I loved my visit to LA. The people were fantastic and the food was even better. You ddon't need to worry much about your safety,, but as in all cities around the world there are a few things tourists might want to know. I made this video specifically due to the number of questions people asked us. So I hope this can alleviate your worries as I can't wait to go back to LA and I didn't think I would love it like I did. Also, we tried some new editing in this video. Let us know what you think. Just trying out some stuff.
@@ryanjones5521 thank you for watching all these years. I didn't say LA was unsafe, so not sure how you got that. I loved LA and had a great time. If you have a better title I'm all ears. Took me forever to figure out a title for the video that wasn't over the top. It wasn't easy.
Been in LA a long time. Can’t stress this enough, do not look at your phone when walking across a street. I’ve seen too many near hits in LA County. Rule of thumb in any geo. but especially here. Thanks for the great video.
I've lived in LA my whole life. This is pretty spot on. My advice would be: If you've never been here before, stay on the Westside. But I think LA being "unsafe" is really hyped up. I've never felt like I've been in any REAL danger living here. You just have to be smart. Be aware of your surroundings. Don't walk alone at night (especially if you're a woman). Yes our homeless problem has gotten REALLY bad...but Mark is right, for the most part they leave you alone. I do avoid walking near large encampments. I usually avoid Downtown because driving down there is HORRIBLE so I don't have any advice on that.
I like the Burbank area, the Sunset Strip (WeHo), The Santa Monica Pier, Long Beach, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Marina Del Rey but when it comes to the Watts area and some parts of Inglewood I then feel a little skeptical about it. 😂🤣
I grew up in the Bay Area in the 60s/70s, and the smog was exponentially worse. The reformulated gasoline and car emission standards have really helped.
Yes that helped and the ability of California with permission from the EPA to impose a stricter standard for the pollution coming out of the exhaust of cars also helped. It has made a world of difference. I remember back in the 70s the air quality was really bad in Southern Cal when I went down there.
I hate there are parts here in LA, the "shady parts", that tourists never get to experience. The hispanic community Boyle Heights and the Mariachi Plaza/ street food. The black/afro community in Leimert Park and their soul food. One part I do recommend tourist to visit in Downtown is the "Callejones", where you can find oddities and trinkets for souvenirs, mostly knockoff stuff but there are some good rare finds and of course good street food, and yes its in a shady part but there are lots of patrols/security there.
There's one guy who does You Tube videos about restaurants. He's been in some sketchier parts of Southern Cal and he hasn't had any problems. One time I stopped in Gary, IN to get gas and I decided to try out a Chicken and Fish place. Later on I found out Gary, IN isn't a good place to stop at. The restaurant I tried next to the gas station had what looked like at least a 1.5 inch thick plastic partition separating the employees from the customers. The food was passed through a rotating turntable with partitions that used the same thick plastic.
The other issue with the rain is that, over months, oils get deposited on the roads. So the first rain of the season can release and float off the oils, and then you are driving on top of a moving oil slick. So beware of the first rain of any season, no matter how tiny it seems.
LA safety is rather complicated, neighborhood safety varies from block to block. If I’m outside my house at night, I’ll be fine but if I walk a good 7 minutes away I will be at risk of getting mugged. Also, don’t be too scared of the inner city, if you are there in the day time you will likely be completely fine. And at night just stick to the big streets for walking or stay in your car.
My friend took me to a food truck that was in South Central in a warehouse area to try out. It was day time and there weren't any problems. The people that showed up were there to eat.
Seems to me very odd to live in a town where I have to be aftraid of mugging when walking seven minutes away from my flat. But thank you for explaining!
I am from LA. YES, it is VERY safe to visit LA (just like all of the USA). Watch out for scammers (mostly in Hollywood). Like ALL cities in the world, be careful at night. LA is no different, and a wonderful place.
When I was there in 2019 there was an earthquake. I was at the Petersen Museum when it happened. I remember the building just sort of rolling with the earthquake. Someone who worked there just said, "Oh, it's just an earthquake" like this is something that happens all the time.
@@DanielGarcia-vu2md happened to me last year! 3.2 about 2 miles from the epicenter. Loudest earthquake to date. I thought a car crashed into our house 😂
It is 😅 You also have to remember that us locals have been prepping for the ‘big one’ for years now. Anything less than a 5 is really just a minor shake. Those of us that were around for the Northridge quake in ‘94 really don’t get fazed much.
Yeah, early in the summer the earth's rotation towards the sun (in northern hemisphere) hasnt had enough time to warm up the oceans. If you want warmer water, go late in the summer or even early fall here in L.A to enjoy a swim, as the Sun's had all summer long to warm the ocean. Little bit of a nerdy space stuff knowledge there🤓
I’ll never forget seeing a homeless man taking a dump right outside an open-air cafe in Seattle with a cop just standing there watching it. I’ve really hesitated to visit any major city on the west coast since. It’s a shame the failures of these govts to help these people.
That’s what LEAN Management does to social services in government it’s not a business its social services LEAN management has overwhelmed the work load by cutting essential social supports you don’t see this in countries that have pride in their lifestyle and know how to run a government
Walking in the Hollywood walk of Fame a few years ago, there were guys outside the stores holding their needles… i walked away as fast as I could with my whole family… and it was in the famous street, not on a hidden street
Yeah, visiting San Francisco a few years back really soured my desire to go back to the west coast. Seattle wasn't much better but San Francisco was something else! From what i've heard LA is even worse.
Thank you, Mark for giving an accurate and fair review of my home town. We usually get bashed by people who have never even visited. I’m a native and we have our issues but I love my city.
Disagreed as someone who visited their sister. She moved out there back in the summer time and she loves it. But for me hell no, never you couldn't pay me to move to this dump of a city. Don't be to offended it's just my opinion that this city is by far the dirtiest most disgusting place I've ever visited. Between the homeless and the over all filth of the city I will not care to return. I'm not a city person in the first place but I live about 6 hours from NYC so naturally I've visited NYC a time or two. Much nicer in comparison and that says alot because I thought NYC was gross too. The only thing I think LA has going for it is the awesome weather, and frankly that's not even LAs doing so I don't even give it credit there.
Oh! And in n out. That was a cool little joint that actually had decent fast food for a great price. Runyon canyon was cool, and long Beach seemed alright but my girlfriend and I only stayed in the area of the aquarium so I can't really speak for it entirely. Malibu was also great but outrageously expensive. And don't walk into El super in San Fernando if you're white. You won't be treated very kindly hahaha oh well I expected it at some point.
As someone who has lived in SoCal and finds the wide variety of L.A.'s districts, people and world-class cultural attractions fascinating, I'm baffled as to why anyone would want to waste time visiting the unbelievably tacky tourist traps like Hollywood Boulevard. Further, with a little research a visitor can identify which parts of the city to avoid. If you go to L.A. just be prepared and then you'll have a great time in that unique city.
Driving in the rain. Rain washes the oil off of the road, but if there is not much then it only brings that oil to the surface making it slippery, more so than rain alone.
Born and raised in LA , now living in San Diego....and I am probably one of Mark's oldest subscribers age wise. Los Angeles has totally changed from all of the orange groves I remember to now tons and tons of traffic. My son loves living in LA. There are certainly several areas I would avoid but lots of safe places and wonderful things to do and see.
Speaking of rough neighborhoods, I'll never forget the time I was visiting friends in Southern California before I moved there. My friends were natives of the area so they told me where it was safe to drive. I got the notion that I wanted to see how people lived in Watts. Quite a few years ago it had the reputation of being a dangerous place. I wanted to get off the main road to see how people lived. I turned left onto a residential street and there were about a dozen young adult men in the street. My friends were freaking out. I slowly drove down the road and they parted and let me through. Just normal youths having a get together in their residential area.
