California lifestyle?
03-08-2019, 11:08 PM
#31
03-08-2019, 11:37 PM
#32
Drifting
I am in LA for the weather, the beach, the culture and the beautiful women. If I did not live by the beach, I would not live in California. Like others have said, it is markedly hotter the further inland you go. If I am going to live in heat and in the desert, why live in California and pay crazy taxes? If I wanted desert living, I would choose Las Vegas (no state income tax) or Scottsdale, AZ. And yes, the traffic is soul-sucking. Having lived in MD, TX, MO, KS, MA, and RI prior to California, I can say unequivocally that LA has far and away the worst drivers in the nation. Distracted drivers...angry drivers...pot smoking drivers...texting drivers...some drivers do all of the above all at once. You take your life into your own hands every time you get on the road in LA, no matter the hour. Unlike most everywhere else in the world, in LA you truly have to think twice before leaving your house. You have to plan ahead. You don't just jump in the car at any hour and do some random activity. If you do, prepare to be stuck in traffic. Unless I am going to the nearby grocery store, I always factor in the day and the time of day before venturing out. One of the prices we pay in So Cal for sunny and 72 degrees.
Prior to LA, I practiced medicine in Santa Barbara for three years. That is a truly magical place. The saying is that SB is for "the newlywed and the nearly dead." SB might be the perfect spot for you. Less traffic than LA, SD or SF, it is a gorgeous beach community with the backdrop of the magnificent Santa Ynez mountains, it has great culture for a city of 90,000 people (the same population as Santa Monica). Great restaurants, nice art museum, they have a symphony, fantastic wine bars everywhere you look.... So, why did I leave and head to LA? Because I was 35, single and I decided to open my own practice in Beverly Hills. That being said, I plan on buying a home up there someday and I would love to retire there - I'll become one of the "nearly" (and eventually completely) dead. SB also has easy access to gorgeous mountain and coastal drives and great golf for a small town (much better offerings than LA).
If I were in your shoes, I would jump in your 911, put "Santa Barbara, CA" in your GPS and never look back. You will be glad you did.
Prior to LA, I practiced medicine in Santa Barbara for three years. That is a truly magical place. The saying is that SB is for "the newlywed and the nearly dead." SB might be the perfect spot for you. Less traffic than LA, SD or SF, it is a gorgeous beach community with the backdrop of the magnificent Santa Ynez mountains, it has great culture for a city of 90,000 people (the same population as Santa Monica). Great restaurants, nice art museum, they have a symphony, fantastic wine bars everywhere you look.... So, why did I leave and head to LA? Because I was 35, single and I decided to open my own practice in Beverly Hills. That being said, I plan on buying a home up there someday and I would love to retire there - I'll become one of the "nearly" (and eventually completely) dead. SB also has easy access to gorgeous mountain and coastal drives and great golf for a small town (much better offerings than LA).
If I were in your shoes, I would jump in your 911, put "Santa Barbara, CA" in your GPS and never look back. You will be glad you did.
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Hdizzle (06-29-2022)
03-08-2019, 11:40 PM
#33
I relocated from Central New Jersey to Southern California about 8 years ago now. I don't regret the decision at all, but I will agree with what everyone above said.
I live in the Irvine area (close to where the 5 and 405 freeways meet, which is *I think* southern Orange County?). I had some family here which made the move a little easier and I had a job waiting for me. Weather is great of course...so great that you probably look forward to a little rain here and there for some change in scenery. Depending on where you are, I can go to the beach and then go snowboarding in one day.
Taxes are higher and home values (on average) are much higher. I could be living in a giant house in NJ with multiple garages but I'm stuck in a townhouse with no real driveway/backyard for like a million bucks haha. But hey, in the end it is what makes you happy. I don't think I could go back to NJ, but I wouldn't be opposed to living somewhere else when I retire (somewhere cheaper).
I also have no kids (yet) so there's a lot of freedom for activities. Everything you can think of is within an hour's drive. I tracked my car in NJ a lot, but since I've moved here other priorities have taken over so I haven't experienced any tracks in CA.
