This is off of the subject. But I wanted to know what you thought about California is it safe to visit from Thailand? I was born in Northern California and I used to visit every year but I haven’t been back since 2019. My wife is Thai but she is also a American Citizen we met in San Francisco 43 years ago . After retirement in 2013 we moved to Thailand. We have so many friends and family we haven't seen for to long. We are in our mid 70’s now so this would probably be our last trip. Patrick

This was posted off-topic in another thread. Split it from the other thread and moved it here.

Safe in what respect? I'm British living in Thailand, but plan to take my 12-year-old son on a California trip (LA/San Diego) next year. I hadn't considered that it might be unsafe!

You will have a great time. Its safe except for maybe the Tenderloin area of SF. You will have a wonderful time, but be prepared to spend a lot of money as it is very pricey.

We go back at least once every other year to visit our kids in California. Get a deal on a rental car and drive highway one up or down the coast.

Highly recommended in fact but as I say plan on a fun vacation, but you really will have to pay for it.

4 minutes ago, marin said:

You will have a great time. Its safe except for maybe the Tenderloin area of SF. You will have a wonderful time, but be prepared to spend a lot of money as it is very pricey.

We go back at least once every other year to visit our kids in California. Get a deal on a rental car and drive highway one up or down the coast.

Highly recommended in fact but as I say plan on a fun vacation, but you really will have to pay for it.

Tell me about it! I'm currently busy booking hotels in LA and San Diego, plus car rental and theme park tickets, and realising it's going to cost a fortune!

From So Cal and go back once or twice a year. I knew where to go and where not go. My old neighborhood in Torrance (about 15 south of LAX) is still safe and I spend most of time there. I also spend a lot of time in South Orange County and this place is the last bastion of sanity in CA. When I was kid I lived in house in the Richmond district of SF and I will never go back to SF. I did not recognize the place anymore Most of the city of Los Angeles is not much better thankfully CA is a large and diverse place so there are some places worth visiting and even living.

Enjoy your trip. I really miss In N Out and even Raising Canes.

1 minute ago, sqwakvfr said:

From So Cal and go back once or twice a year. I knew where to go and where not go. My old neighborhood in Torrance (about 15 south of LAX) is still safe and I spend most of time there. I also spend a lot of time in South Orange County and this place is the last bastion of sanity in CA. When I was kid I lived in house in the Richmond district of SF and I will never go back to SF. I did not recognize the place anymore Most of the city of Los Angeles is not much better thankfully CA is a large and diverse place so there are some places worth visiting and even living.

Enjoy your trip. I really miss In N Out and even Raising Canes.

My son lived in San Diego awhile then moved to Hawaii. Moved from there back to Texas and is moving back to San Diego as his partner is a doctor with a job waiting back in California. All the time he lived there had nothing but good things to say. I went there once with a friend long ago and it was nice. Saw the Mets play the Padres and the weather was great, as it always seems to be. California is huge and much of it is rural, so finding a quiet place would be easy, although it does cost some green.

11 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

My son lived in San Diego awhile then moved to Hawaii. Moved from there back to Texas and is moving back to San Diego as his partner is a doctor with a job waiting back in California. All the time he lived there had nothing but good things to say. I went there once with a friend long ago and it was nice. Saw the Mets play the Padres and the weather was great, as it always seems to be. California is huge and much of it is rural, so finding a quiet place would be easy, although it does cost some green.

My top CA locations now is: 1) Irvine in the OC 2) Oceanside just north of SD proper. Camp Pendleton is there. I am planning to go back to CA in mid 2027 and I would consider both places but a studio apartment starts at $2500 per month. A house under $1 Mil is pretty much impossible. Irregardless I will always consider CA as home.

If headed back to the old hood, to visit friends & family, they'd be best to ask. Would think very safe, with a bit of common sense. Might want to not read MSM, or watch doom & gloom YT'ers.

How's your heart, as sticker shock may give you a cardiac event 🙄

Edited yesterday at 03:42 AM1 day by KhunLA

14 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

My top CA locations now is: 1) Irvine in the OC 2) Oceanside just north of SD proper. Camp Pendleton is there. I am planning to go back to CA in mid 2027 and I would consider both places but a studio apartment starts at $2500 per month. A house under $1 Mil is pretty much impossible. Irregardless I will always consider CA as home.

I left New Jersey in 1985 because I didn't like the winters anymore, so moved to Texas, which is home now. I have a friend in New Jersey who could set me up in a house and a job, but I have more family in Texas and the hunting and fishing is better there, and it's a good place for my daughter as well. Housings lower also which is a plus.