I would never do that in bad parts of big cities in Holland so I would never do that in L.A. Most youths are just hanging out but all it takes is a single evil minded individual to ruin your day. I remember that in big cities like Amsterdam, hit and run criminals would target slow driving cars or cars stopping at traffic lights. They would ram in your side window with a hammer or other tool, then grab your valuables and run off into an alley or the crowd. Fortunately, violent crime in the middle of the day is extremely rare in Holland but if you don't keep your wallet or bag safe, you're gonna get pick-pocketed.
@@BillGreenAZ Good for you. There's some people among us who like to think life/nature makes an exception for them. You know, those individuals who like to film themselves while cuddling lions or bears in the wild. Everone else is amazed at their bravery (or plain defiance of logic). It may go well for some time, even a long time. Then one day, that lion may realize: hey, he's not a lion! Guess I can eat him after all.
They were freaking out for reason. Look, 99% of folks in neighborhoods like that are good people but 1% of 4,000,000 people is still 40,000 people that want to do you harm and the scene you described can just as easily have turned into a car jacking if you found those 1% of people. It's just best to stay outta Watts, North Hollywood, Inglewood, Compton, West Adam's, skid row, and South LA. And even if you're in places like downtown LA or Hollywood, if you feel Unsafe, you are unsafe.
I was confused when I was watching the local news and they were like at defcon 4 because of the rain. But after I saw the flooding streets I understood
People in places without much rain or snow freak out when it happens. The only time I went to Vegas for a conference it was raining which created all sorts of delays because they regard rain like northerners treat black ice. The rain (especially it it's just a little) mixes with all that dust to create a ball bearing like surface. I too laugh a little as someone who lived in NW Indiana with the lake effect snow.
The problem is that it only rains a few times a year in Southern California. All the grime and oil get cake on the road which can get slippery during rain. It's like people forget how to drive in rain there. Same with places that have snow. The first snow of the year usually results in several accidents no matter where you live.
@@BillGreenAZ Oh yeah I mean we can't cope in snow or high heat in this country because the place isn't built for it, anything short of like 2 foot of water and we just carry on as normal though
He's right about the cold water. I'm from New England and I'm used to cold water but I was surprised in S California at how cold the water is. I thought it would be like Florida, wrong!! The rain bit is right too, if it rains they don't know how to drive, they freak out.
Lifelong San Diegan here, our cold water comes from the Alaskan Current which is the big current off our coast. It’s a reason why we get a lot of whales and other amazing sea life. It is cold AF though, and getting colder as Alaska, basically, continues to melt. This current is also the reason for our famous ‘marine layer’ on some mornings and the cool breezes off the ocean. 👍
Rule #1: DO NOT under any circumstance LEAVE ANYTHING in your car, NO BAGS, no gifts, no purses, NOTHING that looks interesting. Your window will be smashed and car broken into. NOT EVEN if you're just going into the store for a quick thing.
Good information. That one bit about the sun is especially true. I went for a hike to the Hollywood sign and it was cool and cloudy, so I didn't bother applying sun screen. Then the clouds lifted and the sun came out in full force. Never been so badly nurned in my life.
The reason that just a tiny amount of rain here can wreak havoc for drivers, is because the rain here is so seldom that the heavy oil build up on all the roads from the copious traffic, becomes very slick when wet, especially if it is just a tiny bit of rain, which it usually is. The rare gully washer is preferable because 1. People wont drive in it, and 2. It rinses the streets clean, unfortunately, it rinses everything into the ocean.
Thank you for the advice, this is all really helpful! I just moved to LA a few months ago and I keep getting worried about how to stay safe here, thanks for the info!
Yes. Long ago I suggested on your other channel that you list your points in the upper left corner. 👍 That said I miss the text at the bottom. Great place to add context, clarify and have fun. I think you should do both.
I've lived in Los Angeles for more than 60 years. My fancy 4x4 pick-up truck was stolen twice, but the police found it and the insurance repaired it. I also had a bicycle stolen. Other than that I have never had a problem living here. Well, let me correct that: In 1969, a big kid stole 20¢ from me while I was waiting for the bus to go home from school. I told the bus driver what happened, and he let me ride home for free that day. My boyfriend has lived in Los Angeles for 33 years and he has never been assaulted or robbed at all. Actually, My sister, brother and I have lived in Los Angeles for our entire lives and none of us have ever been jumped or had our homes broken in. Yes, there is crime here and I am fortunate that I have been spared, but in general I feel very safe living in Los Angeles.
I lived in San Fernando valley in the 80’s and getting your radio, rims and tires stolen was a common thing, sad to say but the Mexicans were the usual suspects.
I spent some time in LA in 2015, I enjoyed it and the locals were friendly. The weather was nice about 23 to 27 degrees Celsius (sorry I don't know Fahrenheit.)
Visiting LA this summer for an event at the Greek theater. Can anyone recommend a few good nearby hotel locations, things to see, and food to eat around the Greek? Thank you all in advance
Very sound and informative vid! As a former LA resident, I concur with all the points that you made. Tourists, you'll never run out of things to see there, so enjoy!
LA is the safest city to visit in my experience living and working in multiple major US cities. Everyone talks about “why would you go to LA? They have earthquakes” earthquakes aren’t an issue in LA. You’re In much more danger in any other state in america dealing with either hurricanes, blizzards, tornadoes, mudslides, or flooding. As stated in the video, unless it’s “The One” earthquakes aren’t a thing.
The problem with the rain in LA is that since it never rains, all the oil and grease cake up on the roads and even a tiny amount of rain will cause the roads to get really slick
You forgot to mention lane splitting, it's legal in CA, but not in other states. Used to live in LA. I'd mention doing the "New Yorker" thing when you see the homeless, put your head down, don't make eye contact and walk by them quickly.
Back in 2021 I went to Austin, Texas. Had a hobo try to attack me because I didn’t have cash on me… I was able to shove him off me… twice. Punch him… once. Dude kept coming back… but I was in Texas so the 4th time he came toward me I reminded him of Texas law if you know what I mean. He ran off. And I’ll be damned if I don’t get back to my Suburban and another hobo is trying to open the door… let’s just say he stepped back with his arms up and walked the other way. I know for a fact I can’t do that in Los Angeles or anywhere in CA especially considering I’m a Texas resident. Thank to Austin, Texas, I’m not sure I ever want to visit LA knowing I can’t defend myself or my property in LA.
Very timely video! I’m a Brit looking to visit LA for my first trip to the US next year, but lots of conflicting advice on safety (especially about Downtown) and which areas are safe to stay in and walk around at night. Appreciate the advice here - aside from the no. of homeless and the traffic, it sounds like similar to visiting any other major city in the world.
Avoid public transport in LA. I saw 2 fights on buses and the train that almost injured me . Watch out for hustlers that want to give you free CDs then demand money from you as a tip.
@@hse6144 That is incorrect. Recently thefts under $950 have been reclassified as "petty theft", meaning a citation and fine versus a higher offense such as "grand theft" which would be a felony. It IS still a crime. I just wanted to make sure more misinformation about this isn't spread. As far as smash and grabs from cars, it's just common sense virtually anywhere to never leave anything of value in your car.
