There’s so much to love about living here in Los Angeles in our Southern California apartments. Like, so much.
Though we could never get anywhere near to listing everything there is to like about L.A., we can definitely start with a few of our favorites.
Why we love living in Southern California
Weird laws and fun facts
Los Angeles wasn’t always all glamor and glitz! Just like any city, there are some odd, outdated laws and weird facts that make the ultra-fashionable city seem a little more… well, human.
Like, for example, the fact that it’s against the law for a balloon to fly more than five feet above ground, or that you may not drive more than 2,000 sheep down Hollywood Boulevard at one time.
Thrift stores galore!
L.A. is all about style, and one can find it anywhere one looks. Including, of course, the many thrift stores scattered around town!
Whether you’re looking for vintage tees, fabulous furniture or ‘80s vinyls, there are certainly enough thrift stores around Los Angeles to ensure a treasure trove of finds!
Haunted mansions
We all love a good ghost story, and Los Angeles certainly has some spectacular ones. There’s the Rosenheim Mansion that gained popularity as the “American Horror Story” house, and the spooky old Los Angeles Zoo with its eerily empty cages. There’s the cursed Bermuda Triangle of Beverly Hills, which has seen a number of tragic deaths over the decades. And, of course, the Knickerbocker Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles is said to host the ghosts of celebrity visitors, the likes of which include Elvis Presley, Harry Houdini, Graham Nash and Marilyn Monroe.
Scenic state parks & national parks
Southern California is surrounded by a wide variety of climates, all of which allow us to see some truly astounding natural features and gorgeous scenery within just a day’s excursion!
Check out some gorgeous fall foliage that rivals that of the East Coast at scenic areas like Big Bear Lake, Stoddard Peak, Oak Glen or Lake Gregory. Or, if you want some wide, open spaces just minutes from the city, head to Point Mugu State Park for over 14,000 acres of gorgeous Santa Monica Mountain scenery.
Not to mention, there are eight national parks within a five-hour drive of downtown Los Angeles, all of which offer near-unparalleled landscapes found nowhere else on the planet. Death Valley National Park, one of the hottest places on the Earth, has its mysterious moving rocks and volcanic remnants. The ancient giant sequoias in Sequoia National Park dwarf their visitors, and the jutted landscape of Pinnacles National Park provides a bountiful opportunity for outdoor recreation.
There’s just so much to see!
LA’s iconic palm trees
Did you know that Los Angeles’s palm trees are not even native to the Californian coast? Who’d have thought?
Great doughnuts
We all love a good pastry shop, and it turns out that Los Angeles has some truly delicious doughnut shops scattered throughout the city. From old-fashioned cream puffs to elaborate matcha-monsters and more, check out these local stores next time you’re itching for something sweet.
A rich history
Olvera Street is the heart of Los Angeles history, though it’s often overlooked when it comes to local attractions.
It was here that the first dwellings were built by settlers arriving in 1780. Small farms popped up soon after, and trade between the wine, cattle and farming industries took place in this business district. Olvera Street became the de-facto wine street where people could trade with other vineyards and conduct business in the industry.
As the city grew, this business center turned into a large plaza, which turned into a cultural center where people could congregate for music, food and art.
Hollywood’s wild success story
Today, Hollywood is the center of the film industry in the country and one of the biggest centers of film industry in the world. It’s a name that’s synonymous with fame, success, glitz and glamor, and there’s not one souvenir shop in Los Angeles that doesn't feature the stark white Hollywood sign on their memorabilia.
But back in the neighborhood’s earliest days, the land upon which Hollywood sits today was not covered in red carpet, but in orange trees and the scent of citrus in the air. Indeed, Hollywood was first used as farmland for oranges in the early 1900s, yet by 1920 it was the center of American filmmaking. Talk about instant success!
It’s surf central, USA
Surf culture in the United States started developing in Malibu around the same time that Southern California was beginning to take shape as an exotic and luxurious destination. Fast forward a century, and surfing is as integral to Southern California as its palm trees, both of which are not native to this area!
Definitely no hidden beaches, not at all
If there were hidden beaches that we most certainly did not want to reveal to anyone, we definitely wouldn’t direct them to Pirates Cove Beach in Malibu, or Table Rock Beach in Laguna Beach. And we definitely wouldn’t send them to Ormond Beach in Oxnard.
Good thing we would never do that. No way.
There’s an island full of bison
A herd of 14 bison were brought to Santa Catalina Island in 1924 for the production of a western movie, but the production team found it too difficult to ship them back. Now, there’s a herd of bison that, at one point, measured 200 beasts strong! You can see them there today, just hanging out on an island they had no idea they were only meant to be visiting.
Wine country, duh!
It’s no secret that Southern California is known for its wine. And for good reason!
The dry climate is to thank for the booming viticulture industry here. California has a Mediterranean climate that makes it ideal for growing grapes, a weather pattern that is characterized by wet winters and dry summers. That, combined with nutrient-rich soil deposited by ancient oceans and a cool breeze from the Pacific, makes for one of the most ideal locations for growing wine grapes in the world!
It was Spanish missionaries who first began producing wine here in California in the early 17th century. Back then, Franciscan monks used wine for their consecrations and for Holy Communion, but it took so long for wine to arrive from Spain that many resorted to growing the grapes themselves. They used seeds and vines smuggled out of Spain, and it turned out that the similar soil and climate was perfect for the Spanish variety to flourish.
The first mission to have a fully functional vineyard in California was Mission San Juan Capistrano in 1779. Wine-making spread quickly, and the rest, as they say, is history!
We hope you find your own reasons to love living in Los Angeles!
Enjoy!
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Featured photo courtesy Pixabay/manniguttenberger
Colleen Ford is a South African who now lives on Oahu in Hawai'i. She loves to travel, camp, spearfish and hike. She's also part of a super cool canoe club and is pretty decent at it. Colleen enjoys Star Wars and also not being cold ever.
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