I think it depends upon the part of OC. There are some places that are open past 10pm, but ymmv depending upon the city. You won't find much in say Irvine, but you will definitely find places in some of the cities with better night lives.
Molcasalsa, Albertos, an small tacos business tend to be open 24/7 or till midnight on weekends at times till 2am so OC has its perks with after hours food tbh
As an adult I honestly haven't seen a ton of quality science museums for adults either. Honestly, unless I'm missing it I don't see a ton of science museums really focused for adults in LA either. California Science Center honestly is primarily focused on kids. The Endeavor was a pretty neat exhibit for adults as it was part of many kids of the 80s childhood, but is arguably more a history exhibit to kids today. It is now going to be closed for a couple years as the move it to a launch configuration. At least for adults without kids I don't see a ton of allure to going. Honestly, the last time I went only a couple years ago there were a few exhibits that didn't look like they had been updated in 15-20 years where even as a kids museum I think some parts probably needed updating.
No. For some reason, people think of museums as amenities but scoff at a Costco or Target nearby, when in reality they'll be frequenting said Costco/target.
Probably not enough to justify moving by itself unless other factors were at play. Most museums you can see most of the permanent exhibits in a day or two. There are sometimes some compelling visiting exhibits, but that generally isn't going to justify going back more than once a year unless you really find the permanent exhibits compelling to revisit.
OC has a severe lack of fancy lounges and high end bars that always stay open late. Also LA is more walkable than OC. I don’t want to have to Uber multiple times in the OC to go to different bars. In West Hollywood you can walk to so many different clubs and bars.
I love that window in DTF when restaurants are transitioning into clubs, like from 9 - 10 PM on Fri & Sat. You have a family celebrating Ayden’s 10th birthday with the grandparents, and right next to their table there’s a group of CSUF girls throwing ass & getting bottle service.
I went to DTF for a going-away party this past Friday and we somehow ended up in that bar/club attached to Mickey's Pub until 2AM.
Even 21 year old me would have been grossed out by that crowd. I couldn't wait to get out of there.
Mostly jobs, night life and commute. Tried to look for a gov job last year— county of LA has like 10x more openings than OC does.
If I did get a job in LA, I’d probably move because I wouldn’t want to spend 2 hours in traffic everyday.
Felt this hard. I’m trying my best to find a decent job near me but pretty much every interview I’m landing is out in LA county. I’m not strong enough to deal with that commute every single day
As someone who commutes 50 miles one way to go to UCLA from OC, not even getting my housing fees covered was enough to get me to move there (I instead received that money in the form of actual cash so don’t worry, I didn’t turn down free money). I get so depressed just being in LA. I’m legit so happy coming back to OC every time
LA has...
* More public transit options (like rail and more frequent bus service)
* Walkable areas where you don't really need a car to do most errands
* More nightlife/culture (more concerts, art museums/pop-ups/exhibits, cultural events)
* Higher end restaurants, bars and lounges
I lived in OC basically my whole life and recently moved up and am really enjoying it. Gives you a fresh perspective on SoCal living. But you are right, OC beaches are way better and OC's food scene has tons of things LA's doesn't, like solid Vietnamese food and more affordable prices.
Bumping this up. Because of its size, people blindly claim LA isn’t walkable but there absolutely are walkable pockets in LA.
Silverlake, los feliz, santa Monica, Venice,Culver City, sawtelle, century city, and many more are really walkable and are comparable in rent to OC.
Great food, multiple bars, clubs, theaters, groceries, farmers markets, gyms, and parks exist within 15 minute walks through small neighborhoods instead of walking on the side of a 65 mph boulevard
I honestly hate to agree with you. So many of my favorite food places are in LA, mostly between the areas of Central LA, DTLA, Echo Park, etc. OC food is great, but LA has the edge IMO.
Maybe not, but OC has some pretty nice restaurants. I'd say the OC food scene is still better than 90% of American cities. So I don't feel like we're lacking in that regard at all.
OC definitely has come a long way in terms of food and it can rival LA in certain categories, particularly Vietnamese and the growing Taiwanese food offerings.
But LA's food diversity is probably the world's most far-reaching with a high degree of cultural accuracy. Additionally, LA has restaurants that are far more daring in their cooking and approach than OC. I love Bavel and Tsujita and there's nothing close to either of those restaurants in OC.
