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Downtown LA barely gets any credit. I haven't been to downtown Seattle, but I have a hard time believing it's busier overall.
If places like little Tokyo, the fashion district were in other cities they'd get far more attention.
It's just overshadowed here.
People on here really are over-rating Seattle and underestimating Los Angeles urbanity, which apparently people are only aware of Santa Monica. You can live in Central LA, in a nice neighborhood such as Miracle Mile, have access to markets, art galleries, museums (such as LACMA), great food, bars, lounges, shopping (20 minute walk to the Grove), music venues (the infamous El Rey) etc. My aunt lived there for years, and every time I visited her we never got into the car. There was one time I dropped my car at her place, and walked to West Hollywood to go photograph LA pride. Around a 30 minute walk, but didn't even feel it since there was so much going on on the street level to keep me distracted.
From Miracle Mile, you have access to the Fairfax district, Museum Row, 3rd Street and it's amazing restaurants, West Hollywood (another incredibly urbane pocket of LA county), and can easily take a bus down Wilshire to Westwood/UCLA, Santa Monica beach or Koreatown. Honestly, if you are considering visiting LA and don't want to drive, stay here, you'll love it. Currently they are working on purple line extension, which will only ADD to the urbanity of this part of the city, connecting to the other great urban areas of LA like Hollywood + adjacent, Downtown etc.
Don't forget Melrose. And the farmers market/the grove is always bustling.
The golden Triangle/beverly drive. Venice boardwalk. Abbot Kinney.
There's pedestrians everywhere. It's just not seamlessly connected.
Don't forget Melrose. And the farmers market/the grove is always bustling.
The golden Triangle/beverly drive. Venice boardwalk. Abbot Kinney.
There's pedestrians everywhere. It's just not seamlessly connected.
Yeahp, but outside of Triangle/Beverly Hills, the others aren't as cohesive with the central LA nabes I was talking about, which all blend into each other very well. In part, thanks to Wilshire Blvd, Fairfax, LA Brea and Santa Monica blvd.
In relativity to each other (Seattle vs. LA sense). I'm a big fan of Seattle, but LA has more to offer. Imo.
As a whole, LA will obviously have a larger number urban streets or "offerings" than Seattle, or any other city except NYC for that matter.
The difference is that a city like Seattle is walkable essentially throughout. You don't have to get on a freeway or highway to go from spot to spot. The downtown core which includes Belltown, SoDo, Pioneer Square, and Lower Queen Anne is very walkable (and it's not as hilly as people make it seem).
The outer neighborhoods; Capitol Hill, Ballard, U-District, Fremont, Wallingford etc are all very dense and have significant urbanity.
People on here really are over-rating Seattle and underestimating Los Angeles urbanity, which apparently people are only aware of Santa Monica. You can live in Central LA, in a nice neighborhood such as Miracle Mile, have access to markets, art galleries, museums (such as LACMA), great food, bars, lounges, shopping (20 minute walk to the Grove), music venues (the infamous El Rey) etc. My aunt lived there for years, and every time I visited her we never got into the car. There was one time I dropped my car at her place, and walked to West Hollywood to go photograph LA pride. Around a 30 minute walk, but didn't even feel it since there was so much going on on the street level to keep me distracted.
From Miracle Mile, you have access to the Fairfax district, Museum Row, 3rd Street and it's amazing restaurants, West Hollywood (another incredibly urbane pocket of LA county), and can easily take a bus down Wilshire to Westwood/UCLA, Santa Monica beach or Koreatown. Honestly, if you are considering visiting LA and don't want to drive, stay here, you'll love it. Currently they are working on purple line extension, which will only ADD to the urbanity of this part of the city, connecting to the other great urban areas of LA like Hollywood + adjacent, Downtown etc.
As someone who has lived in both cities extensively I wholeheartedly agree, LA's core is more gritty/urban/lively/dense etc. However it truly lacks the desirability factor that the core of Seattle has, and that's exactly the reason why many put it above LA, that or they judge LA outside the core in comparison to Seattle.
As a whole, LA will obviously have a larger number urban streets or "offerings" than Seattle, or any other city except NYC for that matter.
The difference is that a city like Seattle is walkable essentially throughout. You don't have to get on a freeway or highway to go from spot to spot. The downtown core which includes Belltown, SoDo, Pioneer Square, and Lower Queen Anne is very walkable (and it's not as hilly as people make it seem).
The outer neighborhoods; Capitol Hill, Ballard, U-District, Fremont, Wallingford etc are all very dense and have significant urbanity.
Seattle is urban throughout, whereas LA is not.
I can see that. I think Seattle has a good balance of urbanity and amenities without feeling like over-kill with density (a le New York).
As someone who has lived in both cities extensively I wholeheartedly agree, LA's core is more gritty/urban/lively/dense etc. However it truly lacks the desirability factor that the core of Seattle has, and that's exactly the reason why many put it above LA, that or they judge LA outside the core in comparison to Seattle.
Yeah, Seattle has this 'pleasant' factor, that LA just doesn't have. Nonetheless, as you mentioned it still has A LOT to offer, and as I mentioned, imo more, even if it doesn't have the aesthetic people relate with 'urbane'.
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