Transit: These individual neighborhoods are extremely walkable due to the many shops and restaurants

If I tried to fully describe Los Angeles to you, we'd be here all day; it's just too vast. Whatever you think LA is, you're right— it's that and much more. More than boobs, Botox and bottle service, we have a multi-cultural population, a diverse landscape and a thriving rental cars in kona hawaii arts community. And traffic...lots of traffic. Still interested? Okay, okay, I'll break it down for you. Neighborhoods:
Types of Rentals: Mostly small to mid-size apartment buildings and single-family homes (especially in the hills), with plenty of original architecture from the 1920's and mid-century construction (sometimes updated, sometimes more run-down).
rental cars in kona hawaii Don't Miss: Griffith Park's miles of hiking trails and its crown jewel, rental cars in kona hawaii the Griffith Observatory . It has the best views in the city. Also in this area is the coolest movie theater in LA, The Vista .
Transit: These individual neighborhoods are extremely walkable due to the many shops and restaurants, but to hop from one to another, rental cars in kona hawaii you'll need wheels. Biking is possible but difficult on the hill-heavy Eastside, so, if you have strong legs, go for it; otherwise, you'll need to drive. The Metro (red line) does pass near Los Feliz Village at its Sunset and Vermont stop.
Similar: West Hollywood — for those of you who are about to protest that West Hollywood is nothing rental cars in kona hawaii like Hollywood, you're right. But for the purpose rental cars in kona hawaii of renting, they are quite similar. West Hollywood has the same mixture of older buildings and newer developments. Socially, it's extremely gay-friendly and even regularly flies rainbow flags along Santa Monica Boulevard to show LGBT pride.
Apartment Hunting: Good ol' Craigslist is a great choice, but we also have Westside Rentals , a subscription service which is like Craigslist's more organized cousin. Westside listings are usually clearer and tend to be more reputable, so for a nominal fee, you don't waste time on empty leads.
Getting rental cars in kona hawaii Around: If you plan to travel outside your neighborhood, you're probably going to need a car. It's a shame that LA doesn't have a better system rental cars in kona hawaii of public transit, but hopefully it's coming someday. The subway is handy if you're going to a few specific areas (take it to the Staples Center to save yourself a huge hassle there), but its reach is limited. There are buses of course, but I'll admit that I've never taken one, so I have no business giving advice there. We do have great weather, so biking year-round is feasible, and Vespas rental cars in kona hawaii are also popular for tooling around town.
Wonderful post on LA neighborhoods! I would just like to add a few thoughts on transportation in Santa Monica. I live and work in Santa Monica and walk or take the bus everywhere on the Westside (and like a true "West Sidder" I try not to leave the West Side).
Additionally the bus system in Santa Monica called "The Big Blue Bus" is an expansive, reliable, and efficent public transportation system that expands well outside the bounds of Santa Monica. The Big Blue Bus won the American Public Transportation Association's Outstanding Transportation System award in 2000. I take the bus to and from work everyday. Here is the link to routes and schedules:
Another note on public transit in LA. The Expo line in Culver City connecting Culver City and Downtown Los Angeles is CURRENTLY rental cars in kona hawaii open (hooray!). That same expo line is currently in construction to connect all the way to Downtown Santa Monica. This will connect the Westside to many areas of Los Angeles by rail.
Last note on public transit in LA, many venues such as the Hollybowl offer amazing park and ride options for their events. Allowing you to take a dedicated bus to their events and save on a parking fee as well as the stress from sitting in traffic.
I've lived here 23 years and have been cycling for 10 of them. West LA has some streets that are marked, but the drivers are less friendly to cyclists, it's way more congested rental cars in kona hawaii and there are less pretty areas in which to ride, unless you stick to The Strand along the ocean. Palos Verdes is beautiful and I've ridden there many times, but again, it's way more congested. You'd also need to know every side street available as main streets like Wilshire, Olympic and Pico are downright dangerous. I commend folks who commute by bike, but I stopped trying to do that a couple of years ago when I realized rental cars in kona hawaii how distracted rush hour motorists are and how little they respect cyclists.
I live in Studio City and love the area. I lived on the Westside for 10 years, and have been in the valley for 13. You can ride a bike out here far easier as there are many wide roads with bike lanes and wide neighborhood streets in many areas. You can also ride over to Griffith Park which is by far the prettiest park in the city. It's pretty vast too.