I live in the Irvine area (close to where the 5 and 405 freeways meet, which is *I think* southern Orange County?). I had some family here which made the move a little easier and I had a job waiting for me. Weather is great of course...so great that you probably look forward to a little rain here and there for some change in scenery. Depending on where you are, I can go to the beach and then go snowboarding in one day.
Taxes are higher and home values (on average) are much higher. I could be living in a giant house in NJ with multiple garages but I'm stuck in a townhouse with no real driveway/backyard for like a million bucks haha. But hey, in the end it is what makes you happy. I don't think I could go back to NJ, but I wouldn't be opposed to living somewhere else when I retire (somewhere cheaper).
I also have no kids (yet) so there's a lot of freedom for activities. Everything you can think of is within an hour's drive. I tracked my car in NJ a lot, but since I've moved here other priorities have taken over so I haven't experienced any tracks in CA.
03-08-2019, 11:46 PM
#34
Ridiculous housing prices, sky high taxes, crazy utility costs, car registration fees that make the eyes water, loony politics, earthquakes, wildfires, floods, mudslides, and a biblical drought that will only get worse over time as the last of the groundwater is depleted. Stay away. You’ll hate it here.
03-09-2019, 12:00 AM
#35
Drifting
Ridiculous housing prices, sky high taxes, crazy utility costs, car registration fees that make the eyes water, loony politics, earthquakes, wildfires, floods, mudslides, and a biblical drought that will only get worse over time as the last of the groundwater is depleted. Stay away. You’ll hate it here.
03-09-2019, 12:06 AM
#36
Rennlist Member
I Grew up in OC and now live in LA.
It sounds like you aren't relocating for a job and in this case, daily freeway travel to and from work doesn't apply to you. The comments on housing prices, taxes, etc...are all true. There's big sticker shock there. Having said that, the weather allows you to participate in activities you love year round.
If you and your wife enjoy doing car activities and love spending time with each other, there aren't too many places in the world that would beat CA.
My suggestion is that you have your RS sent out to San Diego, get in the car and drive up the coast on a 10 day driving trip all the way up to SF. We will all gladly chime in on where you should stay, what cities to check out along the way and where to eat etc...
By the end of that trip, you will have your answer. My parents did that back in the late 70's when relocating from the east coast. We stopped for lunch in Newport Beach on a drive up the coast, and my dad just said "this is it" and we ended up settling down there.
Good luck!!
It sounds like you aren't relocating for a job and in this case, daily freeway travel to and from work doesn't apply to you. The comments on housing prices, taxes, etc...are all true. There's big sticker shock there. Having said that, the weather allows you to participate in activities you love year round.
If you and your wife enjoy doing car activities and love spending time with each other, there aren't too many places in the world that would beat CA.
My suggestion is that you have your RS sent out to San Diego, get in the car and drive up the coast on a 10 day driving trip all the way up to SF. We will all gladly chime in on where you should stay, what cities to check out along the way and where to eat etc...
By the end of that trip, you will have your answer. My parents did that back in the late 70's when relocating from the east coast. We stopped for lunch in Newport Beach on a drive up the coast, and my dad just said "this is it" and we ended up settling down there.
Good luck!!
03-09-2019, 12:08 AM
#37
I grew up in Santa Monica IMO its the best city in LA...you have Venice beach, Malibu, Hollywood, Westwood, Beverly hills any many other nice cities near by. If you looking to purchase or rent a home try to get a place north of Montana between the beach and 26th street. Brentwood is also a nice place 
03-09-2019, 12:13 AM
#38
Nordschleife Master
Only 3 reasons keep me here in this godforsaken state:
1). Sonoma raceway
2). Thunderhill Raceway
3). Laguna Seca raceway
If not for these 3, I'd leave this crummy state
1). Sonoma raceway
2). Thunderhill Raceway
3). Laguna Seca raceway
If not for these 3, I'd leave this crummy state
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mr965 (11-11-2021)
03-09-2019, 12:21 AM
#39
Rennlist Member
I lived in Orange County for 30 years. The weather is possibly the best in the world. Lots of beautiful women from all over the world. Great food scene. Car scene is amongst the best in the states. Beaches are cool.
