How safe?

[tylerandalexsmom]

One more question! I am making a trip to DLR in December, and it will be just me and my two children 14 & 7 (ok, well the 14 year old is taller than me! ) and we are going to stay at the Loews Hollywood Hotel (at the Hollywood and Highland Center) for a little sightseeing the first night before we go to DLR for the rest of the trip. I am normally not a nervous traveller, and I know to be sensible. But since it will be just me and the kids in a touristy area, I don't want to be a big ol' target either! I was thinking of walking around the area that afternoon, and hopefully taking in a show at El Capitan across the street, but will it be safe walking across and back in the dark if we take in a show that gets out at say 9 or 9:30? (that time of year, I assume it will be dark by then)

Also, I was planning on going to Union Station and taking a train from LA to Anehiem -- I thought they would enjoy seeing Union Station, and they love trains, so I thought a train ride would be fun (I know we have to get a cab to get there from the hotel, and then from the Anehiem station to the DLR hotel). But then I started wondering about how safe that is? I've only ever ridden a train from Union Station once before, and it was with a group on a privately chartered train. So I don't want to take my two children on somethink like a NYC subway in a bad area and get mugged or something!!!!! (Not trying to give anyone a bad rep here..... just trying to be safe!)

I don't want to be overly-paranoid , and its probably perfectly fine as long as we keep our valuables tucked away, but then I also live where I feel perfectly comfortable going out to the store alone at night and people leave their cars and houses unlocked all the time, so don't want to do something dumb and have a bad experience (especially with my kids!) Thanks!!

 

[StageTek]

Even at night, the Hollywood/Highland area is quite safe. Lot's of people there - tourists and locals and police. Lot's of families, too. If you take in a show at the ElCap there will be hundreds of people leaving the theater, too.

You can take the subway from Hollywood/Highland to Union Station. The LA subway is very safe. Amtrak is very safe, too. You're right, Hollywood/LA is not a place where people leave their houses and cars unlocked but the two areas you're asking about are not dangerous areas.

 

[AngieMouse86]

One more question! I am making a trip to DLR in December, and it will be just me and my two children 14 & 7 (ok, well the 14 year old is taller than me! ) and we are going to stay at the Loews Hollywood Hotel (at the Hollywood and Highland Center) for a little sightseeing the first night before we go to DLR for the rest of the trip. I am normally not a nervous traveller, and I know to be sensible. But since it will be just me and the kids in a touristy area, I don't want to be a big ol' target either! I was thinking of walking around the area that afternoon, and hopefully taking in a show at El Capitan across the street, but will it be safe walking across and back in the dark if we take in a show that gets out at say 9 or 9:30? (that time of year, I assume it will be dark by then)

You'll be just fine walking around, day or night. As the PP said, there are lots of people in that area, especially at night. There may be some aggressive CD sellers and the costumed characters can be pushy to get you to pose, lol, but that's about all. I wouldn't walk around outside the immediate Hollywood & Highland complex area in the evening or later though. The club scene gets more prevalent as you head East and it just gets less tourist-y/family friendly that way.

Also, I was planning on going to Union Station and taking a train from LA to Anehiem -- I thought they would enjoy seeing Union Station, and they love trains, so I thought a train ride would be fun (I know we have to get a cab to get there from the hotel, and then from the Anehiem station to the DLR hotel). But then I started wondering about how safe that is? I've only ever ridden a train from Union Station once before, and it was with a group on a privately chartered train. So I don't want to take my two children on somethink like a NYC subway in a bad area and get mugged or something!!!!! (Not trying to give anyone a bad rep here..... just trying to be safe!)

I don't want to be overly-paranoid , and its probably perfectly fine as long as we keep our valuables tucked away, but then I also live where I feel perfectly comfortable going out to the store alone at night and people leave their cars and houses unlocked all the time, so don't want to do something dumb and have a bad experience (especially with my kids!) Thanks!!

I would disagree though about taking the Subway. Not to say that is isn't safe (last time I saw crime statistics, LA Metro was higher than NYC but lower than DC, Philly and Boston) but it isn't always a pleasant experience. I've never been robbed or anything, but there's always a fair share of *colorful* characters, along with indigents and peddlers. Plenty of harmless folks, too, but not something I'd do with kids.

So, I guess I'm saying don't discount it completely, but think about your family and how your kids might feel about sharing a ride with things of that nature. The Amtrak ride would be very nice, I do enjoy Amtrak.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[tylerandalexsmom]

Thanks! Makes me feel better. I am usually pretty fearless when I travel (probably more so than I should be!). And probably wouldn't have even thought if it I it was just me. But since my children will be with me I just wanted to make sure. I did see that there is a metro from H&H to Union Station (and I've been all over DC in the metro), but I pretty much already decided I would feel better just having the hotel call us a cab. Plus we will have luggage, so a cab would probably be easier anyway than trying to take the metro. But just wanted to make sure the train ride itself was safe so the kids could enjoy the ride!!

Btw, I was just gonna wait til we get to the station to buy tickets - looks like there is a train about every 30 minutes or so in the mornings. That way we could take our time eating breakfast, checking out, getting there and looking around. Will that work or should I plan a specific time and purchase tickets in advance?

 

[woody73]

. . . taking the Subway. Not to say that is isn't safe . . . but it isn't always a pleasant experience. I've never been robbed or anything, but there's always a fair share of *colorful* characters, along with indigents and peddlers. Plenty of harmless folks, too, but not something I'd do with kids.

For the most part, I've found L.A.'s subway to be okay. But I've also seen some heated arguments that escalated to near fistfights.

Woody

 

[StageTek]

So we did this yesterday (Oct 2) - me and my nieces 8 and 11.

Subway from Hollywood to Union Station: 7:15AM - $4.50
Metrolink from Union Station to Anaheim: 8:00AM - $26.25
ART to DLR: $12.00R/T

Then back, leaving DLR at 9:30PM
The 10:20PM Amtrak ($37.50) was an hour late so we didn't get to Union Station until midnight. I wanted to take a cab back to Hollywood but the girls (still full of energy - how do they do it) wanted to take the subway again so we jumped on at 12:12AM. A total of $84.75 for three of us.

No issues at all on the subway even at that time of night. I was surprised how crowded the train was - not standing room, but a lot of people.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

So we did this yesterday (Oct 2) - me and my nieces 8 and 11.

Subway from Hollywood to Union Station: 7:15AM - $4.50
Metrolink from Union Station to Anaheim: 8:00AM - $26.25
ART to DLR: $12.00R/T

Then back, leaving DLR at 9:30PM
The 10:20PM Amtrak ($37.50) was an hour late so we didn't get to Union Station until midnight. I wanted to take a cab back to Hollywood but the girls (still full of energy - how do they do it) wanted to take the subway again so we jumped on at 12:12AM. A total of $84.75 for three of us.

No issues at all on the subway even at that time of night. I was surprised how crowded the train was - not standing room, but a lot of people.

Thank you for this report.