News flash. If you drive on the shoulder in LA, especially on a freeway, you're very likely to be stopped by a cop or the Highway Patrol. Bad enough for a local but worse for an out of towner. Be prepared for not only a very expensive ticket and your car being towed but also for potential arrest and incarceration in one of our less than friendly jails. Especially during the holidays this can mean a multi day stay in jail until your court hearing. You may have to post bail. Your car will have been towed. When you are released you get shoved out of the jail door with whatever of your belongings you were carrying when you entered minus any suspicipus items, which may include your cash and phone. Even if they don't keep the phone it won't have been charged so it will be dead. Nobody lets you may a phone call from jail. The jails are usually in unpleasant parts of town. You'll probably have to walk for miles, assuming you know where to go and what areas to avoid. The company that towed your vehicle will be miles away. Don't worry too much about that because if you rented, the rental agency will have been notified and cancelled your contract. If they recover the car they'll charge the towing fee to your credit card in addition to steep fees and penalties. You'll be blackballed by all the major rental agencies for years. Assuming you make your way to safety you'll be responsible for your bail as an out of towner. You'll also have to be available in person for a court hearing that will be weeks away at least, and possibly months. I imagine your passengers will be furious at you. There are almost certainly other unpleasant consequences, including your own areas driving license agency which may examine your suitability for driving. Your insurance agency will be greatly displeased and dramatically hike your rates. In short, DON'T DO IT! Unless you're a masochist who enjoys pain and humiliation.
I've just watched another video about the worst parts of LA. I only spent a short time there but I remembered neighbourhoods that in total make up a very large area of the city to be avoided.
If you're looking for safety, Los Angeles is not the place to find it. When a car runs you over or a homeless crazy attacks you, it usually takes LAPD 20 to 40 minutes or more to do nothing, if you don't get a busy signal when you call 911.
Lived here all my life, and the only times I ever felt unsafe is around homeless in the tourist areas, it’s really bad. You can drive through anywhere in LA and no one will tell you anything you will be fine. Some of the best spots to eat are in “sketchy” areas and 99% of the time you will be fine, locals know you are supporting the small business so they leave you alone. Also fire season is usually around June- September.
Welcome to Los Angeles! Not only the westside, but L.A. county in general, is huge! Explore the SF valley, SG Valley, South Bay, but then again...traffic will be an issue. Unless if you don't mind.
Thanks for the very informative video! As a Dubai resident, I am kind of used to the safety day and night, but with your tips, I might find my way around LA! It all depends on how you act and blend in.
What? You’re back travelling? Lucky you. Feel sad about the homeless there. Here, in another country, I always chat with them. They appreciate human interaction. So many more reasons than the obvious. Been to LA four time now. Cheers.
As an Australian who has never visited, thank you for your tips and videos. I think you'll save me a lot of money, and I feel better educated to see the good things.
@@ryanjones5521 The homicide rate in LA is 6.4 per 100,000. The Australian average is 0.9 per 100,000. LA is also more dangerous than basically any European or Asian country.
I'm from Ohio, never been to California or NYC, so I'm not use to seeing a lot of homeless people.... however, I've been living in Sao Paulo, Brazil for 7 months now, and the first time l went into the center of Sao Paulo, wow.......a lot of homeless people!! I was in shock!
LOL, places not to go as a tourist. If only my mom and I had that advice before we went to LA in 2013. It put her off of traveling for a good half decade.
@@albundy3929 Yep, agreed. I was a young backpacker at that time who did not worry about that stuff. Feeling a bit nervous in LA has nothing on travel in say the West Bank or China. Never thought about it from her prospective in advance. We still had a great trip and stayed in a nice area, and we will be back in March, but with a better idea on where to avoid having to travel through.
@@albundy3929 Will do. Personally I loved your city. So much great food, beautiful beaches, and great sights. As for my mom, we are from a city of only about 1 million in Canada, and she works in a nursing home, so the things that bothered her were things that I college I've seen while partying in my own city, but that she is not accustomed to like people selling drugs or getting into fights on public transit. As long as we avoid traveling through areas with gang problems at night we should be good. One must do on my trip back since last time we were out of season is a game at Dodger Stadium. Let me know if you have any suggestions for 2 second time visitors and 3 first timers.
@@albundy3929 My mom and I both don't have a drivers license, which was the issue. Not sure yet, where do you think would be the best places to stay. At some point we need to get to the LA cruise port, but we can cab there.
a quick question! I’ll be commuting for work from Downtown area to Fashion District area which is only 30mins walk but everyone keeps saying I must drive even in that short distance. I’m thinking of a bike option but almost everyone keeps saying " get a car and drive!!" any advice will be appreciated,,! :)
First off LA is a very large city. 450 sq miles of city..so you have alot of different areas to visit all within the city limits. Then there are all the surrounding city to visit as well, Santa Monica Pasadena, Glendale etc. Downtown LA is safe place up until 12:00 am and past. Hollywood safe.. union Station safe Olvera street safe..griffith park/LA zoo safe. Easr LA Boyle heights safe. As to the drivers in the rain.. the majority of people u meet in LA are from other places we natives know how to drive in the rain however when it comes to snow, we are clueless unless u are from one of the mountain communities
All true! I went to LA a few days ago.. people will definitely be surprised by the driving on the freeway. I just have to stay calm, most drivers are steady, but i saw about 3-4 people weave and speed really bad. They will come within inches of you. Good info!
Haha. My first time in California and I just drove into LA tonight from Vancouver Canada. We don't exactly have the best drivers up there, but after seeing some of the aggressive weaving and lack of signal lights on the freeways here, it kind of puts things into perspective. I would imagine the congestion must play a factor in people's intolerance and aggressiveness? I know one thing I'm not going to do is piss anybody off or lay on the horn. No point shaking the hornets nest 😆
@@lancemannion4113 I grew up in California, and every time I go to LA I see something really crazy, but it’s such a beautiful city with tons of amazing things to do so it’s worth it. I’m always extremely hyper vigilant on the freeway because you may have to slam on your breaks at any moment so just be ready. The bus or Uber is good too if you’re going somewhere with limited parking. Hope you enjoy your visit!
@@Julie-ns3vh yep I'm realizing that signal lights are optional on the freeway lol. And pay attention to your navigation or you're going to miss your off-ramp! Having said that I had a brilliant first day and I really enjoyed Venice Beach and it's pretty much everything I imagined if not more! Crazy yet so fascinating and fun! Tomorrow the observatory and a hike up behind the Hollywood hill sign :)
@@lancemannion4113 true! We recently took my daughter to the observatory and the Getty for the first time. It was amazing! There are a lot of free museums and you only pay for parking so that’s nice. If you need any tips let me know:) You can see the Hollywood sign really well from the observatory if you look west:)
Really enjoyed the new style editing Mark! Nice job. I loved my trip to LA in 2019 and everything you mentioned is great advice. Cheers from Yorkshire, England 😎
If you are "middle class" or lower in California my advice is to get the hell out, the supply and demand curve is not on your side. Too many people want to live there and its built entirely for cars and the state is swathed over with low density single family housing. So basically over the last 30 years you have been systematically priced out.
I've visited L.A. about 10 different times over the last 20 years and I've always felt that it is generally very safe. I will say that it is a vacation where it is helpful to do a lot of research and get familiar with the different parts of the area before planning your trip as a lot of tourist attractions and areas are spread out from one another due to the hills and the way it is laid out. I mean it's not a city where you can just stay in a hotel downtown and you'll be able to walk to most of the attractions and nightlife areas and where you will be able to see everything in a 90 minute Big Bus Tour.
One thing to consider for a future video. Visitors from other countries should get travel health insurance. I've heard horror stories of people getting injured/sick and getting stuck with huge bills.
This video is spot on. I visited LA once in 2017 and i am never going back as a tourist . Coming from the East coast, it was a huge disappointment. You will see the Landmarks and things you grew up with but the reality of the places is very hard to miss.
@@ryanjones5521 ??? I feel like we watched a different video. He was standing on Venice beach, there were shots from all over-how do get mostly Manhattan Beach? Homicides have gone up 26%, he didn't mention street takeovers which are increasing and dangerous.
I grow up in LA, and there are definitely areas that are bad, but most areas are not. There are good and bad things to every city, just us common sense, do your homework just like when you visit any city, and know where to go and where not to.
