Southern CA?

Question

I'm seriously considering relocating to southern California. My top choices are:

1. San Diego
2.Fullerton
3.Burbank.
4. Open

Anyone have any insight, comments, useful information?

Answer 1

Other places you would probably like...
West Hollywood, Silverlake, Pasadena, Belmont Shore, Long Beach (closer to the water the better) Santa Barbara is really nice.
Those would be my choices if you are coming this way but out of the places you mentioned I would choose San Diego... Nice all year round... Younger people and it tends to be a bit laid back compared to LA... Close to TJ and LA isn't too far either. But Cost of living would be high pretty much anywhere in SoCal.

Answer 2

It really depends on where your job is. You have basically choosen either San Diego County, Orange County or LA County.

For example if your job was in San Diego and you decided to live in Burbank you would be looking at a 4-6 hour commute each day(2-3 hours each way).

The cost of Living in Southern CA is pretty high all over, but Fullerton would probably be the most affordable. San Diego would be the least affordable. There are places in Orange County along the coast that are also very expensive but Fullerton is inland a bit and would be considered about average for Orange County.
Personally I like Orange County as an area, because you are actually between LA and San Diego which gives quite a bit of options.


Depending on where you are comming from, a car is almost required here because of how things are spread out. You can get by without one but it makes things very tough sometimes.

Answer 3

I had been in California for 6 months. I had been in San Francisco, Concord and the Contra Costa County ( Antioch, Martinez, Oakland, Pittsburgh, Berkeley ) , Vallejo, Sonoma, Sta Rosa in the North. I had been also in San Diego, LA, Alisso Viejo, Laguna Beach and Irvine in the Orange County, Anaheim, Buena Park, Glendale, Camarillo, Simi Valley and El Centro.

First of all, see first the availability of job in the area you want to move to. Then looking for an apartment or a house will follow.

Definitely, San Diego is nice but alot of people I know there go to LA to find jobs. Orange County is as nice as San Diego but cost of living is also high. Go around these areas first before you finally settle there. Hope you dont regret it later. You didnt mention from where are you. It might be better there than you know.

The studio type rooms in San Francisco and the bay area.is $1,000+++. In San Diego, it would depend on the environment. In National City, you will find a 2 rooms apartment costing $700.00++ a month, it is just across the Paradise Valley Hospital. It is more expensive in the campus area, in UC San Diego or La Jolla.

The most cheapest rental I had seen is in El Centro, an hour's drive from San Diego. A 3 bedroom house, 2 comfort rooms, big living room, a big garage and big backyard will cost you $900.00++. The drawback is that it gets to as high as 75 F as early as March when I was there. However, if you will have an aircon, the cost of it wont be that much also when you are working and the children are in school. It also gets cold there during the winter season. It is the only place I had been with a 24 hour super Walmart. It is also near the Mexican border though it is a quiet community.

LA is too crowded. It gives you stress just being out there in the traffic highways. The traffic is more during the spring breaks. Just imagine the stress it gives you when you are just vacationing. Do you want to live there the rest of your life under stress?

Search also Corona, California. My friend moved there because the rental there is lower compared to downtown LA and San Diego.

Answer 4

I think you should stick with your #1 choice San Diego. It's a really nice city with good homes, food, people, wheather, and basically everthing. Don't go to Fullerton or Burbank because it's mostly flat and there's really nothing exciting or diverse about those cities. I think that you should probably move to San Diego at first so you can enjoy everthing Southern California has and become stable in your finances. Then you can explore other great areas like Pasadena, Santa Barbara, Westwood, San Clemente, Mission Viejo, Oceanside, or anywhere else in Orange County

Answer 5

Go to San Diego, it's the best place in Southern CA. The people are friendly and nice; everyone is from somewhere else so we are all chill and just down to kick it and meet new people. It's more laid back here than LA/OC. The women are beautiful. If you are young you should move to Pacific Beach, tons of young people and great nightlife; it's a close knit community and you can get anywhere on foot or bike if you dont want to drive. It's also close to La Jolla, Mission Beach, Downtown, Mission valley, Ocean Beach, and the best parts of SD.
It's very sunny and warm most of the year. Tons of things to do all the time and the best beach scene in all of Southern CA and the warmest water. It's not crowded or congested like LA and Orange County and the traffic is much better.

Fullerton is a nice town, it has a nice downtown thats walkable unlike most of Orange County. But the area around it is pretty dull and lame. Nothing but tract homes, strip malls, and freeways. Burbank is pretty similar, closer to LA attractions but very dull and suburban. And it gets hot as hell there in summer, many days 90+ and 100+. Also it's more expensive in Orange County and Burbank than a place in SD near the beach, SD is cheaper than LA and OC for rent and housing. My friend lived in a 1br in Brea and paid $1000. You can easily get an apt in Pacific Beach for that. Best deal in CA in my opinon.

I moved to SD for college 6 years ago after growing up in the Bay Area and graduated almost 2 years ago and havent left yet. SD is awesome and you will like it down here more than those other places.

Answer 6

San Diego! There's so much to do here, and most of it is within 45 min of driving. Only drawback is its expensive, but I just graduated college and am still managing to have an apt with an ocean view! Where else can you surf in the morning and be snowboarding by the afternoon? Or go from the tidepools to hiking a view of all of San Diego? I've lived here 5 years and still haven't run out of things to do!

Answer 7

San Diego is very nice, and Burbank is also a decent place to live. Not real familiar with Fullerton. I would also suggest Pasadena, Glendale, Montrose, La Crescenta.

Answer 8

Of your choices, I would say Fullerton. I believe your job outlook is better in OC. San Diego is also very good, but a lot of the pluses that people have listed for SD also apply to OC. You can surf in the morning and snowboard in the afternoon if you live in OC, as well. Fullerton has a large Cal State campus, so there are plenty of places to go and have fun.

Answer 9

of those choices, San Diego. I like the South Bay (los Angeles) area

Answer 10

Go to San Diego as far away from LA