Los Angeles is a "city of dreams" for many people on this planet. Every year it attracts millions of tourists and vacationers from different countries and continents. Some of them seriously think about moving here for good. It is to such people that our article will be useful. In it, we will talk about the most famous areas of the city of Los Angeles, as well as how suitable they are for living.
Pros and Cons of Living in Los Angeles
If you are already planning your move to this locality, then it will be useful for you to find out about the advantages and disadvantages of living in it (in comparison with other cities in the USA). So, among the pluses, the following points can be distinguished:
- Geographical position. The city is located in a picturesque mountainous area on the Pacific Ocean. In close proximity is the bustling Las Vegas, measured and calm San Diego, as well as the famous Silicon Valley. Los Angeles International Airport is among the top five hubs on the planet in terms of congestion. Every day it serves about a thousand different flights.
- Climate. The second advantage follows in part from the first. Agree that living in an area where the average temperature in summer is +30 degrees and in winter +18 degrees is more than comfortable. Rains are extremely rare, and the number of sunny days per year exceeds the figure of three hundred.
- Science and culture. Los Angeles can be safely called both the "scientific" and the "cultural" capital of America. It is here that the cinema Mecca is Hollywood, where Walt Disney painted his Mickey Mouse, and here Elon Musk develops plans for the colonization of Mars. Los Angeles is a great motivator and inspiration for cultural and scientific exploits.
- Food. In this city, thanks to the variegated ethnic composition, you can enjoy the most diverse cuisines of the world. And the indigenous representatives of a particular nation will cook for you.
- Celebrities. It so happened that many famous earthlings live in Los Angeles. Having lunch in a local cafe, you can easily see another celebrity at the next table.
But life in Los Angeles carries certain disadvantages. Let's try to list the most important disadvantages:
- Sizes. Los Angeles is a large, sweeping city. At the same time, public transport in it is not as well developed as we would like. Therefore, without personal vehicles, living here will not be easy.
- Natural disasters. The city is located on the fault of lithospheric plates. Therefore, the risk of large earthquakes or powerful tsunamis always remains.
- Dirt and the homeless. The problem with the homeless is relevant, in principle, for the whole country. But in Los Angeles, she is particularly acute. In the city center there is a whole tent city, and it looks, to put it mildly, not very presentable.
- Expensive real estate. Housing prices here are sky-high. The cost of modest apartments starts from 400 thousand "green".
- Soft drugs. Since January 2018, California has legalized the use and sale of marijuana. Therefore, the smell of "grass" is heard literally from everywhere.
Now is the time to tell you about the main areas of Los Angeles. If you, of course, have not yet changed your mind about moving to the "City of Angels" after all of the above.
Los Angeles and its zoning
Los Angeles is located in sunny California on the west coast of the United States. The city is interesting in that it lacks a center as such. There is a historical core - the La Plaza area, there is a conditional modern center with numerous skyscrapers and office buildings.
It is important to note that most areas of Los Angeles used to be separate settlements, which at one time or another became part of the Big Orange. That is why they are so different from each other. Each of them can be explored for hours, in each there is something interesting for tourists and local historians.
On the LA map, there are completely different areas - poor and rich, dangerous and prestigious, sleeping and tourist. How many are there? No one will tell you the exact numbers. Some sources refer to 80 districts of Los Angeles, while others refer to two hundred. Here is a list of the largest and most famous of them:
- Hollywood.
- Downtown.
- Venice.
- Westwood
- Beverly Hills.
- Santa Monica
- Malibu.
- South Central.
- Compton.
- San Fernando.
Later in this article, we will briefly talk about the features of each of the above areas of Los Angeles. All of them are marked on the map below.
Los Angeles's Best and Worst Areas
The myth of a gangster Los Angeles is quite widespread on the net. In fact, this is not true. Los Angeles is a contrasting and heterogeneous city. And the areas here are very, very different. The following information will help you choose the most suitable place to live in the City of Angels.
- Dangerous areas of Los Angeles: Compton, North Hollywood, San Pedro, Venice.
- Prestigious and expensive areas: Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Malibu, Wilshire, Marina del Rey.
- Poor ghetto areas: South Central, East Los Angeles, Inglewood, Compton.
- Typical sleeping areas: San Fernando Valley, Playa Vista.
- Touristic areas: Santa Monica, Hollywood, Venice.
If you came to Los Angeles for the first time and are still new to its geography, then you should use one useful tip. Rent housing north of Downtown and avoid the southern parts of the city. The list of the best areas of Los Angeles to live in is Beverly Hills, Westside, Malibu, West Hollywood and Bel Air. True, the prices for accommodation here are above average.
If you do not have large amounts of money, choose areas for the middle class. So, relatively inexpensive real estate can be rented in North Hollywood, Gladeil, Pasadena, as well as in the San Fernando Valley.
Hollywood
Hollywood is not only the global center of the film industry, but also one of the largest areas of Los Angeles. Every year several tens of millions of tourists visit it. But it should be noted that nowadays there is only one movie studio operating here, the rest are dispersed around the city. Modern Hollywood is primarily a tourist highlight, a huge open-air amusement park with restaurants, street musicians and great parties.
How to get there: Fly Away bus to Vine Street or metro to Hollywood / Vine station.
