<p>Being new to Los Angeles I have no idea how the area is. Anyone know which parts of LA are the "bad" parts of town and should be avoided?</p>
<p>The LA around USC is South Central. You may have gotten a glimps of it watching popular films like Friday, next friday, friday after next, and don't be a menace to south central while drinking your juice in the hood, etc... but in reality, like anywhere else, you mind your own business, and no one will bother you. With that being said, it is important that you don't live too far from campus because the fact remains that crime does occur as it is a major urban setting.</p>
<p>As to Los Angeles in general, it is a huge place and you will find the good and bad all over. Mostly good actually. There are gangs and crime in any urban area these days, so best rule of thumb, check with people at school before you venture out. Like the post above says, if you are minding your own business and I would add, going on major streets or freeways to most anywhere, you'll be fine. Don't be wandering too far off the main boulevards.</p>
<p>If I can give you some broad generalizations, the area around SC to the north is pretty much all student housing. You don't want to be straying too far in any direction but north immediately off of campus.</p>
<p>The westside of LA is probably where you'll find yourself most of the time if you're going to something off campus, from the beach (Santa Monica, Marina del rey etc.) and back inland toward SC, through West Los Angeles, Westwood, Brentwood, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, West Hollywood and to the Downtown/Staples arena/SC area.</p>
<p>Wilshire Blvd. is an excellent landmark so to speak. It's not too far north of the SC campus and it goes from downtown to the beach. If you are on or anywhere near Wilshire, you're probably just fine. If you are just learning the city its a great street to sort of use as your benchmark.</p>
<p>thanks for the tip bullwinkle, i just wanted some facts about LA in general</p>
<p>Well, happy to give you a few more facts:</p>
<p>The area around downtown is safe near staples arena and as long as you're close to Figueroa. Just go up Fig from campus.</p>
<p>the dodger stadium area is ok, just stay on main streets like alvarado and Sunset. don't get lost in the neighborhood, at least at night.</p>
<p>Hollywood is basically a dump. whatever there is to see is around Hollywood Blvd. and Highland and somewhat on Sunset in that vicinity. Again, at night the surrounding neighborhoods are a little sketchy, homeless, runaways, drug deals.</p>
<p>Hollywood Bowl is on highland just north of Hollywood blvd. Go there if you can. The greek theatre is in a nice neighborhood, its where Vermont runs into Griffith park due north from SC.</p>
<p>The sunset Stip area has alot going on. that's basically sunset from Crescent Heights until you hit Beverly Hills and Beverly Hills is all just fine, although not much for a college student to do there. One fine arts theatre, restaurants and clothes (NikeTown to Cartier).</p>
<p>Westood Village around UCLA has stuff going on as does the Grove, located at 3rd and Fairfax (about 15 minutes or so from SC). Also 3rd street promenade in Santa Monica, where Wilshire hits the beach has lots of stores, restaurants, movies and people.</p>
<p>If you want some vintage shopping and a little more "alternative" type scene, check out Melrose avenue between la brea and Fairfax</p>
<p>Best music stores in town are Aarons on LaBrea, Amoeba on Sunset (near vine) and Tower on the Sunset Strip.</p>
<p>Get a copy of the LA Weekly it'll tell you where clubs are, who's playing etc. movies and more.</p>
<p>At least at night, do not be wandering east, west or south of campus as I posted before. East Los Angeles in general are some tough neighborhoods as is south los angeles. Venice on the westside of town can be a llittle rough, but most all of the beach communites are pretty safe, from Redondo to the south up the coast to Malibu.</p>
<p>Places you gotta eat at in LA (in no particular order): Pink's on Labrea and Melrose, Tail o' the Pup on San vicente just north of Beverly; El Coyote on Beverly just west of la Brea. El Cholo on Western, Lucy's El Adobe (forgot the street it's near Paramount Studios) Carney's on sunset strip, Crazy Fish on Olympic just west of Doheny, Roscoes chicken and Waffles on Washington (10 minutes from SC), Titos tacos on Washington and Sepulveda, The pig on la brea, Musso and Franks on Hollywood Blvd., best Deli IMO is Greenblatts on Sunset just east of Crescent Heights next to the Comedy Store, Tommy's at Beverly and Rampart. Gotta go now, getting hungry.</p>
<p>are Monterey Park and Alhambra pretty safe places to go?</p>
<p>Monterey Park and Alhambra are fine. They are very racially diverse areas. You will find some pockets or adjacant areas that may get a little rough so know where you are going. Atlantic Blvd. is pretty much the main drag out there and is very safe IMO. No offense to anyone, but other than some great "ethnic" restaurants, it's just basically your average boring residential area.</p>
<p>LA itself is pretty weird in that there's no middle class; that's all in the valley and suburbs. There's such a marked contrast and things are really segregated economically. South LA (as defined by south of -10 or south of Olympic, whichever's further north) and East LA are pretty poor whereas the West Side (west of 405) and north LA (N of 10/Olympic) are really nice. As a very general rule, north and west LA will be the most safe whereas east and south LA will be sketchy -- with the exception of the student area around USC to the north (it's saturated with students) and Leimert Park though I still wouldn't go there at night.</p>
<p>I happen to live in Monterey Park and it is a great neighborhood. You will definetly find many "ethnic" (read: asian) restaurants here as the population is about 60% Asians. Atlantic Blvd, Valley Blvd, and Main St. are the best places in Alhambra/Monterey Park.</p>
<p>In other words, please come down here. It does get a little boring sometimes.</p>