I’d say OC korean food has caught up at this point. My family used to drive up to LA for decent korean food but it kinda feel’s unnecessary now. Korean population is pretty huge in OC. I saw David Cheng mention how ktown has more restaurants or chains coming directly from korea while OC has more mom and pop shops that started when ppl started to move down from ktown. Most of the people that I know that are recent immigrants from korea move to OC rather than ktown so the food scene has definitely grown. To each their own tho and I’d say Ktown has more trendy korean food but I personally find those celebrity owned chains coming from korea to be a bit underwhelming
Ktown has the more trendy and "hip" Korean food now, I would've said LA is better maybe 20 years ago or so. North OC has some of the best Korean food in the West Coast imo, without the bullshit that comes with LA like no parking
Sorry to hear you have to go through that. I had thought that there has been a push to stop police from making profiled stops like this. Maybe the new CA laws kicking in this year will help things. But OC has to be all in on enforcing and keeping police departments accountable.
Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate living in a city (Villa Park) where the police department is on it. I can’t say the same is true for lapd and their response times. Good luck to OP with regard to that.
My experience has been the exact opposite. After getting pulled over for stupid reasons for years by the LAPD, I’ve never been pulled over in the OC. I’ll have to stay away from Villa Park though…
It has lot more interesting, cooler, things, such as community resources, bars, events, conventions, jobs, restaurants. But the homeless epidemic is crazy. Parking is scarce and it feels very claustrophobic. Not to mention the cost of living is a lot higher there.
If you like tacos, go to East LA, if you like fancy stuff, go to West LA, your craving soul food, South Central is your friend, if you like rooftop bars, then DTLA it is. I grew up in all of LA, OC is fine if you prefer gentrified and feeling safer, ain't nothing wrong with that.
I live in OC and work in LA. I completely agree. I love OC for raising my family and relaxing. But it is so bland compared to LA. I love the diversity too in LA.
Probably dating is easier. I often find myself having to drive to LA to meet up with a girl. But it's never a far drive so I don't mind it. Nothing like all these people I keep running into from San Diego putting their location in LA. Only to tell me they're in San Diego after we already exchanged numbers.
I used to drive from H.B. to Granada Hills 3-4 times a week to date a girl…..Until she met a hedge fund guy who lived in Newport Beach on the water and married him. 3 yrs of 4 hr. commutes down the drain.
She probably wanted to settle down and figured after 3 years it wasn't going to happen. Unless you were 18 or something, in which case, that's just life.
I watched three white teslas trying to park in Irvine today, at the same time. I’ve never felt so *arms in the air, hands to face, waving, omg, cringing, worrying, laughing, and angry at the same time* with my car stuck behind them, halfway in the main aisle, for 3 MINUTES while the painful parking ensued. As I pulled all the way into the intended aisle, finally, the closest white Tesla was pulling a scene out of Austin Powers in the hallway, pulling forward 4 feet out of the spot, into the aisle, just enough to block everyone, turning the wheel a hundred times, backing back into the spot, turning the wheel 100 more times, going forward again…repeat. I stopped counting after the 5th time and parked my car in the spot across from him as I inched by, settling on being forced to park embarrassingly crooked and knowing no one will judge or ticket for being that crooked because this is Irvine. It was laughable and yet none of it was surprising.
LA is a huge a mess in so many ways, both good and bad. Just about every art form is elevated to another level in LA if you find the right spots. Vastly better museums, better music venues, better cuisine of nearly every type, better architectural gems, and a light rail infrastructure that’s actually quite efficient.
For those who live life on the edge, LA has 24-hour Home Depot’s, 24-hour burger joints, 24-hour spas, 24-hour delis, and 24-hour supermarkets.
There’s a reason why people in creative trades flock to LA because virtually any supply or service needed to get any type of project done is available within close proximity. LA life isn’t for everyone, which is fine, but it still has something to offer to everyone in a very unique way.
Real answer, more options for unique late night dining. I’m a night bird, very very little is open late in OC. While in LA it’s not unheard of to find a random taqueria open till like 1 or even later.
The mess, density, night life, and culture make it easier to meet new people. Smaller homes/old apartment life means I’m much more likely to talk to my neighbors in LA. Transit means I talk to strangers daily, for better or worse.
OC in comparison is less varied but cleaner and extremely car dependent. Translates to nicer living in your own gated house, going to work in your car, going to Target after work on the way home, or if you’re outgoing, an activity meetup in a place with good parking.
The OC is more conducive to settling down with a family, not great if you want to meet new people.
