Touring LA Area- What neighboorhoods should we avoid??

[RalphMouth]

I'm so excited as we will be in Disneyland two weeks from today

We bought the City Pass and will do DL & DCA for 3 days, Knotts, Sea World, and the San Diego Zoo. We also have tickets to see a taping of 'The Price Is Right" as well as the ABC TV show 'According To Jim.'

Obviously we will be doing lots of driving in the SoCal/LA basin. I've been looking at maps and will be staying on the freeways most of the time.
However, there are times when it looks like taking a major road could save me time. For example - Going from CBS down to Newport Beach.

Last time I visited LA was in 2000 as we went to watch a college football game at the Colisieum. I was shocked at the 'tough' neighborhood surrounding USC and was glad we took a bus spnsored by my team's alumni association as I wouldn't want to have been in my car after dark there.

Other than this area could people please let me know about other parts of LA & the streets that I should avoid. I'm sure tourists stick out in the crowd & don't want to be an easy target.

 

[Magix]

What street were you thinking of taking from CBS to Newport? I can't even figure one that would work. Probably, on that route, you'd want to stick to the freeways. If you're in your car, you won't really have a lot of trouble anywhere, but I'd probably suggest that you avoid the areas of LA borded by Wilshire Blvd, the 110 fwy (including downtown LA), the 10fwy and over to the 405 in the airport area. Basically, try to avoid the downtown/Watts/South Central kind of areas. You'd likely not encounter a problem, but you'd feel very uncomfortable, particularly if you didn't know your way around. Let me know which streets you're looking at and I'll take a look at my own map here and let you know which areas you'll go through that you might be concerned about.

 

[RalphMouth]

What street were you thinking of taking from CBS to Newport? I can't even figure one that would work. Probably, on that route, you'd want to stick to the freeways. If you're in your car, you won't really have a lot of trouble anywhere, but I'd probably suggest that you avoid the areas of LA borded by Wilshire Blvd, the 110 fwy (including downtown LA), the 10fwy and over to the 405 in the airport area. Basically, try to avoid the downtown/Watts/South Central kind of areas. You'd likely not encounter a problem, but you'd feel very uncomfortable, particularly if you didn't know your way around. Let me know which streets you're looking at and I'll take a look at my own map here and let you know which areas you'll go through that you might be concerned about.

this is what I have to do-

Friday April 8th we have a 6 p.m. taping of "According To Jim" at CBS Studio Center- check-in is no less than 4:30 p.m. so we probably should be there between 2:30 & 3:00 p.m.

we are staying at HoJo's the night before & are thinking of going to DCA when it opens and staying till lunch ?? 12 noon or 1 p.m.

Don't know when we should leave to get at CBS ontime & the best way to get there other than I-5 north to either 101 or I-10.

Once the taping ends we will be going to Newport Beach to stay 7 nights.
Looks like the 405 south is the best way to do this but should I take Santa Monica Blvd over to the 405?

again- I was really surprised that a college as well known as USC was
surrounded by such a lousy neighborhood. I hope this part of LA
I saw is as bad as it gets because I really felt uneasy being there.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

At first I thought you were at the studios by the La Brea Tarpits, but it looks like you'll be at the studios in Studio City - which is past Universal Studios. I really discourage driving on the surface streets as you have some distance to get there.

CBS Studios Center
CBS Studio Center
4024 Radford Avenue
Studio City, California 91604

(818) 655-5000

CBS Studios is located where the star is in the upper left. Disneyland is located in the lower right corner - Anaheim, off of the 10 fwy.

I recommend taking the 5 north to the 101 north (to Ventura), and then returning via 101 north to the 405 south.

 

[Magix]

If Mary Jo's guess is correct and you'll be in Studio City for the taping, then go with her directions. It will be the easiest route. If you're going to be at the CBS location next to Farmer's Market, then Santa Monica Blvd. to the 405 will work (nothing at all to worry about on Santa Monica Blvd - would be a nice drive). You could also do La Brea to the 10fwy to the 405, or you could take La Brea to the 10fwy to the 110 to the 405. The La Brea/10 area is a little icky, but I've driven it many times. You won't have a problem on your way to the freeway - it's just not pretty street to look at (although above Wilshire, it's quite nice). You probably won't get out of the taping until 8pm or so, in which case traffic should be pretty well done and you should have smooth sailing.

