still haven’t managed to get on a plane and just go there. I live in Belgium. Prices for homes, in and near cities, are getting pretty ridiculous here too.
Lucille Ball’s Daughter Lucie Arnaz Lives In Palm Springs, California Now. With Her Husband… Lucy, & Desi Had A House In Palm Springs.. I Am A Big Fan Of Lucille Ball.. What A Pretty Lady Lucy Was. With Her Blue Eyes And Red Hair. .I Am Still All A East Coast Guy.. So Nick California Is Your Home State Eh?
In another article you mentioned that there are 18 towns or places in the US where English is not the main language. Have you already made a article about those places? I’m curious to know how there could be people that put aside the language most people around the world would like to learn. Regarding California, I lived in Los Angeles some 40 years ago and, although you didn’t go into those many details about this city, your article still brought fond memories of my sojourn there. Thanks for warning us about the inhospitable places in CA as well as the places where the rich and the aspirants to wealth live.
Lol a lot of this is so true. Every neighborhood has its quirks to it. I was born and raised in Upland, went to a new high school in Rialto. I Moved out of the state for college to Virginia. I returned from Virginia to Cali. I had roommates while I moved to Echo Park and Noho for a short time. Now I am living in Southwest LA in a place called the Jungles that has an apartment that I can afford solo lol. Now I am hoping to make my way back to the East Coast real soon as possible because it is very costly to live in LA.
I spent most of my life in Cali, I was born in East LA. I left twelve years ago when you could see what the demacrats where doing to it. If you want to see social decay and socialism at work, there you go. It would be a good place to live if you take out the demacrats and elites. I would love to go to visit but not till they get right.
I also grew up in New York State! I now live in Los Angeles and I absolutely love it. I’m here with my husband and kids and I just can’t imagine raising our family in a cold climate now. The weather and sunshine here I feel is a huge contributor to quality of life and one’s mental health. I really don’t miss the seasons or the snow! I also find the people to be much happier and relaxed overall than they are in the Northeast. I think the constant sunshine is the reason.
Best place for health and Mental Health indeed!! As a 55 year San Diego Native,, we lost our minds about 3 years ago and moved to Vancouver WA for 2 years then to Phoenix AZ for 5 months.. They both suck!!! We LOVE Southern California.. Absolutely the best weather in the Nation.. The most amazing people,, The lifestyle and soooo much to do year round. We have moved back home.. We LOVE IT!! No place like home!! Not to mention Anaheim, Pasadena, LA.. So close by and sooo much to do!!! Thanks Michael! You rock, brother. See ya in Paradise!!
Excellent review of what I, too, now call home, after moving here from Chicago when the pandemic began in early 2020. The thing that resonated with me most was how your emotional / mental well being and overall quality of life is just so much better here. For me that couldn’t be more true, and more at the very center of why I stay. Those west cost over-the-ocean sunsets also mesmerize me and I simply cannot pull myself away!
Michael!!! Are you sure you don’t work for the tourist industry? Before perusal your articles I had NO!! desire to venture into SoCal. Your love and appreciation for it is infectious. I would consider a trip now thanks to you. I have even taken to perusal sunsets live on teleport cam at Venus beach. Thanks for another great article. From Debra a former cynical New Yorker🍎💚💯
You didn’t need to convince us how amazing So Cal is!! We miss it badly 🥺 this article or actually all of your articles make us want to move out here! We agree with Rohan if we spelt it correct it always rains here in the U.K. we won’t see the ☀️ now until March/ April earliest 😢. Love your articles dude please keep bringing the good vibes this way 💙
Part of the reason I’ve started perusal your articles is to get your New York perspective on living in CA – as you said, it’s often easy for those of us born here to take it for granted, such as the views and the weather. It’s great that you’ve been hitting up all these spots and perusal sunsets over the Pacific Ocean! Also heads up, but since you’re living in SoCal, it’s “PCH” not “the PCH” – we’d only say that if you say it as the whole thing like “the Pacific Coast Highway”. If it’s appreviated, it’s just PCH without “the” – even though we always add “the” in front of stuff like the 405. Don’t ask me why lol!
Love your articles Michael!! You do such a terrific job and love the music and editing. You should work for a studio. So glad you are living your dream! I live in Canada (just across the St. Lawrence River from Northern New York state) so I am soooo jealous of you since it is starting to get chilly here. My husband and I have just booked a trip to LA and the California coast in a month and your vids are so interesting, fun, inspiring and helpful! Thank you!! See you on the beach for sunset in a month!😁🧺🍷🍷
What a gift! Thank you for this! Can’t wait to be back home in SoCal. And the gorgeous photos of Malibu! I lived in Big Bear for 3 1/2 yrs and worked at Starbucks lol but I’m from Glendora Ca. You would like a day trip in the Old Town of Glendora. There’s a little Pizzeria next to Classic Coffee. I used to take my kids there. Sweetest owner.
That was a really good observation regarding the spirits and the state of Hollywood. Some parts of Hollywood are sketchy, but some are good. But as a tourist on my first time there, I was like this is Hollywood? Now over 20 visits later I kind of accept it for what it is, and hopefully, it gets better, while commemorating its past!
What you said about natives? I’m a native. Guilty as charged. However, I think in certain ways SoCal is better today than it was over 20-30 years ago. But, yea, in other ways, it’s also worse. Same thing can be said about places like NYC, SF, Portland, Miami, Boston, etc. I’ve read that plenty of expatriates/transplants to Paris (Europe’s city of light) end up moving elsewhere. So people are naturally into wanderlust. Or itinerant.
Would y’all ever live in Texas? Sunny and warm/hot there too? Better yet, what are some distinctive advantages of choosing Cali over Texas? I’m a native Californian (Los Angeles). Been living in Texas on and off for 12 years. Thought I’d never move back to Cali but I can’t shake this intense feeling of wanting to move back despite everyone down-talking Cali. Not to LA, but somewhere else that’s close to the beach. I want to move there in a few years. Texas has everything Cali has except for beautiful beaches, but it’s something that’s missing for me. Trying to figure out what it is. Thanks!
He is one optimistic fellow to be optimistic about living here. If you have the financial means to enjoy a high cost of living, avoid public transit,, and isolate yourself to the more affluent areas it is a great place.. But if you can’t afford high housing costs, $7 coffees, $25 breakfasts and shopping at Whole Foods (Whole Paycheck) than it’s not so great. Yuppieville is great if you can afford it.. Everywhere else. Not so good