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Geographic and cultural region of the US
Photo: 08OceanBeach SD, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Southern California is a megapolitan area in the southern region of the U.S. state of California. The large urban areas containing Los Angeles and San Diego stretch all along the coast from Ventura to the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego.
While many places claim to have "something for everyone", Los Angeles County actually does. There are movie studios to tour in Hollywood and its surrounding cities, shopping at luxury boutiques in Beverly Hills, the Ice Age fossils of the La Brea Tar Pits, the incredible museums of Exposition Park (including the Space Shuttle Endeavour), hiking and camping opportunities in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, some of the world's most impressive roller coasters at Magic Mountain, the famous beaches of Malibu, Santa Monica and Venice, and a million other options; just budget extra time to get to all of these places as you brave the infamous traffic with the county's ten million residents.
While Disneyland is obviously the attraction that brings the most visitors to Orange County, there is more to this county than just the House of Mouse. The county's Beach Cities offer vast sand expanses great for sunbathing, swimming, surfing and even whale watching, particularly in the spring and fall when grey whales migrate along the coast. Festivals such as Laguna Beach's Pageant of the Masters (July & August) or the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa (mid-July to mid-August) draw hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. And Knott's Berry Farm was an actual berry farm before adding roller coasters and other rides, and since 1973 has featured a popular October transformation into "Knott's Scary Farm" when the entire park is re-themed into a haunted house style attraction.
The city of San Diego sprawls across the southwestern portion of the county, with attractions that include the museums and famed zoo of lush Balboa Park, the upscale seaside community of La Jolla with its scenic coves and marine life, and the historic district of Old Town which is home to California's oldest Spanish mission. In contrast to its populous western side, the county's eastern half is a mountainous desert that attracts campers, hikers and OHV aficionados. The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park dominates this side of the county; after wet winters America's second-largest state park attracts hordes of visitors in the spring to admire the acres of desert wildflowers that carpet the normally barren ground.
By rail
Amtrak (for inner-Californian services branded as "Amtrak California") serves most major cities, some through a bus connection from the last station as there are not always rail connections Amtrak…
By car
Southern California is perhaps the most car dependent major urban region in the US if not the world. As such a car is usually the most convenient but sometimes also the only way to get around.
By bus
Most of the buses are routed with Los Angeles as the hub or core with frequent services from San Francisco Bay Area (via Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and/or Oxnard); Sacramento (via…
By car
Most Southern Californians drive their personal cars to get around.
Public transit
Public Transportation in Southern California includes:
By plane
While it is theoretically possible to get around Southern California by air, the cost prohibits all but the most affluent from doing so on private aircraft.
By thumb
It is not worth trying. Cities are too close together and there are too many access points to the highway, making it nearly impossible to find someone going your way.
On foot
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Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. It is best known for being the home of Disneyland.
Long Beach is a large port city in Los Angeles County in Southern California. Long Beach has some nice people-gathering amenities and genuine tourist attractions, such as a world-class aquarium and the Queen Mary floating museum/hotel.
Frank Lloyd Wright is said to have quipped, "Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles," a quote that has since been repeated both by those who love and hate L.A. The "City of Angels" is home to people who hail from all parts of the globe and an important center of culture, business, media, and international trade. However, it's most famous for being a major center of the world's television, motion picture, and music industry, which forms the base of the city's status and lures visitors for its show business history and celebrity culture.
Riverside is a city in Riverside County in California. With a population of over 300,000, the city plays host to a diverse cross-section of people and has a rich history.
San Bernardino is a city in the Inland Empire in California.
From balmy beaches with a laid-back attitude to a gleaming modern image, San Diego offers much for the tourist to enjoy. Situated on the Southern California seacoast, San Diego is the second largest city in the state, with 1.4 million residents (2020), and has long attracted travelers for its ideal climate, miles of beaches, and location on the Mexican border right across from Tijuana.
Santa Ana is a city in Orange County, Southern California and is the county seat of that county.
The Disneyland Resort is a theme park complex in Anaheim, California. It is home to the original Disneyland Park, which has been a favorite among Los Angeles residents and visitors to Southern California from all over the world since it opened in 1955.
Buena Park is a city in Orange County in Southern California. Buena Park is nestled between Los Angeles and San Diego, and is best known for a Knott's Berry Farm on what used to be Walter and Cordelia Knott's farm.
Six Flags Magic Mountain is a theme park in Valencia, California. It opened on Memorial Day 1971 (May 30, 1971).
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