The second most populated city in the U.S., Los Angeles has long been recognized as the city of glitz and glamour—from its Hollywood connections to its amazing Mediterranean weather. And whether you’re new to the City of Angels, just visiting, or are considering a move to the city, here are a few quick tips for living in Los Angeles.
1. Know your neighborhoods of Los Angeles
As with most cities, Los Angeles is home to many, many distinct neighborhoods—more than 470 according to the most comprehensive neighborhood map of L.A. If that seems a little overwhelming, start by learning the regions of the area, such as the Westside, Central Los Angeles, Northeast LA, San Fernando Valley, South Los Angeles, the South Bay, the Verdugos, and the Eastside.
From their, we recommend doing some exploration—the previously linked map is a great resource—to finding which distinct neighborhoods suits you.
2. Yes, Los Angeles traffic is bad, but it’s also manageable.
L.A. is really spread out, which makes traffic congestion much, much worse, though not completely unmanageable. For starters, we recommend learning the highways by numbers such as the 101, 405, or 210. It’s best to get familiar with these soon, as you’ll likely be spending a lot of time together. A good tip would be planning most casual driving between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Otherwise, you can check out the L.A. Metro and other public transit options. The city has invested much in its light rail and subway system, and Los Angeles has one of the top 10 public metro systems in California.
3. How to find the right apartment in L.A.
More than half the residents of Los Angeles are renters, with more than 64% living in apartments according to a Zillow report.That being said, chances are good that you’ll be living in an apartment too. Locals would recommend three tips to finding the right apartment in Los Angeles:
- Accept that you will have a roommate, embrace it even. Roommates will drastically cut the cost of your rent and utilities as well as help you meet new people if only by association.
- Find a place near your job. Review the first two points: tons of neighborhoods and lots of traffic. You can reduce your commute by finding a place in an area near your place of employment.
- Always keep your eyes and ears open to luck out when looking for a new apartment. Frankly, you never know when you’ll hear of the perfect place opening up.
4. Enjoy yourself in the City of Angels
Once you get settled in, it’s time to enjoy the city. As you’ll see in most residents and natives, Los Angeles is a city that enjoys itselfs and the many amenities it offers. For starters, L.A.’s weather is awesome. It’s average high temperature is anywhere from upper 60s to upper 70s, and the average low doesn’t dip below 50. The city has some amazing beaches—from the Santa Monica Pier to Manhattan Beach. And there’s so much more for you to explore.
These are just a few tips, do you have one? Share it below. In the mean time, one last tip we have is to use Los Angeles self storage. The city is big and space can come at a premium, and a storage unit in Los Angeles can give you more room to live with a lower cost of living.
Click here to learn more about how Los Angeles storage facilities can help you!