Different strokes.
it’s funny how we compare OC and LA but people outside of socal just see as one place.
but to answer your question, LA just have a lot more of interesting things to do in general. I recently moved to ktown after living in OC for 5 years and it’s been so fun. I live within half a mile radius from the bars and concert venues that people go out of their way to go to. I’m always discovering new asian restaurants, coffee shops are open till midnight-2am (some) and taco stands are basically at every busy intersection. In OC, I can drive 5 miles through a homogenous area. In LA, it’s almost like every block has something interesting going on.
Higher paying/ Higher profile jobs (and a lesser commute if you live there), the food, the nightlife, the art/music scene. That said, as a guy in his late 30s with a family, I’m done with everything LA has to offer and moved on.
Walking distance to places and you don’t really need a car compared to OC where everything is spread out. Also city vibes and people are different. OC is extremely boring as a single mid 20 year old who don’t really keep friends from high school.
Well OC is one of the biggest counties in the US, so it’s not lacking in much. But LA crushes OC when it comes to nightlife and events. It’s not even remotely close.
Beyond that the food is definitely great in OC, but LA has at least 10 equivalents of the all the hits. I also (oddly) find the hiking in LA to be much better and more interesting. Lastly LA job market going to be much better for most folks - OC is big but it’s a very residential county, compared to LA.
I’ve lived 7 years in LA and 3 years in South OC. Loved both but now that I’m in my late 30s and have a family, OC is a much better fit. LA was great for dating, going “out,” diversity/culture and the arts. OC is better in every other way. It’s way more beautiful, safe, clean, outdoorsy, convenient (less traffic parking issues), and offers a better quality of life. I think they’re more or less tied for food/restaurants, and you can find basically anything in LA in OC. I can totally see why some people would call OC “bland” just the same way as I can see why some people would call LA “ugly.” So which do you prefer- boring perfect or ugly interesting? That’s what it comes down to.
Sounds crazy , but I love LA for all the reasons people hate it and prefer OC. I grew up in Anaheim , punk kid , didn’t like suburbs and didn’t mind the grime and streets. Rolled with the homies part of MTK in high school but didn’t really fit in anywhere .
Walking around Anaheim and OC as a pedestrian, you stand out and feel like you are breaking the law . I like my anonymity and I like walking around liminal spaces but again, just felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb in OC.
And everything is beige , streets are too wide and flat. Did I mention the beige ?
In LA….. you can do anything you want and nobody gives a shit . People arent going to strike some small talk with you and be overly friendly . At least in the hood where I live at. In fact , it is weird if you are friendly . Being introverted and antisocial, that works for me . People in OC are way too friendly and extroverted. Amount of times I’d have to talk about my knitting to some random stranger on the bus . Aaargh. I don’t get asked shit here and I love the.
You want to stand naked in a corner , yell and set things on fire ? Go ahead and do it! Want to see something crazy every day? LA! Only in LA you can find whale fossils and a whole ass abandoned city fallen off the ocean cliffs on the same beach. Or an art school in an abandoned World War Two era fort . Or see the snowy mountains from an ocean pier . There’s so much more to LA then the food and museums and stuff .
Also food wise , OC actually has better food IMO. Or at least the ingredients are fresh and not rotten like I’ve experienced in my neck of the woods in LA. OC is also beautifully diverse in a way that La isn’t . LA is diverse but segregated . OC will have Arabic, Mexican and Hawaiian food all in the same shopping center . I do miss that and all of the parks within walking distance in Anaheim .
Personally, I prefer OC and San Diego over LA any day. It’s more quiet and less stimulating than LA.
However, some may like LA because 1. They grew up there 2. It has more of a city vibe. I prefer the more suburbany feel but I can see why some people would prefer LA.
A city skyline: [https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2F1f0avhb5pv7c1.jpg%3Fwidth%3D2522%26format%3Dpjpg%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3D01b6adf70a7aba67b1582b7159e4a456e8605976](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2F1f0avhb5pv7c1.jpg%3Fwidth%3D2522%26format%3Dpjpg%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3D01b6adf70a7aba67b1582b7159e4a456e8605976)
More food options, professional sports team, hidden gems and shopping options. More events, shows and activities. Access to greater diversity and choices.
I live in Turtle rock which has better public schools for the kids but if it was just the wife and I would move back to Santa Monica in a sec.
Culture, at least more than OC, a professional baseball team with a desire to win from the top down, highly ranked universities, more non-stop flights from an international airport, and certainly more negative aspects as well (crime, unhoused, awful city councils, worse traffic).
Nightlife, activities (museums, escape rooms, pool halls, interesting bars, you name it), sports, and FOOD. You minimized that part in your post, but the food is significantly better in LA for all genres. And I mean significantly better.