Warm greetings from Indonesia Thanks Brother for all of the advice Wish someday I could go to Los Angeles Wish you always healthy and happy God bless you and family
Smog/air quality in L.A. isn’t an issue except on the hottest days of the summer and/or when there is a wildfire. Check the AQI on your phone, and you’ll see that the air quality on most days is “good.” In June, L.A. has hazy, overcast skies in a phenomenon known as “June gloom,” but that’s just the marine layer, not smog.
Visited LA in June 2018. Went to the Griffith Observatory, Stood over the Hollywood Sign while hiking the Hollywood Hill trails, went to South Pasadena and Sierra Madre to video and photograph the Halloween Film locations, went to Hollywood Boulevard and saw Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom on re release at the Chinese Theatre, visited the Tar Pits Museum and Universal Studios. LA was fantastic. I had done my research in terms of safety and security before i arrived. I was staying in Koreatown which seemed fairly safe. There were a lot of homeless people around the area. I just completely avoided any of them and did not make eye contact. The LA Metro system was fantastic for getting around if you did not have car hire. I would definitely go again.
Hey man, glad you had a great time, how was your experience using the metro? I’m thinking of visiting later this year but as coming from outside the US I don’t want to drive. I think I can get by with a combination of metro and Uber/Lyft but conflicting comments on this and other videos - some say the metro is fine, others that it’s dangerous for tourists - appreciate your opinion!
@@JJDoggettHi mate, nope I didnt have any problems with the metro, but I went on it during the day/early evening , never at late night though. San Francisco was a big no no for going out at night. That city has SERIOUS problems.
Check out Orange County just south of Los Angeles Not here at Anaheim where Disneyland is located but the surrounding affluent areas such as Newport Beach Laguna Beach it's a bit nicer safer. Dan host from I Allegedly on RUclips has a channel that should be of interest..
Not just LA but pretty much all of CA: If driving on the freeway & roads and you are unfamiliar where your are going, avoid driving in the fast lanes. The homeless are everywhere and you will find people are homeless for a number of reasons: down on their luck, financial, mental issues, drug abuse and some who just like the lifestyle. Avoid giving handouts, because the gift you give only goes to that person, rarely does it go to others who actually need it. If you want to give, seek out services who deal with the homeless so that your gift can be better utilized. Smog is all but a thing of the past, when it does get bad are the days during the summer when there are local fires. Costumed buskers, best to just avoid them. Street performers, if they entertained you then tip them. Earthquakes, yeah we get them, but I am still alive and have been through some big ones. Bad neighborhoods, yes there are some bad ones everywhere but especially in LA, "know before you go." Rain, we don't get it too often so it is an issue. Oil accumulates on the roads during the summer months, the first rain storm creates a nice surface oil slick which often causes accidents and makes people paranoid. I would say the biggest danger to a tourist is the sun. Even on a cloudy day you can get burnt to a crisp, to avoid getting burned wear sunblock. There are many brands and kinds of sunblock. I prefer the non-greasy, waterproof kind while riding my cruiser along the beach trail in Huntington Beach. Hope to see you here.
Californians are always in a rush & typically drive a lot faster especially on the freeways, without traffic the carpool lane usually does 80+ MPH. If you’re going slower or if there’s someone right behind you, switch lanes and let them pass. In California the unwritten speed limit is 10 MPH over the listed speed
it’s just not people in LA don’t know how to drive in the rain. There is a lot of oil build up on the roads, since the rain is so infrequent. So, be extra cautious during the first time it rains.
I loved my visit to LA. The people were fantastic and the food was even better. You ddon't need to worry much about your safety,, but as in all cities around the world there are a few things tourists might want to know. I made this video specifically due to the number of questions people asked us. So I hope this can alleviate your worries as I can't wait to go back to LA and I didn't think I would love it like I did. Also, we tried some new editing in this video. Let us know what you think. Just trying out some stuff.
Editing is great though!
@@ryanjones5521 Dude ok we get it, safest city and yadda yadda. Please stop flooding the comment section
@@ryanjones5521 are you a "long time fan" you only have 15 comments on this channel and they are all here ! This is definitely not clickbait.
@@ryanjones5521 thank you for watching all these years. I didn't say LA was unsafe, so not sure how you got that. I loved LA and had a great time. If you have a better title I'm all ears. Took me forever to figure out a title for the video that wasn't over the top. It wasn't easy.
@@ryanjones5521 showing montages from all over LA area in the video. Things don't always line up ;)
Been in LA a long time. Can’t stress this enough, do not look at your phone when walking across a street. I’ve seen too many near hits in LA County. Rule of thumb in any geo. but especially here. Thanks for the great video.
Born and raised in LA, safety tip 101, DONT ACT THE FOOL
Born and raise in LA it’s pretty much 2nd nature to me
Not looking at your phone when u cross the street should be common sense but it's something many ppl are lacking especially in CA
@@davidacosta5110 when's the last time you were in CA
@@Briman2052 I'm still here but not for long
I've lived in LA my whole life. This is pretty spot on. My advice would be: If you've never been here before, stay on the Westside. But I think LA being "unsafe" is really hyped up. I've never felt like I've been in any REAL danger living here. You just have to be smart. Be aware of your surroundings. Don't walk alone at night (especially if you're a woman). Yes our homeless problem has gotten REALLY bad...but Mark is right, for the most part they leave you alone. I do avoid walking near large encampments. I usually avoid Downtown because driving down there is HORRIBLE so I don't have any advice on that.
I felt pretty safe pretty much everywhere I went. Heck, I understand why people move to LA and don't want to leave. The place is awesome
@@woltersworld Yeah, I love my city! Bad things can happen anywhere. But there is SO much to do which is great!
Agreed. I’ve been here decades and have very rarely felt unsafe - and when I did it was because I had gotten lost or put myself in a stupid position.
Been here since 85, I would only worry about South Central, other than That Ive never really felt I was in Danger.
I like the Burbank area, the Sunset Strip (WeHo), The Santa Monica Pier, Long Beach, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Marina Del Rey but when it comes to the Watts area and some parts of Inglewood I then feel a little skeptical about it. 😂🤣
I grew up in the Bay Area in the 60s/70s, and the smog was exponentially worse. The reformulated gasoline and car emission standards have really helped.
Yes that helped and the ability of California with permission from the EPA to impose a stricter standard for the pollution coming out of the exhaust of cars also helped. It has made a world of difference. I remember back in the 70s the air quality was really bad in Southern Cal when I went down there.
I hate there are parts here in LA, the "shady parts", that tourists never get to experience. The hispanic community Boyle Heights and the Mariachi Plaza/ street food. The black/afro community in Leimert Park and their soul food.
One part I do recommend tourist to visit in Downtown is the "Callejones", where you can find oddities and trinkets for souvenirs, mostly knockoff stuff but there are some good rare finds and of course good street food, and yes its in a shady part but there are lots of patrols/security there.
Keep them out those areas . Tourists should stay in Hollywood.
There's one guy who does You Tube videos about restaurants. He's been in some sketchier parts of Southern Cal and he hasn't had any problems. One time I stopped in Gary, IN to get gas and I decided to try out a Chicken and Fish place. Later on I found out Gary, IN isn't a good place to stop at. The restaurant I tried next to the gas station had what looked like at least a 1.5 inch thick plastic partition separating the employees from the customers. The food was passed through a rotating turntable with partitions that used the same thick plastic.
@@Baby_Jocs these are my exact feelings with Californians moving to Texas. Yes! Keep them out those areas! Protect your cultures!
@@Lydiajean1313 you realize people are moving BACK to Texas… No one in California that is a native is moving to Texas…
@@kidvkat Riiiightttt... sure
The other issue with the rain is that, over months, oils get deposited on the roads. So the first rain of the season can release and float off the oils, and then you are driving on top of a moving oil slick. So beware of the first rain of any season, no matter how tiny it seems.
