Lynwood, CA

Lynwood's history began in 1810 when Don Antonio Lugo got a grant of about 29,000 acres. After his death, this area was divided among his eight children, and Guadalupe Lugo got the area that is now Lynwood. It was later deeded to Heldman, who later deeded it to Mrs. Shields. This land kept changing hands until C.H. Sessions acquired it in 1902. He established a creamery, and named it after his wife Lynne Wood. In 1910, seven men came together to form Lynwood Company to attract potential investors to this region. Residential plots were sold for $500 to $800 in 1913, and since then the city began to take shape.

Visit Mexican Plaza, also known as The MarketPlace, on May 5th every year to join in the festivities of Cinco de Mayo and on 12th December for the “El dia 12 de deciembre” celebrations.

To sample some of the best Latino cuisine, head out to the many small food joints located along Long Beach Blvd and Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.

Do you have a craving for locally made pizza? Stop by Chico's Pizza Parlor on Long Beach Blvd to have pizzas with generous toppings. Shredded pepperoni pizza, one of the popular choices, has mouthful of cheese and pepperoni in every bite, thereby making it a food paradise for pizza lovers.

Immerse yourself in Mexican food at Mariscos El Paisa on Long Beach Blvd. Ceviche de camaron, tostadas de ceviche and aguachillis leave you wanting for more. The perfect mix of vegetables, fish and lime juice makes every ceviche special in this restaurant. On top of this great food, you get quick and friendly service with neat interiors. With reasonably priced food and comfortable patio seating, this restaurant completes your dining experience.

For those who love Salvodoran food, head to El Buen Sabor Papusas. This small corner restaurant has only a few chairs and tables, but the mouthwatering food more than makes up for this small space. Décor is minimalistic, and features a prominent El Salvador flag on the wall. This restaurant serves the tastiest Pupusas in this part of LA. Choose Revuelta Pupusas with pork, beans and cheese or Chicarron pupusas made solely of pork to get a taste of Salvodoran food. Besides Pupusas, this restaurant offers Pollo En Crema, Pollo Guisado and Chile Relleno.

Besides culturally diverse restaurants, Lynwood has a spirited nightlife too. Torino Lounge on Garfield Avenue has great tapas, beer and wine and a lively Spanish band to entertain you all night. Many local residents head out to this place with their friends to celebrate their birthdays because of the good food, wine and great ambiance.

When you are in the mood for heavy drinks, head to Las Carinosas Bar on Long Beach Blvd. Their friendly service and Mexican-style drinks will make you keep coming back for more.

Lynwood has ample options to commute. Take bus routes 60/760 to commute to and from downtown LA or take the Blue Metro Line from Metro Center Station, get off at Rosa Parks Station, and take the Metro Green Line to Long Beach Blvd Station. Alternately, commuting by car is easy too as two highways – I-710 and I-105 pass through Lynwood. It takes only 20 minutes to get to downtown LA and with ample paid and free public parking spaces, many residents prefer to take their cars. Don't feel like driving? Simply take the services of Uber and other taxi companies that ply Lynwood. Biking and walking are good options too as Lynwood has large sidewalks. In fact, a walk along Lynwood streets gives you a chance to view beckoning fences, Little Play Tikes, sidewalk chalk and all other remnants of a happy neighborhood.

Open park spaces in Lynwood cater to the many families that call it home. To play a friendly basketball, baseball, tennis or soccer game with your friends, hit Lynwood Park on Bullis Road. Alternately, walk your dog on its paved trails or enjoy a quiet picnic with your family members in its serene atmosphere.

Yvonne Burke – John D Ham Park on Atlantic Avenue is the “work-out” park of Lynwood as they have pull-up bars and sit-up benches on every side of the park. Runners also come here to enjoy a quiet run and some solitude.

Communities with good schools and excellent lifestyle amenities, tend to cost more. In this sense, Lynwood's cost of living is 27.20 percent higher than the US average. This high cost is spread across all products and amenities as the median rental cost of a single bedroom apartment is $848.29 while a pint of beer costs $4.85 in the local pubs. Gas average sits 12 percent higher than the national average at $2.89 per gallon.

Shopping plazas define public spaces in Lynwood, with the most prominent being Plaza Mexico. This landmark has many traditional Mexican boutiques selling a range of exotic items. For the best women's clothing in town, stop by G-Stage on Long Beach Blvd. Its warm service coupled with wide choices in women's clothing and accessories, make it a must-visit place for women of all ages and sizes. Vintage-loving locals jump on I-105 and journey to Paramount where they shop at a range of boutiques including Stop Staring. Small and unique, Stop Staring features everything from cocktail dresses to rockabilly clothing with an emphasis on styles from the mid century. For groceries, locals have access to a range of ethnic markets. El Super, a low to mid-priced grocery store has pantry items, meats and produce, but it also sells hot fresh bollios and pan dulce. El Che Market, an Argentinean grocery store, looks unpromising from the outside, but inside, it boasts well-stocked shelves and a restaurant selling Argentinean, Italian and Mexican foods, including tasty Pollo Millenesa sandwiches made to order. The area also hosts the Lynwood Farmer's Market. Some locals rave about the selection of organic vegetables, trucked in from around the state and the rest of the country, but other healthy eaters prefer to check out nearby markets in Superior.