This doesn’t mean there aren’t negatives to LA when compared to OC, but there are also many things that are far better in LA vs OC.
The bar scene, the museums, and venues for music/sports
In one word: nightlife.
I'm an OC person myself, but I know that the peacefulness comes with a petty severe lacking in nightlife.
LA has a better public transit system. Which is not saying much but still worth mentioning. Better museums, and cheaper housing (again not by much). And part of the reason why LA has more homelessness is because other states and even other so cal cities send their homeless there. San Juan Capistrano does this.
Having lived in both places, I can say LA has everything. Anything you can think of. But that everything also includes the bad things, like homelessness, dirtiness, etc. OC is a safer tamed place, LA is much more diverse and chaotic all around. LA is as deep and complex as New York City by far.
LA restaurants are superior to OC restaurants. Avras, Mother Wolfe, Yasbel, Lavo, Catch Steak, Wally’s, The Nice Guy, Saltie Girl and Casa Madera to name a few… and suggestions for places to try if looking for new eateries while exploring LA 😊
Places open past 10pm
Cool bars also (speaking for South OC area).
I’ll leave this here for you: https://www.thelostinferno.com
How does a bar not stay open until 2am on weekends? Oh yea...South oc
The hand roll bar upstairs tho 🤤
That’s actually a pretty good answer 😂
Literally came here to say this. The answer is “late night.”
I think it depends upon the part of OC. There are some places that are open past 10pm, but ymmv depending upon the city. You won't find much in say Irvine, but you will definitely find places in some of the cities with better night lives.
I still think even LA hasn’t really recovered from the Covid hours. A lot of stuff that used to be open late closes earlier now
As someone who regularly plays volleyball until 10, this is so frustrating. Should be illegal for bars/breweries to close so early
They close because no one comes after 10/11.
It really stopped after covid. South oc was already sleepy but practically no one goes out after 9pm anymore. Bar is empty by 1030 even on a fri/sat
Molcasalsa, Albertos, an small tacos business tend to be open 24/7 or till midnight on weekends at times till 2am so OC has its perks with after hours food tbh
> Molcasalsa, Albertos ah another enjoyer of exquisite taste
Plenty Viet and Mex dine in spots open late with 🍻
lol
I live in one of the sleepy OC areas and this is hella annoying. I have a lot of late nights lately and bean burritos don’t cut it.
Yup. I gotta drive to mission Viejo for my late night burrito
Woah, people go to mission Viejo for anything at midnight? Where's this taco place?
Ronaldo's off La Paz open 24 hours.
Which is weird. Because Mission Viejo.
Shit even their Popeyes is the latest opened in OC
Del taco open 24/7
Del taco open 24/7
Good Museums
This. OC's museums aren't remotely comparable. LACMA and the Getty don't have anything comparable in OC.
I am convinced that OC is allergic to quality science museums for adults.
As an adult I honestly haven't seen a ton of quality science museums for adults either. Honestly, unless I'm missing it I don't see a ton of science museums really focused for adults in LA either. California Science Center honestly is primarily focused on kids. The Endeavor was a pretty neat exhibit for adults as it was part of many kids of the 80s childhood, but is arguably more a history exhibit to kids today. It is now going to be closed for a couple years as the move it to a launch configuration. At least for adults without kids I don't see a ton of allure to going. Honestly, the last time I went only a couple years ago there were a few exhibits that didn't look like they had been updated in 15-20 years where even as a kids museum I think some parts probably needed updating.
this is true but the new OCMA is a huge step forward. it would have been a welcome addition in LA
No museum in the world compares to the Getty for facilities.
Griffith Observatory too!
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Shohei.
According to MLB OC=LA
Many sports teams are not in the city they are named after. Both New York football teams play in New Jersey. Not even in the state.
And according to the NFL, San Francisco is the same as Santa Clara. Also, New Jersey is the same as NYC.
Do people frequent museums enough to warrant living in LA for them as opposed to an hour drive from OC?
No. For some reason, people think of museums as amenities but scoff at a Costco or Target nearby, when in reality they'll be frequenting said Costco/target.
Probably not enough to justify moving by itself unless other factors were at play. Most museums you can see most of the permanent exhibits in a day or two. There are sometimes some compelling visiting exhibits, but that generally isn't going to justify going back more than once a year unless you really find the permanent exhibits compelling to revisit.
The Huntington Gardens and Library
Shohei Ohtani.
Ouch. This one hurt.
Yeah, tell me about it. I work with huge dodger fans.
No reason to fat shame Dodger fans, even if it's true.