True, I witnessed accidents in CA due to this.
LA safety is rather complicated, neighborhood safety varies from block to block. If I’m outside my house at night, I’ll be fine but if I walk a good 7 minutes away I will be at risk of getting mugged. Also, don’t be too scared of the inner city, if you are there in the day time you will likely be completely fine. And at night just stick to the big streets for walking or stay in your car.
My friend took me to a food truck that was in South Central in a warehouse area to try out. It was day time and there weren't any problems. The people that showed up were there to eat.
Seems to me very odd to live in a town where I have to be aftraid of mugging when walking seven minutes away from my flat. But thank you for explaining!
@@hassanalihusseini1717 LA is super safe. Even the hoods in LA are much safer than cities in the South.
@@hassanalihusseini1717 it’s very real here in Los Angeles...unfortunately. Very real
@@tankshots3452 shut up 🤐
🤣🤡
I am from LA. YES, it is VERY safe to visit LA (just like all of the USA). Watch out for scammers (mostly in Hollywood). Like ALL cities in the world, be careful at night. LA is no different, and a wonderful place.
When I was there in 2019 there was an earthquake. I was at the Petersen Museum when it happened. I remember the building just sort of rolling with the earthquake. Someone who worked there just said, "Oh, it's just an earthquake" like this is something that happens all the time.
I remember that one! I was at work and I didn't feel it, but everyone in the restaurant did. I was bummed I missed out!
Yeah earthquakes are no issue if they're less than a 5. Heck I've had a couple 3.5+ where the epicenter was right on my house. We just shrug it off
@@DanielGarcia-vu2md happened to me last year! 3.2 about 2 miles from the epicenter. Loudest earthquake to date. I thought a car crashed into our house 😂
@@sashagemini7623 haha yeah, sounds like lightning at first sometimes. A couple of times it's emptied out my pool and left the backyard flooded
It is 😅 You also have to remember that us locals have been prepping for the ‘big one’ for years now. Anything less than a 5 is really just a minor shake. Those of us that were around for the Northridge quake in ‘94 really don’t get fazed much.
I grew up in the Bronx nyc 🗽 I moved to LA Hollywood and I’ve never seen so many homeless people in my life it was definitely on another level
I was Born in the Tropics and went to the Beach early my first Summer here, and boy was I shocked how cold the water was 😅.
That's in the shocks of LA video coming soon. SUPER CHILLY
I like the cooler Pacific its refreshing . The gulf stream is so warm it's not cooling you down.
Yeah, early in the summer the earth's rotation towards the sun (in northern hemisphere) hasnt had enough time to warm up the oceans. If you want warmer water, go late in the summer or even early fall here in L.A to enjoy a swim, as the Sun's had all summer long to warm the ocean.
Little bit of a nerdy space stuff knowledge there🤓
Come visit the Okanagan/Similkameen. You'll love it
Try a Northern Cal beach. The water is even cooler.
I’ll never forget seeing a homeless man taking a dump right outside an open-air cafe in Seattle with a cop just standing there watching it. I’ve really hesitated to visit any major city on the west coast since. It’s a shame the failures of these govts to help these people.
Be careful, the oversocialized types will call you a bigot.
Sir, this is a Wendy's
That’s what LEAN Management does to social services in government it’s not a business its social services LEAN management has overwhelmed the work load by cutting essential social supports you don’t see this in countries that have pride in their lifestyle and know how to run a government
Walking in the Hollywood walk of Fame a few years ago, there were guys outside the stores holding their needles… i walked away as fast as I could with my whole family… and it was in the famous street, not on a hidden street
Yeah, visiting San Francisco a few years back really soured my desire to go back to the west coast. Seattle wasn't much better but San Francisco was something else! From what i've heard LA is even worse.
Thank you, Mark for giving an accurate and fair review of my home town. We usually get bashed by people who have never even visited.
I’m a native and we have our issues but I love my city.
Agreed as another native.
Disagreed as someone who visited their sister. She moved out there back in the summer time and she loves it. But for me hell no, never you couldn't pay me to move to this dump of a city. Don't be to offended it's just my opinion that this city is by far the dirtiest most disgusting place I've ever visited. Between the homeless and the over all filth of the city I will not care to return. I'm not a city person in the first place but I live about 6 hours from NYC so naturally I've visited NYC a time or two. Much nicer in comparison and that says alot because I thought NYC was gross too. The only thing I think LA has going for it is the awesome weather, and frankly that's not even LAs doing so I don't even give it credit there.
Oh! And in n out. That was a cool little joint that actually had decent fast food for a great price. Runyon canyon was cool, and long Beach seemed alright but my girlfriend and I only stayed in the area of the aquarium so I can't really speak for it entirely. Malibu was also great but outrageously expensive. And don't walk into El super in San Fernando if you're white. You won't be treated very kindly hahaha oh well I expected it at some point.
As someone who has lived in SoCal and finds the wide variety of L.A.'s districts, people and world-class cultural attractions fascinating, I'm baffled as to why anyone would want to waste time visiting the unbelievably tacky tourist traps like Hollywood Boulevard. Further, with a little research a visitor can identify which parts of the city to avoid. If you go to L.A. just be prepared and then you'll have a great time in that unique city.
Bum central
I'm always on guard when I'm in LA , always looking around ! Beware the Nightstalker 🔪
What about late walking nights, can i still do them? Here in europe it's super safe to take a walk at any time and at night it's not so "peoply"
Driving in the rain. Rain washes the oil off of the road, but if there is not much then it only brings that oil to the surface making it slippery, more so than rain alone.
Born and raised in LA , now living in San Diego....and I am probably one of Mark's oldest subscribers age wise. Los Angeles has totally changed from all of the orange groves I remember to now tons and tons of traffic. My son loves living in LA. There are certainly several areas I would avoid but lots of safe places and wonderful things to do and see.
Born. and raised here - since '82....you're SPOT ON, especially post-covid.
I love LA when we went there. It’s so beautiful when you get out of the city!
I loved in ther city and outside. Great place to visdit
Speaking of rough neighborhoods, I'll never forget the time I was visiting friends in Southern California before I moved there. My friends were natives of the area so they told me where it was safe to drive.
I got the notion that I wanted to see how people lived in Watts. Quite a few years ago it had the reputation of being a dangerous place. I wanted to get off the main road to see how people lived. I turned left onto a residential street and there were about a dozen young adult men in the street. My friends were freaking out. I slowly drove down the road and they parted and let me through. Just normal youths having a get together in their residential area.
I would never do that in bad parts of big cities in Holland so I would never do that in L.A.
Most youths are just hanging out but all it takes is a single evil minded individual to ruin your day.
I remember that in big cities like Amsterdam, hit and run criminals would target slow driving cars or cars stopping at traffic lights.
They would ram in your side window with a hammer or other tool, then grab your valuables and run off into an alley or the crowd.
Fortunately, violent crime in the middle of the day is extremely rare in Holland but if you don't keep your wallet or bag safe, you're gonna get pick-pocketed.
@@AudieHolland I agree with you. I won't be traveling in neighborhoods like this in the future.
@@BillGreenAZ Good for you. There's some people among us who like to think life/nature makes an exception for them.
You know, those individuals who like to film themselves while cuddling lions or bears in the wild.
Everone else is amazed at their bravery (or plain defiance of logic).
It may go well for some time, even a long time. Then one day, that lion may realize:
hey, he's not a lion!
Guess I can eat him after all.
They were freaking out for reason. Look, 99% of folks in neighborhoods like that are good people but 1% of 4,000,000 people is still 40,000 people that want to do you harm and the scene you described can just as easily have turned into a car jacking if you found those 1% of people. It's just best to stay outta Watts, North Hollywood, Inglewood, Compton, West Adam's, skid row, and South LA. And even if you're in places like downtown LA or Hollywood, if you feel Unsafe, you are unsafe.
