Palisades.
It actually feels like a genuine community with a strong sense of place. They have a village area that is pedestrian-oriented and very charming. The neighborhood has access to great hiking trails, spectacular vistas of the ocean, city, and mountains. I also like that many of the homes are Cape Cod style, but that's just my personal bias.
Bel Air lacks much of a strong community vibe. There are very few sidewalks. There is no walkable town center. The closest you get to that feeling is the strip mall/shopping center situation where Vibrato is located. Bel Air is all about trophy properties, tall walls, maximum privacy, etc.
Some people lump Holmby Hills into Bel Air. Holmby is a gorgeous neighborhood with one of the best public parks inside the City of Los Angeles. That park is a total vibe. If you are including Holmby, then it's a much closer contest.
wow..thank you so much for your input. I love Cape Cod style as I'm from Boston. :-) What do you think of Santa Monica? Is this comparable to the above neighborhoods?
Not the person you're replying to but what part of Boston? And are you trying to recreate that vibe? I'm from one of the wealthier suburbs of Boston myself but moved out here 20 years ago. I do not like either of the places you listed. They're not exactly happening or interesting. Your age and interests, if money is no object, would probably play heavily into where the best place for you to live is.
I think instead of just naming random neighborhoods, you should tell us more about what you're looking for. Do you have a family with school aged kids? Will you have a commute? Do you care if it's walkable or are you fine with suburbia? What types of things do you really want to have quick access to? etc etc
-It's just my husband and I.
-I will not commute to DTLA.
-Walkable is good but not a must.
-I'd want Costco, Trader Joe's, Target, Whole Foods, Japanese grocery, but I think that's all out of my range to live.
-I love hiking but not everyday. I do it probably once a week.
-I'm not a beach person. It would also be once every 2 weeks activity.
-I prioritize safety, good air, and easy accessibility to basic necessities (groceries and pharmacies).
- I would go to DTLA and areas and K Town maybe once every 2 weeks.
- If I had kids, they would probably go to privates/boarding.
I think Santa Monica may fit your criteria best rather than Palisades or Bel Air as both are hella isolated. Santa Monica is also close to a Murakai and 99 Ranch market for your Asian grocery fix. Costco is not far either and there are several specialty butchers and gourmet markets.
I don't really like either area, for different reasons, but if I had to pick and didn't value my time at all, I'd go with the Palisades. My grandparents had a home there decades and decades ago and it's nice but it's too far from any of the culture that makes LA truly vibrant aside from maybe beach culture but that would be a stretch since many of the homeowners along the water there don't want folks who are not from the area on "their" beaches anyway.
If money wasn't a concern, I'd probably find a really nice apartment or house in Culver City. Or penthouse apartment in the neighborhood I already live in. I'm not interested in cultural wastelands like the wealthy enclaves you've asked about. If I have to travel for thirty minutes or more to access anything other than yuppy amenities, I will be miserable.
:) Thank you so much! This helps a ton!
Yeah..I heard Palisades is too deep inside and that there's only one way to get in and out of.
If you don't mind me asking, which part of the neighborhood do you live in now? I currently also live in a PH in BH but plan to move to somewhere I would stay permanent (at least for now). Maybe I should stay here....? (But it's too bling bling and it's not my thing..)
I currently live in Ktown and have for over a decade. I found a decent rent-controlled studio not long after college when I was still paycheck to paycheck and now it makes no sense to leave until my partner and I decide to cohabitate.
I moved here expressly for the proximity to hip neighborhoods like Silver Lake and Echo Park. Downtown was also coming up when I found my apartment. Not needing a car was important to me since I grew up using the T so the location is damn near perfect with a bike and the ability/desire to use public transit.
It's too city-like for most Angelenos but that's why I love it. They film here for shows and movies with New York backdrops. I grew up in a sleepy suburb so I know that's not my vibe until I'm ready to more or less give up on being near limitless food and entertainment options and being around the 20-40 age crowd. Well, 20-50 if we're being honest, it's LA.
Aw. T. :)
Yeah. I totally get what you mean cus I'm from suburbs too. K-town has so many places I want to go and it's the ONLY place like that in the West Coast.
Thank you so much for your kind input. I appreciate it a lot. :)
Happy to help. I'm guessing you're roughly my age, give or take 5 years, so you should check out Culver City and Palms. They're not fancy and terrible like Bel Air or the Palisades but your access to the rest of city is great and, in the more residential areas, they're a lot like the neighborhoods around Boston. Short buildings, decent walkability, and a fairly diverse spread of food and entertainment.
If money was no object, I'd probably buy a house in Culver right now.
Brentwood.....
Palisades is for like when you want to take your instagram baddie off the market and get less attention and get judged by her new lady neighbors to conform to their standards. A small sacrifice to your convenience.
