Cerritos vs Lakewood vs Artesia

[RudyOD]

Dang, lots of hate on Cerritos and its supposed 'corporatization' 'stepford wives' quality.

The reality is that for many of us in North O.C. and the Gateway cities, Cerritos is a DESTINATION. Somewhere you spent a lot of time in in your childhood due to it having the best mall in the region, amazing parks, a beautiful BOMB library and some really good food (especially for a city its size.) Cerritos is a city with TRUE civic pride, and it always has its residents in mind first, as they invest all those taxes they gain from those awful 'corporations' back into amenities for the city for all to enjoy. The joke around here is that Cerritos is so safe that even local gangs consider it a neutral zone (don't think that is actually true, but it says something about its reputation.)

The ethnic composition of the city is Pan-Asian, so while there are plenty of markets that cater to Asians, you're not going to get that alienating feeling you get when you move to a city that is primarily one ethnic group (whether Vietnamese like in Westminster or Mexican in East L.A.). Go to the parks in Cerritos, and it is like the diversity unicorn threw up rainbows of children of all ethnic backgrounds who play with each other like it was paradise or a pamphlet from a Jehovah's Witness. That was NOT an exaggeration.

The boba cafe scene in Cerritos is second only to the San Gabriel valley (Rowland Heights/Diamond Bar - another really expensive inland city/City of Industry).

Cerritos is essentially the PERFECT location for a young family. You get safety, great schools, amazing public amenities, PLUS access to more than decent shopping, cafes and restaurants. I think the only other city that comes close is Irvine. I much prefer Cerritos over Irvine though, as Cerritos is less draconian, more compact and faster access to hot spots like Long Beach and DTLA.

Conclusion: Cerritos is the $hit. The type that smells like roses.