26 Things Only Californians Have, Do, and Love

Have you ever tried a burger from the famous restaurant In-N-Out? Do you love the animal fries at this fast-food chain? Or maybe the protein-style burgers? Or maybe the milkshakes, the hot chocolate, or the dressing? If you have, cherish the privilege. Because, when you move out of California, you’ll be hard-pressed to find it in most states. 

But In-N-Out Burger isn’t the only thing Californians view as quintessential to the Golden State. Many insist there are things you can only find here. This is what Athenians said they loved most about California, or at least what makes it most unique.

Our Distinguished Surroundings

1. Sunshine and warmth (Meadow Davis)

2. Green, green, and flowers (Susie Childs)

3. Raging wildfires (Whitney Hofacker)

4. Eating outside (Becky Cebula)

5. People being friendly (Kimiko Sera-Tacorda)

6.  Houses that don’t fall apart  (Srikanth Surapaneni)

7. Highways without the article in front of them. E.g., Highway 580 vs. The 580. (Jamie Julin)

The Way We Speak

8. “Hella” (Stephanie Kim) 

9. “Dude” (Erika Argueta-Connor)

10. “Bro” (Tillie Gottlieb)

11. “Dinner,” not “supper;” “tennis shoes” not “sneakers,” and “lollipop,” not “sucker,” (Sydney Alvelda)

12. “Room,” not “rum;” “lobster,” not “lobstah” (Greer Slater)

13. “Soda,” not “pop,” (Jamie Julin)

14. Not “wicked” (according to Kimiko Sera-Tacorda, everyone on the East is constantly saying it)

15. “Turn off the lights” not “take off the lights” (Stephanie Kim and Jamie Julin)

Places and Things Nobody Else Has 

16. In-n-Out (Jamie Julin)

17. Significantly more Peet’s Coffee (Kimiko Sera-Tacorda and Becky Cebula)

18. Carl’s Jr. (Stephanie Kim and Jamie Julin)

19. More Philz Coffee than the East (Rebecca Cebula)

20. Napa Valley  and wine country (Whitney Hofacker)

Random Things You Wouldn’t Expect 

21. Bobcats and beaches (Tillie Gottlieb)

22. Surfing and skiing in the same day (Whitney Hofacker) 

23. Football games at 10 a.m. (Becky Cebula)

24. Overnight billionaires (Kimiko Sera-Tacorda)

25. Schools starting later (Srikanth Surapaneni) 

A Hilarious Afterthought

Apart from things that fit neatly on a list, the twenty-sixth and final insight came from Tillie Gottlieb, who had much to say about the etiquette of shoes. 

“No one on the East Coast wears socks with sandals. Everyone just shows off their toes like a prize.”