I lived in Southern California until last November, and then I moved to a small city in the east. I really don't like it where I am, but it's where I can afford to live right now :-(.
Orange County is the place to be if you can stand the fact that you'll live in swathes of cookie cutter housing, even if you pay half a million dollars or more for your house.
It's slick, ultra-modern and beautiful. The commercial infrastructure is best in the world. Surface streets with more lanes than freeways in the east coast, with rivers of cars to match, will amaze you.
Great, friendly service in stores with pretty upbeat people everywhere will delight you. People are cynical about life in California but they don't have the pinched resentful look I see in the East.
The cost of housing will horrify you. That's the huge downside. Only move if you expect a really, really nice income.
I would move to Texas or Florida if you want to be with more conservatives. California has a large hispanic minorit that tends to be glum and resigned to their fate. I much prefer the Cubans in Florida who are fun and industrious. Florida housing costs are also lower, but alas they are rising fast too.
Hope that helps; if you have more specific questions, feel free to ask.
D
Anyone who is thinking of moving to Texas..please move to Austin! We need more conservatives here. Please! Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread or anything.
Yeah, what he said. None of the crumbling, blighted infrastructure you see in the east. It's like visiting a gigantic, futuristic theme park.
Frankly, if I lived on the East Coast and visited Orange and San Diego counties, I'd be embarrassed to go home. ;)