What to see: Walk of Fame, the inscription “Hollywood” on the hill, Melrose-Avenue, Kodak Theater, Dolby Theater (the annual Academy Awards ceremony is held in it).
Downtown
Downtown Los Angeles stands out with its skyscrapers. It is the center of the city’s business life with numerous offices, banks, restaurants and cultural sites. There is also the historic quarter - the oldest part of Los Angeles.
How to get there: by Fly Away bus to Union-Station or by metro to one of the stations (Union Station, Arts District, Chinatown).
What to see: Olvera Street, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Venice
Venice is a controversial and contrasting area located in the western part of Los Angeles, on the coast. On the one hand, this is one of the centers of the bohemian life of the city. At the same time, homeless and other asocial elements from other areas flock here. The shabby shacks side by side with elite new buildings. The main highlight of this area is the system of narrow flow channels through which local residents float in boats.
How to get there: take bus number 3 to the California Avenue stop or take a taxi.
What to see: the main attractions of the area are canals with boats, beaches and numerous stalls with unusual souvenirs.
Westwood
Westwood is a prestigious, calm and well-kept area of Los Angeles. It is located between the famous Hollywood and the coast. First of all, the area will interest architecture lovers, because on its streets you can visually study the whole history of American architecture.
How to get there: by metro (blue line) or taxi.
What to see: University of California, Wilshire Boulevard, Getty Museum, 20 th Century Fox Film Company.
Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills is one of the richest areas of Los Angeles, famous throughout the world for the eponymous series. Administratively, this is a separate locality. However, it is surrounded on all sides by the city. Today it is the premier fashion and entertainment center in Los Angeles. But contrary to popular belief, stars and celebrities do not live here. They choose calmer areas for life - Malibu and Santa Monica.
How to get there: take the subway to Wilshire / Western stations with a change to Rapid Bus (No. 720).
What to see: Rodeo Drive (an abundance of boutiques and fashion stores), the Beverly Center shopping complex, and the Beverly Wilshire hotel, in which the film "Pretty Woman" was shot.
Santa monica
Santa-Monica is a quiet and comfortable area, directly adjacent to the coast. Here you can meet a huge number of tourists and vacationers, athletes and cyclists, for whom all the necessary infrastructure has been created in the town.
How to get there: take the metro to Santa Monica station (blue line) or metro number 3.
What to see: Third Street (Promenade), the end of the famous Route 66, Santa Monica Pier and an amusement park.
Malibu
Malibu is another prestigious area of the "City of Angels." Thanks to the abundance of beautiful beaches, green hills and picturesque cliffs, it reminds many of the French Riviera. It is in this area - the most expensive real estate in the city.
How to get there: by bus number 3 (with transfer to bus number 534) or by taxi.
What to see: beaches with dozens of surfers, Point Dum viewing platform. Chances are good to meet a world celebrity.
South Central
It's time to talk about the criminal areas of Los Angeles. One of them is South Los Angeles (or South Central). This is a fairly large area south of downtown. Today, about 750 thousand people live here.
South Central is known for its street subculture and unfavorable criminal environment. There are at least a dozen different gangs in the area. The most famous of them are Crips ("Cripples"), Bloods ("Bloody") and MS-13. The most cruel are the Latin American groups. Several dozens of films have been shot about South Central. From here come a number of famous personalities - rappers Snoop Dogg and Eazy-E, hip-hop group Cypress Hill, jazz musician Eric Dolphy and others.
Compton
Compton is a classic Los Angeles ghetto district. Another place on the city map where settling is extremely undesirable. Since the late 80s, the area has been known for bloody gang warfare. Although, in fairness, it should be noted that nowadays it is much calmer here. Moreover, Compton even has interesting sights. First of all, the district is known as the small homeland of the famous rap artist and producer Dr. Dre.
San fernando
San Fernando Valley is a typical sleeping area in Los Angeles. It occupies vast territories in the northern part of the city. About two million people live here (this is about 40% of the total population of Los Angeles). This is exactly the place where people live quietly and peacefully, do not close the doors to the castle, calmly walk along the streets even late in the evening. In the southern part of the valley are three well-known film studios: Universal, Warner Bros and Walt Disney. Therefore, the streets of the district can be seen in many American films ("Alien", "A little pregnant", "Mulholland Drive" and others).
Russian district
In Los Angeles, there are so-called national quarters. In particular, Chinese (where without it), Korean, Armenian, Japanese (here it is called "Little Tokyo"), as well as Russian. The latter is located in West Hollywood.
It is worth noting that the largest community of Russian emigrants in America lives in Los Angeles. Many specific shops, cafes and restaurants are concentrated here, the Russian-language press is published. The most capacious and detailed life of the Russian quarter in the City of Angels is described in the works of Sergei Dovlatov.
Finally…
Los Angeles spreads over numerous hills, stretching from the coast of the Pacific Ocean in the southwest almost to the foot of mountain ranges in the northeast. The most urbanized and built-up areas are located in the geometric center of the city - this is Downtown and Hollywood. The most dangerous areas of Los Angeles are Compton, South Central and Inglewood. Well, the most comfortable living conditions differ in such areas as Beverly Hills, Westwood, Bel Air and Malibu.