Top 5 LA neighborhoods to visit

The City of Angels on the American west coast is the second-largest city in the US. Laid down under Hollywood hills and along the Pacific coast, LA is a collection of neighborhoods and small towns swollen by the large metropolis. The city is a living organism with parts of the city continually changing and evolving. What was a once rough neighborhood can now be a posh trendy place like in the case of Venice Beach?

Los Angeles is a city of endless possibilities, diversity, and extreme contrasts. For all those who visit LA, the number of attractions and sights can fulfill an extended stay in the sunny heart of California’s way of life. In this article, we will go through the five best neighborhoods you should visit in Los Angeles.

Venice

Venice Beach is a neighborhood on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. It has one of the best LA beaches, but it offers more than just the beach, sand, and the sea. Venice is home to the most influential skate park surrounded by palm trees. Some of the best world skaters, iconic videos, and high-quality parks attract thousands of skateboard fans. Venice Beach and the boardwalk is a place to be seen. Part of the uninterrupted beach is dedicated to bodybuilders, and it is called the Muscle Beach. You can walk along the Venice canals, with small pedestrian bridges, beautiful beach houses, and a more intimate atmosphere. A little less casual part of Venice is Abbot Kinney with some of the best LA restaurants and bars, art galleries, and shopping places.

Sancta Monica

Sancta Monica Pier is a historical construction, famous for its roller coaster and Ferris wheel. It is a place of many events, and it is also the endpoint of historic Route 66. The pier is part of the State Beach, where all-year-around crowds of people gather to enjoy the warm California sun and beach activities. Sancta Monica is a town with a famous Farmers Market, and four-block dedicated for pedestrians in Third Street Promenade. Aero Theatre Art Deco movie theatre is a place for movies in Sancta Monica since 1940. You can visit two exciting museums, the California Heritage Museum, and The Museum of flying at Sancta Monica airport.

Malibu

Malibu, Sancta Monica, and Venice are adjacent waterfront neighborhoods. Malibu is less urbanized and with more natural attractions, and yet feels like a part of LA. Surfrider beach is a perfect city getaway. Malibu has its pier with also lots of history, and opportunities for fine dining. El Matador State Beach has some of the most iconic sights in LA with giant rocks in the water.

Los Feliz

Up in the hills over East LA is Los Feliz. A neighborhood where you can see beautiful mansions from old and new starts along Los Feliz boulevard. This part of town is home to Griffith Park, a vast urban park area. Visit LA Zoo or take a look at the Hollywood sign. On top of the hill is the Griffith Observatory. Los Feliz has lots of restaurants and bars with a vintage look and feels like Dresden, or event venue, the Greek Theatre, and Vista theater.

Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills is an integral part of LA, filled with grand mansions and a shopping hub for rich and famous. Greystone Mansion is a historic house, often seen in popular Hollywood movies. Rodeo Drive is a condensed area filled with boutiques and shops. Take a picture in front of the Beverly Hills sign. There are several world-class restaurants in the area, as well as art galleries and installations like Hymn of Life: Tulips in Beverly Gardens Park.

What neighborhoods to avoid

LA is a large metropolitan area, and some parts of town are not safe for night strolls. Among the worst neighborhoods in Los Angeles in Boyle Heights. Part of the East LA, BH has a long and infamous history of crime. It is still a place a tourist should probably avoid. Watts is another part of the town where gang-related crimes are responsible for bad reputation. Downtown LA is a place of high contrast. Impressive skyline on one side, homeless persons on others. It is a neighborhood troubled with drugs and sporadic violence. Skid Row and Fashion District also have a terrible reputation, and the same goes for Inglewood.

International travelers still cannot visit LA, and pandemic travel restrictions are still on in the US. What you can do is fill out esta form. Although the Visa Waiver Program will not allow you to enter the country at this time, the ESTA application is valid for two years. Hopefully, in this period, the COVID-19 pandemic will be behind us. The electronic system for travel authorization is the first step, and you should take it as soon as you start planning your visit to the US. After you answer esta questions, the administration will determine whether you are eligible or not to enter the US.

Conclusion

With our five best LA neighborhoods, we only scratched the surface of this magnificent city. A center of entertainment for the whole world has so much to offer to tourists. With so many attractions, it would be best to dedicate enough time to your visit. In LA, you can get an authentic urban atmosphere, vast beaches that stretch for miles. It is a place where some of the biggest celebrities live, but there are also some parts of town you should probably avoid. Los Angeles is a home of the Lakers, one of the biggest sports franchises in the world. Hollywood sign overlooks the colossal city and reminds us of the global influence it has.

Top 5 La Neighborhoods To Visit