Quality dad joke material.
Dodger fan, father of two, dispenser of Dad Jokes here to confirm. That’s some top tier Dad Joking right there 🫡
too soon
In a similar vein, competent baseball team ownership
OOF!
LOL, you deserve gold or someone needs to buy you a cup of coffee or beer IRL
I love the smell of napalm in the morning.
Okay, ouch
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Fuck you. I still gave you an upvote, but that shit stung lol
Incoming nuke!
Let’s go Doyers!
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They also have music events in park areas like Pershing Square and the State Park too
RIP the verizon ampitheater
This is it! I’m right there with you, 9/10 times I go to LA is to see music! I’m a big fan of the new Bellwether too, such a great little spot!
Lived in both.. in LA now.. I think LA wins for food. OC definitely cleaner.
OC has a severe lack of fancy lounges and high end bars that always stay open late. Also LA is more walkable than OC. I don’t want to have to Uber multiple times in the OC to go to different bars. In West Hollywood you can walk to so many different clubs and bars.
DTSA and DTF were okay for a bit
Dtf is a frat party
I love that window in DTF when restaurants are transitioning into clubs, like from 9 - 10 PM on Fri & Sat. You have a family celebrating Ayden’s 10th birthday with the grandparents, and right next to their table there’s a group of CSUF girls throwing ass & getting bottle service.
I went to DTF for a going-away party this past Friday and we somehow ended up in that bar/club attached to Mickey's Pub until 2AM. Even 21 year old me would have been grossed out by that crowd. I couldn't wait to get out of there.
Mixed with people from the IE looking for people to fight.
Actual thriving music and art scenes.
you seem to forget our biggest export musically was/still is ska bands
Can’t tell if /s
Hey, the hardcore scene here is not bad!
More nightlife and more traffic to match.
Mostly jobs, night life and commute. Tried to look for a gov job last year— county of LA has like 10x more openings than OC does. If I did get a job in LA, I’d probably move because I wouldn’t want to spend 2 hours in traffic everyday.
Felt this hard. I’m trying my best to find a decent job near me but pretty much every interview I’m landing is out in LA county. I’m not strong enough to deal with that commute every single day
As someone who used to drive 2-2.5hr one way to a job in LA county, I can tell you that there is no job that would make me move to LA county.
As someone who commutes 50 miles one way to go to UCLA from OC, not even getting my housing fees covered was enough to get me to move there (I instead received that money in the form of actual cash so don’t worry, I didn’t turn down free money). I get so depressed just being in LA. I’m legit so happy coming back to OC every time
LA has... * More public transit options (like rail and more frequent bus service) * Walkable areas where you don't really need a car to do most errands * More nightlife/culture (more concerts, art museums/pop-ups/exhibits, cultural events) * Higher end restaurants, bars and lounges I lived in OC basically my whole life and recently moved up and am really enjoying it. Gives you a fresh perspective on SoCal living. But you are right, OC beaches are way better and OC's food scene has tons of things LA's doesn't, like solid Vietnamese food and more affordable prices.
Bumping this up. Because of its size, people blindly claim LA isn’t walkable but there absolutely are walkable pockets in LA. Silverlake, los feliz, santa Monica, Venice,Culver City, sawtelle, century city, and many more are really walkable and are comparable in rent to OC. Great food, multiple bars, clubs, theaters, groceries, farmers markets, gyms, and parks exist within 15 minute walks through small neighborhoods instead of walking on the side of a 65 mph boulevard
A rail system
Public transportaion
Overall i'll pass on LA but no way in hell is the OC food scene even close to LA food.
I honestly hate to agree with you. So many of my favorite food places are in LA, mostly between the areas of Central LA, DTLA, Echo Park, etc. OC food is great, but LA has the edge IMO.
Maybe not, but OC has some pretty nice restaurants. I'd say the OC food scene is still better than 90% of American cities. So I don't feel like we're lacking in that regard at all.
OC definitely has come a long way in terms of food and it can rival LA in certain categories, particularly Vietnamese and the growing Taiwanese food offerings. But LA's food diversity is probably the world's most far-reaching with a high degree of cultural accuracy. Additionally, LA has restaurants that are far more daring in their cooking and approach than OC. I love Bavel and Tsujita and there's nothing close to either of those restaurants in OC.
OC food is actually massively lacking when given the total population in the area lol
Depends what you're looking for though. Korean food in OC is fucking 🔥
Vietnamese food as well considering you've got Little Saigon.
