Any SoCal transplants or returners?

[stuckbetween]

If we’re going with a few hours drive then SoCal has incredible offerings too. I’m not sure one can be considered better than the other. Joshua Tree and Palm Springs / Mount San Jacinto, Big Bear, Sequoia, Las Vegas, various Red Rocks areas, north on the PCH, Santa Barbara / Temecula Wine regions, people seem to like Ojai though I haven’t been...I could go on. I’d probably have to give that point to SoCal or at the very least call it even. But it is great to be reminded that there are tons of opportunities in New England too.

[Shrewsburried]

Originally Posted by stuckbetween

If we’re going with a few hours drive then SoCal has incredible offerings too. I’m not sure one can be considered better than the other. Joshua Tree and Palm Springs / Mount San Jacinto, Big Bear, Sequoia, Las Vegas, various Red Rocks areas, north on the PCH, Santa Barbara / Temecula Wine regions, people seem to like Ojai though I haven’t been...I could go on. I’d probably have to give that point to SoCal or at the very least call it even. But it is great to be reminded that there are tons of opportunities in New England too.

The difference is really scale. If in eastern MA, a lot of the high access outdoor areas are <60 miles away. This isn't saying one is preferable, rather, that day trips in New England are a relatively easy affair if planned around peak traffic.

[darkone]

Originally Posted by stuckbetween

If we’re going with a few hours drive then SoCal has incredible offerings too. I’m not sure one can be considered better than the other. Joshua Tree and Palm Springs / Mount San Jacinto, Big Bear, Sequoia, Las Vegas, various Red Rocks areas, north on the PCH, Santa Barbara / Temecula Wine regions, people seem to like Ojai though I haven’t been...I could go on. I’d probably have to give that point to SoCal or at the very least call it even. But it is great to be reminded that there are tons of opportunities in New England too.

I’ve been to most of those areas when I lived out there, including Ojai and the mountainous drive from SB to Ojai. We need to include NYC and Montreal if we include Las Vegas for LA. So it comes down to preference, but both regions offer just as great natural wonders as the other. So it’s a draw on that point, we’ll say. The other aforementioned issues still exist with SoCal though.

[CALGUY]

Many parts of SoCal lack the lush green of New England, but we do have absolutely beautiful trees.

[id77]

Originally Posted by CALGUY

Many parts of SoCal lack the lush green of New England, but we do have absolutely beautiful trees.

I'd also say south-central CA's green winters can be just as lush, like an Irish countryside. Thinking the wine country hills up by Paso Robles on this one.

My first love as an adult was SoCal, but as I've grown older, it's moved up the state bit. If I ever do move back, I'd do Big Sur/Monterey area before going back to LA or San Diego, though I'm also *this* close to convincing myself to buy a summer cabin in Tahoe. Still make regular trips back.

[mdovell]

This might sound weird to say it but one reason why the pace of life is faster in the northeast is because the weather DOES change. So you want to take advantage of a good day and so does everyone else. If the weather was constant then there's not as much of a need to do things as fast. On a compounded level it creates a faster pace of life in some areas and a slower in others. Recently we had weather in the 60's and 70's for mid November. Know anyone in construction? they love it when this happens because they can squeeze in another week or two of work before the autumn really kicks in.

[johngolf]

Originally Posted by mdovell

This might sound weird to say it but one reason why the pace of life is faster in the northeast is because the weather DOES change. So you want to take advantage of a good day and so does everyone else. If the weather was constant then there's not as much of a need to do things as fast. On a compounded level it creates a faster pace of life in some areas and a slower in others. Recently we had weather in the 60's and 70's for mid November. Know anyone in construction? they love it when this happens because they can squeeze in another week or two of work before the autumn really kicks in.

How true. It is like to old joke that when in Alaska it gets warm enough for a beach day, everyone goes that one day. I learned that about golf between MA and SC. In MA with a short golf season, everyone tried to get as much golf in as they could when the weather was good. In SC, golf is always there so if a few bad days of weather, no big deal. In a few days it will be fine. Thus the "urgency" to play is not as bad as it was in MA.