What are your favorite/least favorite counties in California? (Los Angeles: neighborhoods, taxes)

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Brandon Graves

*sigh* Yet... Another question from me...

In your opinion(s), what are your favorite/least favorite counties in California?

Allow me to start with my own (from most favorite to least favorite):

1. Riverside County
2. San Diego County
3. San Bernardino County
4. Orange County
5. Los Angeles County

Any answers are greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

If you are asking based on those 5, I would say San Bernardino probably. Otherwise and i think I have been to about every county in the state, I would say Eureka. there are a few very positive things about the county but more very negative. I am not crazy over the central valley either.

Now I re-read and see you are asking us, for our favorites and least favorites and least favorites; O.C. is at the top of my favorites, followed by Sonoma, Marin, Sac and Napa.

[Count David]

Favorite:
Los Angeles
San Bernardino
Siskiyou
Stanislaus
Fresno
Glenn
Tehama
Sacramento
Shasta
Merced

Least Favorite:
Orange
San Diego

I'm meh on my native Riverside.

[Brandon Graves]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

Favorite:
Los Angeles
San Bernardino
Siskiyou
Stanislaus
Fresno
Glenn
Tehama
Sacramento
Shasta
Merced

Least Favorite:
Orange
San Diego

I'm meh on my native Riverside.

Why is that? It's your home (Riverside County (the desert side) is my home, as well).

[roadwarrior101]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

I'm meh on my native Riverside.

Really, really depends upon the city when evaluating.

For example, if you were talking about Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Indian, Wells, etc., I'd say that Riverside County is great.

On the other hand, I'd say that places like Blythe or cities in the IE are pretty awful.

Given that most California counties are so large, I don't think you can make blanket statements about most counties.

A few examples:

-LA County - Awesome - Malibu, Beverly Hills, Manhattan Beach; Terrible - South Central LA
-San Diego County - Awesome - La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe; Terrible - Lakeside, National City
-Santa Barbara County - Awesome - Santa Barbara, Montecito, Santa Ynez Valley; Terrible - Santa Maria
-Contra Costa County - Awesome - LaMorinda, Danville, Walnut Creek; Terrible - Antioch, Pittsburg

There are only a few counties that I can almost say are either awesome or terrible across the board:

-Awesome - Marin, San Francisco (city is the county), El Dorado, Napa
-Terrible - Pick any county in the San Joaquin Valley

[Brandon Graves]

Originally Posted by roadwarrior101

Really, really depends upon the city when evaluating.

For example, if you were talking about Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Indian, Wells, etc., I'd say that Riverside County is great.

On the other hand, I'd say that places like Blythe or cities in the IE are pretty awful.

Given that most California counties are so large, I don't think you can make blanket statements about most counties.

I agree with your statement.

Also, what would you say about Indio, Coachella, Cathedral City, and Desert Hot Springs?

Not all cities in the IE are awful (I'm not saying you said that), and there are some pretty great IE cities as well, such as Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Corona, Ontario, Upland, Chino Hills, Rancho Cucamonga, Loma Linda, Redlands, Yucaipa, Beaumont, and Riverside (IMO, mind you).

I would also like to add that just like how one cannot be able to make blanket statements (or, "paint with the same brush") about most CA counties, neither can one do that for most cities here in CA (just like the rest of the nation and world). Every city, town, settlement, or locale will have its good and safe areas and its bad and unsafe areas.

Otherwise, though, great post!

[roadwarrior101]

Originally Posted by Brandon Graves

I agree with your statement.

Also, what would you say about Indio, Coachella, Cathedral City, and Desert Hot Springs?

Not all cities in the IE are awful (I'm not saying you said that), and there are some pretty great IE cities as well, such as Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Corona, Ontario, Upland, Chino Hills, Rancho Cucamonga, Loma Linda, Redlands, Yucaipa, Beaumont, and Riverside (IMO, mind you).

I would also like to add that just like how one cannot be able to make blanket statements (or, "paint with the same brush") about most CA counties, neither can one do that for most cities here in CA (just like the rest of the nation and world). Every city, town, settlement, or locale will have its good and safe areas and its bad and unsafe areas.

Otherwise, though, great post!

I like the area around Temecula. The rest of the IE is far too smoggy for me, even if the individual community is nice. That in of itself would be a deal breaker for me.

You are right that a few of the desert communities aren't all that great either. Indio isn't bad, but I didn't really care for Coachella (poor agriculture community). Haven't spent any time in Desert Hot Springs, so I can't comment.

[Brandon Graves]

Originally Posted by roadwarrior101

I like the area around Temecula. The rest of the IE is far too smoggy for me, even if the individual community is nice. That in of itself would be a deal breaker for me.

You are right that a few of the desert communities aren't all that great either. Indio isn't bad, but I didn't really care for Coachella (poor agriculture community). Haven't spent any time in Desert Hot Springs, so I can't comment.

Personally, I think Indio (my hometown) is pretty nice in plenty of areas, the rest of it, not so much. It's definitely not all bad.

