I visited around mid-November. Whereas I was wearing sweaters and coats in Canada, I could go out in a t-shirt and shorts in L.A. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and California is basically just summer year round, at least it is to us cold-accustomed Canadians.

2. You never know who you’ll run into.

As mentioned in my ≪9 Must-Try Restaurants in Los Angeles≫ post, I got to meet Victoria Park at Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill. When my friend and I dined at Ivy At the Shore, we also saw Victoria Secret Angel Alessandra Ambrosio with her adorable two kids. And with that same friend, we encountered Sean Penn while dining at Perch. It’s funny because I was telling one of my other friends that there are so many celebrities and YouTubers in L.A., what’s the probability of running into one and what do you know.

I also happened to get to know a band drummer. He was my Uber ride to LAX and it was a long ride so we talked and I found out that he played for Friends of a Friendlist(?) and a few others, which I can’t recall because my goldfish memory just fails me. Either way, it was an interesting and inspiring experience running into all these (aspiring to be) famous individuals and hearing about their stories!

3. Hikes.

 

During my time in California, I unfortunately didn’t get around to doing any of the hikes at all. However, I’ve heard about some of the trails so if I ever get the chance to come back, I’m definitely packing my runners with me because the views from what I’ve seen in pictures online are just spectacular.

4. Palm trees and palm trees everywhere.

I don’t care that these are imported. There’s just something soothing and satisfying about staring at palm trees lined up perfectly against the blue horizon.

5. Endless activities, endless fun.

Hit the beach, shop ’til you drop at Beverly Hills, have an artsy afternoon at LACMA, visit Santa’s Workshop at The Grove, enjoy astonishing views of the Los Angeles skyline at Griffith Observatory, stroll the Hollywood Walk of Fame, watch an NBA game, visit the happiest place on earth at Disneyland… The list goes on. There is so much to do and the possibilities are essentially endless. I mean with weather so nice and the days so long, the easiest thing you can do is go on a bike ride or have a picnic date and prance around in the flower fields!

6. The number of beautiful parks around.

Not only is LA known for its sunny weather and gorgeous beaches, it is in close proximity to several national parks such as Yosemite, Joshua Tree, and Sequoia just to name a few. There are so many awesome hiking adventures readily available and you absolutely can’t pass up on these 8 day hikes in the Eastern Sierra Nevadas.

7. The people.

During my trip, I stayed with a friend whom I’d met through a school club in university. She not only housed me for three nights, but she also took me around town and showed me the beauties of L.A. And because she was busy with work the last two days of my visit, she hooked me up with discounts at JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE. Shout out to my girl Nuo Si for her kind hospitality!

Since my visit was a bit last minute, my brain somehow didn’t process the fact that I had other friends living in L.A. too and that I could ask them out to hang. That said, I’m for sure coming back again and saying hi to these long lost pals. It’s always an amazing feeling reconnecting with friends across different continents and you really begin to believe in fate and how you meet certain people for a reason and how blessed you are to have them leave a footprint in life. And so enough with run-on sentences, here are the top seven reasons I adore Los Angeles. It’s definitely one of my favorite (big) city destinations in the U.S. and if I’ve also convinced you to move to sunny California, here is a detailed LA neighborhood guide to help you decide which area suits you the best.

Don’t forget to check out my California vlog to see what else I was up to during my visit!