Let’s face it, Los Angeles sometimes gets a bad rap. On the surface, LA 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 better known for? Well sure, the beaches and the good weather are there, but if you had to choose 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 history and sheer volume of entertainment related stuff. And why are people in the entertainment business known? Greed, excess and superficiality. So it’s completely understandable why an outsider, even if they’ve visited LA, would think that’s what LA is all about. I mean, of course, the most obvious and direct thing you notice about Los Angeles is the shallow, rich snobs. They want to be noticed. So it is 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 about. Sure, you may have to dig under the top layer of silt a bit more than in some cities to find the rose garden, but it’s there. There are almost all kinds of people, everything you could dream of doing and all the scenes 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 year-round weather, natural beauty, and just about everything you could want to find within a short drive? Well that’s one of the reasons the price of life is a bit high … but that’s another story.

So here it is … my list of the top things I love about Los Angeles.

1. Food: Okay, I 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 astonishing number and variety of restaurants in Los Angeles, from small authentic taco stands to the finest French cuisine. Sure, you might find a few things to complain about in the dining scene here, but that doesn’t change the fact that for almost every kitchen you want, you can find dozens, or more, of great restaurants.
2. Weather: This is obvious. The weather here is cool. Unless you What freezing her nipples half the year.
3. Diversity: No, LA is not just Hollywood and Mexico. Sure, with our proximity to our southern neighbors, there are a lot of great things to do related to Mexico, food, Olvera Street, etc. But there is an astonishing diversity of everything in Los Angeles. Food from all the places you can imagine, art, culture, different “settings”, etc. One day you could attend a Swedish meatball festival and competition and the next sing along with reggae bands on the beach.
4. Weather: Yes, it is that good.
5. Natural beauty: This will undoubtedly 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 quite a misconception. First of all, the city itself, well, for the most part at least, it’s beautiful. Trees are everywhere. The hills and the beautiful beaches (see below) fill the geography. The city just looks good (again, most of it … certainly there are ugly parts as 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 interspersed in the city, but to the real nature, is not as easy as in some places. Most of the “parks” in Los Angeles are nothing more than a sports center with baseball and soccer fields. However, everywhere in the area, and easily accessible by car, there are beautiful natural areas. Whether enjoying the stunning Pacific Coast, the Santa Monica Mountains, the apple orchards in Oak Glenn, the Angeles National Forest (what’s left of it 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.
6. Beaches: Well, I know this could fall into the natural beauty section, but the 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 time of year. If you haven’t seen it, the greatest 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.
7. It’s huge! Some people might say that this is a bad thing. But if you like diversity, novelty and variety, having a huge city is an incredible resource that you could not 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 the most of you … admit it!) would eventually get bored.
8. Be lost: Wherever you live, be it a small town or a giant city, we all tend to get caught up in our own day-to-day routines. Even with the endless possibilities for dinner each 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 amazed. Once every few weeks I like to put the family in the car and just drive. Without following maps or GPS, with no destination in mind, just head in an unknown direction. The things you discover in a place as big as Los Angeles can be exciting. Some of the places we have discovered in this way have some of our favorite places to visit. In fact, we discovered the area that we now live in this way years ago!
9. 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! Hiking, picnicking, the Griffith Observatory, concerts in the park, the Greek Theater, pony and train rides, carousels and the Los Angeles Zoo is right behind. This natural monument dominates our city and is a wonderful escape in our own backyard.
10. Hollywood Bowl: Hidden in the hills behind Hollywood, the Hollywood Bowl is part of Los Angeles history. This large open-air amphitheater hosts almost every type of performance you can imagine, from orchestral music to dance theater to rock concerts. But the best thing about it is their summer programs that happen almost every night throughout the summer. What’s good about them? In addition to the excellent program 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 you can imagine. And tickets are only about a dollar! Sure, they’re in the nosebleeds section, but when you’ve got tons of food, wine, and friends, who cares!
11. Purchases: 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 “go shopping”. What I mean is that you can get anything here. Search it. There is probably a factory for what you are looking for downtown! If you are looking for a [insert random weird thing here], there is likely an entire store dedicated to him somewhere in the Los Angeles area. Give it a try, you might be surprised.

So give Los Angeles one more chance before you quit. If you keep an open mind, you may find that this is a great city.