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Please don't take offense to this but I've received a wonderful job offer in LA and completely and utterly hate the city after 2 weeks. I lived in a lot of places and even places I didn't particularly like, I didn't seem to hate it. A lot of people live here and love it, so I'm missing something. Details within. [more inside]
posted by geoff. around Los Angeles, CA at 8:02 PM - 37 answers

I'm going to be taking a lot of jaunts to Palmdale, CA and I'm having trouble finding cool/homey/divey/funky places to hang out and drink or etc. Lancaster would be okay too but closer is better. Thanks in advance for any tips!
posted by ftm around Palmdale, CA at 1:35 PM - 1 answer

I need some fun ideas that are inexpensive, not strenuous in the least, are within a 2 hour drive from Port Hueneme and will be memorable. [more inside]
posted by magnoliasouth around Southern California, CA at 10:35 PM - 2 answers

We (two 30-year-old humans) have two weeks in the general San Francisco area in November. How can we have an exciting, memorable time without destroying what's left of my bank account? Snowflakes inside. [more inside]
posted by spielzebub around San Francisco, CA at 7:40 AM - 12 answers

I'm going to be in LA for a single day and have successfully convinced my family (mom, sister, 12 year old niece) we should spend it downtown rather than at the beach. I used to live there and have some ideas but I would love to know about any other fun things I might not be aware of. [more inside]
posted by something something around Los Angeles, CA at 11:30 AM - 19 answers

My partner and I (couple in our early 40s, no kids) are in Oakland and we're looking to do a day-trip tomorrow (Saturday). We have a car but we'd prefer something pretty close (say, 60-90 min drive max) and that will give us a chance to enjoy the outdoors but probably is not a straight-up hike. Thanks!
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell around Oakland, CA at 2:50 PM - 16 answers

Hi! Just re-located to Los Angeles and very ready to take advantage of all the amazing culture this city has. I'm not on any social media (and don't plan to join), but one way I've typically stayed on top of events is subscribing to newsletters of various museums/theaters/comedy clubs etc and actually reading them and then going to them. [more inside]
posted by namemeansgazelle around Los Angeles, CA at 8:41 AM - 11 answers

We will be landing in San Diego around noon on Monday and have about 4 hours to kill before we can check into our rental house. What should we do? Some complications below the fold. [more inside]
posted by LKWorking around San Diego, CA at 1:07 PM - 14 answers

Flying into Sacramento in 3 weeks and have nothing booked but a rental car. Would like to hit up wine country and see some interesting sites. Any recommendations appreciated. [more inside]
posted by lattiboy around Sacramento, CA at 12:26 PM - 15 answers

Visiting Death Valley during Thanksgiving break -- what's the best place to fly into if we want to minimize the chance of driving in snow? How many days and where should we stay? [more inside]
posted by serelliya around Death Valley, CA at 4:20 PM - 5 answers

What should I eat in San Francisco? [more inside]
posted by chainsofreedom around San Francisco, CA at 6:18 PM - 24 answers

I'll be in SF for work and I want to take advantage of summer's late sunsets to visit a park with great views in between the end of the work day and my dinner plans with a friend. Looking for (1) opinions on the best park to visit given (2) the logistics laid out inside, and (3) help with getting around. [more inside]
posted by CiaoMela around San Francisco, CA at 8:26 AM - 20 answers

I find myself in need of a replacement driver's license and would like to obtain it tomorrow (Tuesday) morning in San Francisco. I have another appointment downtown at 10 am and the DMV opens at 7 am. What time do I need to get to the DMV to safely obtain my license and get to my appointment a half hour away? Is getting there at 6 good enough or overkill? [more inside]
posted by reren around San Francisco, CA at 2:27 PM - 9 answers

Mr. Darling, the two kiddos and I are heading to San Jose in August. We will be staying with family for two nights near Los Gatos and then will relocate to San Jose for two nights. We want to be somewhere walking friendly but we will have a car. Any suggestions?
posted by tafetta, darling! around San Jose, CA at 12:54 PM - 5 answers

I'm trying to find a good place in California to make into our annual vacation spot -- somewhere with rental cabins where kids and adults can explore and walk to fun outdoor activities without everyone having to pile in a car. Please share your best camping or vacation rental experiences if you would! [more inside]
posted by slidell around California at 8:25 AM - 7 answers

I booked a room at the Grand Hyatt in SF for the 4th of July weekend. I live in San Jose area, so I am somewhat familiar with San Francisco. What are some off the beaten path places to visit or see? Food/bars? Night life? Are there fireworks that weekend or just on the 4th? We have plans to visit Hot Italian in Emeryville, but otherwise we are just looking to enjoy the city instead of our typical single objective-oriented travel.
posted by apex_ around San Francisco, CA at 10:10 AM - 5 answers

With a 1.5yr old, would you vacation to Redwoods National Park, Yosemite, or Lassen Volcanic Park? [more inside]
posted by inevitability around California at 7:38 PM - 13 answers

2 adults, 2 kids, and 2 grandparents are celebrating grandparents 50th in San Francisco this weekend. For one of the days we would like to rent a car and get out of the city. I don't mind driving a few hours. I don't mind spending money. Tell me about cool locales / day trips that a 7 and 70 year old could both enjoy together.
posted by jasondigitized around San Francisco, CA at 12:36 PM - 18 answers

I'm planning a bike tour from Portland to San Francisco via the coast and would ideally like to sleep in a hammock the whole way, but I've noticed online that some California state parks explicitly forbid it. How prevalent is this kind of policy? [more inside]
posted by Gymnopedist around California at 9:51 PM - 3 answers

We are planning a six day trip, driving down Highway 1 from Monterey to Los Angeles next week. Challenge: where to spend the nights. Looking for towns to stop in, hotels to stay at. Other trip ideas are also welcome. Theme is relaxation and recovery. [more inside]
posted by metahawk around Los Angeles, CA at 5:27 PM - 14 answers