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I've been to 31 states. New Mexico is my favorite state in the Union...probably. This makes California my second, and a respectable second. Texas might be my third favorite.
Sure, California can be overrated. L.A. and San Francisco may be filthy and full of dirty homeless people, in some areas. Fresno and Bakersfield may still have lousy economies. People in L.A., San Francisco, and San Diego can even be rather rude and tense, though not on the same level with what is found generally throughout the urban Northeast. (And, in my opinion, San Diego is the most overrated major city I've been to anywhere in North America. That place honestly disappoints me.)
But, I love the robustness and energy of L.A. and San Francisco. I love the fact that in my sector, there's a booming economy right now. I love the weather, In-N-Out, having the best Mexican and Asian restaurants in the U.S., the cheap-ish flights to Asia and Latin America. I love the selection of truly world-class colleges and universities that, in my opinion, makes for as competitive and dynamic of an educational environment as the consortia of elite colleges in the Northeast U.S. and United Kingdom. (Our K-12 public schools are generally a whole different story, though, unless you're lucky enough to be raising a family in, say, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, or Irvine.)
Now, that said, I hate California's traffic, governmental bureaucracy and inefficiency, and hubristic left-leaning politico (and the blindly voting populace that enables and empowers them) that doesn't actually provide meaningful help and giving-a-damn for the poor.
I choose to live in California over New Mexico because it actually has an economy. But, if I could take my job and get paid comparably in New Mexico, commensurate to cost of living, I'd probably move out to Albuquerque/Santa Fe. And, I choose to live in California over Texas because while the pay in Texas' cities can be nice, depending on the company, Houston's a swamp (although a swamp with some good culture and good food) and Dallas is a place that doesn't interest me in the slightest; Austin, San Antonio, and, though I haven't been there, El Paso don't seem so bad, though.
Last edited by EclecticEars; 05-22-2017 at 11:08 AM..
Although I don't think it's objectively possible to choose a "best state" - there are so many subjective factors as to render a judgment impossible - I'd take California because it incorporates so many different possible ways of living into one huge place. Its geography is remarkably varied - it contains both the highest and lowest points in the lower 48, for example; its cultural fabric ranges from the farmland of the inner Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys to the rugged coast of Northern California, the beaches of the Southland, and the majestic Sierras; and its economy, sixth-largest in the world were it an independent nation, incorporates everything from farms that produce almost half of the fruits, nuts and vegetables grown in the United States, to a digital industry that leads the world in innovation. (As far as the political aspect, I'm a proud progressive, and I appreciate the state's stance on many issues, but I don't see this as germane to the discussion.)
There are many states in the U.S. I like - I've visited most of them, and I've lived in Hawaii, California, New York, and Massachusetts and enjoyed each experience. (I currently split my time between California and New York.) But in my mind California isn't really comparable with any other state - it's more like a nation-state. I don't know if it's the "best," but it's certainly unique.
I thought I would ask this in this thread as no point starting a new one. I am looking to vacation from UK to the USA at Xmas. What is the temperature like in California at Xmas? What was it like last Xmas? Also, if not California, where else would you recommend? I would like to visit a national park or more plus general sightseeing, and also celebrate Xmas with strangers lol possibly ha.
The temperature will depend on what part of the state you will be in so what part of California are you going to for Christmas?
I've been to 31 states. New Mexico is my favorite state in the Union...probably. This makes California my second, and a respectable second. Texas might be my third favorite.
Sure, California can be overrated. L.A. and San Francisco may be filthy and full of dirty homeless people, in some areas. Fresno and Bakersfield may still have lousy economies. People in L.A., San Francisco, and San Diego can even be rather rude and tense, though not on the same level with what is found generally throughout the urban Northeast. (And, in my opinion, San Diego is the most overrated major city I've been to anywhere in North America. That place honestly disappoints me.)
But, I love the robustness and energy of L.A. and San Francisco. I love the fact that in my sector, there's a booming economy right now. I love the weather, In-N-Out, having the best Mexican and Asian restaurants in the U.S., the cheap-ish flights to Asia and Latin America. I love the selection of truly world-class colleges and universities that, in my opinion, makes for as competitive and dynamic of an educational environment as the consortia of elite colleges in the Northeast U.S. and United Kingdom. (Our K-12 public schools are generally a whole different story, though, unless you're lucky enough to be raising a family in, say, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, or Irvine.)
Now, that said, I hate California's traffic, governmental bureaucracy and inefficiency, and hubristic left-leaning politico (and the blindly voting populace that enables and empowers them) that doesn't actually provide meaningful help and giving-a-damn for the poor.
I choose to live in California over New Mexico because it actually has an economy. But, if I could take my job and get paid comparably in New Mexico, commensurate to cost of living, I'd probably move out to Albuquerque/Santa Fe. And, I choose to live in California over Texas because while the pay in Texas' cities can be nice, depending on the company, Houston's a swamp (although a swamp with some good culture and good food) and Dallas is a place that doesn't interest me in the slightest; Austin, San Antonio, and, though I haven't been there, El Paso don't seem so bad, though.
The temperature will depend on what part of the state you will be in so what part of California are you going to for Christmas?
Well I was looking to travel around California, but I would set up base most probably in San Diego. I am not set on California yet, but it was one of my considerations as well as Phoenix. I would prefer to go somewhere with a nice temperature though, which is why California and Phoenix are two likeliest destinations.
California is hands down also the most underrated state. One looks at Northern California (think Eureka and Redding) and Southwest California (think Palm Springs and Indo) and realizes how undeveloped these regions are. Eureka has the potential to be the next Seattle of California. Indio has potential to be the next Phoenix.
California is easily the best state in the land. No other state has the landscape, weather and potential California has.
On a side note, NY's days are numbered; LA will overtake NY as the First City.
I wouldn't say that it's underrated in general since we hear about it constantly, lol.
It is a beautiful state though and many of the areas in the northern area of the state are overlooked.
About NY--I'm from NY state, not the city. I'm as tired of hearing about the city as everybody else is. There is an entire state that is attached to the city that is gorgeous.
It's hard to say which is the "best" state because it's going to be very subjective.
In no particular order:
1) West Virginia
2) Vermont
3) Pennsylvania
4) Michigan
5) Maine
I think that all the states I have visited have had some beauty; just those top 5 impressed me the most.
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