Within 5 hours of LA, I can get to both the lowest and highest point in the continental USA, I can see deserts and forest mountains, not to mention oceans, surfing, beachside houses that make cape code look cheap. Vegas is only 4 hours away, at most 5...
I have no doubt you can see many things with no traffic in LA in 5 hours or less. Every time I have been there it's been horrendous that it makes Boston traffic look like a joke.
With New England it's not necessarily the traffic its the fact that the roads are smaller and not straight shots.
As far the Cape looking cheap which was a poor taste comment I would take it over any pacific beach :P .
The pacific coast beaches while do have surf are for some reason so cold with the some minor exceptions.
Over all I meant certain parts of cali and not LA specifically.
My point about Malibu vs. Cape Code was just about price, not value.
I'm annoyed that I said "parts of California" at all and probably should have said Texas (I clearly got downvoted for mentioning Cali didn't have things to do).