Looking for some fun facts about Southern California to randomly share at an upcoming holiday party or family gathering? If you’re from SoCal, some of these things may not come as a surprise…but there are definitely a few head scratchers in here. Take a look to see which one might surprise you the most.

1. If you're a fan of Dr. Seuss...
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You might be interested in knowing that the author's real name is Theodor Seuss Geisel. He spent most of his life in La Jolla and the Geisel Library at UCSD is named after him.
2. There is an island in Southern California that is home to a herd of bison.
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Located on Catalina Island, you'll find a herd of 150+ bison roaming wild and free. The rumor is that this herd of bison was first settled on the island in the 1920s for a silent film. Almost 100 years later the population of the bison herd continues to grow.
3. If you head to the Palomar Mountain Observatory on a clear SoCal day, you can see all the way from San Diego to Los Angeles. It's a breathtaking sight.
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4. Did you know the largest county in the United States is located in Southern California?
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San Bernardino County has a land area that's roughly 20,000 square miles which puts this SoCal county at the top of the list for county land mass.
5. Speaking of San Bernardino...
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The city of San Bernardino is the most dangerous city in all of Southern California. According to LA Weekly's report in May 2016, San Bernardino has the highest rate of violent crime compared to the rest of SoCal.

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6. The Avocado Capital of the World is located right here in Southern California.
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The town of Fallbrook, a quaint area in San Diego County, has the honor of being named the Avocado Capital of the World.
7. You can thank SoCal for many hits that have played on Broadway. Why? Because San Diego has had more shows sent to Broadway than any other spot in the country.
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8. The most unexpected gift shop can be found at the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office.
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Yes, there is actually a gift shop inside the LA County Coroner's Office. Its name? Drum roll please...Skeletons in the Closet. At least they have a sense of humor around there.
9. Homeownership in Los Angeles is the lowest in the entire country.
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According to Curbed, the homeownership rate has steadily dropped since 2010. It's now the lowest in the nation with less than 48% of residents who own vs. rent.
10. Southern California has the highest number of motorcycle deaths in the entire country.
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If you've driven in Southern California, especially Los Angeles, you won't be surprised by this one. In 2013 alone, there were over 3,500 motorcycle-related deaths or accidents in all of LA County.
11. The wealthiest cities in the nation are right here in California.
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According to data compiled by Nerd Wallet, 15 of the 20 wealthiest cities in the country are located throughout California -- seven of those cities are in Southern California.

Southern California is full of surprises. Which item on this list surprised you the most? For more SoCal inspired fun, check out these 13 reasons why Southern California will always be home.

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