Best located city in the American west

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by Quixote

Santiago isn’t along the coast (no, it’s not comparable to DTLA being inland) and there are no islands.

The metro area is effectively on the coast. If it were the U.S. the coastal areas would be considered part of Santiago metro.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by Quixote

I’ve been to Barcelona, Marseille, and Monaco. I’m pretty sure temps soar well into the 80s in July and August.

Oh well, sure.

You get cold brown water in LA nearly all year round with mediocre beaches versus crystal clear tropical water in the Balearics that you can swim in 6+ months out of the year with virtually no undertow (and no wet suits). With jaw dropping natural setting on top of it.

I know what I'm picking. But you do you.

[Crawford]

Unless you live within like 2 miles of the coast, you're getting 80's in SoCal. With global warming, my aunt (who lives directly on coast; sea lions disturbing your sleep close) finally had to relent and install AC.

I'd go further and say LA is pretty hot, at least where people live.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Oh well, sure.

You get cold brown water in LA nearly all year round with mediocre beaches versus crystal clear tropical water in the Balearics that you can swim in 6+ months out of the year with virtually no undertow (and no wet suits). With jaw dropping natural setting on top of it.

I know what I'm picking. But you do you.

Yeah, Barcelona has better water for swimming, and it's not even a debate. And Barcelona probably has the worst water in the Mediterranean. I don't know why anyone would get in L.A.'s ocean water for anything other than surfing. Even northeast beaches are better than southern California, at least during the summer.

I would find winter in Los Angeles more comfortable than Barcelona. L.A. has warmer winters than pretty much all of the European Mediterranean.

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Yeah, Barcelona has better water for swimming, and it's not even a debate. And Barcelona probably has the worst water in the Mediterranean.

Barcelona has pretty crappy beaches, though. Nearby, yeah, but I've never understood how Barcelona is marketed as a beach town.

[pdxtex]

No western city has it all. Los Angeles is probably the eco region winner. San Antonio seems interesting too. Semi tropical savannahs to high desert mountains in one direction to tropical coast in the other.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by Crawford

Barcelona has pretty crappy beaches, though. Nearby, yeah, but I've never understood how Barcelona is marketed as a beach town.

Yeah yeah. I agree. The beaches in Barcelona are meh but the Mediterranean is >>> than the Pacific for swimming and a lot of this was predicated on it's 2 hours from here 2 hours from there, etc.

My only point was that Barcelona is the jumping off point for the Balerarics since we were mentioning "islands" close to LA (I had to think of what they were tbh) and it's either a ferry or 30 minute flight. Now those are islands.

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

The metro area is effectively on the coast. If it were the U.S. the coastal areas would be considered part of Santiago metro.

Vancouver and Seattle are "effectively" coastal cities... quite a bit away from the actual Pacific but easy access to it.

Santiago is more like a Portland where you have mountainous terrain separating the core urban area from the coast, but you can still access the ocean by river.

Let's just say that I were accept to your argument. Where are the islands?

Within a 50-60-mile radius of DTLA, you have the Pacific Ocean (LA city actually touches it), the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains, Catalina Island, and the high desert.

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Oh well, sure.

You get cold brown water in LA nearly all year round with mediocre beaches versus crystal clear tropical water in the Balearics that you can swim in 6+ months out of the year with virtually no undertow (and no wet suits). With jaw dropping natural setting on top of it.

I know what I'm picking. But you do you.

That's nice. I'd also pick the Balearics over Oxnard/Ventura. But I wasn't talking about water quality, water temperature, or "jaw-dropping" the setting.

I've also not taken passive-aggressive digs at you.

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by Crawford

Unless you live within like 2 miles of the coast, you're getting 80's in SoCal. With global warming, my aunt (who lives directly on coast; sea lions disturbing your sleep close) finally had to relent and install AC.

That's true of inland San Diego and Bay Area as well.

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Yeah, Barcelona has better water for swimming, and it's not even a debate. And Barcelona probably has the worst water in the Mediterranean. I don't know why anyone would get in L.A.'s ocean water for anything other than surfing. Even northeast beaches are better than southern California, at least during the summer.

