Why I love Southern California!

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Happy Weekend friends!  I love  living in Southern California.  I was born in Huntington Beach and I start to have withdrawals if I don’t get to sink my toes into the sand every few months.  There are so many reasons why I love living here.  Of course having family nearby is a huge part, but all the activities and day trip options within an hour is mind boggling.  So I thought I’d share some of our favorite places to visit nearby in case you’ve thought about moving to California.

I think at the top of my list has to be the beach.  We usually either head down to the San Diego area for the day or into Orange County and head to Newport Beach.

Coronado Island down in San Diego is a great place to spend the day.  You take the blue bridge (as my kiddos call it) over to the island.  Down the main street there are lots of cute shops and great restaurants.

Of course there’s the famous Hotel del Coronado.  Here’s a photo from last year at Christmas time.  They deck the hotel out with lots of lights.  It’s gorgeous as it sits right on the beach.

Another fun thing we love to do in San Diego is catch a game while the Padres are playing the Dodgers… we like to call it Dodger Stadium South.

We went there last year for my son’s 13th birthday.  Padres Stadium is right near the water’s edge in the heart of downtown San Diego.  Going to a stadium in the heart of a city… there’s an energy level and buzz that you won’t find other places.

Laguna Beach in Orange County is one of my favorite places to visit on a Saturday morning.  There’s a great restaurant called Las Brisas that has an amazing brunch with this gorgeous view.  You can’t beat that to start your weekend!

Oak Glen is our favorite place to visit during the fall.  There are apple orchards where you can pick your own apples, make your own apple cider and find anything apple that your heart desires.

One of my favorite places to visit up there is the Snowline Orchard where they sell apple cider doughnuts sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.  They make them fresh as you watch, so you are handed a hot bag to enjoy.  It’s worth the drive just for these.

And who says we don’t have gorgeous fall foliage here in Southern California.  While in Oak Glen I snapped this beautiful oak tree in all it’s splendor.

Other mountain communities we enjoy in the winter are Lake Arrowhead and Idyllwild.

Lake Arrowhead village is a fun place to walk around any time of year.  We enjoy going while the Christmas décor is up as it’s decked out with a huge Christmas tree.  It’s fun to pull out the heavy jackets and walk around with your hot cocoa in hand.

Idyllwild has a quaint little town and has some great places to go sledding when the area is graced with snow. Here’s my youngest kissing the snowman she made… she’s 8 now… where does the time go!

And one of our favorite places to visit during the Christmas season is to ride the train in Irvine Park.  They decorate it with garland and lights and you get to drive around for about 15 minutes and see cute Christmas scenes throughout the park.  Irvine Park is also a great place for picnics and family gatherings.  You can rent bikes and paddle boats too.

So there you go friends… just a glimpse at some of the great places here in Southern California.  The California Association of REALTORS® (CAR) take their job seriously to find you and your family the perfect home.  But the process of purchasing a home in California goes further than just the realtor and home buyer.  Purchasing a home in California has a long-term ripple effect.    Here’s some of the awesome facts:

• One new job is created from every two home sales  – in this economy that’s a big high-five!
• One home purchase stimulates the economy by $60K  – a win-win!
• A homeowner’s net worth is 34 times that of a renter… great incentive to purchase a home when you’re ready!

So if you’re thinking of making a move the CA Association of REALTORS® are there to help.  They can help you set the right price on your home if you are needing to sell and they help you find that dream home.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.