Everything that makes Orange County, CA the best place to grow up

There’s not much better than coming home from school and heading straight to the beach to catch the last rays of the sun, and there are certainly not many places you can do that. Huntington Beach is one of them.

Located on the coast of Southern California, Orange County is a little piece of paradise, which makes growing up there a dream. Here are some things that make Orange County the greatest place to grow up.

The beach

No matter where you go, the beach is always less than an hour away. As a kid, I hated having to spend all day at the beach – it got hot and people got crabby. Living in Orange County meant that a trip to the beach didn’t have to take all day. My family and I would hop on our bicycles and cruise down to the beach for dinner or just to watch the waves for an hour.

The shopping

We have so many places to shop, it can be hard to keep track of them all. Whether you’re headed to Fashion Island for some “Lemonade” or spending all day at South Coast Plaza, Crystal Court and Metro Pointe, there is no shortage of stores or things to buy, which generally means you spend money you don’t have and end up with things you don’t need. But hey, all’s fair in love and malls.

The boys

There’s nothing better than a surfer boy, am I right? That tanned, perfect beach body with the sun-kissed hair. Well, if you’re looking for that, look no further than Orange County. Being so close to the beach means there is no shortage of beach boys to look at and choose from. You’ll often see them running out of school, hopping into their jeeps and heading for the beach to catch those precious waves before dinner time.

The concerts

Living so close to Los Angeles means we are generally some of the first people to hear about upcoming concerts and new artists. With so many concert venues to choose from – The Forum, The Observatory and Staples Center – you can go to any concert pretty much anytime you want. Also, artists who are just starting out will often play smaller venues for as low as $5, giving you the chance to see them before they get famous.

The food

While there is pressure to be fit and eat healthy to maintain that perfect beach body all year round, we do love to eat, and there is no shortage of delicious food to try any night of the week. From sushi to steakhouses to vegan restaurants to ice cream, I have tried plenty and there have been very few I didn’t like.

The location

Speaking of being in shape all year round, being located on the beach makes it easy to workout. How could you not want to run along the water or take a hike to a waterfall?  Whatever you want to do, whether its run, bike, ski, swim, etc., Orange County has it all.

Sure, Orange County is not perfect. It has its flaws, but I think it was the most amazing place to grow up.