I would say that visiting downtown Los Angeles is a must, over the last decade or so there has been a lot of investment in rejuvenating this area. It has been transforming itself into a very lively place with a mix of historical and modern attractions to please and inform visitors.
Downtown LA has over 10 different neighbourhoods for you to visit. We’ll give a quick summary of the different areas you should visit to get the full experience of downtown LA and one at the end you probably shouldn’t:
Chinatown
Most big cities around the world have a Chinatown and LA is no different. In recent times there has been a transformation here to change warehouses and industrial spaces into office and creative places. The area is also adding more residents with home building projects ongoing.
For you visiting the main attractions are Chinatown central plaza and probably the most visited by tourists who are checking out this neighbourhood. This is seen as the heartbeat of this community with many restaurants, shops and seems to always have some sort of event going on.
Arts District
Located near the LA River and rail yards the Art’s district as you can guess is home to creative types and spaces that help shape the art and trends of the future. It is also a hot property area with homes selling for high prices as the popularity of this area keeps growing.
What are must do’s and sees here? Well there are many places to dine and this area is known for hosting some of the City’s best restaurants but unfortunately that comes at a price. What I would recommend is grabbing a coffee and walking around this district and looking in the windows of the many designer and boutique shops. Maybe at night go and have a few drinks and just take in the atmosphere.
Bunker Hill
This place is where you’ll see world class architecture at play and the skyline dominated by the Bank of America building. During the week the place is bustling with 9-5 business workers.
Visiting as a tourist there are many artistic places to see. The Walt Disney Concert Hall is certainly one of them, where you can see one of the worlds best regarded orchestras ‘LA Phil’. You can take a ride on the world’s shortest railway ‘Angels Flight railway’ connecting you to California Plaza.
Little Tokyo
Historically known as a hub for the Japanese who had immigrated from Japan. Little Tokyo is one of the most walk-able areas in downtown LA, it has many retail outlets with a mixture of traditional and new.
It is also home to the Japanese American National Museum which is well worth a visit. Other tourist spots or things to do, Explore Japanese Village Plaza. In the Village Plaza you will find Japanese themed shops along with authentic eateries.
Another option is Double Tree Hilton Kyoto Gardens Rooftop, where you will find waterfalls, greenery and just a tranquil setting with views of downtown LA. The garden is meant for guests only but you can still enter and not be bothered by staff.
South Park
This place used to be an area of many car parks along with non de-script warehouses. Today that has changed and you will now see it being a place of homes, entertainment and places to eat. You will also find many hotels here given its great location.
Things to do here? I would say the main option if you can get tickets is to see an LA Lakers game at the STAPLES center. I hate to admit it, but Americans sure know how to throw a sporting event and engage the audience as much as possible during intervals of the actions.
Financial District
You would think this is where all the major banks/ law firms hangout and you’d be mostly right. But what you’ll also find here is lot’s of shopping opportunities, restaurants and places to drink. Also this district is at the centre of downtown LA also at the heart of the Metro rail system.
Other things to do in the Financial District include the ‘Grand Central Market’. This place is a paradise for any foodie and has a diverse array of stalls to satisfy anyone. You can also go to ‘The Broad’ , a modern art museum.
Historic Core
This place is seen as the beginning of why Los Angeles is one of the best known cities in the world. It contains the world’s largest concentration of movie palaces. You will find a lot of the classic buildings have now been converted into both offices and homes.
What are the things to see here? I think the main thing here is to enjoy the architecture of the many buildings that were built post WW2 and now converted as mentioned above.
Central City East aka ‘Skid Row’
Not the most attractive name on the list and not saving til last because it’s the best. But we did say a full downtown LA experience so how could we miss out ‘Skid Row’ Known for it’s huge homeless population as many as 5,000 people live on the streets here in such a small area.
Should I go to Skid Row? I would say no, don’t unless you have a reason to pass through it which you shouldn’t. If you still want to pass through, certainly do this during the day and don’t be looking around like it’s a tourist attraction. Instead pass through as quickly as possible and make sure you have all your valuables safely away in your pockets or bags and hold on tight.
In Summary
There is just so much to downtown LA in such a small area. Hopefully the above has given you a better idea of what to expect from the different areas. As you will have noticed a lot of development has taken place over the last 10-20 years and is still ongoing today.
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