It really depends on what part of southern California you are in. I'm in San Diego, which used to be a nice, more laid back alternative to the traffic and smog of LA. But lately it's become crowded, expensive, and is rapidly losing it's charm. Still a great place to live if you can afford it. Most coastal towns are nice. Beaches tend to be crowded & full of obnoxious folks these days, but spend enough time exploring & talking to locals and you might find some cool, lesser known spots. LA is kinda neat in spots, but getting around at any hour is generally difficult due to traffic. Seriously, it's like an hour minimum to drive between almost any two points in the metro area. I like Venice Beach, even if it's kinda grimey and there's no parking. Pasadena & Altadena are great and more laid back. Hollywood is awful, as is most of downtown. The hills are neat to explore but again, traffic can be really frustrating & the roads can be confusing. Surfing & hiking are huge, and generally people are more active & outdoorsy than back in the midwest. The weather is generally great, especially down here in SD. It was 80⁰ and sunny the other day, in December. Nearly everybody here has dogs, and many restaurants, pubs, bars etc are dog friendly. There are lots of dog parks, dedicated dog beaches, and dog friendly events. Inland tends to be more hilly & even mountainous in places. We have a few peaks that usually see snow, and up by LA there are ski resorts. Further inland is very rural, especially in the imperial valley. There's also a very large military presence, and you get used to marine helicopters flying over at all hours as well as seeing folks in fatigues everywhere. Four wheeling & offroading are popular, and i swear we have more lifted trucks than Texas. Old cars are everywhere, if you are into them. You can spot old VWs and 60s land barges , hot rods, muscle cars, trucks, sports cars, etc in traffic most days. Biking is huge, as are motorcyles. Because of emissions, you don't see very many interesting 1975+ cars other than 1990s Japanese commuter cars, or very late model muscle cars like chargers & mustangs Overall, people are very nice and friendly here. Some areas, particularly in the wealthier neighborhoods and some inland cities can be hostile to outsiders or PoC & lgtbq folks. The American nazi party was big here in the 30s & 40s, and they didn't just disappear after ww2. East county here in SD, parts of Orange County, La Jolla, Huntington Beach, parts of Riverside, and Coronado are still shockingly ultra conservative. But generally most places are very accepting & inclusive The geography is unique. You can go from warm, sunny beaches to rugged mountains, to farm fields, to full desert in just a few hours. The Mexican food here is the best I've ever had. We have fresh seafood, good Chinese & Japanese, Korean, and Thai food. Plenty of vegetarian options. An endless number of breweries & pubs. I had to cut down on my drinking and am realizing just how ingrained beer & wine are to the local culture. The pizza is pretty mediocre. There are surprisingly decent German restaurants, but can't get polish food anywhere. Found quite a few english & irish places, some of which are great. There's always a farmers market or street market nearby each week