CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'...OR IS IT THE NIGHTMARE SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING?

It’s always a bummer to see a city you know or live in make one of those “worst places to live EVER” kind of lists, like this one. I, however, declare “poppycock!” to this list because it says that based on census reports, there are 7 cities that prove California is the most miserable state to live in. Playa, please!

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I lived in Orange County during the summer when I was 14 years old and I had an absolute blast there. Granted, I was still a child and not having to face the harsh realities of adulthood and I got to lounge around in the California sunshine a lot. My uncle, auntie, and baby cousins made being in California a place I loved to be. The kids in the neighborhood were cool and spoke Spanish. My aunt was born in Germany and spoke French and English at home, so I was surrounded by a blend of beautiful cultures, music, and food–which in my opinion is what makes living in California the complete opposite of miserable. There is a special vibe in the Cali air that I miss and yearn for.

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In this article, I will dissect the 7 California cities that made Business Insider's list of the  “most miserable” cities in America, and hopefully show you why these cities don’t need the bad rep. Let's discover some of the best restaurants each city offers and take a peek at which notable celebs were born there. Finally, I’ll give you some fun ideas of things to do that makes living or visiting each city actually worth it.

 

THE 7 CITIES THAT MADE THE 'MOST MISERABLE CITY' LIST IN CALIFORNIA

City of Bell Gardens California
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1 . BELL GARDENS, CA (#14 on the list of Most Miserable Cities in America)

FOUNDED: 1961

NOTABLE HISTORY:

Bell Gardens has the oldest building in California, the Casa de Rancho San Antonio (Gage Mansion). The land was claimed by Spanish colonizers, Francisco and Antonio Lugo and they built a ranch on the property in 1795. (7000 East Gage Avenue) The Lugo family bequeathed it down the family tree until it was given as a dowry to a descendant’s husband, Henry Tifft Gage.

THINGS TO DO IN BELL GARDENS:

  • Do a lil’ Gambling at the Bike Casino. 
  • Golf and Ride the Go Karts at Golf n’ Stuff Family Fun Center
  • Do Serious Shopping Damage at Bell Gardens Marketplace
  • Eat Some Delicious Mexican Cuisine at La Diosa de los Moles or Rocio’s Mexican Kitchen

FUN FACT: If you have ever watched world poker championship tournaments, you have seen a piece of Bell Gardens. The Bike Casino (Bicycle Hotel and Casino) is 7 stories tall!

 

City of Compton California
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2 . COMPTON, CA (#41 of the Most Miserable Cities in America)

FOUNDED: 1888

NOTABLE CELEBRITIES AND CITY HISTORY:

There are a ton of celebrities that hail from the City of Compton, including Serena Williams, Easy E, Coolio, Ava DuVernay, Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre, and former Seattle Seahawks member of the dream team, Richard Sherman.

THINGS TO DO IN COMPTON:

  • View the Watts Towers
  • Take a Selfie in Front of “Craig’s House” from the movie, FRIDAY 
  • Eat something good at restaurants like Louis Burgers, M & T Donut Shop, Hawkins House of Burgers, and Kevin Bludso’s Bludso’s BBQ, which has been featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. 

City of El Monte California
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3 . EL MONTE, CA (#22 of the Most Miserable Cities in America)

FOUNDED: 1912

NOTABLE CELEBRITIES AND CITY HISTORY:

If you are a WWE fan, you have likely heard of Jake Atlas. He was born in El Monte. Also born there with little fanfare is the famous horse, Mr. Ed. 

WILD FACT #1: The city of El Monte was part of the Confederacy and secessionist rebellions during the Civil War during the early 1860s. They got shut down by Union troops after the Battle of Fort Sumter.

WILD FACT #2: During the racist climate of the early 1950s, rock and roll concerts were pushed out of Los Angeles and El Monte offered up its stadium as a venue for performers, including Ritchie Valens, The Beatles and The Beach Boys.

WILD FACT #3: You know that Lion that "rawrs" in the MGM (Metro-Goldwyn Mayer) movie intro? It came from a lion farm in El Monte.

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THINGS TO DO IN EL MONTE: 

  • Grab something tasty to eat at places like empanadas at Tito’s Market or authentic Asian and Mexican dishes from Bobby Thai and Taqueria Rosa & Sul, or ramen bowls from 
  • Daikokuya El Monte.
  • Learn some history at the El Monte Historical Museum.

City of Huntington Park California
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4 . HUNTINGTON PARK, CA (#10 of the Most Miserable Cities in America)

FOUNDED: 1906

NOTABLE CELEBRITIES AND CITY HISTORY:

Huntington Park began as an exclusively white community that prevented any non-white residents, but has since become a thriving and primarily Latino community. It has a fun and huge 3-day parade and festival called Carnaval Primavera. Celebrities and Californians come from all over the state to attend this spring celebration every April.

Have you seen the movies Beaches, Knocked Up, and The Big Sick? Then you’ve heard the music from Huntington Park native, David Pack. Ser Anzoategui is an actor who hails from Huntington Park and they have acted in such shows as Shameless, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and The Fosters.

WILD FACT: Huntington Park has gained the reputation of having the highest rates of obese children in the state of California.

THINGS TO DO IN HUNTINGTON PARK, CALIFORNIA:

 

City of Lynwood California
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5 . LYNWOOD, CA (#21 of the Most Miserable Cities in America)

FOUNDED: 1921

NOTABLE CELEBRITIES AND CITY HISTORY:

Weird Al Yankovic, Leslie Jones, Venus Williams, Kevin Costner and Jesse James are several of the celebs that were born in Lynwood. 

THINGS TO DO IN LYNWOOD, CALIFORNIA:

  • Go shopping at the picturesque Shoreline Village
  • Check out marine life at the gigantic aquarium, the Aquarium of the Pacific

 

 

City of Montebello California
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6 . MONTEBELLO, CA (#40 of the Most Miserable Cities in America)

 

FOUNDED: 1920

NOTABLE CELEBRITIES AND CITY HISTORY:

Diseases brought over from Spanish colonizers killed off the majority indigenous population of the Tongva peoples during the 1500s. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt ordered that Japanese American farmers living in Montebello be taken as prisoners to internment camps. The city was originally an agricultural hub for flowers but once oil was discovered, fields of land were bought and used to produce oil.

Oscar de la Hoya, “Sona” from the Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend podcast, Judi Evans from Days of Our Lives, and Mira Nagasu are some of the celebs born in Montebello.

THINGS TO DO IN MONTEBELLO, CALIFORNIA:

  • Get a Glitter Tattoo and Feed Some Animals at the Montebello Barnyard Zoo
  • View Art at the Vincent Price Art Museum, Make Your Eyes eyeboggle at the Neon Museum, and solemnly reflect on the loss of Armenian peoples at the Montebello Genocide Memorial.

 

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City of Palmdale California
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7 . PALMDALE, CA (Came in at #36 of the Most Miserable Cities in America)

FOUNDED: 1886

NOTABLE CELEBRITIES AND CITY HISTORY:

During World War II, Palmdale became a hub for military aerospace and continues in modern times to employ Palmdale residents who work for Lockheed Martin and Boeing. It is surrounded by desert lands, and doesn’t get a lot of rain during the summers. The highest recorded summertime temperatures have reached 118 degrees.

Celebrities like Niecy Nash, Lise Cutter, and Disney animator Kameron J. Moore were born in Palmdale.

THINGS TO DO IN PALMDALE, CALIFORNIA:

 

I think these 7 California cities don’t need the bad rep, but everything in the world is subjective. Whichever California city you end up visiting on your next adventure, have fun in Cali for me!

 

 

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