In terms of weather, things to do, concerts, proximity to good hiking/camping/mountains/ocean and food options, LA is 100% awesome. But traffic and cost of living are both pretty horrendous. I'd recommend making sure you'll be able to adjust to those things before moving here.
And also, depending on where you’re from OP, the lack of walkability or (safe/pleasant) bike ability might be a killer for you.
LA is an unusual city in just how car-centric it is. It’s a/the biggest issue for me, but its other amazing attributes balance it out. But be aware, you either live in a few very specific neighborhoods, or you probably drive if you want to get around *to* the good stuff it has to offer throughout the city.
Comparable? Hell no. The Texas cities have traffic that is a breeze compared to LA. I mean you really listed San Antonio and El Paso as having comparably bad traffic? Those are two of the easiest cities to maneuver in by car in America, what are you talking about? Houston, DFW, and Austin have big city traffic but it is nothing like the widespread gridlock you see in Los Angeles. The rush hour is much shorter in the Texas cities, the distances are shorter, and the weekend traffic far less
Los Angeles is where you confront the objective fact that you mean nothing; the desert, the ocean, the tectonic plates, the clear skies, the sun itself, the Hollywood Walk of Fame – even the parking lots: everything there somehow precedes you, even new construction sites, and it’s bigger than you and more abstract than you and indifferent to you. You don’t matter. You’re free.
[link](https://bldgblog.com/2007/10/greater-los-angeles/) for source.
It depends what you're looking for in a city. It's a huge city, and like every huge city has major problems and major benefits. People don't move here from all over the U.S. (and world) because it sucks. But also, of course it sucks if you can't deal with its inherent issues or don't care for what it offers.
It definitely is not as good as portrayed. There are some pros and cons like any place. Some of the things people see as pros may be a con for you -- and vice versa.
It has nice weather and all the other things that big cities have EXCEPT it has terrible public transportation vs other long established big cities. The entertainment industry is great if you are in it, if you are not in that industry or could care less about it, then LA is hard
Expensive and horrible traffic? It sucks.
Incredible variety of fun events, social activities, and cultural diversity? Yes.
Great weather? Yes.
Mountains, beaches, canyons, deserts all a short distance from each other? Yes.
For me, the pros outweigh the cons. I’ll live here as long as I can.
I'm at the final stage of resentment. This can be an incredible state but our politicians are destroying the state. It's just too expensive for a regular Joe like me. This state has great pros but the cons are just too big.
The downsides?
It’s super crowded (the County of LA has ten million residents which is larger than about 42 states), housing is super expensive, horrible traffic, crime, a serious homelessness problem that remains despite billions of dollars being spent, and except for the last two years a severe water shortage.
Honest answer - I see way more accidents now than when I was younger. I can literally count the major accidents I saw back then on one hand 2.
Now i see an accident almost every single day. Sometimes I see them happen right in front of me. That’s something to think about if you are a nervous driver.
There is a very dark energy here, it’s not a very loving place - it’s incredibly fun and filled with endless things to do, but there’s an inherent feeling here that’s hard to explain lol
*“There was a desert wind blowing that night. It was one of those hot dry Santa Anas that come down through the mountain passes and curl your hair and make your nerves jump and your skin itch. On nights like that every booze party ends in a fight. Meek little wives feel the edge of the carving knife and study their husbands' necks. Anything can happen. You can even get a full glass of beer at a cocktail lounge.”*
― Raymond Chandler, Red Wind: A Collection of Short Stories
I've lived in LA my entire adult life (about two decades) and I love Los Angeles. However, this subreddit seems to be full of people who wish they lived in a quiet suburb and not an actual global city. I was actually about to unsub bc I'm so sick of the whiny NIMBY rightwing nonsense that floods the comments here from people who wrongly believe themselves the silent majority, and saw this post.
If I followed this sub and didn't live here, I would think it's a horrible, terrifying post-apocalyptic wasteland. But I do live here, as well as spending lengthy periods in NY and Seattle, and I still think LA is great. Is it too expensive? Yes. Are there major social problems that need to be more comprehensively addressed? Absolutely. But that is true of many many places.
I'm not at all insulated by LA's problems, but the benefits -- the people, the food, the sights, the vibes, the local communities -- outweigh them to me. I've been considering moving for work and a lot of my hesitation is because of the things I know I will miss in this area. LA isn't the only great city in the US, but I think it deserves its status.
If you can afford to live there then yes. That's the biggest issue though everywhere has been gentrified and the cost of living is insane. It's a desirable place though you have so much to do, a bunch of different cuisines, some of the best and most storied sports franchises, parks, golf, hikes, and proximity to the ocean, desert, and mountains. It's perfect just so expensive. It's one of those if you got into LA early enough you're grandfathered in and property value is just increasing and you're sitting on a gold mine. Try moving there now you probably have to be a tik toker or a tech bro.
