Miami vs. San Diego vs. Los Angeles (state, places, life)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Wouldn't you say though that Miami feels more urban though? It's a lot denser than San Diego. I believe the Miami metro area too is denser. I know for urban feel neither Miami nor SD is impressive, not expecting that, but the more urban feel the better.
Downtown Miami and Miami Beach feel more urban, yes. Downtown Miami is small though.
The rest of Miami does not have an urban vibe, despite the density.
It, along with St-Pete, is IMO the most urban you will find in Florida, but that's not saying much.
I agree with the above poster that for a more gay-friendly vibe you might want to check out Fort Lauderdale.
I lived in both cities...Miami and Miami Beach are more urban than downtown SD which is fairly small and definitely has a smaller town vibe, which SD prides itself on.
Since you have added that you are gay in this 2nd post, you might consider Hillcrest (SD) and West Hollywood (LA) for urban...in that regard, the West Coast might be better for you. In terms of SoFla, you might consider Ft Lauderdale over Miami.
While I am gay, I am not particularly in the gay scene however, I would like to be in a city where there is a sizable gay community. I know LA has that and Miami does too. Clueless on if SD does or doesn't.
Here in Chicago I live about 2-3 miles from the gay areas, and venture to them maybe once every couple of months. So living in the gay enclaves of a city isn't crucial, but that they do exist is ideal.
While I am gay, I am not particularly in the gay scene however, I would like to be in a city where there is a sizable gay community. I know LA has that and Miami does too. Clueless on if SD does or doesn't.
Here in Chicago I live about 2-3 miles from the gay areas, and venture to them maybe once every couple of months. So living in the gay enclaves of a city isn't crucial, but that they do exist is ideal.
SD's gay population is pretty large as well, and it's centered in Hillcrest. Obviously, like many gayborhoods, it's expanding into the neighborhoods next door.
I personally think SD is more urban than Miami. Miami Beach is more urban than anything in SD, but I think SD has the larger area of urbanity, especially if you consider the extension of downtown to Little Italy and Hillcrest as well.
Speaking Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese will make you much more valuable in Miami!
A $90k salary will go much further in Miami. And if you ever need a new job, speaking Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese in Miami will help you a lot. Also, SD is not the easiest place to find a job in my experience and observations from friends.
All are good for outdoor options, but Miami has the better water outdoor experiences obviously. You won't get the mountainous hiking of LA and SD. And Miami can be quite hot and humid in summer, limiting your outdoor exposure sometimes. But you will be able to do water activities nearly year round in Miami, whereas in LA and SD, the ocean gets too cold to comfortably do anything in it in winter.
Miami>LA>SD for nightlife.
They all have good food, but depends on your preferences. LA has the best variety hands down. Miami will have the better Caribbean/South American Latin food.
You will find lots of recent immigrants or first generation Americans in all three. However, you'll be more likely to find immigrants or first gens in Miami, especially in the line of work you're in. Miami gets a lot of business immigration for large Latin American businesses.
Walkable neighborhoods are not going to be like Chicago, you're right. Miami Beach is very walkable, but can be touristy. Downtown LA is probably the best option in any three of these cities for real urban living. You can shop, dine, and live in DTLA with subway stations and walkability for quite some area. There are new stores opening up, lots of amazing dining options, several subway stations, several termini for heavily-traveled frequent bus routes, tons of bars always opening up including rooftop bars and basement speakeasies and DJ event venues and gay bars. Going out on a Friday/Saturday night in DTLA is quite surprising when you see how many people are on the streets at night. Still probably not like Miami Beach, but the difference is it's mostly all locals in DTLA and a lot of people are living in DTLA and going out for dinner and chill bar hopping, whereas Miami Beach is a big club scene for tourists and very young people (not always, but it has more of that vibe than DTLA).
Location: Miami (prev. NY, Atlanta, SF, OC and San Diego)
7,409 posts, read 6,540,013 times
Reputation: 6677
I tend to disagree about urbanity...I moved away from SD because I found it too suburban and not exciting nor cultural enough as an urban area , as a whole, for my tastes with rural elements (East County) and I lived downtown and am originally from NY....Miami Beach (including mid beach and North Beach) AND downtown (including Brickell) is more urban than DTSD....Little Italy is more like Coconut Grove and East Village is a smaller and less upscale version of Coral Gables, that happens to have a ballpark (vs the smaller Watsco Center). Little Havana > Barrio Logan, especially with the Ballpark. Wynwood + Midtown + Design District > Mission Valley. From an urban standpoint, SD is more on par with Ft Lauderdale or Tampa—not Miami. In addition, there is no business/financial or medical district (a hospital does not = a district) in the “urban” areas of SD—in suburban areas, yes. Both cities have courthouses and attorney offices downtown. The only advantage for SD is that their different so called urban neighborhoods are slightly closer to one another whereas Miami is a little more spread out (like LA), but overall the downtown, and adding in Mission Hills, Hillcrest and North Park, —let alone most of the SD county—has more of a suburban, not urban, feel to me.