If I were to recommend to anyone a place to live, I'd say the valley, up against the Santa Monica mountains - i.e. any city all the way down Ventura Blvd. - Sherman Oaks, Studio City to the east and Encino, Tarzana to the west. And if you don't mind a drive, Topanga and Calabasas aren't too shabby either. rental cars in kona hawaii North Hollywood and Burbank have some nice areas too and Toluca Lake is darling (although higher in rents).
Some folks snub their noses at us Valleyites, but I just laugh at them. Little do they know how much easier it is for us to get around and we can easily get to the ocean or the mountains, as we please.
And lastly, in my opinion, don't waste your money on Westside Rentals. I tried using them twice over the years during my times of apartment hunting and have never found a place through them. Craigslist for sure - and if that doesn't work, drive/walk/bike up and down streets you on which you would like to live and call numbers on signs. Both methods have worked like charms for me!
Karen, totally agree with you! I LOVE Pasadena. The apartments over there (the older ones) have so much charm. And the Rose Bowl area is great for athletes, runners and cyclists. I have never tried living over there since I work on the Westside. The commute would kill me.
Where is the SOUTH BAY? Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach Manhattan Beach - I have lived in 'the bubble" for nearly 10 years now for those seeking beach living, this is a great place to consider. Redondo rental cars in kona hawaii Beach is a sleepy beach town with South side being more beach adjacent north side being more inland but still close enough to the sea. Lots of condos, homes multi-family units here. Hermosa is college town - lots of apts, restaurants bars for the younger set. Mahattan is more $$, but still some apts, lots of homes condos to rent near to the mansions..You can ride bikes along the strand, or get a taxi easy between the beach cities. I commute to Downtown for work from here- not an easy task but lots of options in driving (expect a long drive), commuter bus, or metro. After a week of commuting- I try to ride my bike everywhere in the southbay including the grocery. But you really rental cars in kona hawaii need a car to live here if you want to leave the southbay bubble.
I agree with Mary E.! Although most everyone loves to deny it, LA has one of the best bus systems in the country. I live in near Universal City in the Valley and work in Exposition Park, south of Downtown. I occasionally use a car, but for the most part my bike and the Metro take me where I need go. From Burbank, to Downtown, to Venice, it's pretty easy (with a little planning and time management) to get around.
One of the things I love about LA is that there is a neighborhood for pretty much every type of person. The city is so big that the neighborhoods are almost like their own mini cities within the city, so finding the right one for you is super important. So many people move here, live in a neighborhood that doesn't suit them, and decide that they "hate LA." Given, the city as a whole isn't for everyone, but I suspect a lot of people would realize they actually love it here if they found "their" neighborhood.
Personally, rental cars in kona hawaii I would recommend anyone moving to LA for the first time try to find something short-term (maybe a sublet?) if possible when first moving down, then spend some time exploring all the different neighborhoods rental cars in kona hawaii to figure out which one is your scene.
I lived in the Valley--first in Sherman Oaks, then in the NoHo Arts district--for the first two and a half years and, while I didn't hate either of them, they weren't necessarily rental cars in kona hawaii my thing. Now, my husband and I live on the Eastside (Los Feliz) rental cars in kona hawaii and we both LOVE it. There are other neighborhoods I know I would love, too (Hermosa Beach has a special place in my heart, and I would love to live there eventually, but it's just too expensive for us right now), so we may eventually migrate elsewhere... but, for now, this is perfect.
So. Yeah. Visit first and explore, or find a short-term place while you figure out the best neighborhood for you. LA is ENORMOUS, and kind of overwhelming at first, and planting yourself in the right neighborhood rental cars in kona hawaii can make a world of difference in how much you enjoy the city.
I love Los Angeles. Unlike the Bay Area, where I live/love, there is something happening in Los Angeles every hour of the day. Vibrant, exciting, and interesting. The only downside is that their efforts to preserve the past have been less than stellar. PickFair: torn down, etc. :(
I find it slightly weird that this author complains over and over about LA not having any public transport yet has never taken a bus. Sure LA might not have enough public transport but they obviously have some you are not utilizing anyway!
I hate sounding snotty, but as a native Angeleno, I gotta get it out of my system! The Eastside is correctly located east of the Los Angeles river...a great, wonderful and varied place in it's own right. Think Mariachi Plaza and all the Chinese eateries on Valley Blvd. Yum!
Los Feliz, Silverlake, and Echo Park are west of the river and downtown. rental cars in kona hawaii Also, I heartily agree about the usabilitiy of mass transit here. I am the rare specimen that does not, nor have I ever, owned a car. Buses and subway everywhere, including from Los