4 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

I left New Jersey in 1985 because I didn't like the winters anymore, so moved to Texas, which is home now. I have a friend in New Jersey who could set me up in a house and a job, but I have more family in Texas and the hunting and fishing is better there, and it's a good place for my daughter as well. Housings lower also which is a plus.

I think even with Texas you are going to be surprised at costs. Lucky to get a two or three bedroom place under $2,000 a month. So $6,000 to move in. You will need a reliable car. Food will cost you a minimum of $200.00 a week, not going out at all. Then you have to add on health insurance for you and your daughter. Then you have household incidentals. So plan on a lot of money just to get situated.

2 minutes ago, marin said:

I think even with Texas you are going to be surprised at costs. Lucky to get a two or three bedroom place under $2,000 a month. So $6,000 to move in. You will need a reliable car. Food will cost you a minimum of $200.00 a week, not going out at all. Then you have to add on health insurance for you and your daughter. Then you have household incidentals. So plan on a lot of money just to get situated.

I get foreclosure data every day in emails. I've found quite a few at or slightly below $1000 a month in country areas, what we need and where I'm looking. I'll need a car because I have a job waiting plus transportation anyway. It'll just be myself and my daughter, so costs won't be too high for food. I hunt, so always have a freezer full of deer meat. I have a daughter there who will be keeping in touch with the real estate agents I'll be talking to in November.

Wish people would stop believing the BS on MSM and doom & gloom internet. Plenty of rentals (375) in CA for less than $1000 a month ...

2 hours ago, pchansmorn said:

This is off of the subject. But I wanted to know what you thought about California is it safe to visit from Thailand? I was born in Northern California and I used to visit every year but I haven’t been back since 2019. My wife is Thai but she is also a American Citizen we met in San Francisco 43 years ago . After retirement in 2013 we moved to Thailand. We have so many friends and family we haven't seen for to long. We are in our mid 70’s now so this would probably be our last trip. Patrick

If you have money, yes.

It's wonderful.

There's no problem in the wealthier areas.

Don't stay downtown one block from the Loin, no problem.

Don't stay in downtown Oakland, no problem.

Don't look out the window at the underpass under the freeways.

Keep your eyes on the prize. 🫠

20 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Wish people would stop believing the BS on MSM and doom & gloom internet. Plenty of rentals (375) in CA for less than $1000 a month ...

Not wishing to argue, but the map you put up has some "restrictions".

I keep a close eye on the market there as both my kids live there. But not in cheaper areas, one in La Jolla and one in Sausalito.

I believe the map you put up is from Zillow and when you look close Zillow has some words of caution about those rental units.

Yes, you can find rentals in California for under $1,000 a month, but options are mostly limited to student housing, private rooms in shared homes, micro-units, or units in more affordable inland areas. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Types of Rentals Under $1,000

• Student Housing: Properties near universities (such as near UCR in Riverside or Chico) often rent by the bed in shared multi-bedroom apartments for $500 to $995 per month. [1, 2, 3, 4]

• Private Rooms: Individual rooms in shared houses or apartments are available across various counties, including Los Angeles, San Diego, and the Inland Empire, typically ranging from $700 to $900 per month. [1, 2]

• Micro-Studios and Affordable Housing: Rare small studio spaces or specialized low-income housing units can occasionally be found in urban centers like Los Angeles starting around $795 per month. [1]

Where to Look

• Inland Cities: Search smaller or more rural cities like Ridgecrest, parts of Sacramento, or the Central Valley, where standalone small apartments or cheap rooms appear more frequently under $1,000. [1]

• Listings Platforms: You can check specialized filters on major sites like Zillow California Rentals, Apartments.com Los Angeles, or RentCafe California. [1, 2, 3]

Note: Finding a private, full-sized, standalone apartment for under $1,000 in major coastal metro areas like San Francisco, Los Angeles proper, or San Diego is exceptionally difficult, and most sub-$1,000 options will require sharing a space or living with roommates. [1, 2]

17 minutes ago, marin said:

Not wishing to argue, but the map you put up has some "restrictions".

I keep a close eye on the market there as both my kids live there. But not in cheaper areas, one in La Jolla and one in Sausalito.

I believe the map you put up is from Zillow and when you look close Zillow has some words of caution about those rental units.