You are correct that none of the SD beach communities can rival the urbanity of Miami Beach, money will go further in Miami, parts of Miami Beach—but not all nor the majority—are touristic, and about the spreading out from Hillcrest into other areas of downtown. LA does have the most urbanity as it should, being the largest city by far as well as the highest cost of living of the 3 cities—you get what you pay for (though I personally would choose living in Santa Monica v DTLA). Homeless situation happens to be much more prevalent on the entire West Coast—specifically, in urban areas.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jessemh431
SD's gay population is pretty large as well, and it's centered in Hillcrest. Obviously, like many gayborhoods, it's expanding into the neighborhoods next door.
I personally think SD is more urban than Miami. Miami Beach is more urban than anything in SD, but I think SD has the larger area of urbanity, especially if you consider the extension of downtown to Little Italy and Hillcrest as well.
Speaking Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese will make you much more valuable in Miami!
A $90k salary will go much further in Miami. And if you ever need a new job, speaking Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese in Miami will help you a lot. Also, SD is not the easiest place to find a job in my experience and observations from friends.
All are good for outdoor options, but Miami has the better water outdoor experiences obviously. You won't get the mountainous hiking of LA and SD. And Miami can be quite hot and humid in summer, limiting your outdoor exposure sometimes. But you will be able to do water activities nearly year round in Miami, whereas in LA and SD, the ocean gets too cold to comfortably do anything in it in winter.
Miami>LA>SD for nightlife.
They all have good food, but depends on your preferences. LA has the best variety hands down. Miami will have the better Caribbean/South American Latin food.
You will find lots of recent immigrants or first generation Americans in all three. However, you'll be more likely to find immigrants or first gens in Miami, especially in the line of work you're in. Miami gets a lot of business immigration for large Latin American businesses.
Walkable neighborhoods are not going to be like Chicago, you're right. Miami Beach is very walkable, but can be touristy. Downtown LA is probably the best option in any three of these cities for real urban living. You can shop, dine, and live in DTLA with subway stations and walkability for quite some area. There are new stores opening up, lots of amazing dining options, several subway stations, several termini for heavily-traveled frequent bus routes, tons of bars always opening up including rooftop bars and basement speakeasies and DJ event venues and gay bars. Going out on a Friday/Saturday night in DTLA is quite surprising when you see how many people are on the streets at night. Still probably not like Miami Beach, but the difference is it's mostly all locals in DTLA and a lot of people are living in DTLA and going out for dinner and chill bar hopping, whereas Miami Beach is a big club scene for tourists and very young people (not always, but it has more of that vibe than DTLA).
Last edited by elchevere; 02-01-2019 at 11:57 AM..
SD's gay population is pretty large as well, and it's centered in Hillcrest. Obviously, like many gayborhoods, it's expanding into the neighborhoods next door.
I personally think SD is more urban than Miami. Miami Beach is more urban than anything in SD, but I think SD has the larger area of urbanity, especially if you consider the extension of downtown to Little Italy and Hillcrest as well.
Speaking Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese will make you much more valuable in Miami!
A $90k salary will go much further in Miami. And if you ever need a new job, speaking Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese in Miami will help you a lot. Also, SD is not the easiest place to find a job in my experience and observations from friends.
All are good for outdoor options, but Miami has the better water outdoor experiences obviously. You won't get the mountainous hiking of LA and SD. And Miami can be quite hot and humid in summer, limiting your outdoor exposure sometimes. But you will be able to do water activities nearly year round in Miami, whereas in LA and SD, the ocean gets too cold to comfortably do anything in it in winter.
Miami>LA>SD for nightlife.
They all have good food, but depends on your preferences. LA has the best variety hands down. Miami will have the better Caribbean/South American Latin food.
You will find lots of recent immigrants or first generation Americans in all three. However, you'll be more likely to find immigrants or first gens in Miami, especially in the line of work you're in. Miami gets a lot of business immigration for large Latin American businesses.