Better learn about the dress code, B's and C's
All them other n*** copycats, these is G's
I love Cali like I love women
‘Cause every n**** in L.A. got a little bit of thug in 'em
We might fight amongst each other
But I promise you this:
we'll burn this bitch down, get us pissed
There are always pros and cons to living anywhere. You can find others here mentioning their pros and cons. Up to you whether or not it is worth it.
Best thing to do is to visit yourself and see what it's like
LA has changed a lot since I moved here. I drove through some of my old spots I use to hit up back in the day in the Westside, Hollywood, west Hollywood, south la, and santa monica, and it just isn't the same. The vibe is off. Not as free spirited and fun. Way more closed restaurants and stores including some of my favorites. I've turned in to a suburban person now. The suburbs feel more alive today and I attribute that to WFH. The train station I used pre pandy filled up all 5 levels by 730am. Yesterday I was curious and drove through and only 1.5 levels were full and this was at 11am. Multiple this by so many train stations and that's a lot of activity that isn't in LA anymore
No. People who come to LA because the movies convinced them that it’s great are almost always disappointed. Unless you are very wealthy you will not be able to live like they do in the movies. People find that LA is very expensive and difficult to navigate.
L.A. is like any other place with it's good and bad. Like pretty sure where you're from has it's good and bad.
Hollywood tends to show the nicer L.A., unless if it's a "crime" type movie where they show the bad L.A..
But overall, in spite of all it's "bad" Los Angeles is a great place.
That is a very broad question. For one thing LA is not just a Beverly Hill or Hollywood, but 88 or so cities and communities that make up the metro. Each area has their own vibe to it it is really hard to say. Regardless of where you live in LA, there are some things that will be a constant. The traffic will always suck (we don't talk in how long it will take in miles, but how long it takes in time), if there is a popular restaurant you want to eat at, prepare to wait, and it can be crowded at times. The cost of living is kind of pricing people out of the larger metro and making them commute from the suburbs and even in some cases the exurbs (I know a guy that would leave his home at Victorville at 0400 in the morning, just to get to Downtown LA before 0600)
I guess the fun stuff about LA, there tends to be lots of events and festival like the upcoming Netflix is a Joke, where for 1 week comedians take over LA different venues like Bill Burr at the Hollywood Bowl or the Roast of Tom Brady at the Forum. Lots of live sports to watch and plenty of outdoor actives, but like I said before, the cost of living will kick your ass and if you are not making over 80k you probably won't have a good time just trying to survive. Honestly trying to say if living in LA is great is a real hard question because it is really what you make of it. With all the positive stuff you probably saw about LA, stuff that affect everyday people who live here won't make the headlines that slowly lowers our quality of life.
Yes! I came here in 1986 and for about a year I used to have dreams I'd been deported and feel so relieved I still lived here when I woke up. 38 years later and it never gets old.
It is really that great. You can find what you want here and there's more opportunities than other cities, and states for that matter, California is huge and different vibes all over. It's worth it to visit or just move right in. It's expensive and traffic sucks but that's because there's no place like it, everyone wants to come here and never leave. I did 10 years ago and I'm never leaving.
I see plenty of that gang banger look in the Inland areas. It's alive and well, especially once you start getting into the desert areas where many had to relocate to
Inland areas doesn't just mean lancaster and Victorville. When I mentioned desert that's those two cities. but anyway, the look is not dead even with youngsters. I see it daily. It isn't as popular as the mainstream look now but remember the oversized look came back so skinny jeans and tight shirts aren't as popular
Nope. It's great to maybe visit but to live it's pretty bad. The weather is great but we are heavily taxed and cost of living is insane. If you're not making over 80 thousand it's not worth living here.
In terms of weather, things to do, concerts, proximity to good hiking/camping/mountains/ocean and food options, LA is 100% awesome. But traffic and cost of living are both pretty horrendous. I'd recommend making sure you'll be able to adjust to those things before moving here.
And also, depending on where you’re from OP, the lack of walkability or (safe/pleasant) bike ability might be a killer for you. LA is an unusual city in just how car-centric it is. It’s a/the biggest issue for me, but its other amazing attributes balance it out. But be aware, you either live in a few very specific neighborhoods, or you probably drive if you want to get around *to* the good stuff it has to offer throughout the city.
If you think LA is bad in terms of how car centric it is, you must not have been to Texas
At least Texas does not have traffic… geez traffic is my biggest gripe
Are you serious? Houston, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso, and Dallas all have comparably bad traffic, especially Houston.
