Family Life in Seal Beach?

WingGirl

My company is trying to convince me to relocate to Seal Beach, CA from the Seattle area. We live in a rural-ish type area near suburbs east of Seattle, so I suspect we would be in for some serious culture shock.

Can any of you offer any input on what it is like to raise a family there? My children are young (4 and 6) and I have concerns about quality of life for a family, cost of living, commute etc.

Any advice, opinions, and information would be much appreciated.

11 years ago

Off Topic

11 replies

Latest reply was from cloud9

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I'm a Canuck and don't know much about California, but I did come across this article yesterday - I don't know how much of a health concern it is in your area of California though

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-23166839

11 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Hopefully some of the SoCal ladies will chime in, as I'm up by San Francisco and can comment only by hearsay and a couple visits. Orange County is basically the extended suburbs of LA, so you're going to have most of the big city conveniences and volume of people with a bit more of a suburbs vibe. LA has some of the worst traffic I've ever been in but on a day to day basis people figure out ways to adapt, and I know that in recent years it has gotten better in some places because of transit and carpools etc.

The nice thing about urban California, and I say this in all earnestness, is that it's very multicultural, with people from all over the world and lots of openness to new ideas. In that way I don't know how different it will be to Seattle, although there will definitely be more people.

11 years ago

MsMaven

Veteran

I have happy memories of Seal Beach and the near-by beaches, but they go back many decades. It used to be a great area for clean air, clean beaches and affordable housing. Several of our friends bought a home there not long after graduation from college.

MaryK might be able to tell you more about it. I have a friend who has lived in Orange county for nearly 30 years. I'll ask her what she knows about the area now.

11 years ago

Desmo April

(website)

Veteran

Seal Beach is a cool little beach town. I'm in Hollywood which is way more urban so Seal Beach feels like a much smaller town in comparison.

One of the traffic issues is that it's a little secluded. If you live and work there it shouldn't be a problem but commuting in or out can be a pain. Plus you won't have the transit options that exist in other parts of LA.

I haven't priced anything there but coastal southern California always equals expensive.

11 years ago

MsMary

Veteran

It's definitely going to be expensive, but back in the day Seal Beach was considered an unpretentious beach town that was a great place to raise a family. I suspect Vicki would have more up-to-date info than I do.

11 years ago

always trying

Veteran

Depending on your price range for housing-look into Rossmoor if you are higher end-just north of Seal Beach, very nice community. If you want a yard for children and a more family oriented area in SB check out the college park areas. Then next town down for a bigger variety of housing Huntington Beach has a lot to offer as far as houses with small yards, backyard pools, etc. Then for schools etc. look into Los Alamitos for nice family neighborhoods and good schools.

Since you probably are coming from a nice custom home in the country it will be a big let down for you to see what under a million has to offer-ugly tract housing, mostly built in the 70's and 80's-although many have been remodeled, like cottage cheese celings removed, builder grade ugly tile in kitchens and baths replaced, etc.

all of OC is multicultural, lost of Asian, Spanish, etc. but not much black.

11 years ago

Anonymous

I lived close to there many years ago. There are two parts, one on the beach, one a little further away. It is a nice community, but definitely suburban, and very close to Long Beach to the north--which is not a great community in my opinion.

I am happy that I am no longer in SoCal, do not like the traffic, the cost of living, paved road and pavement everywhere, endless cities after cities, and lack of seasonal changes. I personally would much prefer the pacific NW or NorCal.

11 years ago

WingGirl

Active Member

Thanks for chiming in everyone.

Lynn, you echo all my concerns. I worked and lived in Pasadena for two semesters during college, and enjoyed my time there, but I was a young single person. I'm not sure how the lifestyle would affect my Washington state born and bred husband.

11 years ago

Anonymous

Yes. He will have to be prepared to have no big trees, no tall mountains, no rain most of the year, and no snow anywhere close. The coast will be gentle, not rugged. No Long stretch of moody days of rain. Lots lots of people and houses, never ending traffic.

I am glad I am not there anymore.

11 years ago

Marley

Veteran

I live in Orange County - but further south - and I love it. The traffic would be an issue if you had to get on the freeway for work - but around town, not near as much of an issue. As far as snow and mountains goes - the Big Bear ski area is probably about a 90 minute drive from Seal Beach - and I'm not sure about Seal Beach, but where I live there are all kinds of cliffs overlooking the ocean, as well as smooth flat gentle shorelines, so I think you get the best of both worlds in that department. Also, as others have said, the people are a mish-mash of many cultures, which I think is a real plus. Its true, there are not any long rainy periods - there are long sunny periods, which I think is a positive rather than a negative. As I'm writing this, I realize that Seal Beach may be completely different from where I live - so keep that in mind when reading this! I am in a sleepy little beach-town - as far away from L.A. as you can get while still residing in Orange County. For sure, housing prices are high. Also - I think it would be a culture-shock to move to Orange County from pretty much anywhere in the country!

11 years ago

cloud9

Veteran

I live 10 minutes from seal beach, I use to work there. It's a nice town. Very convenient, nice shopping areas, near freeway , decent schools. It's not a typical CA beach city, is smaller. It's a nice & safe neighborhood. The next door exclusive Rossmoor is very Quaint. Pricing is probably not cheap as it does have "beach" in the city name. But there are good areas close by. Cerritos & Cypress have the top 1 & 3(?) public school based on APIs.

Feel free to ask me anything...

11 years ago

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