Walkable neighborhoods are not going to be like Chicago, you're right. Miami Beach is very walkable, but can be touristy. Downtown LA is probably the best option in any three of these cities for real urban living. You can shop, dine, and live in DTLA with subway stations and walkability for quite some area. There are new stores opening up, lots of amazing dining options, several subway stations, several termini for heavily-traveled frequent bus routes, tons of bars always opening up including rooftop bars and basement speakeasies and DJ event venues and gay bars. Going out on a Friday/Saturday night in DTLA is quite surprising when you see how many people are on the streets at night. Still probably not like Miami Beach, but the difference is it's mostly all locals in DTLA and a lot of people are living in DTLA and going out for dinner and chill bar hopping, whereas Miami Beach is a big club scene for tourists and very young people (not always, but it has more of that vibe than DTLA).
This is great information. I am starting to lean to LA because at the moment, I feel it's more of an adventure, but not sure yet. I am so familiar with Miami that the thing is I know I will like it, and I know I would fit in. I have been there so many times it's like a second home. I am starting to think if LA isn't cutting it after 1-2 years, then go to Miami from there. Because I like Miami already, and I know what to expect.
I think living in SoCal, maybe even if just 1-2 years would be a great experience.
Miami has the better water outdoor experiences obviously.
Not if you like to surf it doesn’t, nothing could be further from the truth. Besides Florida not being anywhere on the level of Southern California in this regard, the Bahamas block most swell to south Florida making it the worst spot on the coast for surfing.
If you like to cruise Miami will be better for sailing because of the Caribbean, but since most don’t have that time on their hands you can make a strong case for San Diego being better. We have hosted the America’s Cup multiple times. Maybe it’s just my preference, but I’ve sailed in New York, Massachusetts, and Florida and prefer the Pacific over the Atlantic.
Fishing ain’t my thing, but I’d have to guess it’s better there, as would be power boating with the calmer waters. Diving too will be better with the greater variety of sea life with the warm water.
The water is warm year round so it does have that going for it, but I’ll wear a wetsuit 7-10 months to have our waves, as would any surfer comparing the two, it’s not really up for debate. With that said, I would hardly say Miami is obviously better.
Not if you like to surf it doesn’t, nothing could be further from the truth. Besides Florida not being anywhere on the level of Southern California in this regard, the Bahamas block most swell to south Florida making it the worst spot on the coast for surfing.
If you like to cruise Miami will be better for sailing because of the Caribbean, but since most don’t have that time on their hands you can make a strong case for San Diego being better. We have hosted the America’s Cup multiple times. Maybe it’s just my preference, but I’ve sailed in New York, Massachusetts, and Florida and prefer the Pacific over the Atlantic.
Fishing ain’t my thing, but I’d have to guess it’s better there, as would be power boating with the calmer waters. Diving too will be better with the greater variety of sea life with the warm water.
The water is warm year round so it does have that going for it, but I’ll wear a wetsuit 7-10 months to have our waves, as would any surfer comparing the two, it’s not really up for debate. With that said, I would hardly say Miami is obviously better.
Well for everything but surfing, Miami is better. Most people go to the beach to hangout in the water. Boating and various water sports are common in Miami as well. I'm assuming that's due to a combo of warmer and calmer waters there. For the vast majority of people, the outdoor water adventures are better in Miami.
Location: Miami (prev. NY, Atlanta, SF, OC and San Diego)
7,409 posts, read 6,540,013 times
Reputation: 6677
Intersting debate.
Yes, if you surf the waves are usually bigger in CA (not always, otherwise you would have the rest of Cuba rafting to FL)...but from the stats I have been able to find, only 3M people in the US Surf, or less than 1% of the population. Far more people body surf or just plain dip in the ocean, in which case the warmer Atlantic is far more suited for that based on warmer year round air and ocean temperatures. Last week I went paddle boarding in Biscayne Bay off of Sunset Harbour. Boating and deep sea fishing is popular on both coasts—though it appears Biscayne Bay, along with the Miami River, is a bit larger than Mission Bay and the downtown Bay....I’m not a scuba diver, but imagine clearer water (Atlantic) is better for that ??...yes, San Diego might have a larger presence of sailboats but South Fla has the lead with power boats and yachts and the Ft Lauderdale and Miami International Boat shows are huge events (I believe the FLL boat show is the largest in the world)....jet skiing better with calmer waters....I even see more parasailing here in Miami than I did out West (though, like surfing, how many people actually do that??)
