USC/Coliseum (crime, loan, houses)

[schmidt486]

How is the area around the USC campus and the LA Coliseum? I will be going to the USC, Ohio State game in September, and I have never been to California, thus don't have any real hands-on info about it.

Thanks for any input.

[CESpeed]

There are about ten recent threads on this topic. If you type in USC and search you'll find them.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by schmidt486

How is the area around the USC campus and the LA Coliseum? I will be going to the USC, Ohio State game in September, and I have never been to California, thus don't have any real hands-on info about it.

Thanks for any input.

I envy you. I'd love to go to that game. It will be awesome.

Expect lots of traffic as this thing will be sold out (It probably already is.)
Get there early and party. Traffic will suck leaving there too.

Park in a reputable parking lot - it's worth the cost - especially if you can park where you can tailgate.

I used to go to Raiders games; I think that crowd is a lot different than USC crowds. I'd go to Raider games with four or five other big dudes in broad daylight with LAPD all over the place and I'd be rooting for the Raiders. Even after pounding down tons of beer, I was still a little nervous. There were some rough looking characters there. But like I wrote, I don't think it is the same at USC games. I think the neighborhood is higher crime than average in SoCal but it will be so crowded I don't think you will have anything to worry about.

[the one]

usc games are pretty tame, but the coliseum does have a rep for fights and drunkeness. USC games aint like that. but if you are thinking of stayin anywhere i would suggest downtown. i dont really think you want to stay around the expo park area. and well if you do drive to the coliseum try to get as close as possible. exiting and manuevering your way out of traffic will not be pleasant when the game lets out, but you will be safer walking with all the fans in the lots than having to walk thru some dodgy neigborhoods. really these are some of the worst. i know i have often parked south and east of the coliseum. on surface streets. ive never had a problem with that. its always an adventure getting back. but you might not feel the same. if you dont need to put yourself thru that dont.

[LASam]

I'm a fellow buckeye living in LA who will hopefully be attending the game as well. Hope your trip out here goes well! I've never been to a USC game before... so I don't know much about the logistics of going to a game. If you have any other questions though, feel free to send me a Direct Message.

[Carolinemoveswhere?]

I agree that I would park in a more reputable, well populated parking lot and stick with the crowds. This is not the time to save a few dollars. As I'm sure you'll find in the USC threads, USC is in one of the most crime filled areas of LA. I certainly wouldn't recommend staying near the campus. Enjoy the game, though! There is nothing like college football. I went to the OU/TX game this last fall and it was awesome. Plus, the weather will be great that time of year! Bring your sunscreen!

[bamba_boy]

Something very important to remember. Colisseum has a very small formal parking lot adjacent to it and most of the spaces are for VIPs. There are many informal parking lots in the area - small businesses closed down, warehouse parking lots, etc. Also, the area is mostly single family houses, a bit struggling compared to most of West Side, and people simply park cars for 10-20$ in their brown yards. However, I got towed when couple of hustlers parked 30 or 40 cars in SOMEONE ELSES YARD! It was a nightmare to get the car out of a far-away impound yard that only took cash. It is a measure of the decency Angelenos that someone loaned us the money out of their pockets.

Moral of Story: Get there extremely early so you can park in a known legit parking space of the stadium. Otherwise take a bus or have a friend drop you off.

[BRinSM]

when people say early, they mean by or before 7am, perhaps even earlier for such a big game. my friends and i went to the usc/ucla a game a few years back when they were both up for the rose bowl and my buddy got there at 6:30 and had to park at a garage on campus, about half mile away. i didn't end up showing up until about 9, but i toook the 110 express bus which drops you off 2 blocks from the coliseum. we still tailgated and had a good time even though we weren't right in the heart of the action.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

i didn't end up showing up until about 9, but i toook the 110 express bus which drops you off 2 blocks from the coliseum. we still tailgated and had a good time even though we weren't right in the heart of the action.

He might be able to park somewhere safe a few miles away and ride a bike in. The only thing is, if it were me, I'd have 100 lbs of BBQ equipment, ice chests, footballs, frisbees, chairs, etc to bring along.

[John23]

The Coliseum is basically in the middle of a ghetto, I haven't been down there in a long time.

But I remember the fast food places, like KFC, a few blocks away, had bullet proof glass seperating you and the clerk, you paid through a slot/window. You shouldn't have much to worry about if you stick with the crowds and park in reputable areas. But if you've never been to the area, I wouldn't want to walk around or hang out there after dark.