@@NikkyElso I agree Elso.
"Half an inch of rain"
Me *Laughs in British
I was confused when I was watching the local news and they were like at defcon 4 because of the rain. But after I saw the flooding streets I understood
People in places without much rain or snow freak out when it happens. The only time I went to Vegas for a conference it was raining which created all sorts of delays because they regard rain like northerners treat black ice. The rain (especially it it's just a little) mixes with all that dust to create a ball bearing like surface. I too laugh a little as someone who lived in NW Indiana with the lake effect snow.
@@woltersworld Yeah let me know when people, canoe to work lol
The problem is that it only rains a few times a year in Southern California. All the grime and oil get cake on the road which can get slippery during rain. It's like people forget how to drive in rain there. Same with places that have snow. The first snow of the year usually results in several accidents no matter where you live.
@@BillGreenAZ Oh yeah I mean we can't cope in snow or high heat in this country because the place isn't built for it, anything short of like 2 foot of water and we just carry on as normal though
At dark, don’t go on the Venice boardwalk
Dangerous is it?
Very dangerous listen to this advice.
Yes, it’s dangerous… if you go (to one of the bars for example) don’t go alone and take a Taxi/Uber
He's right about the cold water. I'm from New England and I'm used to cold water but I was surprised in S California at how cold the water is. I thought it would be like Florida, wrong!! The rain bit is right too, if it rains they don't know how to drive, they freak out.
Lifelong San Diegan here, our cold water comes from the Alaskan Current which is the big current off our coast. It’s a reason why we get a lot of whales and other amazing sea life. It is cold AF though, and getting colder as Alaska, basically, continues to melt. This current is also the reason for our famous ‘marine layer’ on some mornings and the cool breezes off the ocean. 👍
Rule #1: DO NOT under any circumstance LEAVE ANYTHING in your car, NO BAGS, no gifts, no purses, NOTHING that looks interesting. Your window will be smashed and car broken into. NOT EVEN if you're just going into the store for a quick thing.
Im sorry WHAT!
I was just there for the Primus concert at The Greek Theatre.
It was an awesome show...!
Amazing informative video Mark! Loved the editing. I may be biased but honestly you can walk around most neighborhoods in LA 😁
I loved LA. Didn't think I would like it as much as I did. Would definitely go bcl
Always smart to consider the good, the bad, and the ugly when visiting anywhere!
Good information. That one bit about the sun is especially true. I went for a hike to the Hollywood sign and it was cool and cloudy, so I didn't bother applying sun screen. Then the clouds lifted and the sun came out in full force. Never been so badly nurned in my life.
The reason that just a tiny amount of rain here can wreak havoc for drivers, is because the rain here is so seldom that the heavy oil build up on all the roads from the copious traffic, becomes very slick when wet, especially if it is just a tiny bit of rain, which it usually is. The rare gully washer is preferable because 1. People wont drive in it, and 2. It rinses the streets clean, unfortunately, it rinses everything into the ocean.
I love how he just breezed passed the “don’t get off the wrong exit” 😅
Thank you for the advice, this is all really helpful! I just moved to LA a few months ago and I keep getting worried about how to stay safe here, thanks for the info!
Thank you thank you for this Video! I was exactly looking for this👍🏻
Yes. Long ago I suggested on your other channel that you list your points in the upper left corner. 👍 That said I miss the text at the bottom. Great place to add context, clarify and have fun. I think you should do both.
Git a new editor so wee are working through things :)
I've lived in Los Angeles for more than 60 years. My fancy 4x4 pick-up truck was stolen twice, but the police found it and the insurance repaired it. I also had a bicycle stolen. Other than that I have never had a problem living here. Well, let me correct that: In 1969, a big kid stole 20¢ from me while I was waiting for the bus to go home from school. I told the bus driver what happened, and he let me ride home for free that day. My boyfriend has lived in Los Angeles for 33 years and he has never been assaulted or robbed at all. Actually, My sister, brother and I have lived in Los Angeles for our entire lives and none of us have ever been jumped or had our homes broken in. Yes, there is crime here and I am fortunate that I have been spared, but in general I feel very safe living in Los Angeles.
I lived in San Fernando valley in the 80’s and getting your radio, rims and tires stolen was a common thing, sad to say but the Mexicans were the usual suspects.
Lived in LA past 15+ years and my man Wolter is spot on, especially with the lack of "driving in the rain" skills with some locals.
I spent some time in LA in 2015, I enjoyed it and the locals were friendly. The weather was nice about 23 to 27 degrees Celsius (sorry I don't know Fahrenheit.)
LA is super fun. I’ve had some good times out there but it is important to stay diligent, just like any other city! Thanks for the tips, Mark!
It sure is It
Turned out
To
Be the next New York
City If only they can rid of the homeless situation
I loved the editing on this video!
Visiting LA this summer for an event at the Greek theater. Can anyone recommend a few good nearby hotel locations, things to see, and food to eat around the Greek? Thank you all in advance
I love this going early tomorrow morning. I like ur vibe, very genuine
Very sound and informative vid! As a former LA resident, I concur with all the points that you made. Tourists, you'll never run out of things to see there, so enjoy!
Your videos are great, thank you so much!
LA is the safest city to visit in my experience living and working in multiple major US cities.
Everyone talks about “why would you go to LA? They have earthquakes” earthquakes aren’t an issue in LA. You’re In much more danger in any other state in america dealing with either hurricanes, blizzards, tornadoes, mudslides, or flooding. As stated in the video, unless it’s “The One” earthquakes aren’t a thing.
".1 inches of rain and freaking out" haha, yup, that's the LA I grew up in and loved. BTW congrats on calling it "THE" 405, you sound like a local.
The problem with the rain in LA is that since it never rains, all the oil and grease cake up on the roads and even a tiny amount of rain will cause the roads to get really slick
I go to Los Angeles every year no where to go and not to go just like Detroit, and having a handful of friends out there makes the trip even better
Thank you so much for your tips.
Going in November next year for the Elton John show!! Can’t wait!
You forgot to mention lane splitting, it's legal in CA, but not in other states. Used to live in LA. I'd mention doing the "New Yorker" thing when you see the homeless, put your head down, don't make eye contact and walk by them quickly.
Lane splitting is legal!? I've driven in California for 25 years and never knew that
Back in 2021 I went to Austin, Texas.
Had a hobo try to attack me because I didn’t have cash on me…
I was able to shove him off me… twice.
Punch him… once.
Dude kept coming back… but I was in Texas so the 4th time he came toward me I reminded him of Texas law if you know what I mean. He ran off. And I’ll be damned if I don’t get back to my Suburban and another hobo is trying to open the door… let’s just say he stepped back with his arms up and walked the other way.
I know for a fact I can’t do that in Los Angeles or anywhere in CA especially considering I’m a Texas resident. Thank to Austin, Texas, I’m not sure I ever want to visit LA knowing I can’t defend myself or my property in LA.
I was in Los angels in the early 90s. It was SCARY. I learned that those steel dumpsters are bullet resistant.
Ahh LA in the 90’s certain parts were complete war zones…good times
Very timely video! I’m a Brit looking to visit LA for my first trip to the US next year, but lots of conflicting advice on safety (especially about Downtown) and which areas are safe to stay in and walk around at night.
Appreciate the advice here - aside from the no. of homeless and the traffic, it sounds like similar to visiting any other major city in the world.
Exactly. I felt fine everywhere I went. Great city
Avoid public transport in LA. I saw 2 fights on buses and the train that almost injured me . Watch out for hustlers that want to give you free CDs then demand money from you as a tip.
Be aware if you rent a car, LA is #1 to smash the windows and steal everything.
