How different is SoCal from NorCal? (Los Angeles, San Diego: amusement park, to live in, moving)

[gaijin_samurai]

Generally speaking, how different is the Bay Area from Los Angeles or San Diego? I mean more culturally and socially and which area would you prefer to live in?

[thechoson]

IMO, not as much as people make it out to be. I'd rather live in SoCal, not even close. Better weather, generally cheaper COL.

[04kL4nD]

IMO, it's more pronounced than some people make it out to be. I'd rather live in NorCal, not even close. More diverse, scenic, urban, dynamic.

[bmw335xi]

NorCal is more liberal and people dress more casual in general. People care more about their appearence in SoCal and are more politically mixed. The main difference is San Francisco is urban and compact while Los Angeles and San Diego are spreadout and more of a sprawl. I prefer San Francisco over LA. However, I would choose La Jolla (San Diego) over San Francisco.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by gaijin_samurai

Generally speaking, how different is the Bay Area from Los Angeles or San Diego? I mean more culturally and socially and which area would you prefer to live in?

Overall I don't think it's that different as most people live in similar environments in both places BUT it can vary a lot if you're comparing certain areas of each. For example the city of SF and Berkeley is pretty different from most places in Southern CA. Some of the beach cities in SoCal are pretty different than any areas up here. But most people tend to live in relatively average suburban type areas in both places.

NorCal is generally more liberal overall while SoCal is more moderate and has more of a mix. That can make a big difference to some, not me though.

I generally associated with similar types of people in both places so I never thought there was a huge difference socially BUT stereotypes do exist for a reason and some people notice more social contrasts than I do.

Some people think it's like night and day, I don't but it can depend on what you value, who you associate with, what you do, etc... Personally if it wasn't for family and friends up here I'd rather live in San Diego as I prefer the lifestyle more so there than here but I have no plans of moving back anytime in the near future. My life is good here with my career, family, and friends but me and my GF REALLY miss SD even though we both grew up here.

FWIW, I grew up here and lived in SD for 9 years, never lived in LA though.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

NorCal is more liberal and people dress more casual in general.

I would say San Diego have the most casually dressed people in CA and probably the nation outside of HI and maybe parts of FL. T-shirts, shorts, flip flops, etc..are the norm.

[thechoson]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

NorCal is more liberal and people dress more casual in general. People care more about their appearence in SoCal and are more politically mixed. The main difference is San Francisco is urban and compact while Los Angeles and San Diego are spreadout and more of a sprawl. I prefer San Francisco over LA. However, I would choose La Jolla (San Diego) over San Francisco.

I actually agree with most of your points except the dress. I think people in SoCal dress more casually. The work attire/culture here may be more casual because of the tech influence. But if I go out on a weekend to the mall/ grocery store, I rarely see people dressed in t-shirts, shorts, and flip flops like I did quite often in SoCal.

[ccm123]

I prefer Northern Cal, but have lived in Southern Cal for many years. The differences, as I see it:

SoCal:

1/ Entertainment oriented
2/ Car oriented
3/ Great museum, entertainment, amusement park scene
4/ Spread out
5/ World class beaches

NorCal:

1/ Career and education oriented
2/ Better cohesiveness in terms of community goals
3/ Tech oriented
4/ More compact and convenient
5/ Better natural beauty
6/ People of different cultures/races socialize more frequently together
7/ Less pretentious

[thechoson]

Originally Posted by sav858

Overall I don't think it's that different as most people live in similar environments in both places BUT it can vary a lot if you're comparing certain areas of each.

Wonderful point. Obviously you are going to have more of a difference between Pico Rivera and Rancho Palos Verdes than say Bel Air and Atherton.

[ttocs99]

Originally Posted by ccm123

I prefer Northern Cal, but have lived in Southern Cal for many years. The differences, as I see it:

SoCal:

1/ Entertainment oriented
2/ Car oriented
3/ Great museum, entertainment, amusement park scene
4/ Spread out
5/ World class beaches

NorCal:

1/ Career and education oriented
2/ Better cohesiveness in terms of community goals
3/ Tech oriented
4/ More compact and convenient
5/ Better natural beauty
6/ People of different cultures/races socialize more frequently together
7/ Less pretentious

Good list, I agree with most, including preferring NorCal.

I remember coming to California for the first time in 1989, I was going to be seeing a lot of California, starting in SF and winding up in LA (driving the coast after flying in from NYC). I was really psyched about LA, and not so psyched about SF. Well I wound up LOVING SF, and not caring for LA at all. I really fell in love with the whole state during that drive, stayed in Carmel (loved it), Fresno to visit a family friend (didn't love Fresno), and then finally LA. California has to be the most beautiful state, amazing drive.