Night Life/Most Walkable Area (real estate, apartments, rent)

[ffknight918]

Which area has the best night life?

Also which area is most walkable?(Has many stores, restaurants, clubs, etc)

I've read over a lot of topics on here and most people have been saying that there is nothing downtown. However, according to Walk Score - Helping homebuyers, renters, and real estate agents find houses and apartments in great neighborhoods., downtown LA is VERY walkable with no need for a car.(I know I would need one anyway depending where my job is). However, it shows that pretty much anything that I would need would be within walking distance.

[wclac]

Originally Posted by ffknight918

Which area has the best night life?

Also which area is most walkable?(Has many stores, restaurants, clubs, etc)

I've read over a lot of topics on here and most people have been saying that there is nothing downtown. However, according to Walk Score - Helping homebuyers, renters, and real estate agents find houses and apartments in great neighborhoods., downtown LA is VERY walkable with no need for a car.(I know I would need one anyway depending where my job is). However, it shows that pretty much anything that I would need would be within walking distance.

Try Hollywood, Sunset and Hollywood Boulevards.

[Mel2882]

In general, California, including LA, is not that walkable..and it surprises me that someone would say LA is VERY walkable. Of course, coming from a company that wants to sell you something, they will tell you what you want to hear. I know people get by, but I'm guessing most give in and get a car. There are areas where most things you need are closeby, but there are very few of them...and to get outside of your immediate area...well walking just isn't going to do it all the time. I don't want to say living in LA can't be done without a car...it's just that I think a lot of people assume that LA must be similar to big cities like Chicago and NY (which are very walkable and public transportation accessible), and it's not. Have you visited yet?

[Mel2882]

I went to the walk score website after I typed that last response...interesting site. Sorry that I didn't take a look at it before I wrote what I wrote.

[katenik]

i looked at it, too, and it seems pretty meaningless to me. my neighborhood's score is 91, but, with the exception of the grocery stores, i don't patronize the businesses in my immediate area, so what good is it that i can walk them? so, i'm walking distance from a public library, but i can't use it because its primary function seems to be as a day shelter for the homeless. ditto the neighborhood park. and the pizza place up the street is just up the street, but their food is terrible, so i order from the place two miles away. sure, i could walk the half mile to the grocery store, but it would take 4X as long as driving, and i couldn't buy more than i can easily carry.

it seems to me that living in a "walkable" neighborhood is only relevant if one actually wants to go to the places that are within walking distance. just because a neighborhood has a couple of bad local restaurants and a dry cleaners doesn't make it walkable, in any meaningful sense. old town pasadena is a genuinely walkable neighborhood, as are some parts of santa monica. i don't know of many others.

[motoman]

Any area is walkable if you have the time. I work downtown. There is nothing here. There are a few restaurants, but you couldn't afford to eat at them very often. Other than that there are a couple of fast food places that are open after work hours. There is ONE grocery store. But it may not be within walking distance, depending on where you actually live.

I live in West LA. There is a grocery store a few blocks from me. I could walk it. But it would take about 20-30 minutes round-trip to walk it. I don't have that kind of time. And I could only carry a few bags. And the things I buy I can get half-price elsewhere, so I don't shop there.

Most places that have a "walkable" lifestyle are very expensive. People like the apartments above the shopping areas. But you pay a significant premium for that. To me it isn't worth it. Downtown is a perfect example. Look at the rent rates downtown. And the price of a 600 sq. ft. condo. You have to make a six-figure income to afford just the "basics" downtown.

[ffknight918]

Okay, I get what you are saying.

What does everyone think of this place btw?

Big single with big kitchen, gated property, parking available (broken link)

I know that if I got the job with LAFD(still only about halfway through), I would need a car for work. However, this area seems like it would be nice for my days off. Seems like I could walk most places for food. I'm also guessing that there is a lot to do at night around this area?

Thanks for the replies everyone.