Also it’s not a crime to steal anything under $1000, so leave your valuables at home.
@@hse6144 That is incorrect. Recently thefts under $950 have been reclassified as "petty theft", meaning a citation and fine versus a higher offense such as "grand theft" which would be a felony. It IS still a crime. I just wanted to make sure more misinformation about this isn't spread. As far as smash and grabs from cars, it's just common sense virtually anywhere to never leave anything of value in your car.
News flash. If you drive on the shoulder in LA, especially on a freeway, you're very likely to be stopped by a cop or the Highway Patrol. Bad enough for a local but worse for an out of towner. Be prepared for not only a very expensive ticket and your car being towed but also for potential arrest and incarceration in one of our less than friendly jails. Especially during the holidays this can mean a multi day stay in jail until your court hearing. You may have to post bail. Your car will have been towed. When you are released you get shoved out of the jail door with whatever of your belongings you were carrying when you entered minus any suspicipus items, which may include your cash and phone. Even if they don't keep the phone it won't have been charged so it will be dead. Nobody lets you may a phone call from jail. The jails are usually in unpleasant parts of town. You'll probably have to walk for miles, assuming you know where to go and what areas to avoid. The company that towed your vehicle will be miles away. Don't worry too much about that because if you rented, the rental agency will have been notified and cancelled your contract. If they recover the car they'll charge the towing fee to your credit card in addition to steep fees and penalties. You'll be blackballed by all the major rental agencies for years. Assuming you make your way to safety you'll be responsible for your bail as an out of towner. You'll also have to be available in person for a court hearing that will be weeks away at least, and possibly months. I imagine your passengers will be furious at you. There are almost certainly other unpleasant consequences, including your own areas driving license agency which may examine your suitability for driving. Your insurance agency will be greatly displeased and dramatically hike your rates. In short, DON'T DO IT! Unless you're a masochist who enjoys pain and humiliation.
You go to jail for driving on the shoulder, but not for getting caught breaking into cars a dozen times?
I've just watched another video about the worst parts of LA. I only spent a short time there but I remembered neighbourhoods that in total make up a very large area of the city to be avoided.
If you're looking for safety, Los Angeles is not the place to find it. When a car runs you over or a homeless crazy attacks you, it usually takes LAPD 20 to 40 minutes or more to do nothing, if you don't get a busy signal when you call 911.
Lived here all my life, and the only times I ever felt unsafe is around homeless in the tourist areas, it’s really bad. You can drive through anywhere in LA and no one will tell you anything you will be fine. Some of the best spots to eat are in “sketchy” areas and 99% of the time you will be fine, locals know you are supporting the small business so they leave you alone. Also fire season is usually around June- September.
Welcome to Los Angeles! Not only the westside, but L.A. county in general, is huge! Explore the SF valley, SG Valley, South Bay, but then again...traffic will be an issue. Unless if you don't mind.
From the westide to the southbay, or viseversa. I don't usually take the 405 freeway. The better option is Sepulveda, PCH (1).
LA was the only place I’ve seen a fast food place with armed gard and bullet resist glass where you ordered inside the restaurant. Really safe right.
Idk why but I want him to collaborate with German in Venice. That’s just me tho.
Thanks for the very informative video! As a Dubai resident, I am kind of used to the safety day and night, but with your tips, I might find my way around LA! It all depends on how you act and blend in.
What? You’re back travelling? Lucky you. Feel sad about the homeless there. Here, in another country, I always chat with them. They appreciate human interaction. So many more reasons than the obvious. Been to LA four time now. Cheers.
As an Australian who has never visited, thank you for your tips and videos. I think you'll save me a lot of money, and I feel better educated to see the good things.
Thank you. That is what we hope to do with our videos
@@ryanjones5521 The homicide rate in LA is 6.4 per 100,000. The Australian average is 0.9 per 100,000. LA is also more dangerous than basically any European or Asian country.
@@pokedude4494 Okay don't come here
Me too but learning from online or playing game and movie, everyone I did or mentioned was about America
@@pokedude4494 you are right, but a lot of those homicides involve a gang member killing another gang member, etc. Its not "random" for the most part.
I'm from Ohio, never been to California or NYC, so I'm not use to seeing a lot of homeless people.... however, I've been living in Sao Paulo, Brazil for 7 months now, and the first time l went into the center of Sao Paulo, wow.......a lot of homeless people!! I was in shock!
LOL, places not to go as a tourist. If only my mom and I had that advice before we went to LA in 2013. It put her off of traveling for a good half decade.
@@albundy3929 Yep, agreed. I was a young backpacker at that time who did not worry about that stuff. Feeling a bit nervous in LA has nothing on travel in say the West Bank or China. Never thought about it from her prospective in advance. We still had a great trip and stayed in a nice area, and we will be back in March, but with a better idea on where to avoid having to travel through.
@@albundy3929 Will do. Personally I loved your city. So much great food, beautiful beaches, and great sights. As for my mom, we are from a city of only about 1 million in Canada, and she works in a nursing home, so the things that bothered her were things that I college I've seen while partying in my own city, but that she is not accustomed to like people selling drugs or getting into fights on public transit.
As long as we avoid traveling through areas with gang problems at night we should be good.
One must do on my trip back since last time we were out of season is a game at Dodger Stadium. Let me know if you have any suggestions for 2 second time visitors and 3 first timers.
@@albundy3929 My mom and I both don't have a drivers license, which was the issue. Not sure yet, where do you think would be the best places to stay. At some point we need to get to the LA cruise port, but we can cab there.
a quick question! I’ll be commuting for work from Downtown area to Fashion District area which is only 30mins walk but everyone keeps saying I must drive even in that short distance. I’m thinking of a bike option but almost everyone keeps saying " get a car and drive!!" any advice will be appreciated,,! :)
First off LA is a very large city. 450 sq miles of city..so you have alot of different areas to visit all within the city limits. Then there are all the surrounding city to visit as well, Santa Monica Pasadena, Glendale etc. Downtown LA is safe place up until 12:00 am and past. Hollywood safe.. union Station safe Olvera street safe..griffith park/LA zoo safe. Easr LA Boyle heights safe. As to the drivers in the rain.. the majority of people u meet in LA are from other places we natives know how to drive in the rain however when it comes to snow, we are clueless unless u are from one of the mountain communities
All true! I went to LA a few days ago.. people will definitely be surprised by the driving on the freeway. I just have to stay calm, most drivers are steady, but i saw about 3-4 people weave and speed really bad. They will come within inches of you.
Good info!
Haha. My first time in California and I just drove into LA tonight from Vancouver Canada. We don't exactly have the best drivers up there, but after seeing some of the aggressive weaving and lack of signal lights on the freeways here, it kind of puts things into perspective. I would imagine the congestion must play a factor in people's intolerance and aggressiveness? I know one thing I'm not going to do is piss anybody off or lay on the horn. No point shaking the hornets nest 😆
@@lancemannion4113 I grew up in California, and every time I go to LA I see something really crazy, but it’s such a beautiful city with tons of amazing things to do so it’s worth it. I’m always extremely hyper vigilant on the freeway because you may have to slam on your breaks at any moment so just be ready. The bus or Uber is good too if you’re going somewhere with limited parking.
Hope you enjoy your visit!
@@Julie-ns3vh yep I'm realizing that signal lights are optional on the freeway lol. And pay attention to your navigation or you're going to miss your off-ramp! Having said that I had a brilliant first day and I really enjoyed Venice Beach and it's pretty much everything I imagined if not more! Crazy yet so fascinating and fun! Tomorrow the observatory and a hike up behind the Hollywood hill sign :)
@@lancemannion4113 true! We recently took my daughter to the observatory and the Getty for the first time. It was amazing! There are a lot of free museums and you only pay for parking so that’s nice. If you need any tips let me know:)
You can see the Hollywood sign really well from the observatory if you look west:)
I like the titles and the sound effect. It was fun!
