Venice/Santa Monica vs Manhattan/Hermosa (Los Angeles, Marina: crime, neighborhood, living)

[druggiero]

Relocating from Illinois. Just me and my spouse and no kids. Looking for areas where we can walk to dinner, coffee and shops. Will be working downtown on Wilshire. Want fun and high energy area but safe. Any suggestions or help would be appreciated.

[jessemh431]

Venice and Santa Monica are much better for singles and couples. MB and HB are more suburban and family orientated. West LA (SM and Venice) is closer to Downtown. There's more of a variety of restaurants in SM than MB and HB. I would say better shoppin.

But it's busier, more congested, and parts are more expensive.

But, overall, if you want walkablity, variety of restaurants, and a good life for non-families, SM, Venice, and Marina Del Rey ( a little less though) are some of the best areas in LA.

What's your price range. I can help you search. Studio or 1 bed?

[MtnSurfer]

I think Manhattan and Hermosa are definately safer (lower crime) and nicer than Venice and Santa Monica for both living and walking around at night. But there is probably more night life in general in Santa Monica - more night clubs, drug deals, prostitution, and people living on the streets. Downtown Manhattan is very nice with plenty of coffee shops and restaurants as well as downtown Hermosa. They have really added a lot of night life to Downtown Hermosa over the past ten years.

I grew up in Hermosa Beach and found it a fun place to live with much cleaner beaches than the West Side, less crouds and tourists with more of a smaller community feel. And Santa Monica is not that far of a drive to go out and catch a show or some live music which I used to do as well. The South Bay has a lot of young working professionals who enjoy outdoor activies (eg - surfing, sailing, jet skiing, biking, volleyball, etc...).

All I am saying is there is more to consider than just the nightlife, especially when all of that is within reasonable driving distances. Unless you plan on living at a night club I would defiantely check out the other options. What are your neighbors going to be like? What is the crime in the neighborhood you will live in? Watch out for bad parts of Venice especially.

The bottom line is that I recommend visiting both places and seeing the difference for yourself. They areas really have there own distinct styles and character as well as some strange people.;P Go visit Santa Monica Pier on a weekend and you'll see what I mean. LOL...

[jessemh431]

Oh yeah, you're right. I forgot about the dirty beaches. El Porto, part of MB is much cleaner than beaches in Santa Monica, especially Venice. MB has some of the cleanest waters in all of SoCal.

But, the main reason I would choose either SM or Venice is because it's closer to downtown. They do have different feels to them and one appeals more to others. I personally prefer MB. El Segundo is possibly another choice.

[MtnSurfer]

Yes, but you are right about being closer to downtown. And I am not saying that there aren't nice areas in Venice and Santa Monica - they are larger and have more of everything including the good and the bad.

The other thing to realize about LA is that basically the traffic is *Really* bad. I think the 10 FWY has the record for the worst congestion in the nation and world for that matter. So whether commuting from the West Side up the 10 to downtown or up the 110 from the South Bay you must leave *very* early or sit in the insanity that many have come to know as there daily commute. Been there, done that. And yes bumper to bumper grid lock is painful and exhausting into downtown every day. No one who has done it on a regular basis will argue with that one.

Please do the drive just once to know what you will have in store. And if your not into waking up really early change your sleep patterns - remember old Ben Franklin;-P

Ok, stepping off my soap box;P

[druggiero]

Thanks. That's helpful and it sounds like I just need to try and get a feel for both areas. We DEFINITELY want safe but don't want suburban and it sounds like both areas have restaurants, bars and coffee shops to walk to. We're not really into night clubs but do like to relax and have a few drinks after work or in the evening. I'm trying to weigh the potential commute of MB/HB with the fact that it may be a nicer area. We've found several 2/2 and 3/2 places in our price range so I think we are OK there once we decide on the area.

[MtnSurfer]

Then I think you will really like downtown Hermosa and Manhattan - plenty of bars, coffee shops, restaurants and some fun live music.

Also although the South Bay is further, the 110 FWY is not so bad if you can find a way to leave earlier than the main crowd. I know it is hard to sometimes wake up and leave in the dark. But that can cut your commute time in half because in LA it is more the 'people' than the 'distance' that get you. During prime time all FWYs in LA come to a screeching halt.

- Derek

[52_Chevrolet_]

Decided to pick up this old but good thread. I've lived in Venice the past 5 years. My girlfriend is now moving in with me from another state, as we are 5 months pregnant. She wants me to give up Venice for Manhattan. While Manhattan is cleaner, nicer, quieter and more affordable....I don't want to do it. We're both white and older (50 and 40), my argument is I like the diversity here in Venice and I want that younger crowd for our daughter.

Nothing against Manhattan but it feels like a rich white enclave of empty nesters or sports stars. I haven't been to a place with the energy of Venice boardwalk or Santa Monica Ocean Blvd anywhere else on the coast. The South Bay towns have plenty of action during the summer, but their northern allies are year round, younger and with a (especially Venice) hippie/freaker/anyone goes, anyone welcome attitude that I don't think you'll find in the more upper crust southern coast of Los Angeles County (please don't call it Silicon Beach anymore, this isn't Norcal and we don't call Austin silicon anything and it's far techier).

There's nowhere else I'd rather live, it keeps you on your toes here and a person does need a harder shell to handle the constant city noise and frequent challenges or freakouts by the abundant mental illness that exists on the Venice/SM beach areas, not to mention people sleeping outside and/or ****ting outside all around town at times. I think its the acceptance again of everyone here that makes it work and it does work well.

You won't find better weather than you will in these LA beach areas anywhere else in the world and you can't go wrong in any. If you want peace and quiet go to MB/HB, if you want vibe, energy, and hip people of every type and wealth range - Venice. SM for a stunning place up higher from the beach with a slightly older, slower crowd and a much better municipal (city) government and services than Venice.

So our compromise is going to be the S. SM/Venice border so we've got the SM services (better parks, dog parks) but a bike ride from Venice boardwalk for our afternoon stroll or surfing near the Venice jetty.

[jessemh431]

Main St. Santa Monica area is definitely the best compromise between those two lifestyles.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by druggiero

Looking for areas where we can walk to dinner, coffee and shops. Will be working downtown on Wilshire.

Ask to have this thread moved to the L.A. subforum.