Yes, you can find rentals in California for under $1,000 a month, but options are mostly limited to student housing, private rooms in shared homes, micro-units, or units in more affordable inland areas. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Types of Rentals Under $1,000

• Student Housing: Properties near universities (such as near UCR in Riverside or Chico) often rent by the bed in shared multi-bedroom apartments for $500 to $995 per month. [1, 2, 3, 4]

• Private Rooms: Individual rooms in shared houses or apartments are available across various counties, including Los Angeles, San Diego, and the Inland Empire, typically ranging from $700 to $900 per month. [1, 2]

• Micro-Studios and Affordable Housing: Rare small studio spaces or specialized low-income housing units can occasionally be found in urban centers like Los Angeles starting around $795 per month. [1]

Where to Look

• Inland Cities: Search smaller or more rural cities like Ridgecrest, parts of Sacramento, or the Central Valley, where standalone small apartments or cheap rooms appear more frequently under $1,000. [1]

• Listings Platforms: You can check specialized filters on major sites like Zillow California Rentals, Apartments.com Los Angeles, or RentCafe California. [1, 2, 3]

Note: Finding a private, full-sized, standalone apartment for under $1,000 in major coastal metro areas like San Francisco, Los Angeles proper, or San Diego is exceptionally difficult, and most sub-$1,000 options will require sharing a space or living with roommates. [1, 2]

Location location location, as with everywhere. CA is one place I would never choose to live. Tax burden & COL is silly compared to most other state, aside from housing prices.

Agree to disagree (single home & entire place) ...

Edited yesterday at 05:04 AM1 day by KhunLA

Just now, KhunLA said:

Location location location, as with everywhere. CA is one place I would never choose to live. Tax burden & COL is silly compared to most other state, aside from housing prices.

As you are proud of your daughter we are proud of ours. They can afford to live where they are because of dedication and hard work. For me both places have among the best weather in the continental USA, but what seals it is both absolutely love where they live so that is all that matters. They make a good living and their spouses do well also. One a doctor the other an aerospace engineer. So more power to them. They both have a dream to retire back here in their prime.

I paid $1500/m for a rental on the peninsula 10m walk from train, then about 30m further into city or south to San Jose (2022). That was half the normal price, lucky find.

I also lived in a $1800/m rental in an antique beach apartment in Redondo right across the street from the beach. Imagine walking out of your apartment building and seeing the beach across the street. Nice bike path goes up towards the Boo (Malibu) or down south to Trump's golf course where they find bodies washing up on shore occasionally below the steep cliff up to his golf course. (2019). This place is probably tore down for luxury homes, if it ain't it's at least double the price now.

Yeah they keep saying everyone's leaving California because too expensive but rich people are causing housing prices to go up as NIMBY Boomers constrained supply irregardless of politics.

Yeah, I won't go back to anywhere I had a good experience in California anymore because I am afraid it won't be as good anymore.

Better to go to new and different places in California and be surprised.

You already know that you gotta know where to go to get the best tacos.

South Oakland or South Central LA. They set up homemade grills in a church parking lot on the weekend.

In South Central in LA to get to the Tire Shop Tacos, I parked a couple blocks away and walked.

There was an older gentleman hanging out by the fence.

Leaning on it, bent over.

He said hello in Spanish, I replied also in Spanish. Very nice. The tacos were the best north of TJ. Don't be afraid of new adventures.

Be the Right Place, but keep your head on a swivel always looking out for the Wrong Time and you'll be fine. 😎

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Wish people would stop believing the BS on MSM and doom & gloom internet. Plenty of rentals (375) in CA for less than $1000 a month ...

The problem with most of the "affordable" options is that they're usually in places you probably wouldn't want to live. Once you het away from the beach areas, you might as well not be in CA, if you ask me. Of course, there are exceptions, but from my experience, why bother to move somewhere that isn't nice? And don't forget the traffic and the commute times. That can be a real nightmare.

You’ll be fine.

Most of the “bad” areas one normally wouldn’t go through there or have any need to.

Santa Barbara to Monterey is probably the best. Central Coast. Has that small town feel to it.

When not in Thailand I’m in San Diego . For a big city it’s ok. Parts of downtown has deteriorated over the years due to the homeless. I rarely go there anymore. No reason to. Stick with the beaches and parks or coastal areas.

May and June is worst for beach weather. Referred to as May/gray June/ gloom due to the coastal eddies on the coast. Inland will be sunny.

Fall is best imo.

Coronado is beautiful.

6 hours ago, pchansmorn said:

We have so many friends and family we haven't seen for to long

Great! As soon as you arrive have one of them pick you up at the airport

Then drive to the nearest Walmart and buy an air mattress and pump.

Then sleep on their floor for a couple of days be sure to cook and clean for them.

They'll love it you are staying with them.

After a couple of days have them drop you off at the next friend or family members house.

Repeat

You'll spend enough otherwise.

You know that already you were just there 7 years ago. Nothing has changed except more expensive more homeless fentanyl addicts on the streets, lots of free-range mentally ill.

But you knew that already.

You'll probably be out in the burbs mostly anyway.

Cheers.

P.S. I would probably choose Alameda over Oakland now, close but so far away from the madness over there