Thanks
Really enjoyed the new style editing Mark! Nice job. I loved my trip to LA in 2019 and everything you mentioned is great advice. Cheers from Yorkshire, England 😎
If you are "middle class" or lower in California my advice is to get the hell out, the supply and demand curve is not on your side. Too many people want to live there and its built entirely for cars and the state is swathed over with low density single family housing. So basically over the last 30 years you have been systematically priced out.
thank you lot's.
I've visited L.A. about 10 different times over the last 20 years and I've always felt that it is generally very safe. I will say that it is a vacation where it is helpful to do a lot of research and get familiar with the different parts of the area before planning your trip as a lot of tourist attractions and areas are spread out from one another due to the hills and the way it is laid out. I mean it's not a city where you can just stay in a hotel downtown and you'll be able to walk to most of the attractions and nightlife areas and where you will be able to see everything in a 90 minute Big Bus Tour.
I lived in L.A. for fifty-seven years in the south bay area . You can have it!!!!
When did you leave?
@@carolynmansager6952 2011
One thing to consider for a future video. Visitors from other countries should get travel health insurance. I've heard horror stories of people getting injured/sick and getting stuck with huge bills.
We have a video on that :)
Thanks for addressing this! As someone who has never visited LA, the whole place looks pretty scary
@@ryanjones5521 What are you smoking? Mark is very accurate and fair in describing LA.
This video is spot on. I visited LA once in 2017 and i am never going back as a tourist . Coming from the East coast, it was a huge disappointment. You will see the Landmarks and things you grew up with but the reality of the places is very hard to miss.
@@ryanjones5521 ??? I feel like we watched a different video. He was standing on Venice beach, there were shots from all over-how do get mostly Manhattan Beach?
Homicides have gone up 26%, he didn't mention street takeovers which are increasing and dangerous.
Bro it's really safe here
It really is not scary. It’s a very safe city. Just don’t be stupid while visiting - just like any other city.
Thank you for the warning. I was planning to visit LA until I saw your video.
I was in LA the beginning of September for the first time. It was kinda scary at dark and the city seemed dirty.
I live in Orange County LA is truly disgusting including the people
@@skywalk78none94 orange county sucks ass. Hopefully fallout comes true and orange cointy becomes a giant crater some day
@@bruvlord1133 sounds like you’re from LA….. headassss
@@bruvlord1133 Orange County doesn't "suck" it's just mad racist. Other than that it's a nice safe place to visit if you know what parts to avoid.
I grow up in LA, and there are definitely areas that are bad, but most areas are not. There are good and bad things to every city, just us common sense, do your homework just like when you visit any city, and know where to go and where not to.
Warm greetings from Indonesia
Thanks Brother for all of the advice
Wish someday I could go to Los Angeles
Wish you always healthy and happy
God bless you and family
Smog/air quality in L.A. isn’t an issue except on the hottest days of the summer and/or when there is a wildfire. Check the AQI on your phone, and you’ll see that the air quality on most days is “good.” In June, L.A. has hazy, overcast skies in a phenomenon known as “June gloom,” but that’s just the marine layer, not smog.
If you don't see any homeless people, your not in Los Angeles anymore.
I’m nervous because I’m going there with no idea where I’m staying and no idea how to get around. My only plan is to buy a bus ticket and get home.
i enjoyed LA in the 70's Not so much now...Good luck if you go...enjoy
I enjoyed watching the 🎵🎶 video. 😁😁😁 I enjoyed it. (Laughs), I'll look forward to good videos in the future.^^💗💗
As someone who does live in LA, he’s on point! But there are some Beautiful, amazing fun places to see..
Thank you Sierra
I lived in California for a total of 10 years, and I have zero desire to visit LA...ever again.
@@mdstate829 it's a dirty, communist ran, hell hole. Not to mention the traffic.
how to make a safe nightborhood in sount central los angeles?
Would you be able to do a video all about beach safety? For example, what do to with your phone, keys, hotel pass, etc while on the beach?
We have a donts of a beach vacation video that kind of covers some beach safety stuff
Beautiful tips
Dubai is the Safest place on Earth for women to walk alone at night as well as safest city in general
Visited LA in June 2018. Went to the Griffith Observatory, Stood over the Hollywood Sign while hiking the Hollywood Hill trails, went to South Pasadena and Sierra Madre to video and photograph the Halloween Film locations, went to Hollywood Boulevard and saw Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom on re release at the Chinese Theatre, visited the Tar Pits Museum and Universal Studios. LA was fantastic. I had done my research in terms of safety and security before i arrived. I was staying in Koreatown which seemed fairly safe. There were a lot of homeless people around the area. I just completely avoided any of them and did not make eye contact. The LA Metro system was fantastic for getting around if you did not have car hire. I would definitely go again.
Hey man, glad you had a great time, how was your experience using the metro?
I’m thinking of visiting later this year but as coming from outside the US I don’t want to drive. I think I can get by with a combination of metro and Uber/Lyft but conflicting comments on this and other videos - some say the metro is fine, others that it’s dangerous for tourists - appreciate your opinion!
@@JJDoggettHi mate, nope I didnt have any problems with the metro, but I went on it during the day/early evening , never at late night though. San Francisco was a big no no for going out at night. That city has SERIOUS problems.
Check out Orange County just south of Los Angeles Not here at Anaheim where Disneyland is located but the surrounding affluent areas such as Newport Beach Laguna Beach it's a bit nicer safer. Dan host from I Allegedly on RUclips has a channel that should be of interest..
Not just LA but pretty much all of CA:
If driving on the freeway & roads and you are unfamiliar where your are going, avoid driving in the fast lanes. The homeless are everywhere and you will find people are homeless for a number of reasons: down on their luck, financial, mental issues, drug abuse and some who just like the lifestyle. Avoid giving handouts, because the gift you give only goes to that person, rarely does it go to others who actually need it. If you want to give, seek out services who deal with the homeless so that your gift can be better utilized. Smog is all but a thing of the past, when it does get bad are the days during the summer when there are local fires. Costumed buskers, best to just avoid them. Street performers, if they entertained you then tip them. Earthquakes, yeah we get them, but I am still alive and have been through some big ones. Bad neighborhoods, yes there are some bad ones everywhere but especially in LA, "know before you go." Rain, we don't get it too often so it is an issue. Oil accumulates on the roads during the summer months, the first rain storm creates a nice surface oil slick which often causes accidents and makes people paranoid. I would say the biggest danger to a tourist is the sun. Even on a cloudy day you can get burnt to a crisp, to avoid getting burned wear sunblock. There are many brands and kinds of sunblock. I prefer the non-greasy, waterproof kind while riding my cruiser along the beach trail in Huntington Beach. Hope to see you here.
I'm from Sao Paulo 🇧🇷, I remember when those "safety tips" videos were about us Lol.
As an angelino I approve this video 👍
The beauty has no boundaries in this video.
Perfect shots without any doubt
Californians are always in a rush & typically drive a lot faster especially on the freeways, without traffic the carpool lane usually does 80+ MPH. If you’re going slower or if there’s someone right behind you, switch lanes and let them pass. In California the unwritten speed limit is 10 MPH over the listed speed
Yup. If you go the speed limit, you risk being shot by a road rager
it’s just not people in LA don’t know how to drive in the rain. There is a lot of oil build up on the roads, since the rain is so infrequent. So, be extra cautious during the first time it rains.
I had to drop a like for Metal Gear sound effect for the Earthquake lol
A man yelling at you, while he’s taking a piss; sounds like Venice beach for sure. 😆
You always have such a nice way to make new friends, Mark :)
Wow! The traffic is bad? Thanks!