Quote:
Originally Posted by TacoSoup
Not if you like to surf it doesn’t, nothing could be further from the truth. Besides Florida not being anywhere on the level of Southern California in this regard, the Bahamas block most swell to south Florida making it the worst spot on the coast for surfing.
If you like to cruise Miami will be better for sailing because of the Caribbean, but since most don’t have that time on their hands you can make a strong case for San Diego being better. We have hosted the America’s Cup multiple times. Maybe it’s just my preference, but I’ve sailed in New York, Massachusetts, and Florida and prefer the Pacific over the Atlantic.
Fishing ain’t my thing, but I’d have to guess it’s better there, as would be power boating with the calmer waters. Diving too will be better with the greater variety of sea life with the warm water.
The water is warm year round so it does have that going for it, but I’ll wear a wetsuit 7-10 months to have our waves, as would any surfer comparing the two, it’s not really up for debate. With that said, I would hardly say Miami is obviously better.
Last edited by elchevere; 02-01-2019 at 12:48 PM..
I tend to disagree about urbanity...I moved away from SD because I found it too suburban and not exciting nor cultural enough as an urban area , as a whole, for my tastes with rural elements (East County) and I lived downtown and am originally from NY....Miami Beach (including mid beach and North Beach) AND downtown (including Brickell) is more urban than DTSD....Little Italy is more like Coconut Grove and East Village is a smaller and less upscale version of Coral Gables, that happens to have a ballpark (vs the smaller Watsco Center). Little Havana > Barrio Logan, especially with the Ballpark. Wynwood + Midtown + Design District > Mission Valley. From an urban standpoint, SD is more on par with Ft Lauderdale or Tampa—not Miami. In addition, there is no business/financial or medical district (a hospital does not = a district) in the “urban” areas of SD—in suburban areas, yes. Both cities have courthouses and attorney offices downtown. The only advantage for SD is that their different so called urban neighborhoods are slightly closer to one another whereas Miami is a little more spread out (like LA), but overall the downtown, and adding in Mission Hills, Hillcrest and North Park, —let alone most of the SD county—has more of a suburban, not urban, feel to me.
You are correct that none of the SD beach communities can rival the urbanity of Miami Beach, money will go further in Miami, parts of Miami Beach—but not all nor the majority—are touristic, and about the spreading out from Hillcrest into other areas of downtown. LA does have the most urbanity as it should, being the largest city by far as well as the highest cost of living of the 3 cities—you get what you pay for (though I personally would choose living in Santa Monica v DTLA). Homeless situation happens to be much more prevalent on the entire West Coast—specifically, in urban areas.
I guess I should clarify. LA has the best urban neighborhoods. They're well connected via public transit now. But DTLA is the best urban neighborhood any three of these cities can offer. But via actual subways DTLA connects to Hollywood, Koreatown, and soon even more neighborhoods along the Purple Line like Miracle Mile and Century City and Westwood. By light rail you can reach Culver City and Santa Monica, which have their own urbanity as well.
SD's urban footprint covers a larger area, but Miami's pockets of urbanity are better at being urban themselves...they're just a little separated. At that point it's personal choice between SD and Miami IMO. Either way, LA is better at being urban.
Yes, if you surf the waves are usually bigger in CA (not always, otherwise you would have the rest of Cuba rafting to FL)...but from the stats I have been able to find, only 3M people in the US Surf, or less than 1% of the population. Far more people body surf or just plain dip in the ocean, in which case the warmer Atlantic is far more suited for that based on warmer year round air and ocean temperatures. Last week I went paddle boarding in Biscayne Bay off of Sunset Harbour. Boating and deep sea fishing is popular on both coasts—though it appears Biscayne Bay, along with the Miami River, is a bit larger than Mission Bay and the downtown Bay....I’m not a scuba diver, but imagine clearer water (Atlantic) is better for that ??...yes, San Diego might have a larger presence of sailboats but South Fla has the lead with power boats and yachts and the Ft Lauderdale and Miami International Boat shows are huge events (I believe the FLL boat show is the largest in the world).
Quote:
Originally Posted by jessemh431
Well for everything but surfing, Miami is better. Most people go to the beach to hangout in the water. Boating and various water sports are common in Miami as well. I'm assuming that's due to a combo of warmer and calmer waters there. For the vast majority of people, the outdoor water adventures are better in Miami.
I’m not disagreeing with either, just saying Miami isn’t the clear choice because the water is warmer. For many, like myself, Miami isn’t even an option regardless of how warm it is. It is nice though.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
