Los Alamitos, CA

Los Alamitos was once part of the grand Rancho Los Alamitos, and the land primarily served as a sugar beet farm from the 1880s into the mid 20th century. In the 1940s, as the aerospace industry began to move into the area, the U.S. Navy took over about half of the land making up today's city of Los Alamitos for a training field. The presence of the Navy base, now a military reserve support center, spurred many World War II vets to move into the area and settle down with their young families.

The Los Alamitos Museum Association preserves the area's history. Explore buildings from the original 1800s rancho at Rancho Los Alamitos in Long Beach.

Excitement comes to town three times a year when the thoroughbreds show up to race at Los Alamitos Race Course. In addition, the racetrack features live quarter horse races every weekend.

Dining in Los Alamitos tends toward the casual, focusing mainly on traditional American favorites with a sprinkling of Asian restaurants. Drive down the major thoroughfares of Los Alamitos Boulevard or Katella Avenue to find a welcoming place to eat.

Coconut Rabbit on Katella is a casual Thai bistro that OC Weekly considers the best Thai place in Orange County. This family run restaurant serves up blissfully tender short ribs panang, flavorful red curry, and yummy jungle noodles with pork and heirloom cherry tomatoes. Request the spice level you want, and save a little room for the coconut ice cream with pineapple chunks.

The Original Fish Company handpicks the final catch of the day from local fishermen to serve the freshest seafood in the city. The Mexican scallops with pasta tosses in the unexpected notes of asparagus and pine nuts to delight your taste buds, and the freshness of the fish is evident, even in the simple fish and chips. Make sure you start your meal with the perfectly seasoned New England clam chowder and hot sourdough bread. The restaurant also features a fish market if you want to take home some seafood for tomorrow night's dinner.

When you need to grab a quick breakfast, Nick's Deli II on Los Alamitos Boulevard makes a breakfast burrito stuffed with chorizo, bacon, scrambled eggs and cheese. Order extra sauce on the side for a little kick to your morning. If you need lunch on the go, traditional meat pasties from Pasty Kitchen on Katella Avenue hit the spot. The chicken, beef and vegetarian handheld meat pies are tasty, filling and easy to eat on the run. You can even buy some frozen pies to take home.

Nightlife in Los Alamitos centers around a handful of dive bars that welcome locals with reasonably priced drinks and pool tables. Head to Sportsman when you feel a need to have your beer served by a pretty girl in a bikini. The Starting Gate changes up the fun night by night, featuring live bands, karaoke, salsa dancing and a comedy show. Boon Docks Cocktails sends out a dive bar vibe with its inexpensive drinks, cheap pool games and electronic darts; come by on weekend afternoons for free lunch.

While most residents of Los Alamitos rely on their own cars for basic transportation, the Orange County Transporation Authority runs several bus lines through the neighborhood, connecting to Orange, Seal Beach, Long Beach and Irvine. Call for a taxi, Uber pickup or airport shuttle when you need more personalized transportation.

The proximity of Interstates 405 and 605 as well as State Route 22 make it easy to connect to all of southern California from Los Alamitos. Hop on one of these freeways to get to Santa Monica, San Diego, the San Gabriel Valley or Orange. Residential parking remains free and easily available throughout the city, and local businesses typically provide free parking as well.

Locals find it easy to bike or walk around the city because of the predominantly flat terrain, but the spread-out nature of this suburb sends people back to their cars for most errand running or commuting.

Los Alamitos features several small parks that provide residents with just enough space for relaxation and recreation. Drop in to Rossmoor Park with your kids when they want to burn off some energy on a well-designed playground. The park also features volleyball, basketball and tennis courts, as well as baseball diamonds.

Little Cottonwood Park provides a friendly, safe environment for kids to ride bikes, with a bike path encircling the park and only one entrance to help parents feel secure. The playground's climbing structures are designed with fun and creativity in mind.

Arbor Dog Park gives dogs of all sizes an enormous amount of room to run, frolic and sniff to their hearts' content. With plenty of poop bag stations and trash cans, this park remains clean, and the dog owners chat happily with newcomers.

While Los Alamitos parks don't feature any annual events, just the other side of the 605 Freeway, at the El Dorado Nature Center in Long Beach, you can find annual native plant sales, summertime concerts, and regular talks and nature walks led by naturalists.

Even with its relaxed lifestyle, the cost of living in Los Alamitos runs about 20 percent higher than that of Long Beach, its large neighbor to the west. While grabbing a bus to take you around Orange County only costs $2, expect to pay about 15 percent more for gasoline than the national average. However, a one-bedroom apartment only runs you $1,250 per month, and if you stop at a local bar for a beer, it'll set you back about $3 a pint.

Residents of Los Alamitos head to the Shops at Rossmoor to get major shopping done, taking advantage of big-box retailers including Kohl's, Marshalls, Home Goods and PetSmart. Also in Los Alamitos you'll find quite a few small specialty shops to make life easier. Sullen Clothing features a unique blend of clothing and art to appeal to the hipster and rock star in everyone. Stop in for unique T-shirts, swimwear and more, designed by top name tattoo artists and graphic designers. Tri-Zone may look like a bike store when you glance in the window, but once you're inside, you realize it really caters to triathletes: runners and swimmers as well as cyclists. Come in for bikes, bike fittings and repair, nutrition and other gear. Also make sure to check out the store's regular workshops. Los Alamitos locals head to Vons or Sprouts Farmers Market to do their basic grocery shopping, but a few specialty markets add to the local culinary choices. Swing by the Oroweat Outlet Bakery to pick up bread, bagels, donuts and even Entenmann's specialties at bargain prices. Antica Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegars and Spices on Los Alamitos Boulevard sells specialty olive oils, vinegars, spices and salts that spoil you forever and turn a simple salad into a feast. When you want farm-fresh produce that's locally sourced, head a bit north to the Cerritos Farmers Market on Saturday mornings, or stop by the California State University, Long Beach, on Wednesdays for the farmers market there.