Most dense, walkabe, pulsating downtown in LA? (Pasadena, Santa Monica: house, pros and cons)

[stolpioni]

Pasadena, Santa Monica, Hollywood, Downtown..?
If you had to choose one area and name it THE place/downtown in LA county, which one would you pick?

Keep walkability, density, nightlife, restaurants, events and other things to do in mind when you choose.

[bhcompy]

I'd guess Koreatown would be high on that list, at least as far as livable places(Downtown LA really is dead after dark and mostly without restaurants[well, depending on where exactly] and Santa Monica and Pasadena aren't that dense)

[stolpioni]

Density when I think about it really isn't that important after all, so focus more on the other parts.
Walkability is still very important though.

[uptown_urbanist]

I agree that Koreatown has the 24/7 "pulsating" thing going on.

Old Pasadena isn't as exciting in a late-night sort of way, but it's very livable in a lower-key, walkable sort of way. Hollywood has more around-the-clock action and a lot more people on the side streets, but it's also grittier and while extremely walkable, the walks are often less pleasant than Pasadena. If you don't mind it a little rougher around the edges I'd go with Hollywood. Then again, all of these places are really interesting and have their own unique characteristics and their own pros and cons.

[BRinSM]

the entire coastal area from santa monica to the venice pier is very lively until the wee hours of the morning, especially on weekends. and i'm not just talking about the venice boardwalk either. obviously the boardwalk and 3rd street promenade create a lot of foot traffic, but the rest of downtown santa monica as well as main st, abbot kinney, and washington blvd by the pier are all very lively throughout the day and into the night with locals and tourists alike.

[Island_OnThe_Land]

Originally Posted by bhcompy

I'd guess Koreatown would be high on that list, at least as far as livable places(Downtown LA really is dead after dark and mostly without restaurants[well, depending on where exactly] and Santa Monica and Pasadena aren't that dense)

I have to disagree.....that statement WAS true 10 years ago. Not so true today....

Try checking out downtown when the Artwalk happens on Galery Row on the 2nd Thursday of the month. Sidewalks so packed you have to walk in the street.

[Island_OnThe_Land]

Originally Posted by bhcompy

I'd guess Koreatown would be high on that list, at least as far as livable places(Downtown LA really is dead after dark and mostly without restaurants[well, depending on where exactly] and Santa Monica and Pasadena aren't that dense)

Restaurant Guide (http://viewda.com/webpaper/ladowntownnews/restaurantguide/ - broken link)

Downtown LA's annual restaurant guide shows there are over 90 restaurants in downtown LA and that list continues to grow.

[bhcompy]

Originally Posted by Island_OnThe_Land

Restaurant Guide (http://viewda.com/webpaper/ladowntownnews/restaurantguide/ - broken link)

Downtown LA's annual restaurant guide shows there are over 90 restaurants in downtown LA and that list continues to grow.

Like I said, it depends on where you're talking about as downtown has a pretty broad classification in LA(LA Live is technically part of downtown for instance, but so is Skid Row). There are about a dozen districts in downtown and many of them house people, but many of them shut down after business hours/dark.

[King0fthehill]

Originally Posted by Island_OnThe_Land

I have to disagree.....that statement WAS true 10 years ago. Not so true today....

Try checking out downtown when the Artwalk happens on Galery Row on the 2nd Thursday of the month. Sidewalks so packed you have to walk in the street.

...but the art walk is only once a month. other than that one night, dtla at night is by and large the stomping grounds of homeless and people connecting onto buses -- hardly the people the OP has in mind.

[JohnG72]

Originally Posted by bhcompy

Like I said, it depends on where you're talking about as downtown has a pretty broad classification in LA(LA Live is technically part of downtown for instance, but so is Skid Row). There are about a dozen districts in downtown and many of them house people, but many of them shut down after business hours/dark.

Not anymore. Little Toyko is now hopping late into the night. So are Main and Spring from around 2nd down to 7th(Main gets sketchy from 5th-7th), and basically anywhere from 3rd to the north, Spring on the east, Olympic to the south, and the 110 to the west.