Updated March 8, 2022 5.8k votes 1.6k voters 492.3k views
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Vote up the best reasons to love the Golden State.
California: land of the beaches and home of the hippies! There are certain things you can only enjoy here. Cactus Cooler soda? Only in California. A miniature redwood tree to grow at home? Only in California. Whether you’re moving west or simply looking for authentic souvenirs from the Golden State, this list provides some of the finest gifts California has blessed the world with... you’re welcome!
To the rest of the country, California is a left-wing land filled with vegetarians and people who do yoga on the beach. Everyone has some dietary restriction, and we all passionately believe in environmental causes. But aside from those stereotypes, there's more to California than animal rights and belief in global warming. Like Mexican food! And the world’s finest garlic and avocados! And In-N-Out Burger!
Our proximity to the Mexican border has provided the Golden State with some of the most authentic, delicious Mexican cuisine in the country. We have the privilege of walking through lush forests of redwood trees and an instant later stumbling upon the bluffs of the California coastline. Our mostly Mediterranean climate allows the freshest of produce to thrive, and we are home to The Happiest Place on Earth (AKA Disneyland).
If you’re still skeptical after reading all those Californian highlights, scroll through this list of delicious and useful items, and try to stay away - we dare you!
If you want to know how far north you are in California, stop in a taqueria. Are the beans delicious (cooked in lard)? Is there a salsa bar (with homemade habanero salsa as an option)? Do they sell a California burrito?
While Mexican food is better in California than (arguably) any other state, the farther south you go, the better.
California is the only state where you can wander through a forest full of 300-foot, 1,000-year-old redwood trees, and then suddenly stumble upon bluffs overlooking the coastline.
And when it’s all said and done, you can purchase a little grow-your-own redwood kit to try and spread some love and oxygen into your own yard.
Remember the days when every boss in the world thought a box of chocolates was the perfect Christmas gift for employees? Well, there are probably still bosses in California who abide by this, and fortunately for them, the See’s Candies headquarters is nestled in South San Francisco, with storefront locations in just about every mall in the state for chocolate-consuming convenience.
Over the years, See's has also expanded into a number of other US states.
Does "animal style" mean anything to you? If not, you’re probably not from California. From the biblical references on the paper goods to the secret menu, Golden State natives have grown to love this fast-food chain as a late-night drive-thru stop or a post-beach snack.
And while In-N-Out has sprawled its way into other US states, its roots are and always will be in California.
Disneyland rose from the orange and walnut orchards of Anaheim, CA, in 1955, followed by Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL, in 1971. For decades, Florida was the closest competition when it came to finding The Happiest Place on Earth, but in 2001, Disneyland added the California Adventure Park. Since then, the threat dwindled.
At Disneyland, the only case of “highs and lows” you’ll experience will be plummeting from the top of the five-story drop of Splash Mountain. Hope you brought a poncho!
May we introduce Fallbrook, CA - the Avocado Capital of the World! Sure, in other states, you can get avocados from your local supermarket, but they probably cost $2.50 a pop, and they’re probably pumped with GMOs and pesticides.
In California, you can drive along highways and bump into signs slinging these little pockets of gold at four for $1.
