Orange County or San Diego?

[dtran103]

There is very little difference between OC and SD. They kind of look exactly the same. SD may be a little more "city" like and OC tends to be cleaner and less crime. But those are subtleties.

[fizzybgood]

No offense to anyone, but the "it's only stinky in August" was definitely not my experience - I was there in the middle of January 2006 and the place totally reeked! I live in North Carolina and I'm accustomed to beaches like the Outer Banks and Oak Island, so Galveston's "beach" was a big shock - and not a pleasant one! The entire island smelled like rotten eggs no matter where we went. Those oil refineries are one of the ugliest things I've ever seen. I was with a bunch of other folks who just as dismayed as myself. I didn't see any brown drinking water, but the hue of the water in the bay was most definitely brown. I went prepared to like the place - I've had good experiences in other Texas cities - but I'll never go back there and you couldn't pay me enough to live there. Yuck.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by texanborn

I'd say California is butt" and the only people I know that like it are thoses that were BORN there and have never left there..... And I've been there....
You sit on the freeways there for hours just trying to get to work...


Now was that a nice thing to say about Texas? If you travel around Texas and California you will find out the the states are alot a like in land...Just that Texas has alot more of that land...

I've been to both and they are both nice....

CA and TX alike? I lived in San Antonio for 2 years and have travelled throughout Texas. Other than out toward El Paso, I think they're nothing alike. Most of Texas is flat, humid, buggy, and too hot 8 months out of the year. The beaches are uninspiring since the coast is all flat as a pancake. Big Bend is beautiful, but a day's drive from anywhere else in TX, so it's not like someplace you can go mountain climbing on a Saturday for most Texans.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by dtran103

There is very little difference between OC and SD. They kind of look exactly the same. SD may be a little more "city" like and OC tends to be cleaner and less crime. But those are subtleties.

I think they're nothing alike. San Diego actually has an urban atmosphere, whereas OC doesn't, other than small pockets like Costa Mesa or downtown Fullerton, but still not on the scale of San Diego.

San Diego is less crowded, has completely different geography (very hilly compared to the large, flat coastal plain of OC) and if you live in the urban part of San Diego, you don't have to drive two hours to get to restaurants, parks, beaches, clubs, etc.

I'd take SD over OC any day!

[melbon7462]

Have you considered Austin?... I think its nice there.

[sfaok]

I would say SD because you have a variety of neighborhoods (from suburban to urban) to chose from and the cost of housing/rent is a little cheaper than Orange County. OC is basically one giant suburb though certain cities are trying to create an urban environment.
I would say one thing that OC has over SD is more employment opportunites. I am just a student in SD and not an expert on the job market there, but they don't seem to offer as many opportunities as OC does.
As far as people being friendly, from my brief experience in SD I have not seen much of a difference between people in OC and SD except that the girls don't seem to be as materialistic in SD.