I ve visited both areas many times and I have relatives in both areas. The S.F. Bay area is much better than L.A. or southern CA. I don t know of anybody who ever left their heart in L.A., but I know many people, including myself, who left my heart in San Francisco and Monterey. The S.F. Bay area has better restaurants, shopping, entertainment, excellent attractions, scenic beauty, great public transportation, excellent universities, and nicer people than southern Ca. Southern CA has more crime, more natural disasters (those fires were awful), over-crowded conditions, high unemployement, over-priced attractions, poor shopping experiences, horrible public transportation, too many fake people (this doesn t apply to everybody), and some very greedy people (once again, doesn t apply to everyone).I m going back to the Bay area in three weeks and I can t wait!
I ve lived in both and it s apples and oranges. The Bay area has great culture, they experience 4 seasons and are within driving distance to world class recreation of all sorts. But the cost of housing is the highest in the US. Southern California has the most moderate weather in the country, the housing is less expensive, the job market is a bit better, but it has no reason seasons and is drab .Which is better depends on your stage in life and what you expect from a community.
It s basically similiar and different. Southern California: warmer weather, cheaper, better job market, winter is like summerNorthern California (Bay Area): 4 seasons, expensive, harder to find job, colder in winterOh, and I like both about the same. Probably Southern California edges Northern in my opinion
Oh the Bay Area...
Southern Cali if you want palm treesBay Area if you want the Golden Gate Bridge
I prefer Bay Area.