Los Angeles - What NOT to do in Los Angeles

LA native here .. everything in this video is pretty spot on! Don’t forget to check out surrounding cities in LA too like Malibu Pasadena !

New Zealander here 👋 I’m going to LA with my family in 1 week. Your videos have been super helpful! Thank you 😊

I spent a few days in LA in 2019 and learned 2 things very quickly. 1: If a local tells you to avoid a place, listen to them. I went down a street the front desk lady at the hotel warned me about and ended up tiptoeing around used syringes and having a cup of what I hope was coffee thrown at me from a moving car. this was right between Hollywood Blvd and Sunset Blvd so I 100% believe the point about Hollywood being grimy. 2: I swear every other person on Hollywood Blvd is gonna approach you with either something to sell, to take a picture in a costume like he said, or to invite you into a club or whatever I've never seen such aggressive salesmanship

Don't miss the Griffith Observatory! Such beautiful grounds. We took a guided hike up to the Hollywood sign at dusk and were at the back of it looking down on the city at night. Beautiful sight!

Your microphone's noise cancelling ability is quite impressive. Even that helicopter barely made it through.

I have spent half of my life here in Los Angeles, and for all of those watching this video all I have to tell you guys is that everything he’s saying is so accurate!! 👍🏼👌🏻

An important tip if you’ll be near the beach: dress in layers and bring sun protection. Depending on the time of year, your day may start off with mild shorts weather, then get hot by early afternoon, only for temperatures to plummet by late afternoon. And the whole time, if you’re not careful, you can burn—even if you’re just hanging out at restaurant patios. The climate seems mild—and often is—but you’re still in a desert next to the beach, where the sun & wind are real considerations.

One thing I always did with people the day of a flight out was go to Venice, Manhattan or Santa Monica. That way you're within striking distance of the airport guaranteed under 30 minutes AND you have stuff to do

Downtown has the Music Center, Grand Central Market, The Fasion District, The Jewelry District, Several great ethnic restaurants and some amazing architecture.

Wolter makes yet another fully accurate video! As an LA native, I fully agree with everything here but I will add the following: the metro (our rail system) is very nice and helpful IF it happens to be in an area you are staying AND going. So, on the whole, I agree that public transportation is not recommended for tourists, but if you're in an area that the metro operates, it's worth considering.

Used to live in Oakland, went down to LA a few times per year. I flew to Burbank or Long Beach whenever possible. Strongly disagree about "staying away from public transport." Nothing is worse than driving in LA as a tourist. Especially in trying to get to the airports. The LAX Flyaway Bus is a lifesaver and has its own lane for most of the trip to Union Station. The train at Burbank airport also makes life really easy.

As an LA native all i can say about Downtown is to visit Little Tokyo and Chinatown. They're neat places with lots of great food and an awesome night life. I wish I was kidding but expect homeless people to just be peeing and pooping on the streets, maybe in front of the restaurant where you're trying to have a good meal. Homeless has only gotten worse from the pandemic and I don't recommend spending all your time in downtown.

Born, raised and will probably die right here in LA. Everything in this video was absolutely correct with one exception. The ocean is only cold during the winter time, so if you visit during our warmer months, a bathing suit is just fine if you go in the water.

If at all possible, I very much recommend to fly in to Hollywood Burbank Airport instead of LAX for two reasons. 1- Hollywood Burbank Airport is considerably closer to the majority of tourist attractions than LAX. 2- This airport is much easier getting in/out and navigating of the two.

I am probably a little biased having grown up in Pasadena but there is so many places around Pasadena to visit in including the Norton Simon Museum, the Huntington Library and Art Museum, the Pacific Asia Museum, the Gable House (Doc Brown's house from Back to the Future), the Wrigley Mansion, the Rose Bowl and like 28 historic districts. If I travel alone to LA I try my best to show that public transit can be used in LA such as taking the Flyaway bus to Union Station then taking the Gold Line (soon to be the Blue Line) to Pasadena or wherever I am going. Next year I believe the new tunnel opens in downtown that will allow a through ride between Long Beach and Pasdena. Althouh my next trip in March will be with my family and with 3 teenagers we will be renting a car especially since we plan to go to places beyond the reach of public transit.

Just a heads up, locals often describe distance in terms of how long it takes to get there. Also, when a local says it’s a “20 minute drive” that means it can vary from 10 minutes to 45 minutes and a when it’s a “40 minute drive” it can vary from 30 minutes to 90 minutes.

As a local, the only "don't" I want to add is: Make sure to stay in reputable hotels that are clearly meant for tourists. There are all kinds of hotels here, some are very cheap (under $80/night) but many of them are not exactly meant for tourists, if you know what I mean. One myth I want to dispel: Downtown is not horrible. The problem is what "downtown" are you referring to. Obviously, you want to stay away from the areas in and around Skid Row, but there are parts of downtown around The Music Center which are a museum onto themselves with sculptures, fountains, architecture, and art everywhere. You could spend an entire evening walking from the John Ferraro building and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion down towards the Walt Disney Concert Hall on Grand Ave past The Broad and MOCA towards California Plaza (free outdoor concerts in the summer) to the Los Angeles Central Library which itself is massive and full of stuff to see. And finally, right next door, the US Bank building which has a small museum, an observation deck, a glass slide, and a upscale restaurant.

Beg to differ on the Hollywood sign. If you're into it, take a drive up to the trailhead and take a little hike all the way up to the sign. It's a good memory AND it's a great view of both the Valley and SC LA.

When you’re sitting on the freeway don’t forget to look for motorcycles riding between the cars before changing lanes! California is the only place I’ve lived this is a common practice.

What a wonderful video. Will take your advice seriously when moving to LA this summer. God bless you!