HELP needed for relocation to California from UK!!!

[connie&dave]

Originally Posted by English Rob

Thank you all for your replies; since I wrote my question things have progressed - it looks like the LA area will be the place for me to move to. I will be needing to rent for 6-12 months. Does anyone know the best district, within a 40 mile radius of LA, that will be safe and have good schools please?
Rob

Hi English Rob-I'm the reverse of you I am an American living in the Uk-just moved here 10 months ago. I think having lived in both places kind of gives me an idea of what might appeal to a brit in California. There are MANY brits in the Orange County beach areas especially Laguna Niguel but my husband who is british found it to be too spread out, no trees, not much going on so far as night life. Personally I would go with Ventura County which is North of LA (good schools, nice beaches and close to Santa Barbara) and its a lot less pretentious than in the OC. Also its a nice little drive to Malibu on PCH. I'm sure you will fit right in as Americans love the English!

Good luck to you and your family!

[English Rob]

Thanks Connie - this is certainly an area that I will concider from your reccommendation; it sound lovely. How easy is it to get to southern LA district (Long Beech) from Ventura County? How long wouldi it take?
Rob

[connie&dave]

Originally Posted by English Rob

Thanks Connie - this is certainly an area that I will concider from your reccommendation; it sound lovely. How easy is it to get to southern LA district (Long Beech) from Ventura County? How long wouldi it take?
Rob

I can't say for sure but it is quite a long way although there is more than one route, I'm guessing at least 1.5 hours, the problem is you have to go through LA to get to Long Beach and that's where all the crazy traffic is. In that case OC is a lot closer, Huntington Beach is very close to Long Beach and the lesser of the evils. We were there over the summer and my husband loved that in several of the bars in the downtown area you can get Stella Artois on draft! HB is a charming surfing community in north oc, you can get a brochure sent to you in the UK on this website: Huntington Beach, California Beach Vacations - Surfcityusa.com® and its also less pretentious than some of the other south orange county cities

[English Rob]

Connie, had a look at the web site and it looks beautiful. Wow. Again you have been a complete star!
I know you said previously that you lived in Hampshire...did you ever have to put up with the M25? I'm sure your husband has if you haven't! This is a moterway that I take frequently - how does the traffic in the worst parts of LA compare to the M25?

[connie&dave]

Originally Posted by English Rob

Connie, had a look at the web site and it looks beautiful. Wow. Again you have been a complete star!
I know you said previously that you lived in Hampshire...did you ever have to put up with the M25? I'm sure your husband has if you haven't! This is a moterway that I take frequently - how does the traffic in the worst parts of LA compare to the M25?

I'm happy to help out! We live in Berkshire and my husband takes the train into London so honestly I haven't experienced the M25 during rush hours although I hear it is brutal, its probably just as bad as the 405 fwy. That's the thing about So. California because it is a highly desirable place to live the freeways are very congested -but I think it will be well worth the beaches and glorious weather!

[ocatheart]

Originally Posted by English Rob

Hi all; I was wondering if you could help me by making some suggestions where to relocate to...

My company will be reloating to California within the next 6 months. I will be supplying an American engineering component to the oil & gas industry, chemical plants and other associted industries over the whole State - I will need to be commuting to San Francisco, Los Angeles and Bakerfield.

My wife and I are into our thirties with two boys aged 6 & 3 who only speak english. A good school is essential.
We are gregarious people who love to meet new friends and get involved with the community. We love the outdoors and are very much looking forward to the move.

We would initially be looking to rent a property until we settled in.

Any suggestions will at least help me narrow down my search within your beautiful State. Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

Rob & Family

I'll chime in because I am from the UK (left West Yorks 7 years ago) and love So Cal. For me, because I have 3 boys I like to be somewhat near the beach. Currently we live in Austin, Texas but we used to live in Irvine, CA. Irvine has some of the best schools and is relatively close to the beach. We are in the process of moving back to OC. I had British/Scottish family living in Laguna Beach who loved it there too.

I know that you need to commute pretty far in different directions and Irvine or Laguna aren't all that close to any of them but the places you cited aren't close to one another either and I think OC is much nicer than most places in LA itself.

Honestly, those commutes will be pretty nasty whichever way you swing it and personally I think the freeways in CA can be worse than the M25 but if you're not traveling at peak times all the time, then they probably wont bother you much at all. Hope that helps and feel free to message me if you'd like to ask me anymore questions about it.

All the best to you and your family!!