Here's the thing... most people in LA don't actually go to the beach in the hottest of summer days to go swimming. Rather, it's to escape the heat, maybe get knee-deep in water, and just enjoy the sounds of the oceanic tides.

LA has beaches and is famous for them, but it's not a "beach city" like Miami or San Diego are because LA County isn't really oriented on a north-south axis culturally, but OC is and has better beaches and more of a beach culture overall.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by Quixote

That's nice. I'd also pick the Balearics over Oxnard/Ventura. But I wasn't talking about water quality, water temperature, or "jaw-dropping" the setting.

I've also not taken passive-aggressive digs at you.

Well you defined the standard. And I'm saying I'm defining mine. I'd take proximity to a swimmable ocean (body of water) over one that's there and you can just look at.

[citywatch]

I notice the thread on which city is the cultural capital of America...which has traditionally been NYC....has been wished out into the corn field. There apparently is a very fine line when TOS rules against city vs city are triggered.

I don't know how anything can be posted about in the City discussions forum unless only one city per thread is being dealt with.

As for the cities of the Mediterranean, none of Europe's major ones are located in the south of France or south of spain....Italy too. So LA may be one of the few major cities internationally, but also on the US's west coast, that combines certain elements of mass, culture, economy, climate & terrain. Not always for the better, but a metro area that tends to be sui generis.

[Wigs]

SLC, imho, has one of the best locations right beside the beautiful Wasatch mountains and not too far a drive from some cool National parks as others have said. So much closer to hiking/skiing/snowboarding then Denver as well.
For future climate change purposes, I'm not sure how much fresh water they have

I'm a big fan of LA, but many others have already mentioned it.

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

My only point was that Barcelona is the jumping off point for the Balerarics since we were mentioning "islands" close to LA (I had to think of what they were tbh) and it's either a ferry or 30 minute flight. Now those are islands.

Well, yeah, the Balearic Islands are bigger and more developed in large part because of the combination of climate and swimmable waters.

They're also a 45-60-minute flight from Barcelona, whereas Catalina Island is more "in-metro" (part of LA County) and close enough that most people access by boat.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by Quixote

Vancouver and Seattle are "effectively" coastal cities... quite a bit away from the actual Pacific but easy access to it.

Santiago is more like a Portland where you have mountainous terrain separating the core urban area from the coast, but you can still access the ocean by river.

Let's just say that I were accept to your argument. Where are the islands?

Within a 50-60-mile radius of DTLA, you have the Pacific Ocean (LA city actually touches it), the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains, Catalina Island, and the high desert.

There's at least one small uninhabited island near the coast of Algarrobo where you can penguin watch. I took a tour of it a few years ago.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by Quixote

but OC is and has better beaches and more of a beach culture overall.

Vids have affected my take on the world, for both good & bad. In the past, I didn't give much thought to areas like Laguna. Although I've been there before, I guess if familiarity doesn't breed contempt, it breeds a reaction that lots of ppl have when the novelty of something wears off. Or not really appreciating something at the moment or until it's too late.


• Video Link

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Well you defined the standard. And I'm saying I'm defining mine. I'd take proximity to a swimmable ocean (body of water) over one that's there and you can just look at.

I'd also take the former. But where did I mention anything about "proximity to a swimmable ocean"?

I only mentioned humidity and air temperature... not air quality, water quality, or water temperature. What do the Balearic Islands have to do with anything? They're much more removed from any major city and the average highs reach the mid-80s in July and August.

[sopas ej]

I did a quick Googly googly...

Nice, France.


Hermosa Beach, CA.


Hermosa Beach in August, 2022. It wasn't too cold.

Photo by me


Photo by me


Photo by me


Photo by me

[JManc]

Originally Posted by Quixote

That's true of inland San Diego and Bay Area as well.

Absolutely. Supposed to mid-80's here in the East Bay and about 65 in SF proper which is only 20-25 miles away as the crow flies.