There are many very beautiful places in California, but the topic is where are the best places to live. In the north around San Francisco, it is extremely beautiful and many sites to behold, but extremely expensive and unless you have a huge high paying job, it would be a difficult place to say it was the best. I do think it is one of the best vacation spots though.
California has much to offer in the way of living happy and comfortable. It has warm free beaches, pleasnt climate and good paying jobs. Put all of this together and you get the absolutely perfect place to live. Choosing the best place to live would definitely be down south. It has reasonably priced housing and it is easily accessible to everything.
San Diego:
San Diego has it all from the Sea World attraction, the world famous zoo to the many ports of call. San Diego has many jobs. Many jobs mean that you can afford to live. San Diego has beautiful beaches, tree lined streets, and lots of good food. Many of the local communities are only a few steps away and just add to the beauty of the splendorous life in San Diego.
San Diego is not far from the border of Mexico also, so for a quick visit and some cheap Mexican food, Tijuanna is close by. Some of the best communities close by are: La Jolla, Oceanside, Carlsbad and Escondido.
Huntington Beach:
Huntington Beach is the honeymoon capital of California and a truly beautiful place to live. It has everything. Just north of San Diego and within a short drive to Los Angeles. The homes are beautiful and medium priced and the schools are excellent. Huntington beach is in the middle of some very exclusive neighborshoods such as Laguna Beach, San Clemente and Costa Mesa. Just north a little you run into Seal Beach. These are upper end communities and you will need a little more money to buy in these areas.
Lakewood, Long Beach and Downey:
Some of the best places to live in California is here. The homes are very reasonable in price, the schools are very good and these are safe areas to live. Whether you want to take a walk to the park or go have a hamburger late at night, anyone at any age will feel free to roam. There are certain areas of North Long Beach to stay away from, but the majority of Long Beach is upper class and very good to spend the rest of your life there.
Downey is the best of them all. It is a beautiful and safe community. It is surrounded by the I-5 and the I-10 on each border, a skip and a hop from downtown Los Angeles. It has Stonewood Mall and many large hotels that are easily accessible. Embassy suites has nightly happy hour with free coctails and live entertainment.
Many restaurants from Papa John's Pizza to Marie Callender's Restaurant. Richard Carpenter's home was in Downey for years and recently sold for over two million dollars, not the norm for sure. It is a place of comfort and a place to send your children to some of the best schools.
Santa Monica and Venice:
For those who just love to smell the beach morning noon and night, these are the towns for you. They are more expensive than the Downey and Lakewood areas, but they have many amenities. Santa Monica is famous for its peirs and Venice has its walk ways and bicycle trails. They are more metropolitan compared to Downey and Lakewood.
Downey and Lakewood are more home town USA type areas and Santa Monica and Venice are more of the type of places where people like excitement and the night life.
Malibu and Santa Barbara:
These last two cities are the cream of the crop. They are where celebrities live and vacation. They are next to the ocean with the best view and they are very expensive. Malibu has small lots and right on the ocean and Santa Barbara is off the ocean trail, but it has huge tree lined lots.
Why even Oprah and Barbara Streisand live there. They are extremely beautiful cities and extremely desired. A home in Santa Barbara is a home next to heaven.
No matter where you decide to "hang your hat," California welcomes you with open arms. Beautiful beaches, nice climate and plenty of jobs. All the necessities of life.
