I came to California when I retired early due to illness  The doctor's recommendation was California,to escape the harsh winters and the humidity and heat.in Illinois

It was a splendid choice, for i'm still alive 20 years after being told i only had 6 months to a year to live. I have never regretted the move, California is unlike any other state in the USA

It has  everything you could ask for ! Mostly all of the produce you buy is from the San Joachim valley here,. They say California could be a country on its own I agree, it is the most diverse,and prosperous of all the states
 
I live in northern Ca where the weather has changes in seasons unlike Southern CA however there is no  snow or extreme weather in this area

Fall thru winter the range is 60-80 % days and 45-60% nights. Spring and summer  70-90% days  50-60% nights with some days reaching 105% .there is no humidity so 105 isn't unbearable

I've lived here 20 yrs and never felt an earthquake,or been near fires,or any other really bad weather. we rarely get rain,but it can be very heavy when we do,and the Santa Ana winds only come with change of seasons  for a day or two.I sometimes wish for more rain We  get fog in the fall/winter season. I love it;-)It's a respite from the constant sun

I'm 25 minutes from the Ocean, and 45 minutes from Lake Tahoe,and Sierra mountains snow,  15 minutes from large Folsom lake,15 mins from Sacramento. I have lived in NJ (where I was born and raised,) Illinois, Conn. Fla. and none of them compare to California,  I lived in Canada,but won't compare since I only lived in one place,  New Brunswick near Maine

So sweet Becca, that's why California;-) I could give you a lot more reasons, like people are friendly,and the attitude of most is happy,because our environment is lovely to live with. Thanks for the challenge!

etw-2008

State Abbreviation - CA
State Capital - Sacramento
Other Notable Cities - Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco
Area - 163,707 square miles
Population - 33,871,648 (as of 2000) [California is the most populous state in the USA]
Name for Residents - Californians
Major Industries - agriculture (many, many products), oil, mining, electronics, movie making/entertainment, and tourism