Hello everyone. I am planning my trip to Los Angeles. We have two kids (age 5 and 8). How safe is Los Angeles for tourists right now? Are areas like Hollywood, Downtown LA, Santa Monica, Venice, and West Hollywood generally safe to walk around during the day? How safe are they at night?
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Hi Tamara, I was there a few months ago and never felt unsafe in places like Santa Monica or West Hollywood. Downtown has some areas further south that locked run down with some homeless around. That part I wouldn’t walk at night for example.
One thing I was told was to not leave anything visible in your rental car or wear things that are too flashy in certain areas. I think that accounts for most places on earth. Common sense goes a long way. I hope you can enjoy your vacation. I loved my time in Los Angeles.
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It depends almost entirely on the neighborhood. So it’s a „yes“ and „no“. There are safe family areas like Sherman Oaks, Pacific Palisades, Mar Vista, Beverlywood, Eagle Rock, parts of Westwood/Brentwood, the list goes on. A lot of these areas have clean parks and playgrounds plus a way less crime than other districts.
Then there are places like Skid Row. Places YouTubers like to portray as the „real LA“ to get clicks. Tourists should of course avoid these areas. Some areas feel safe during the day and less safe during the night. Downtown is the best example. I think most tourists avoid neighborhoods like Watts, South Central, or Compton completely.
Stay in areas that are considered safe and use a rental car, Waymo or Uber to get around the city. Los Angeles gets millions of visitors each year, and most of them don’t experience any issues.
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Hey there, that depends on what “safe” means to you. Violent crime, for example, is down from the bad years. Even homicides hit a long-time low, but other things like property crime are still high. I would stay above the 10 (Santa Monica Fwy) and stick to the Westside, West Hollywood, or Beverly Hills. Most families don't experience any crime over there.
Koreatown, for example, is one of those areas that look nice during the day but feel a bit sketchy at night. Downtown has safe areas like South Park and the Art District. Other areas, like the Fashion District or most industrial areas, get less safe after sunset.
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Yep, these areas are pretty safe and have little to no visible gang activity. West Hollywood / Beverly Hills have no gangs at all. They have a lot of safety features, like license plate readers and cameras installed. Most of the crime people might encounter is petty crime.
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Millions of families live in Los Angeles. They live like any other family in the so-called Western World. I wouldn't be too worried as long as you stay aware around the tourist areas. Uber, Lyft, and Waymo are certainly the best choices for tourists who don't know Los Angeles. I never got robbed in LA or had any major incidents.
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Muchísimas gracias. I feel less worried now.
How about the coastal areas like Santa Monica, Venice, Marina Del Rey?
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I have lived in Santa Monica for many years now. I feel safe during the day and night. Marina Del Rey feels even safer during the night, as there isn't much going on. Venice is fun during the day, and I wouldn't say it's unsafe during the night, but there is certainly more going on. That said, police patrol these areas a lot.
We want to keep these tourist spots safe, too. They drive our economy.
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I feel L.A. is safer than NYC once you know where to stay. Good and bad neighborhoods barely mix unless gentrification happens. No saying it should be like that.. it's just the reality.
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