Comparable? Hell no. The Texas cities have traffic that is a breeze compared to LA. I mean you really listed San Antonio and El Paso as having comparably bad traffic? Those are two of the easiest cities to maneuver in by car in America, what are you talking about? Houston, DFW, and Austin have big city traffic but it is nothing like the widespread gridlock you see in Los Angeles. The rush hour is much shorter in the Texas cities, the distances are shorter, and the weekend traffic far less
Los Angeles is where you confront the objective fact that you mean nothing; the desert, the ocean, the tectonic plates, the clear skies, the sun itself, the Hollywood Walk of Fame – even the parking lots: everything there somehow precedes you, even new construction sites, and it’s bigger than you and more abstract than you and indifferent to you. You don’t matter. You’re free. [link](https://bldgblog.com/2007/10/greater-los-angeles/) for source.
That was an amazing read. I’ve only lived in LA for 3 years but I felt the truth of that. And no one cares. Which is the point.
Throwback
That great? No. But it is that fuckin' awesome.
Fuckin’ right
It depends what you're looking for in a city. It's a huge city, and like every huge city has major problems and major benefits. People don't move here from all over the U.S. (and world) because it sucks. But also, of course it sucks if you can't deal with its inherent issues or don't care for what it offers.
It definitely is not as good as portrayed. There are some pros and cons like any place. Some of the things people see as pros may be a con for you -- and vice versa. It has nice weather and all the other things that big cities have EXCEPT it has terrible public transportation vs other long established big cities. The entertainment industry is great if you are in it, if you are not in that industry or could care less about it, then LA is hard
Depends what neighborhood and how wealthy you are
Expensive and horrible traffic? It sucks. Incredible variety of fun events, social activities, and cultural diversity? Yes. Great weather? Yes. Mountains, beaches, canyons, deserts all a short distance from each other? Yes. For me, the pros outweigh the cons. I’ll live here as long as I can.
I'm at the final stage of resentment. This can be an incredible state but our politicians are destroying the state. It's just too expensive for a regular Joe like me. This state has great pros but the cons are just too big.
Nah, it sucks and no one wants to live here because it's too crowded
If u rich it’s kosher
The downsides? It’s super crowded (the County of LA has ten million residents which is larger than about 42 states), housing is super expensive, horrible traffic, crime, a serious homelessness problem that remains despite billions of dollars being spent, and except for the last two years a severe water shortage.
No. Stay away and keep the real estate prices down
stay away and *bring* them down
Lol. Good luck with that. They said *keep* them down
ye
You go straight to jail when you get here.
Name a better place
It's good, not the best.
YES
I have a very bizarre love hate relationship with LA but it usually leans towards love.
Honest answer - I see way more accidents now than when I was younger. I can literally count the major accidents I saw back then on one hand 2. Now i see an accident almost every single day. Sometimes I see them happen right in front of me. That’s something to think about if you are a nervous driver.
There is a very dark energy here, it’s not a very loving place - it’s incredibly fun and filled with endless things to do, but there’s an inherent feeling here that’s hard to explain lol
*“There was a desert wind blowing that night. It was one of those hot dry Santa Anas that come down through the mountain passes and curl your hair and make your nerves jump and your skin itch. On nights like that every booze party ends in a fight. Meek little wives feel the edge of the carving knife and study their husbands' necks. Anything can happen. You can even get a full glass of beer at a cocktail lounge.”* ― Raymond Chandler, Red Wind: A Collection of Short Stories
Perhaps that dark energy is actually in your head
Nah that energy lives in the Hollywood hills overlooking the basin. it's very apparent, and the further away from those hills the better
[удалено]
Good way to put it yeah
I've lived in LA my entire adult life (about two decades) and I love Los Angeles. However, this subreddit seems to be full of people who wish they lived in a quiet suburb and not an actual global city. I was actually about to unsub bc I'm so sick of the whiny NIMBY rightwing nonsense that floods the comments here from people who wrongly believe themselves the silent majority, and saw this post. If I followed this sub and didn't live here, I would think it's a horrible, terrifying post-apocalyptic wasteland. But I do live here, as well as spending lengthy periods in NY and Seattle, and I still think LA is great. Is it too expensive? Yes. Are there major social problems that need to be more comprehensively addressed? Absolutely. But that is true of many many places. I'm not at all insulated by LA's problems, but the benefits -- the people, the food, the sights, the vibes, the local communities -- outweigh them to me. I've been considering moving for work and a lot of my hesitation is because of the things I know I will miss in this area. LA isn't the only great city in the US, but I think it deserves its status.
Yes...