Coachella is currently experiencing new growth (e.g., revitalization of downtown Coachella (aka, Pueblo Viejo), etc.), and is transforming into more of a suburban community than agricultural as we speak, but there is still plenty of undeveloped land (in large amounts) to be had. In fact, I think it is a bit more suburban today than it was at least a decade ago, and yes, you're correct that it is still quite poor. I personally like Coachella, and I don't think it's all bad, either.

I grew up in Desert Hot Springs for a brief period between July 2001-April 2002, before moving to nearby Cathedral City, and after living in Thousand Palms (a balanced mixture of rural areas and suburbia). Sure, it might not be as bad as it used to be, but DHS is still definitely more of a miss than hit, though it does boast some nice areas, too, such as Mission Lakes Country Club. Oh, and it's quite windy a lot of the time.

As for Cathedral City, I like it better than DHS (perhaps by a long shot). It's located right next-door to and between Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage , so a straight shot from there if you desire more extensive shopping and dining options (it's also near Palm Desert for those amenities). I grew up there from April 2002-November 2003 and, overall, I'd say that Cat City is more of a hit (fine) than miss (not-so-fine) than what DHS is.

I personally also like Thousand Palms better than DHS (and perhaps also better than or on par with Cat City), and it's literally a stone's throw away from Rancho Mirage just across from the 10. I grew up there twice in my life, first time being from October 2000-July 2001, and the second time from July-October 2010. I wouldn't mind living in Thousand Palms again for the third time.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by Brandon Graves

Why is that? It's your home (Riverside County (the desert side) is my home, as well).

Originally Posted by roadwarrior101

Really, really depends upon the city when evaluating.

For clarification, I was taking them as counties as a whole. If I had to choose an inland Southern CA county, it would be San Bernardino, for a multitude of reasons ranging from personal to qualitative.

There are several parts of Riverside County that I do like, but if I'm being honest, there aren't that many. Nothing east of the San Gorgonio Pass appeals to me at all (sorry Brandon ), Temecula/Murrieta don't do it for me, I've been conditioned to think Norco is gross (I attended school for 5 years there), and Corona is nothing like it was when I was a kid ().

There are several parts of Riverside itself I really like. I like far east Moreno Valley, Woodcrest/environs, Calimesa/Banning/Beaumont, and that's pretty much it. I've never been to Idyllwild, but imagine I would like it.

OTOH, I have a much harder time naming parts of San Bernardino County that I don't like. I've lived there too. I've seen and experienced a ton of it.

I don't love or hate Kern. Lived there too. There is actually a ton of it that I like, but not enough to include it on my favorite list.

I would never, ever, ever, ever, ever live in Orange or San Diego counties, tbh I don't even really like visiting them.

So yeah, if I'm forced to live in So Cal again, it's likely to be Los Angeles County. If it has to be inland, it will be San Bernardino.

[Brandon Graves]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

For clarification, I was taking them as counties as a whole. If I had to choose an inland Southern CA county, it would be San Bernardino, for a multitude of reasons ranging from personal to qualitative.

There are several parts of Riverside County that I do like, but if I'm being honest, there aren't that many. Nothing east of the San Gorgonio Pass appeals to me at all (sorry Brandon ), Temecula/Murrieta don't do it for me, I've been conditioned to think Norco is gross (I attended school for 5 years there), and Corona is nothing like it was when I was a kid ().

There are several parts of Riverside itself I really like. I like far east Moreno Valley, Woodcrest/environs, Calimesa/Banning/Beaumont, and that's pretty much it. I've never been to Idyllwild, but imagine I would like it.

That's okay.

For other parts of Riverside County, the Banning Pass area (including Cabazon and Whitewater), the San Jacinto Valley (Hemet, San Jacinto, Winchester, etc.), Perris/Menifee, and Riverside/Moreno Valley/Corona are probably my other favorites. Maybe Blythe and surrounding small towns (Mesa Verde, Ripley, East Blythe) also. I have never been to either Desert Center or Chiriaco Summit (but been through them), so I can't really comment on those towns.

I have honestly never been to Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Canyon Lake, Lakeview, nor Nuevo, but I'd imagine that I would like those towns. I have never been to Idyllwild, or nearby Mountain Center, either.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by Brandon Graves

That's okay.

For other parts of Riverside County, the Banning Pass area (including Cabazon and Whitewater), the San Jacinto Valley (Hemet, San Jacinto, Winchester, etc.), Perris/Menifee, and Riverside/Moreno Valley/Corona are probably my other favorites. Maybe Blythe and surrounding small towns (Mesa Verde, Ripley, East Blythe) also. I have never been to either Desert Center or Chiriaco Summit (but been through them), so I can't really comment on those towns.

I have honestly never been to Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Canyon Lake, Lakeview, nor Nuevo, but I'd imagine that I would like those towns. I have never been to Idyllwild, or nearby Mountain Center, either.

Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, and Canyon Lake would be nice if they weren't in a suburban area. The mountains along I-15 are pretty. Nuevo is just rural Perris, which isn't that nice.