(The City With A Small Town Feel)

I’ve lived in Southern CA my entire life. Through the years I’ve lived in many cities ranging from Calabasas in the southwest corner of the San Fernando Valley, Lincoln Heights in the heart of Los Angeles, to San Dimas in the eastern edge of the San Gabriel Valley. Each area has its own unique vibe.

About three years ago I moved to San Dimas, a town known for its Western art and small-town feel. I didn’t know much about the city except that it was home to Raging Waters, one of the largest water parks in the United States, and the fact that Bill & Ted, the characters of the science fiction comedy series of movies (Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, and Bill & Ted Face The Music), hailed from San Dimas (the center of the universe).

Growing up in Los Angeles, I learned to be very guarded in public. If I walked in the neighborhood, passersby rarely made eye contact, and even more rarely would anyone say hello.

The second week I lived in San Dimas I decided to buy a bicycle in order to get some daily outdoor exercise. (By the way, Incycle Bicycles in San Dimas is the place to go for all things bicycles.) The first morning I went for a bike ride, I donned my bicycle helmet and sun glasses, and off I went.

As I rode my bike on the street (with plenty of bike lanes throughout the city, which is another thing I love), I passed plenty of people on their morning walks. As I rode by, these strangers would wave to me and greet me with a friendly, “Hello.” At first I was caught off guard. This never happened in the other cities I lived in. But the people in San Dimas were different. They were actually friendly. Now I greet complete strangers on the street wherever I go, and people reciprocate. As a Los Angeles native, I find this to be amazing!

San Dimas truly does have a small town feel. I know many of my neighbors, which wasn’t very common in other cities I lived, and I seem to make friends everywhere I go. The friendliness of my neighbors allowed me to let my guard down, and made it much easier to welcome people into my world.

The downtown area of San Dimas still has a small-town, business community vibe to it with mom and pop owned antique shops and restaurants lining the music filled streets. Yes, there is music being piped onto the streets as you walk from shop to shop.

We also have modern shopping centers, which are reminiscent of any town USA, but the downtown area hails of a past that was more community centered.

I’m so grateful to live in this city. I have easy access to Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Inland Empire, and the crime rate is one of the lowest in the San Gabriel Valley. I love San Dimas!

(Lou Serrano is a Southern CA Realtor specializing in residential real estate. Serving Los Angeles, San Dimas, Glendora, La Verne, and all of Southern CA.)