The Bare Traveller

Best Neighbourhoods in Los Angeles to visit

Best Neighborhoods to visit in Los Angeles

Best Neighborhoods to visit in Los Angeles

Stretching over more than 600 km, Los Angeles is a city that many dream of. With its sun and the beach, Hollywood, the stars, and the glitter, you will have an unforgettable moment. L.A is a glamorous city, a liberal state, the capital of cinema, and the representation of the American dream. 

It is also a city of history, a blend of multiple cultures, and one of the best economies in the world. In addition to the climate and the varied and grandiose landscapes, it is the people, their welcome, their mentality that make Los Angeles one of the best destinations in the world. Wondering what are the best neighborhoods in Los Angeles to visit? Then, let’s discover them!

Top 12 Best Neighborhoods in Los Angeles to visit

1. Hollywood

If there’s one place that symbolizes the importance of Los Angeles, it’s Hollywood. As Madonna said, Everybody comes to Hollywood, they wanna make it in the neighborhood. It’s in this neighborhood that the Hollywood stars sit on an ordinary sidewalk of a huge 4-lane avenue, with shops and museums all around.

Michael Jackson Star on Hollywood Boulevard Los Angeles

It is also at Hollywood that you will find the famous sign that displays the name Hollywood in capital letters on the side of Mount Lee. 

The notorious sign was built in 1923 as a real-estate advertisement and an attempt to shift attention to this place as the new movie industry location. Nowadays, the Hollywood sign reflects the American dream and the Californian spirit.

Hollywood Sign Los Angeles California

Additionally, this is where the Dolby Theater is located, which hosts the Oscars each year. These mythical places will undoubtedly charm you. But you can also look beyond the symbols and learn more about the little stories, filming locations, and the sometimes quirky places behind the most powerful local industry.

2. Bel Air

Made famous thanks to the very popular “The Prince of Bel Air ” series, Bel Air is one of the Best Neighborhoods in Los Angeles to visit. In this district, you will find the most luxurious villas in the city that make this area one of the most exclusive.

Bel Air Los Angeles California

Built in 1923 by Alphonzo Bell, Bel Air is part of the Platinum Triangle, just like Beverly Hills and Holmby Hills. Mr. Bell became rich after the discovery of oil in his farm. He then fell in love with the current Bel Air district and decided to build his house there. Soon, numerous high elite people followed in his footsteps. 

Decades later, several celebrities have resided in this neighborhood including Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, and Ronald Reagan. This is also where The University of California Los Angeles is located.

3. Santa Monica

If you are looking for the beach and leisure times, nothing better than the Santa Monica area. This landlocked seaside resort between L.A and the Pacific is one of the city’s best spots. At sunset, Santa Monica turns into a mix of colors and festivities.

Santa Monica Los Angeles California

The area is renowned for its splendid pier, but also for being one of the historic ends of the famous Route 66. This legendary Route 66 crosses the United States from east to west. Additionally, the Santa Monica neighborhood is home to Venice Beach where the sport is king.

4. Beverly Hills

We can’t talk about the best neighborhoods in Los Angeles to visit without mentioning Beverly Hills. This beautiful neighbourhood started growing in the 1920s with a 2000% growth.

Beverly Hills Los Angeles California

At that time, Beverly Hills was the site for theatre and modern architecture lovers. Nowadays, Beverly Hills is undoubtedly one of the most luxurious districts of the city of angels. The proof? All the luxury brands are installed there. In short, Beverly Hills is a true fashion museum. 

This district of LA is also home to an artery made famous by Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, Rodeo Drive. This is where the famous Pretty Woman hotel is located. However, Pretty Woman is not the only show that has made Beverly Hills famous. 

Another classic that can be cited is Beverly Hills 90210, ranked in 2008 as one of the 100 most powerful TV series in the last 25 years according to Entertainment Weekly. Additionally, Beverly Hills is also overflowing with designer stores and trendy restaurants.

5. Melrose and Fairfax

Melrose and Fairfax are more than 9.5 km long, sites of the famous Angel Wings by Colette Miller as well as the Paul Smith building known for its pink color. 

Melrose and Fairfax are the lands of Street Art and you will find that no paper posters are used, only paint. at Melrose and Fairfax, There is something for everyone. From bohemian Californian style, through studded rock, drag queen costumes, and vintage thrift stores. 

The avenue is also known for the Melrose Place TV Show, a derivative series of Beverly Hills 90210. Today, thousands of tourists and fans of the series come to 4616 Melrose Place to see the residence where the series was filmed.

6. Chinatown

If you’re looking for a festive and dining area with good quality and affordable food in LA then head to Chinatown. Located north of Downtown, Chinatown is one of Los Angeles’ most popular destinations. 