Having said all of that we left 10 years ago for Colorado and don’t miss it at all. Why? Soul crushing traffic. Astronomical cost of living. Politics are left of Hugo Chavez.
But really, it is the traffic. You can’t realiy enjoy going anywhere because the freeways are crowdwd at 2am. Parking is brutal. You end up staying home a lot because going anywhere is too much work. Cost of living is very very high, but that isn’t why we left.
California 40 years ago was awesome. It is nothing like that today, unfortunately. We saw her best years, but those days are over. The weather only takes you so far. But you will love it for a while until the above issues are too much to deal with.
Good luck!
Having said all of that we left 10 years ago for Colorado and don’t miss it at all. Why? Soul crushing traffic. Astronomical cost of living. Politics are left of Hugo Chavez.
But really, it is the traffic. You can’t realiy enjoy going anywhere because the freeways are crowdwd at 2am. Parking is brutal. You end up staying home a lot because going anywhere is too much work. Cost of living is very very high, but that isn’t why we left.
California 40 years ago was awesome. It is nothing like that today, unfortunately. We saw her best years, but those days are over. The weather only takes you so far. But you will love it for a while until the above issues are too much to deal with.
Good luck!
03-09-2019, 01:18 AM
#40
Rennlist Member
Originally Posted by Derek RS
I grew up in Santa Monica IMO its the best city in LA...you have Venice beach, Malibu, Hollywood, Westwood, Beverly hills any many other nice cities near by. If you looking to purchase or rent a home try to get a place north of Montana between the beach and 26th street. Brentwood is also a nice place
03-09-2019, 01:25 AM
#41
Drifting
Santa Monica is awesome. I totally agree. It's about as good as it gets in LA. Great food, the beach, gorgeous women everywhere, it is very walkable. But....the traffic in and out of SM is a nightmare. If you do not have to leave the SM bubble, yes, it is heaven on earth. If you commute east of the 405, you are in for a hellish drive to and from work but at the end of the day, for me (when I lived there) it was totally worth it.
03-09-2019, 01:33 AM
#42
Santa Monica is awesome. I totally agree. It's about as good as it gets in LA. Great food, the beach, gorgeous women everywhere, it is very walkable. But....the traffic in and out of SM is a nightmare. If you do not have to leave the SM bubble, yes, it is heaven on earth. If you commute east of the 405, you are in for a hellish drive to and from work but at the end of the day, for me (when I lived there) it was totally worth it.
03-09-2019, 02:21 AM
#43
Drifting
Yes, much ball sucking in West LA. On occasion, it has taken me upwards of 90 minutes to go 10 miles, from Beverly Hills to Playa Del Rey. That is rare, but it happens. Usually, it is a solid 45 minutes from BH to PDR after 4:30 but if there is a jumper on the 101, a fire on the 405, a 10 car pile-up on the 10, whatever, all bets are off. Good thing I find myself sitting within the confines of a 911....
03-09-2019, 10:03 AM
#44
Yes, much ball sucking in West LA. On occasion, it has taken me upwards of 90 minutes to go 10 miles, from Beverly Hills to Playa Del Rey. That is rare, but it happens. Usually, it is a solid 45 minutes from BH to PDR after 4:30 but if there is a jumper on the 101, a fire on the 405, a 10 car pile-up on the 10, whatever, all bets are off. Good thing I find myself sitting within the confines of a 911....
03-09-2019, 10:27 AM
#45
Race Director
Yes, much ball sucking in West LA. On occasion, it has taken me upwards of 90 minutes to go 10 miles, from Beverly Hills to Playa Del Rey. That is rare, but it happens. Usually, it is a solid 45 minutes from BH to PDR after 4:30 but if there is a jumper on the 101, a fire on the 405, a 10 car pile-up on the 10, whatever, all bets are off. Good thing I find myself sitting within the confines of a 911....
Hey, i don’t blame anyone for living anywhere. We all get to decide where to live, and the reasons can be complicated. If you lived in Cleveland your entire life, Southern California is going to look pretty amazing to you. Sun! And trust me, in 1980 it was. In any case OP, good luck. I think everyone should live in California at least once, just to experience it. Heck, you might love it. I know i did once.
