Let’s face it, Los Angeles sometimes gets a bad rap. On the surface, Los Angeles has it all. So why do so many people speak ill of the City of Angels? I think there are two reasons… a simple misunderstanding and simple jealousy.
First, the misunderstanding. What is LA best known for? Sure, beaches and great weather are up there, but if you had to pick one thing, it would have to be the entertainment industry… Hollywood! There are many places that have beaches and great weather, but not many that have the history and the sheer volume of things related to entertainment. And what are people in the entertainment business known for? Greed, excess and superficiality. So it’s completely understandable why an outsider, even if they’ve visited Los Angeles, would think that’s all about Los Angeles. I mean, of course, the most obvious and straightforward thing you notice about Los Angeles is the shallow, rich snobs. They want to be noticed. So it’s no surprise. However, this is where the misunderstanding comes in, the mistake most people make is assuming that because that part of Los Angeles is on the surface, it represents everything this city is. Sure, you may have to dig under the topsoil of silt a little deeper than in some cities to find the rose garden, but it’s there. There’s just about every kind of person, everything you could dream of doing and every scene you could be in in this city, you just have to look for them…they won’t necessarily come to you.
Then, of course, there is the simple jealousy. I mean, who wouldn’t want to live where there’s great weather year-round, natural beauty, and pretty much everything you’d want within a short drive? Okay, well, that’s one of the reasons the price of life is a little high… but that’s another story.
So here it is… my list of the best things I love about Los Angeles.
- Food: Okay, I’ll admit, I’m a foodie, so food is important to me and it’s no surprise that it tops the list. There is simply an astounding number and variety of restaurants in Los Angeles, from small authentic taco stands to the most elegant French cuisine. Sure, you might find a few things to complain about about the dining scene here, but that doesn’t change the fact that for just about any cuisine you desire you can find dozens, or more, of great restaurants.
- Weather: This is obvious. The weather here is cool. Unless you I like it freezing your boobs half the year.
- Diversity: No, LA is not just Hollywood and Mexico. Sure, with our close proximity to our neighbors to the south, there are plenty of great Mexican-related things to do, food, Olvera Street, etc. But there is an amazing diversity of everything in Los Angeles. Food from every place you can imagine, art, culture, different “scenes”, etc. One day you could be attending a Swedish meatball festival and competition and the next singing along with reggae bands on the beach.
- Weather: Yes, it’s that good.
- Natural beauty: This will surely be one of the most controversial points. Los Angeles is not known worldwide as a bastion of nature. It is seen as a large and sprawling urban metropolis, but again this is a misconception. First of all, the city itself, well, for the most part at least, is beautiful. Trees are everywhere. Rolling hills and beautiful beaches (see below) fill the geography. The city just looks good (again, most of it…there are certainly ugly parts like in any city). Is it the most beautiful city in the world? No. But it’s not the worst either. Now, I must admit that access to nature, not only to the trees scattered around the city but to the real nature, is not as easy as it is in some places. Most “parks” in Los Angeles are nothing more than a sports center with baseball and soccer fields. However, everywhere around the area, and easily accessible by car, there are beautiful natural areas. Whether you enjoy the stunning Pacific Coast, the Santa Monica Mountains, the apple orchards in Oak Glenn, Angeles National Forest (what’s left after this year’s fires), or Topanga State Park (and much more ), cannot deny the natural beauty of our surroundings. Whether you like to just watch, hike, picnic, climb, fly or whatever, it’s all just a short drive away.
- Beaches: Okay, I know this might fall into the natural beauty section, but Los Angeles’ coastline and beaches deserve a special mention. Dozens of public beaches throughout the county, each with its own personality and perks, are free natural attractions for any season. If you haven’t seen it, the grandeur of the Pacific is something to behold. Being able to bask in its glory while enjoying a picnic and some beach volleyball every weekend is almost too good to be true.
- It’s huge! Some people might say this is a bad thing. But if you like diversity, novelty and variety, then having a great city is an incredible asset that you couldn’t give up. Sure, there’s something to be said for a quaint little community away from the hustle and bustle of the city (isn’t that what Lake Arrowhead weekends are for?), but frankly, I (and most of you… .admit it!) would eventually get bored.
- Be lost: Wherever you live, be it a small town or a giant city, we all tend to get caught up in our own routines of our daily lives. Even with the endless possibilities for dining every night, most people have 4 or 5 favorites that they frequent 95% of the time. But what I like about LA is the ability to periodically shake things up, let go, explore new things and be surprised. Once every few weeks I like to put the family in the car and just drive. Not following maps or GPS, not having a destination in mind, just heading in an unknown direction. The things you discover in a place as big as Los Angeles can be exciting. Some of the places we’ve discovered this way have some of our favorite places to visit. In fact, we discovered the area we now live in this way years ago.
- Griffith Park: San Francisco has Golden Gate Park, New York has Central Park, why isn’t Griffith Park better known? This hillside park overlooking Hollywood and Los Feliz is over 4,000 acres! That’s about 4 times bigger than Golden Gate Park and almost 5 times bigger than Central Park! Hikes, picnics, the Griffith Observatory, concerts in the park, the Greek Theatre, pony and train rides, carousels, and the Los Angeles Zoo is right behind! This natural monument dominates our city and is a wonderful escape right in our own backyard.
- Hollywood Bowl: Tucked away in the hills behind Hollywood, the Hollywood Bowl is a part of Los Angeles history. This large open-air amphitheater hosts just about every type of performance you can imagine, from orchestral music to plays, dance and rock concerts. But best of all are their summer programs that happen almost every night throughout the summer. What’s so great about them? In addition to the excellent lineup of various acts, you can bring your own food and drink to the Bowl! You can enjoy a picnic and wine with your loved ones under the starry sky while listening to the Los Angeles Philharmonic and watching a fireworks display. Simply one of the most fun and relaxing summer activities I can imagine. And tickets are only about a dollar! Sure, they’re in the nosebleed section but, when you’ve got tons of food, wine, and friends, who cares!
- Shopping: I’m a guy. Shopping isn’t really on my top list of fun things to do. So I don’t mean to go to a mall and “shop”. What I mean is that you can get anything here. Look at it. There’s probably a factory for what you’re looking for downtown! If you’re looking for a [insert random weird thing here], there’s probably an entire store dedicated to him somewhere in the Los Angeles area. Try it, you will be surprised.
So give LA another chance before you hit it. If you keep an open mind, you can tell that this is a great city!