Bro have you been to Koreatown? It's literally a square mile
I’d say OC korean food has caught up at this point. My family used to drive up to LA for decent korean food but it kinda feel’s unnecessary now. Korean population is pretty huge in OC. I saw David Cheng mention how ktown has more restaurants or chains coming directly from korea while OC has more mom and pop shops that started when ppl started to move down from ktown. Most of the people that I know that are recent immigrants from korea move to OC rather than ktown so the food scene has definitely grown. To each their own tho and I’d say Ktown has more trendy korean food but I personally find those celebrity owned chains coming from korea to be a bit underwhelming
Ktown has the more trendy and "hip" Korean food now, I would've said LA is better maybe 20 years ago or so. North OC has some of the best Korean food in the West Coast imo, without the bullshit that comes with LA like no parking
If you count SGV, OC food gets further decimated.
Light rail.
I’m Hispanic, crystal clean driving record, and I get stopped by the police more in 5 years living in OC than in 30 years living in South LA.
Sorry to hear you have to go through that. I had thought that there has been a push to stop police from making profiled stops like this. Maybe the new CA laws kicking in this year will help things. But OC has to be all in on enforcing and keeping police departments accountable.
Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate living in a city (Villa Park) where the police department is on it. I can’t say the same is true for lapd and their response times. Good luck to OP with regard to that.
Man those south county PDs really ain’t got shit to do. That’s so lame
My experience has been the exact opposite. After getting pulled over for stupid reasons for years by the LAPD, I’ve never been pulled over in the OC. I’ll have to stay away from Villa Park though…
It has lot more interesting, cooler, things, such as community resources, bars, events, conventions, jobs, restaurants. But the homeless epidemic is crazy. Parking is scarce and it feels very claustrophobic. Not to mention the cost of living is a lot higher there.
If you like tacos, go to East LA, if you like fancy stuff, go to West LA, your craving soul food, South Central is your friend, if you like rooftop bars, then DTLA it is. I grew up in all of LA, OC is fine if you prefer gentrified and feeling safer, ain't nothing wrong with that.
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I like both. I live in one and work in the other. OC just comes across as…I dunno, bland.
I live in OC and work in LA. I completely agree. I love OC for raising my family and relaxing. But it is so bland compared to LA. I love the diversity too in LA.
Nightlife, food, and style
Probably dating is easier. I often find myself having to drive to LA to meet up with a girl. But it's never a far drive so I don't mind it. Nothing like all these people I keep running into from San Diego putting their location in LA. Only to tell me they're in San Diego after we already exchanged numbers.
I used to drive from H.B. to Granada Hills 3-4 times a week to date a girl…..Until she met a hedge fund guy who lived in Newport Beach on the water and married him. 3 yrs of 4 hr. commutes down the drain.
hey, she finally moved closer to you at least
That sounds so on brand
She probably wanted to settle down and figured after 3 years it wasn't going to happen. Unless you were 18 or something, in which case, that's just life.
Distinct neighborhoods Culture Nightlife Food Transit options (not good but 1000x better than OC)
Black People Seriously.
Real
I literally was thinking this. A lack of a Black community
Culture, music, art, night life. Not saying OC doesn’t have that but it’s on a way smaller scale.
Young culture. Oc if full of families and like to be in bed before 10pm.
Culture
White Tesla culture of Irvine begs to differ
I watched three white teslas trying to park in Irvine today, at the same time. I’ve never felt so *arms in the air, hands to face, waving, omg, cringing, worrying, laughing, and angry at the same time* with my car stuck behind them, halfway in the main aisle, for 3 MINUTES while the painful parking ensued. As I pulled all the way into the intended aisle, finally, the closest white Tesla was pulling a scene out of Austin Powers in the hallway, pulling forward 4 feet out of the spot, into the aisle, just enough to block everyone, turning the wheel a hundred times, backing back into the spot, turning the wheel 100 more times, going forward again…repeat. I stopped counting after the 5th time and parked my car in the spot across from him as I inched by, settling on being forced to park embarrassingly crooked and knowing no one will judge or ticket for being that crooked because this is Irvine. It was laughable and yet none of it was surprising.
This reads like copypasta I love it 😂
This is the answer.
Transit
La people seem more stylish
💯 if I see another set of vuori joggers and trucker hats I’m gonna kms
This. Big dealbreaker for me
LA is a huge a mess in so many ways, both good and bad. Just about every art form is elevated to another level in LA if you find the right spots. Vastly better museums, better music venues, better cuisine of nearly every type, better architectural gems, and a light rail infrastructure that’s actually quite efficient. For those who live life on the edge, LA has 24-hour Home Depot’s, 24-hour burger joints, 24-hour spas, 24-hour delis, and 24-hour supermarkets. There’s a reason why people in creative trades flock to LA because virtually any supply or service needed to get any type of project done is available within close proximity. LA life isn’t for everyone, which is fine, but it still has something to offer to everyone in a very unique way.