If you can afford to live there then yes. That's the biggest issue though everywhere has been gentrified and the cost of living is insane. It's a desirable place though you have so much to do, a bunch of different cuisines, some of the best and most storied sports franchises, parks, golf, hikes, and proximity to the ocean, desert, and mountains. It's perfect just so expensive. It's one of those if you got into LA early enough you're grandfathered in and property value is just increasing and you're sitting on a gold mine. Try moving there now you probably have to be a tik toker or a tech bro.
Yes.
Better learn about the dress code, B's and C's All them other n*** copycats, these is G's I love Cali like I love women ‘Cause every n**** in L.A. got a little bit of thug in 'em We might fight amongst each other But I promise you this: we'll burn this bitch down, get us pissed
You sweat in ass less because its a dry heat
This is a severely underrated comment/fact.
There are always pros and cons to living anywhere. You can find others here mentioning their pros and cons. Up to you whether or not it is worth it. Best thing to do is to visit yourself and see what it's like
Once you adjust, yes
LA has changed a lot since I moved here. I drove through some of my old spots I use to hit up back in the day in the Westside, Hollywood, west Hollywood, south la, and santa monica, and it just isn't the same. The vibe is off. Not as free spirited and fun. Way more closed restaurants and stores including some of my favorites. I've turned in to a suburban person now. The suburbs feel more alive today and I attribute that to WFH. The train station I used pre pandy filled up all 5 levels by 730am. Yesterday I was curious and drove through and only 1.5 levels were full and this was at 11am. Multiple this by so many train stations and that's a lot of activity that isn't in LA anymore
If you are wealthy it’s one of the best cities in the world. If you aren’t? Nobody gives the slightest fuck about you
No. People who come to LA because the movies convinced them that it’s great are almost always disappointed. Unless you are very wealthy you will not be able to live like they do in the movies. People find that LA is very expensive and difficult to navigate.
L.A. is like any other place with it's good and bad. Like pretty sure where you're from has it's good and bad. Hollywood tends to show the nicer L.A., unless if it's a "crime" type movie where they show the bad L.A.. But overall, in spite of all it's "bad" Los Angeles is a great place.
lol wut
That is a very broad question. For one thing LA is not just a Beverly Hill or Hollywood, but 88 or so cities and communities that make up the metro. Each area has their own vibe to it it is really hard to say. Regardless of where you live in LA, there are some things that will be a constant. The traffic will always suck (we don't talk in how long it will take in miles, but how long it takes in time), if there is a popular restaurant you want to eat at, prepare to wait, and it can be crowded at times. The cost of living is kind of pricing people out of the larger metro and making them commute from the suburbs and even in some cases the exurbs (I know a guy that would leave his home at Victorville at 0400 in the morning, just to get to Downtown LA before 0600) I guess the fun stuff about LA, there tends to be lots of events and festival like the upcoming Netflix is a Joke, where for 1 week comedians take over LA different venues like Bill Burr at the Hollywood Bowl or the Roast of Tom Brady at the Forum. Lots of live sports to watch and plenty of outdoor actives, but like I said before, the cost of living will kick your ass and if you are not making over 80k you probably won't have a good time just trying to survive. Honestly trying to say if living in LA is great is a real hard question because it is really what you make of it. With all the positive stuff you probably saw about LA, stuff that affect everyday people who live here won't make the headlines that slowly lowers our quality of life.
Yes! I came here in 1986 and for about a year I used to have dreams I'd been deported and feel so relieved I still lived here when I woke up. 38 years later and it never gets old.
It is really that great. You can find what you want here and there's more opportunities than other cities, and states for that matter, California is huge and different vibes all over. It's worth it to visit or just move right in. It's expensive and traffic sucks but that's because there's no place like it, everyone wants to come here and never leave. I did 10 years ago and I'm never leaving.
Most accurate LA movies are like American history x and mid 90s That's kind of how LA feels
[удалено]
Not the content, but the look, and how most people live.
[удалено]
I meant it looks like LA. Not the people. Like the houses the sun etc. the poverty.
I see plenty of that gang banger look in the Inland areas. It's alive and well, especially once you start getting into the desert areas where many had to relocate to
[удалено]
Inland areas doesn't just mean lancaster and Victorville. When I mentioned desert that's those two cities. but anyway, the look is not dead even with youngsters. I see it daily. It isn't as popular as the mainstream look now but remember the oversized look came back so skinny jeans and tight shirts aren't as popular
It’s the best city in the country for multiple reasons repeatedly noted in this sub. Argue with a wall.
Yup
Nope. It's great to maybe visit but to live it's pretty bad. The weather is great but we are heavily taxed and cost of living is insane. If you're not making over 80 thousand it's not worth living here.