<p>From what I've read, you can walk there from campus; it has plenty of restaurants and shops; and it boasts a nice collection of cinemas. However, is it like a college town? Do students regularly visit and hang out in Westwood? Is there anything really fun to do there or is it mainly for practicalities like eating/shopping? Thanks for any info. I've visited LA a few times but unfortunately have not been able to check out Westwood yet. :)</p>
<p>EDIT: I also see Pasadena listed as a college town for UCLA. Can anyone give me info on this? Can you walk to Pasadena/do students hang out there/et cetera? Sorry for all the questions. ^^;</p>
<p>Westwood isn’t much of a college town. It’s in Los Angeles, a (usually metaphorically, but this week literally) cold and dirty metropolis that’s too large for its own good. Westwood is just a little bubble within LA, not too much school spirit or unity going on unless you’re talking football games we never win. I’ll cut my rant short here to also say–</p>
<p>You can’t walk to Pasadena, and I don’t think students go there to just hang out. It’s pretty far from campus. Check a map for exact distances? :P</p>
<p>I haven’t attended UCLA or lived in Westwood for 19 years, but it IS walking distance, unlike Pasadena which is FAR away, relatively speaking. It wass not cheap, which I think a college town should be, was mostly restaurants and shops, and had only one movie theater IIRC.</p>
<p>The long:
Westwood is not really meant for students. Although some store/places offer students discounts, the majority don’t or at least try to hid that they do. I think it’s quite expensive, with stores that aren’t really made for the typical student budget. (If I really want to go shopping, I go to Westside Pavilion or some other mall for more variety and budget ranges.) </p>
<p>I don’t really hear that much about people hanging out in Westwood either, but I haven’t really been there since week 1. The only places that are there in Westwood is mainly for shopping. Think of it as a large outdoor mall, you got stores, restaurants, and a theater, except you see the occasional bum. </p>
<p>Pasadena, seriously? Damn that’s far! Koreatown and Hollywood are closer to UCLA than Pasadena. It’s like going halfway to Orange County. Or a half-hour drive on the freeway, traffic not included. (Highly recommend you get familiar with the Los Angeles area map.)</p>
<p>You can hang out in Westwood, and plenty of people do. It is probably more expensive than the typical college town, and it is developing into more of an outdoor mall. It’s also certainly cleaner and more upscale, but that’s not necessarily great for students. I don’t know exactly how many movie theaters there are, but I can think of four between Wilshire and Le Conte just off the top of my head. </p>
<p>Pasadena is 25 miles from UCLA. You can maybe walk there, but you would want to take the bus back (not that there are any convenient bus routes).</p>
<p>no, westwood is not a college town in the sense that everyone there is a UCLA student – however, it is heavily dominated by UCLA students and there’s a lot to do there. it’s within walking distance, so people often walk down in the evenings for dinner, diddy reise, or movies at the mann theatre. also, there are a few bars in westwood that cater primarily to UCLA students.</p>
<p>i agree that some parts are expensive, but there are also cool places like the thank you mart (everything is $3.99) and buffalo exchange (buy/sell used clothes for cheap). plus there are PLENTY of cheap restaurants. and westwood is not dirty at all! especially compared to the rest of LA. i don’t know where you guys are getting these things…</p>
<p>as for pasadena, i’ve never heard of students hanging out there. maybe some do. but usually if people want to get off campus, they go to westwood or santa monica (3rd street area).</p>
<p>Having lived in the Westside of LA for 22 years, Westwood may be a college town, but it’s far from a good one. It’s gone even more downhill since I started living here in 2005, mostly due to the economy. In 2005, Westwood was okay, it had movie theaters, shops on every corner. Today, half the movie theaters have closed, for lease signs are everywhere. The food selection is mediocre and unconvetional at best - you have your BJ’s, you have your Jerry’s Deli, you have your “high end” at Palominos and Napa Valley Grille (basically a bunch of places that, if you drove 5 minutes away and matched the price, you’d find far better), you have your Diddy Riese which gets old after a couple times.</p>
<p>There are two bars which are terrible at best. They are always packed because they are the only 2 bars walking distance for thousands of students. </p>
<p>It’s more and more unsafe due to homeless from the VA hanging out. The homeless are getting more aggressive and disturbing too In 05 or 06 they would leave you alone. In 09 they approach you. Westwood has become dirty and filthy. To the point where I’d rather hang around in Hollywood or Koreatown. At least the dirtiness is accompanied by fun things to do.</p>
<p>Read the Daily Bruin’s crime reports, crime is WAY up this year. Westwood and on campus.</p>
<p>Born and raised in L.A. Loved going to Westwood for dinner and movies. Then we go to someplace like The Whiskey on Hollywood Blvd (or was it on Sunset?). but that was in the early '80s. Haven’t been there since. I did get a J-Walking ticket crossing Westwood Blvd though.</p>
<p>Aw, I wouldn’t say Westwood’s THAT bad. Obviously any student would tire of it after a while, but take someone who’s never been there before, and he/she would enjoy the experience. I don’t call it a college town, but compared to USC, we’ve at least got somewhere to go if we’re sick of staying on campus.</p>
<p>Westwood is convenient if you need to get a quick birthday gift at Urban, if you need to pick a few things at CVS, or if you have a sudden In-N-Out craving. Yes, there’s homeless people roaming around and I wouldn’t recommend going grocery shopping (Ralph is so overpriced). Of course, when you have a car, you’re totally free to go whatever you want.</p>
<p>If you’re really sick of Westwood, then the buses are there for K-town, Hollywood, etc.</p>
<p>Westwood is not bad at all. Sure there are a few bums but i mean c’mon you don’t live in a big city if you’re afraid of bums. I fairly often go to Westwood to get stuff at CVS, Diddy Reese, In N Out, Chipotle, i’ve even gone to … acapulco? well some mexican restaurant over there. I went to Best Buy once. </p>
<p>But honestly all of Los Angeles is the college town. Take a bus, explore, have fun.
A large urban university like UCLA can’t be compared to smaller colleges with definite college towns.
But i’m a city guy. I would HATE not living in or near a big city.</p>
<p>it’s what you make of it- if you want it to be a college town, there are plenty of cafes, coffee-shops, etc. to study, and plenty of things to do (movies, namely), but also some bookstores and shops (Urban Outfitters, Aahs, etc.). It’s within easy walking distance, and I’ve never had to go outside of Westwood/UCLA to find something I need. </p>
<p>On the other hand, you don’t HAVE to go into Westwood; there are so many coffee-shops, libraries and eateries on-campus, that you don’t need to travel into Westwood for them. So, it’s not like you’re missing out on a lot if you don’t go into town.</p>
<p>As for the town itself, I’ve found it to be pretty reasonable cost-wise (many restaurants are <$12 a plate, assuming you’re ordering your average-size meal), it’s quite safe (I’m female, and I’ve never been hassled on the streets, even at night- though obv. you should still use common sense and walk with a buddy), and it’s really very clean in comparison to virtually all other college towns I’ve been to.</p>
<p>Hope that helped…</p>
<p>Oh and Pasadena is a “college town” in the sense that it is where the Rose Bowl is located, and where we play our home football games (transportation is provided by the university to students, for a $5 charge round-trip). Other than that, people don’t really hang-out there, that I’m aware of at least.</p>
<p>Pasadena is also close to Caltech and Occidental, so if you did hang out there you would probably find other college students. It’s not really close to UCLA, though.</p>