The climate, the cultures, the call of freedom;
The cornucopia of cuisine options, the vacation opportunities, the exclusive communities and chances;
The iconic beaches, dynamic mountains, the quaint deserts, the prestigious cities, whimsical hills and native nature.
You name it.
Here are some of the mainstream things people love about Southern California from the perspective of a local:
- Hollywood: Sunset and Hollywood Blvd are staples of California’s tourism. Scattered throughout the city there’s some great places. The walk of fame is here of course.
- Griffith Observatory: Not far from the notorious Hollywood Sign is the world-famous Griffith Observatory.
- Amusement Parks: Yes we all know the big ones, starts with D and rhymes with Sydney, Universal, Knott’s, Six Flags, but SeaWorld and LEGO Land are also here, and more.
- The Zoo: The San Diego Zoo is one of the most successful. The LA Zoo is a nice walk too. CALM is lesser known and there are several that even some locals aren’t aware of unless they live near one.
- Sports: Angels and Dodgers stadiums are only an hour apart, yet provide very unique experiences. Aside from Baseball, catch a Lakers game if you’re lucky, check out a football game, or one of the many other teams Southern California has to offer.
- Santa Monica Pier: Many of the SoCal beaches have piers with a lot to offer, but Santa Monica is one-of-a-kind with its ability to entertain tens of millions of people each year. There’s an entire theme park, an array of food, drink, novelties, games and an ocean view. Its proximity to other mediums of enjoyment is also a plus.
- Museums and Art Galleries: LACMA specifically you may recognize from movies, shows and art. The Getty is a huge tourist attraction as well.
- Little Communities: There are two places famously called Little Italy in SoCal; San Diego’s Little Italy and Los Angeles’ Little Italy. It doesn’t stop at Italy either. There’s a Chinatown in LA, for example. Solvang, the famous Danish town in California, is near the border of SoCal.
California has something for everyone.