 

[RalphMouth]

If Mary Jo's guess is correct and you'll be in Studio City for the taping, then go with her directions. It will be the easiest route. If you're going to be at the CBS location next to Farmer's Market, then Santa Monica Blvd. to the 405 will work (nothing at all to worry about on Santa Monica Blvd - would be a nice drive). You could also do La Brea to the 10fwy to the 405, or you could take La Brea to the 10fwy to the 110 to the 405. The La Brea/10 area is a little icky, but I've driven it many times. You won't have a problem on your way to the freeway - it's just not pretty street to look at (although above Wilshire, it's quite nice). You probably won't get out of the taping until 8pm or so, in which case traffic should be pretty well done and you should have smooth sailing.

sure sounds like Wilshire Blvd is a bad place to be ....am I correct ?
I remember Western being bad and that was probably 15-20 yrs ago.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Wilshire Blvd in the Wilshire District is really nice - you have museums there, La Brea Tarpits, and Rodeo Drive ends there. As you go south, the neighborhood isn't the best, but other than locking my doors (& I do that everywhere), doesn't worry me. You can go west on Wilshire Blvd all the way to the 405 fwy, or take Santa Monica all the way to the 405. UCLA will be just to the north of you, and that is a nice neighborhood.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

http://www.digitalcity.com/losangeles/entertainment/event.adp?evid=1851917


According to Jim
• Next: 4/1 , 6:00PM;
CBS Studio Center
4024 Radford Ave.
Studio City, CA 91604
818-655-5000

Since 'The Honeymooners,' when Ralph Kramden's bombast was first burst by his wife's common sense, television has had a tried-and-true sitcom premise -- the clueless but lovable husband grounded by his ever-forbearing wife. Since the fall of 2001 Jim Belushi has comfortably embraced the role of the pudgy, slightly adolescent husband who is continually learning lessons from his attractive and sensible wife (played by Courtney Thorne-Smith of 'Melrose Place' and 'Ally McBeal'). Add in two typically cute television kids and some zany relatives, and you have the makings of a predictable but ratings-solid family sitcom. The show not-so-subtly plays upon Baby Boomer memories of John Belushi's Blues Brothers act by having younger brother Jim play in a garage band devoted to Chicago blues. Whether a guy like Jim could ever get a girl like Thorne-Smith in real life, it is apparently possible on television. At least 'According to Jim.' -- Christopher Cappiello

Taping Season:
'According to Jim' shoots on Friday evenings at 6:30PM, from August to March.

Ticket Information:
Audience members can snag tickets by calling Audiences Unlimited at 818-753-3470 or visiting their Web site (www.audiencesunlimited.com). You may also order tickets through the mail by sending a SASE, with a note indicating the show you would like to see, the number of tickets and your preferred date, to: Audiences Unlimited, 100 Universal City Plaza, Building 3153, Universal City, CA, 91608.

Audience Information:
Audience members should arrive 90 minutes before show time. Studios are kept cool because of the hot lights, so it is advisable to bring a sweater. While the show is only a half-hour, taping can last for several hours, so plan to be there for the entire evening. Leave cell phones, pagers, cameras and recording devices of any kind at home as they will be confiscated at the door. Audience members must be at least 18 years old for this program. (Photo: Courtesy of ABC)

Special Events: Television Show Taping

 

[Magix]

Wilshire itself is okay, it's the stretch of La Brea between Wilshire and the 10fwy that might be uncomfortable for you... but not so bad that you really need to worry about it much, if you're just driving through. Just low-rent is all (ha ha - like "low rent" exists in LA - it's just icky rent, how about that?).

From what Mary Jo just posted, though, it looks like you won't be in that area. If you're in Studio City, you've got nothing to worry about. It's a good area.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

(ha ha - like "low rent" exists in LA )

Ain't that the truth!

 

[jlmarr]

If you're in Studio City, you've got nothing to worry about. It's a good area.

In fact, as the name implies there are a lot of movie studios in the area, including Disney, Warner, and Universal. You owe it to yourself to at least drive by the Disney Studio if only to see the west coast version of the BAH: http://www.justdisney.com/Features/disney_studio

And one of my favorites is one of the original Bob's Big Boy restaurants: http://www.bobs.net.

 

[almostGoofy]

again- I was really surprised that a college as well known as USC was
surrounded by such a lousy neighborhood. I hope this part of LA
I saw is as bad as it gets because I really felt uneasy being there.

Yes, that area is probably as bad as it gets in L.A. It's the northern part of south-central which is where the riots after the Rodney King trail occurred although the riots did expand westward out of south-central.

I'm a Trojan so I can give you a little insight about the area. When the university was created in the early 1900's; that area was a very affluent area and considered to be on the outskirts of Los Angeles. A few of those marvelous homes of that era still remain but overall, it's a pretty unsafe area now. As students, you knew that you don't wander past certain streets around the university. On the plus side, the university does a lot of outreach to the community which is why, in part, it was chosen as the best university a couple of years ago by, oh what was the magazine; U.S. News? The university does not try to isolate itself.

 

[kap10]

We just returned from LA last night and my only advice to you is allow plenty of time when driving! We are in the DC area and familiar with backed up traffic -- but the LA traffic is terrible all the time! I have never seen so many cars and so much slow traffic -- plan accordingly!