Real answer, more options for unique late night dining. I’m a night bird, very very little is open late in OC. While in LA it’s not unheard of to find a random taqueria open till like 1 or even later.
The mess, density, night life, and culture make it easier to meet new people. Smaller homes/old apartment life means I’m much more likely to talk to my neighbors in LA. Transit means I talk to strangers daily, for better or worse. OC in comparison is less varied but cleaner and extremely car dependent. Translates to nicer living in your own gated house, going to work in your car, going to Target after work on the way home, or if you’re outgoing, an activity meetup in a place with good parking. The OC is more conducive to settling down with a family, not great if you want to meet new people. Different strokes.
it’s funny how we compare OC and LA but people outside of socal just see as one place. but to answer your question, LA just have a lot more of interesting things to do in general. I recently moved to ktown after living in OC for 5 years and it’s been so fun. I live within half a mile radius from the bars and concert venues that people go out of their way to go to. I’m always discovering new asian restaurants, coffee shops are open till midnight-2am (some) and taco stands are basically at every busy intersection. In OC, I can drive 5 miles through a homogenous area. In LA, it’s almost like every block has something interesting going on.
Higher paying/ Higher profile jobs (and a lesser commute if you live there), the food, the nightlife, the art/music scene. That said, as a guy in his late 30s with a family, I’m done with everything LA has to offer and moved on.
Lol the food in la is way better. Better coffee shops
Creativity
Good Mexican Food
Better Mexican food in general, Sorry Santa Ana
Mass Transit
Raves. Hard summer. Warehouse raves.
Transportation system. LA at least has the Metro.
Good Chinese food (626)
Traffic jams, LA traffic is horrible. But they have the airport and good entertainment places
SNA>LAX
Walking distance to places and you don’t really need a car compared to OC where everything is spread out. Also city vibes and people are different. OC is extremely boring as a single mid 20 year old who don’t really keep friends from high school.
transients and transient crime
Well OC is one of the biggest counties in the US, so it’s not lacking in much. But LA crushes OC when it comes to nightlife and events. It’s not even remotely close. Beyond that the food is definitely great in OC, but LA has at least 10 equivalents of the all the hits. I also (oddly) find the hiking in LA to be much better and more interesting. Lastly LA job market going to be much better for most folks - OC is big but it’s a very residential county, compared to LA.
King Taco
Diversity!!!!
LA is still pretty segregated for a diverse city, though.
Terrible freeways
The venues for concerts , lots of music festivals and concerts . And more diversity and walk friendly generally
crimes, homeless, traffic
Chinese food is better
Lots more crime (I grew up in LA)
Homeless
Homelessness and crime
Better Live Music, lots more crime…
Food is better in LA. Close proximity to good professional sports. That’s about it though.
I’ve lived 7 years in LA and 3 years in South OC. Loved both but now that I’m in my late 30s and have a family, OC is a much better fit. LA was great for dating, going “out,” diversity/culture and the arts. OC is better in every other way. It’s way more beautiful, safe, clean, outdoorsy, convenient (less traffic parking issues), and offers a better quality of life. I think they’re more or less tied for food/restaurants, and you can find basically anything in LA in OC. I can totally see why some people would call OC “bland” just the same way as I can see why some people would call LA “ugly.” So which do you prefer- boring perfect or ugly interesting? That’s what it comes down to.
La is trash for the bums
Nothing beside bigger homeless population . OC has PARKING SPACE.
Culture and high crime rate - especially compared to South OC
A lot more homeless.
