Downtown San Francisco vs. Downtown Los Angeles (London: fit in, neighborhoods)

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by ImRandy

No, he had it right. The downtown area of San Francisco is the Financial District. There is really nothing there. It's almost a ghost town at night.

Sorry this is absolutely INCORRECT.

FiDi is a part of a larger area known as Downtown, which also encompasses Union Square, part of Chinatown, part of North Beach, part of SOMA and part of the waterfront.

Each of the cities has a diffrent atmosphere. Los Angeles is filled with a marvel of skyscrapers, some of the tallest in the world-Stolly Enterprises

The company I used to work for has offices in LAs tallest building and I worked there many weeks at a time up until 2 years ago when I decided to go into business for myself. And having spent lots of time in Downtown LA, I can say that it is quite lackluster, downscale as far as amenities, a little boring and quite frankly-a bit seedy. Even the nice parts.

[18Montclair]

The westside of LA is where all the action is, I'll certainly give LA that.

But Downtown? Not so much. Sorry.

[LASam]

I'm from LA, love LA, and will easily say that I prefer DT San Fran. Venture through either downtown on a Saturday afternoon and it is easy to see which one is more lively. I do think however that LA is making significant strides towards improving DT and that in 2020 it will be interesting to do this comparison again

Also, I feel people are missing the spirit of this poll. It seems that the OP asked which DT you PREFER, not which is better. What works for some won't work for others. This is completely subjective.

[City Boy]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

SF has a dense, city feel but North Beach and Noe Valley is not "Downtown SF". Downtown SF is the financial district.

The Financial District is a neighborhood in San Francisco, California that serves as its main central business district.

Location

The area is marked by the cluster of high-rise towers that lies between Grant Street east of the Union Square shopping district, Sacramento Street and Columbus Street, south of Chinatown and North Beach, and the Embarcadero that rings the waterfront. The city's tallest buildings, including the Bank of America tower and the Transamerica Pyramid, and some other tall buildings, like 101 California Street and 345 California Street are located here.

wikipedia.com

[B Newbie]

LOL, I guess I'm baised. I have a home in the Nob Hill district of SF.

Centrally located--vast culture, great public transportation options, easy access to EVERYTHING without driving on miles of freeway unlike LA...

[bubblebeachhead]

I live in Southern CA and love to visit downtown LA. I do appreciate the face lift and the residential loft type condos that are being built to open up and gentrify the area. The Staples Center and convention center did clean up a huge area and having USC nearby has only added to the value of the area. Near USC their new Galen sports center, the Science center and Imax. It is becoming a very hip place to be. I love the changes I have seen in the past few years.
However, SF is lovely and I have not spent as much time there as I'd like but on my many past visits I have had NO dissappointments. The clubs, water front, resturants...whats not to love?
Both places are so different and wonderful, I couldn't chose I love both cities!

[Sargon]

It's definitely downtown San Francisco for me too!

Upon my move to Los Angeles I had stayed with a friend in downtown. Quite frankly, for a city of it's size, downtown Los Angeles is shameful and filthy - I have never seen the level of homelessness, blatant drug use, criminal behavior, stench and garbage in the streets as I had when I stayed in downtown Los Angeles. I am extremely disappointed that the current Mayor of the city has done little to clean up or improve the landscape, despite an attempt to revitalize the older buildings into modern over priced lofts. People who live in Downtown L.A. do not go out in the streets after dark (It's not safe) and always travel to other areas for entertainment (West Hollywood, Hollywood, Santa Monica). People who do not live in Downtown L.A. (Myself included) do not travel to the area for the reasons mentioned above.

Downtown San Francisco, on the other hand, is largely posh and has far more style - it's clearly an affluent, socially sophisticated, and educated city (Very similar to Seattle, but on a much larger scale). Downtown SF has much more to offer including great social night life, bars, restaurants, and quaint hotels. The Downtown section of L.A. does not even come close.

[califantastic]

Originally Posted by Rwarky

Which central business district do you prefer the most: Downtown San Francisco or Downtown Los Angeles? Also, tell us why you like one city's downtown more than the other.

My choice is downtown Los Angeles, because it is one of the most unique city centers in the country.

Are you actually serious or is this a joke?

I vastly prefer Socal to Nocal but San Francisco (along with New York) is the only real walkable big city in the United States.

Downtown SF is a place you can actually walk around and live. No need for a car. Downtown LA is a joke in comparison. And downtown San Diego may be the biggest joke of all - almost all residential and retail. Virtually no businesses.

[califantastic]

Originally Posted by Sargon

It's definitely downtown San Francisco for me too!

Upon my move to Los Angeles I had stayed with a friend in downtown. Quite frankly, for a city of it's size, downtown Los Angeles is shameful and filthy - I have never seen the level of homelessness, blatant drug use, criminal behavior, stench and garbage in the streets as I had when I stayed in downtown Los Angeles. I am extremely disappointed that the current Mayor of the city has done little to clean up or improve the landscape, despite an attempt to revitalize the older buildings into modern over priced lofts. People who live in Downtown L.A. do not go out in the streets after dark (It's not safe) and always travel to other areas for entertainment (West Hollywood, Hollywood, Santa Monica). People who do not live in Downtown L.A. (Myself included) do not travel to the area for the reasons mentioned above.

Downtown San Francisco, on the other hand, is largely posh and has far more style - it's clearly an affluent, socially sophisticated, and educated city (Very similar to Seattle, but on a much larger scale). Downtown SF has much more to offer including great social night life, bars, restaurants, and quaint hotels. The Downtown section of L.A. does not even come close.

The homeless problem in SF is much worse than that of downtown LA.

[rah]

Originally Posted by Stolly enterprises

Each of the cities has a diffrent atmosphere. Los Angeles is filled with a marvel of skyscrapers, some of the tallest in the world and has a booming film and Record industry. San Fransisco has more of a quaint feal to it, however with old world homes and intresting buildings downtown. You decide -Stolly Enterprises

San Francisco has more highrises in it's downtown than LA, and LA's tallest(at 1,018 ft.) is far from being among the tallest in the world. Also, SF has three skyscrapers proposed that would eclipse that height anyways (they're all at 1,200 ft.)

Originally Posted by Sargon

Downtown San Francisco, on the other hand, is largely posh and has far more style - it's clearly an affluent, socially sophisticated, and educated city (Very similar to Seattle, but on a much larger scale). Downtown SF has much more to offer including great social night life, bars, restaurants, and quaint hotels. The Downtown section of L.A. does not even come close.

Saying the entire city of SF is affluent, posh and sophisticated is pretty ignorant. SF now has a higher crime rate than LA, and SF's downtown has more than it's share of filth and crime. Ever hear of the Tenderloin? The whole mid-market corridor as well, and large parts of SOMA can also be pretty sketchy. People are routinely shot, robbed and murdered in downtown SF, unfortunately. Of course you have to remember that downtown SF is more than just the financial district. In regards to just the financial district...yes, it's pretty nice, and yes it gets empty as hell at night and on the weekends...but then so does LA's I'm assuming. Also, what's with people declaring all of SF as "quaint?" Some neighborhoods maybe, but as a whole, SF is a large, urban city, just like any other.