The district is famous for being calm and full of Temples, houses with emblematic roofs, and vegetation. Despite the destruction of Chinatown in 1930, another district was created in 1938. 

Today, you will see many signs with Chinese names as well as very colorful buildings. In short, everything is there to have the impression of having traveled to China for a few hours.

7. Downtown Los Angeles

Los Angeles business district, Downtown concentrates the rare buildings that can be seen all over the city of angels. It is in Downtown that you will find a multitude of different districts like the Fashion District. 

Downtown Los Angeles

It’s also the only neighborhood in L.A that you can see from the Hollywood sign, for example. Its towers, its skyscrapers, all higher than the others, really contrast with the rest of the city where very few houses exceed the first floor. 

A few years ago, Downtown was a neighborhood you shouldn’t go to after 5 p.m. Today, it is one of the safest and most walkable neighborhoods in the city of angels. 

Additionally, a few steps from downtown, do not miss the old Pueblo de Los Angeles on Olvera Street.

8. Pasadena

Pasadena is a luxurious and quiet suburb north of Los Angeles. It is also known as the home of the heroes of The Big Bang Theory and home of the best architects. The residents of this mesmerizing neighborhood grew between 1900-1910s. 

At that time, it was home to small business owners, nowadays, it is one of the most elite neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Concerning the attractions of Pasadena, I can cite first and foremost the Rose Bowl. It is the stadium where the 1994 World Cup football final took place. 

The other aspect of Pasadena is its historical side because the city is crossed by Route 66, with one of the most beautiful bridges in California, The Colorado Street Bridge. It is also that you will find the US Court of Appeals Richard H. Chambers. The particularity of this building is that it is a former luxury hotel converted into a court.

9. Venice Beach

The Venice neighborhood is one of the best areas to visit in Los Angeles. The origin of Venice Beach comes from northern Italy and was built by the famous tobacco millionaire Abbot Kinney.

Venice Beach Los Angeles California

The famous American millionaire wanted to create a replica of Venice, his favorite city. In this neighborhood, we find the very essence of California culture, seeing surfers at sunrise from the Pier and walking along the boardwalk discovering the skate park.

There are numerous other things you can do in Venice Beach like seeing the famous Venice Sign, admiring the street performers, or shopping for souvenirs. 

Additionally, a stone’s throw from Venice Beach, you can visit the Venice canals built by a millionaire at the start of the 20th century.

10. Malibu

Want to find yourself in a paradisiacal beach setting Californian atmosphere?. In this case, head to Malibu. You will feel like you are David Hasselhoff or Pamela Anderson. In the past, Malibu was inhabited by Chumash Indians.

Malibu Lifeguard Tower Los Angeles L.A

It is in this place that the Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo stopped on his journey. It is also in Malibu that you’ll be able to visit the splendid Matador Beach, a popular photoshoot spot.

The kind of place everyone comes for Baywatch photos. Besides, I have a photo on a lifeguard tower to immerse myself in the show. Malibu is also home to Historic Route 1. This route allows you to see alternately beautiful beaches and a jagged coast that face the Pacific Ocean.

In Malibu, you can also visit the Getty Villa. A villa that houses collections of Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiques. The villa is a reconstruction of the villa of the papyri of Herculaneum.

11. Mulholland Drive

You can’t visit Los Angeles without passing or driving to Mulholland drive. The Californian district was named after Willian Mulholland, a notorious engineer who helped L.A fight water scarcity. Driving on Mulholland Drive will make you feel like a character from an American movie. 

Mullholland Drive Los Angeles California

This legendary road that overhangs the city of the angels also crosses the districts which shelter the villas of the stars of Hollywood as well as the most fortunate personalities of Los Angeles. 

I advise you to stop at the Universal City Overlook which offers a breathtaking view of the San Fernando Valley. By stopping at this platform built in 1984 you will see movie studios like Disney, Warner Bros, and Universal.

12. Koreatown

The list of the Best Neighborhoods in Los Angeles to visit wouldn’t be complete without Koreatown. The area is a sort of tribute to Korean immigration in the 1900s and houses more than 120.000 residents, 20% of them are from Korea origins. 

Located at Bunker Hill in the center of Downtown, Koreatown, LA is the first one created in the US and the most famous one. It is also home to The Line Hotel between Hollywood and Downtown. 

It is also here that you will find unique Korean architecture with modern buildings, family houses from the 1950s, or even cardboard cabins. In short, Koreatown is a unique experience that transports you to Korea, it is also a favorite for lovers of Asian food.

Conclusion

Los Angeles is a city like no other. A city so diversified in its architecture, landscapes, roads, and population that you’ll fall in love with it. 

I hope that now you have an idea about the Best Neighbourhoods in Los Angeles to visit. Let me know what your favorite one is and why. I look forward to reading your comments.

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