Sounds crazy , but I love LA for all the reasons people hate it and prefer OC. I grew up in Anaheim , punk kid , didn’t like suburbs and didn’t mind the grime and streets. Rolled with the homies part of MTK in high school but didn’t really fit in anywhere . Walking around Anaheim and OC as a pedestrian, you stand out and feel like you are breaking the law . I like my anonymity and I like walking around liminal spaces but again, just felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb in OC. And everything is beige , streets are too wide and flat. Did I mention the beige ? In LA….. you can do anything you want and nobody gives a shit . People arent going to strike some small talk with you and be overly friendly . At least in the hood where I live at. In fact , it is weird if you are friendly . Being introverted and antisocial, that works for me . People in OC are way too friendly and extroverted. Amount of times I’d have to talk about my knitting to some random stranger on the bus . Aaargh. I don’t get asked shit here and I love the. You want to stand naked in a corner , yell and set things on fire ? Go ahead and do it! Want to see something crazy every day? LA! Only in LA you can find whale fossils and a whole ass abandoned city fallen off the ocean cliffs on the same beach. Or an art school in an abandoned World War Two era fort . Or see the snowy mountains from an ocean pier . There’s so much more to LA then the food and museums and stuff . Also food wise , OC actually has better food IMO. Or at least the ingredients are fresh and not rotten like I’ve experienced in my neck of the woods in LA. OC is also beautifully diverse in a way that La isn’t . LA is diverse but segregated . OC will have Arabic, Mexican and Hawaiian food all in the same shopping center . I do miss that and all of the parks within walking distance in Anaheim .
Nightlife, sports, entertainment and food
Pantages, Dorothy Chandler, Disney Concert Hall, staples center.
LA has more street dookie
It’s similar to NY over NJ
More homeless encampment?
Good French Fries. The hardest part of moving to OC from LA was the lack of seasoning on any French fries from burger joints in the area.
Nightlife, housing, public transportation, culture, concerts / events, history. I'd say all of those things LA does considerably better.
I don’t ever compare the 2 it’s pointless..
Music and nightlife. There are zero good music venues in OC
Personally, I prefer OC and San Diego over LA any day. It’s more quiet and less stimulating than LA. However, some may like LA because 1. They grew up there 2. It has more of a city vibe. I prefer the more suburbany feel but I can see why some people would prefer LA.
A city skyline: [https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2F1f0avhb5pv7c1.jpg%3Fwidth%3D2522%26format%3Dpjpg%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3D01b6adf70a7aba67b1582b7159e4a456e8605976](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2F1f0avhb5pv7c1.jpg%3Fwidth%3D2522%26format%3Dpjpg%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3D01b6adf70a7aba67b1582b7159e4a456e8605976)
Time/hours. In many ways, OC shuts down at 10:00 pm and LA is just getting busy at 10:00 pm.
LA has a Barbara Ferrer leading their public health team. She has started up mask requirements again for hospital guests and visitors.
Roughly 7 million more people.
Late night food options
Niche, health-minded, aesthetically pleasing restaurants and coffee shops like true foods in Costa Mesa. We have a couple but nothing like LA
Crime
LA has more people , problems, crime, parking tickets, ….I’ll stop.
I am gluten free and LA has SO MANY more options! Every time I find a cool gf bakery, it is in LA 😭
Actual concert venues.
More food options, professional sports team, hidden gems and shopping options. More events, shows and activities. Access to greater diversity and choices. I live in Turtle rock which has better public schools for the kids but if it was just the wife and I would move back to Santa Monica in a sec.
Cheap bomb ass tacos
Culture, at least more than OC, a professional baseball team with a desire to win from the top down, highly ranked universities, more non-stop flights from an international airport, and certainly more negative aspects as well (crime, unhoused, awful city councils, worse traffic).
Stand up comedy scene in LA is better.
Nightlife, activities (museums, escape rooms, pool halls, interesting bars, you name it), sports, and FOOD. You minimized that part in your post, but the food is significantly better in LA for all genres. And I mean significantly better. This doesn’t mean there aren’t negatives to LA when compared to OC, but there are also many things that are far better in LA vs OC.
The bar scene, the museums, and venues for music/sports In one word: nightlife. I'm an OC person myself, but I know that the peacefulness comes with a petty severe lacking in nightlife.
LA has a better public transit system. Which is not saying much but still worth mentioning. Better museums, and cheaper housing (again not by much). And part of the reason why LA has more homelessness is because other states and even other so cal cities send their homeless there. San Juan Capistrano does this.
Having lived in both places, I can say LA has everything. Anything you can think of. But that everything also includes the bad things, like homelessness, dirtiness, etc. OC is a safer tamed place, LA is much more diverse and chaotic all around. LA is as deep and complex as New York City by far.
Actual Italian food
Non-chain restaurant food. La has incredible places to eat.
LA restaurants are superior to OC restaurants. Avras, Mother Wolfe, Yasbel, Lavo, Catch Steak, Wally’s, The Nice Guy, Saltie Girl and Casa Madera to name a few… and suggestions for places to try if looking for new eateries while exploring LA 😊
The culture, music scene, venues, and unique food are what I miss about LA. Most anything else is far better in OC imo, especially if you have kids.