A Look at the Safest Areas to Stay in Los Angeles
Deciding on where to stay in LA? Take a look at this selection of neighbourhoods
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There have been plenty of iconic films over the years depicting the darker sides of Los Angeles. It’s mostly the stuff of Hollywood (which itself is a pretty safe part of the city), and you should have no trouble during your stay here. But you can never be too careful. The Fashion District sometimes attracts pickpockets and petty crime, while the likes of Skid Row and Downtown Los Angeles have developed a bit of a reputation for the shadier side of life, even if they do have cultural treasures (best viewed in daylight). Los Angeles also has a bit of a homeless situation and…wait, we're not selling this well at all, are we?
OK, let's start again. The vast majority of the place is totally clean and secure; it makes for a great family vacation. It's a children's paradise with its theme parks, while its array of affluent neighbourhoods with exclusive restaurants and bars will make you forget the darker side we overhyped as though it were a movie script in the previous paragraph. Let the professionals here at Plum Guide prove it to you with an in-depth look at the safest areas to stay in Los Angeles.
Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California
This upmarket neighbourhood has been the setting for numerous melodramatic television series. But you already know all about that right? Your stay in this haven for the city’s most prominent people is likely to be a little less histrionic than the TV series. Wander between the palm trees and gawk at the mansions, before retreating to your Plum home in the privacy of Beverly Hills.
Warner Brother's, Plum Guide home in Los Angeles
Venice Beach
Venice sign hanging over the Ocean Front Walk in Venice Beach, Los Angeles
Charming old theatres and trendy health cafés typify Venice Beach, with its long promenade and golden sand. Aside from occasional opportunists on the beach, you should be absolutely fine in this golden haven. Watch the street performers and get a tattoo or your own caricature by the sand just to shake things up a little.
Marina del Rey
Marina del Rey makes for a secluded little hideaway between Venice and the airport. Plenty of apartments overlook the port, granting you views of the selection of yachts belonging to the rich and famous. It’s known as one of the safest areas in Los Angeles. Just watch your step at night in the marina, as the biggest danger would be falling in the water when you’re not looking where you’re going. A friend of ours once did that after one too many margaritas. It was amazing. (They're fine now.)
Sea & Sky, Plum Guide home in Los Angeles
Manhattan Beach
No, not the New York one; that’d be a hell of a commute for a vacation. Manhattan Beach is another affluent neighbourhood by the ocean. Utterly serene and quiet, you’ll almost go mad from too much safety. Kick a kid’s sand castle. Leave your front door open and go to the beach, where you can scatter all your belongings in the sand just for the hell of it. (Don’t do any of that.)
Wood & Water, Plum Guide home in Los Angeles
Santa Monica
Ferris wheel and pier on the beach in Santa Monica, Los Angeles
What could be safer than your favourite Friends character with a Christmas hat on. We've made that joke before, but thought it was good enough to do twice. (Get in touch directly with us to ask for your time back.) But do consider staying in Santa Monica, with its massive two-headed pier holding a big ol’ colourful Ferris wheel and a bunch of arcades. It’s pretty safe here, providing you’re sensible and don’t flaunt too much of what you buy on the Third Street Promenade.
The Big Wave, Plum Guide home in Los Angeles
Malibu
Much more than just a drink, Malibu is actually a place too. And it’s full of golden beaches and rich people. It’s even safer than many of the exclusive aforesaid districts, so you’ve got nothing to worry about, as you embark on the scenic trails of the Point Dume and go surfing from Zuma Beach. Now, don’t go crazy and just leave your belongings all over the place…we're not buying you a new fitness watch.
Hollywood
Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California
Looks like you’ve made it – welcome to Hollywood. Dip in and out of Ripley's Believe It or Not!, the Hollywood Wax Museum and the Second City Hollywood Comedy Club on the Hollywood Boulevard. Visit the Dolby Theatre, where the Oscars are held, and think about how many of your favourite celebrities have stood where you stand. You can still smell some of the alcoholic ones. Inspect the names marking the floor of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but do keep an eye out for pickpockets and the like, especially after sunset.
Hollywood Golden Age, Plum Guide home in Los Angeles
South Bay
Another of the safest areas in Los Angeles is the South Bay area, which features such delightful coastal spots as the Redondo Beach, the El Segundo Beach and the Manhattan Beach, which we covered as an area unto itself a little earlier (not many travel guides slip such archaic words as unto into their prose, so feel free to send in some fan mail).
Bel Air
It’s a real place. We were as surprised as you are, but Will Smith doesn't tell a lie. Bel Air is about as exclusive as it gets, with deluxe mansions in an estate by the Sunset Boulevard. It’s so safe that you’re more likely to rob other people than vice versa. Rub shoulders with celebs in this secure and lavish little community. And take all their stuff when they’re not looking. (We're joking – don't do that.)
Contemporary Retreat, Plum Guide home in Los Angeles
If this insight into its neighbourhoods has you sold on LA, start planning your future trip to the city by browsing our collection of Los Angeles homes with pools.
