California's top second tier city? (Los Angeles, San Diego: affordable apartment, house, tech job)

[BRinSM]

Originally Posted by sacramento916

Oaktown has a better skyline than Long Beach. It is more dense.

Also, Oakland is just a much more iconic city. It's identity is very strong. While when I think of Long Beach, it's more like a suburb/city in the larger LA area. Look, don't go off because I know it's not a "suburb", but I usually do not think of it as it's own city, it's really just a part of LA. Oakland just has a lot more history, more culture, more of an identity.

you must be from northern california because people from southern california have the exact opposite view.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by S.D. Calif

San Diego is already ranked above San Jose. San Diego has way more to do. It is renowned for its climate. It has the Seaworld and the Zoo/Wild Animal Park, Legoland, Soak City, Belmont Park; Old Town, Seaport Village, the Gaslamp Quarter, La Jolla. 70 miles of some of the best beaches in the world. It has the Cabrillo National Monument, wealthy Coronado within its sights. San Diego has the largest second largest single runway airport in the world. A major port. It has some of the best schools, i.e. UCSD and is one of the safest cities in the country. It's a center for biomedical research.

I think that trumps San Jose.

While I agree that San Diego would outrank San Jose, let's clear a couple of things up as this list is somewhat trumped up just a tad:

Legoland and Soak City are not actually in San Diego. They are in neighboring cities within the county; Carlsbad and Chula Vista respectively. It would be like San Jose claiming something that was in Santa Clara and/or Sunnyvale.

San Diego's beaches are ok but I wouldn't go as far as to say that they're some of the best in the world. They tend to be quite dirty hence the need for beach clean ups periodically. I find Orange County beaches nicer. San Diego is a safe city but San Jose actually beats it.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by sacramento916

I have to disagree. How does Oakland have greater access to nature than Sacramento? Sacramento's backyard is the great wilderness of the Sierras and the foothills.

Because the nature near Oakland is much much closer. One does not have to drive the one or two hours to the Sierras. Oakland's eastern boundary is nothing but wild land. Regional parks and regional wilderness areas that together belong to the largest urban park district in the country. Vast expanses of woodland, grassland, lakes and streams. Entire watersheds that are undeveloped. The city, indeed many Bay Area cities seriously come to an abrupt halt at the boundary of these parks. Most cities sort of fizzle away into the wilder areas as ugly subdivisions. Few are nestled right up to wild areas like this.

In addition, the city of Oakland itself has so many parks, some being so large that the city has it's own park rangers.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by sacramento916

The Oakland Hills are nice. But they are not wilderness. I don't know what your idea of wilderness is, but I doubt any serious camper would consider the Oakland Hills "wilderness".

As I mentioned, wilderness areas border Oakland. Camping is available in Anthony Chabot Regional Park. I've camped there myself.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by S.D. Calif

The thing that makes a city important is all the aspects it covers. San Jose ranks high when it comes to innovation. Sacramento is strictly known as the capital. Unlike the other two, San Diego is well known for its colleges, climate, port, being on the bay, history, as well as economic importance. It has one of the larger ports on the West Coast and is also the site of the west coast's navy. It's the center of biomedical research in the country. It also has a much larger skyline than the other two. In my opinion, San Diego is a lot more big city than the other two, and I feel most people would agree with me.

Again trumped up.

San Diego for starters has one of the smaller ports on the west coast. Long Beach and Oakland take the cake on large ports. San Francisco and Seattle would be next.

San Diego is well known for its colleges, climate, port, being on the bay, history, as well as economic importance.

Only the bold part is really true. Lost of places are known for colleges. Berkeley, Standford, Harvard and Yale are perhaps the best know colleges in the country. None of those are anywhere near SD. Economic importance is local. History again, mostly if you're local. Can't hold a stick to the Gold Rush. The navy I'll give you that. Being on the bay? Really? What city is known as the city by the bay?

[michto-gadjo]

*
Hello, I am French and in 5 years I plan to go live in the United States (California). I need someone who knows the area well to help me settle there...

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by Nineties Flava

I agree, SD is not on LA nor SF's level. IMO it still edges out the other California cities though.

I agree

[pistola916]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

Because the nature near Oakland is much much closer. One does not have to drive the one or two hours to the Sierras. Oakland's eastern boundary is nothing but wild land. Regional parks and regional wilderness areas that together belong to the largest urban park district in the country. Vast expanses of woodland, grassland, lakes and streams. Entire watersheds that are undeveloped. The city, indeed many Bay Area cities seriously come to an abrupt halt at the boundary of these parks. Most cities sort of fizzle away into the wilder areas as ugly subdivisions. Few are nestled right up to wild areas like this.

In addition, the city of Oakland itself has so many parks, some being so large that the city has it's own park rangers.

Sacramento has the American River Parkway, stretching from Downtown to Folsom. It's quite big, at 23 miles long. I think they have their own park rangers too, but i may be wrong.

The parkway has a world-class bike trail, great parks, wildlife, rafting, swimming, & kayaking, the Nimbus aquatic center, the hatchery, Folsom Lake, the list goes on.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

you must be from northern california because people from southern california have the exact opposite view.

I might agree with you except having lived in Southern California, I never got the impression that Long Beach was viewed down there as a City the way Oakland is regarded up here.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by pistola916

Sacramento has the American River Parkway, stretching from Downtown to Folsom. It's quite big, at 23 miles long. I think they have their own park rangers too, but i may be wrong.

The parkway has a world-class bike trail, great parks, wildlife, rafting, swimming, & kayaking, the Nimbus aquatic center, the hatchery, Folsom Lake, the list goes on.

I've not lived in Sacramento but been there a few times. Perhaps it's all relative.