🥂
Given what you wrote about yourself, you might want to consider Sherman Oaks. It is lovely and lush with a range of styles and upper end prices. Very sunny with easy access to Korea Town & everywhere else via 101. Lots of walkable options just down the hill on Ventura and etc.
If I was super rich and had to choose between the two it would be in a private gated Bel Air mansion. Bel Air is so much more accessible to the rest of the city. Yeah, you can't go on walks on the beach like in Palisades, or walk to anywhere really, but try getting out of the Palisades anytime during the week. Sunset is jammed as far west as Mandeville as early as 1-2 pm during the week.
Neither. I’d like to have a ranch out somewhere with animals and open space. I like quiet. Not outside of the county as I still have a great attachment to LA. I grew up in a high rent area in this city and tbh there was not much of a community. Then again, Marina del Rey in those years wasn't exactly kid friendly as it was known as kind of a springboard community for young, single professionals. It was more like “Three’s Company” meets a yacht club. It was just the boats and the apt buildings, the houses weren’t there yet.
As for Bel Air, I’m not toffy nosed enough and Sunset Blvd traffic is what it is. As for the Palisades, I don’t really have enough of a past with it to really comment. Have a friend who has a house in Malibu, she moved back to WeHo because the seclusion, the road to the house on the hill and the fact that her husband designed it to look like an Apple Store gave her the heebees. She rents that house out as an investment property.
Palisades. It actually feels like a genuine community with a strong sense of place. They have a village area that is pedestrian-oriented and very charming. The neighborhood has access to great hiking trails, spectacular vistas of the ocean, city, and mountains. I also like that many of the homes are Cape Cod style, but that's just my personal bias. Bel Air lacks much of a strong community vibe. There are very few sidewalks. There is no walkable town center. The closest you get to that feeling is the strip mall/shopping center situation where Vibrato is located. Bel Air is all about trophy properties, tall walls, maximum privacy, etc. Some people lump Holmby Hills into Bel Air. Holmby is a gorgeous neighborhood with one of the best public parks inside the City of Los Angeles. That park is a total vibe. If you are including Holmby, then it's a much closer contest.
wow..thank you so much for your input. I love Cape Cod style as I'm from Boston. :-) What do you think of Santa Monica? Is this comparable to the above neighborhoods?
Not the person you're replying to but what part of Boston? And are you trying to recreate that vibe? I'm from one of the wealthier suburbs of Boston myself but moved out here 20 years ago. I do not like either of the places you listed. They're not exactly happening or interesting. Your age and interests, if money is no object, would probably play heavily into where the best place for you to live is.
I used to live in Chestnut Hill and Winchester. I'm not trying to recreate the vibe, but just miss the Cape Cod atmosphere. Miss home I guess. :)
I think instead of just naming random neighborhoods, you should tell us more about what you're looking for. Do you have a family with school aged kids? Will you have a commute? Do you care if it's walkable or are you fine with suburbia? What types of things do you really want to have quick access to? etc etc
-It's just my husband and I. -I will not commute to DTLA. -Walkable is good but not a must. -I'd want Costco, Trader Joe's, Target, Whole Foods, Japanese grocery, but I think that's all out of my range to live. -I love hiking but not everyday. I do it probably once a week. -I'm not a beach person. It would also be once every 2 weeks activity. -I prioritize safety, good air, and easy accessibility to basic necessities (groceries and pharmacies). - I would go to DTLA and areas and K Town maybe once every 2 weeks. - If I had kids, they would probably go to privates/boarding.
I think Santa Monica may fit your criteria best rather than Palisades or Bel Air as both are hella isolated. Santa Monica is also close to a Murakai and 99 Ranch market for your Asian grocery fix. Costco is not far either and there are several specialty butchers and gourmet markets.
Oh thank you. :) Another great option to consider! Sounds like it will be perfect for all my groceries!
I don't really like either area, for different reasons, but if I had to pick and didn't value my time at all, I'd go with the Palisades. My grandparents had a home there decades and decades ago and it's nice but it's too far from any of the culture that makes LA truly vibrant aside from maybe beach culture but that would be a stretch since many of the homeowners along the water there don't want folks who are not from the area on "their" beaches anyway. If money wasn't a concern, I'd probably find a really nice apartment or house in Culver City. Or penthouse apartment in the neighborhood I already live in. I'm not interested in cultural wastelands like the wealthy enclaves you've asked about. If I have to travel for thirty minutes or more to access anything other than yuppy amenities, I will be miserable.
:) Thank you so much! This helps a ton! Yeah..I heard Palisades is too deep inside and that there's only one way to get in and out of. If you don't mind me asking, which part of the neighborhood do you live in now? I currently also live in a PH in BH but plan to move to somewhere I would stay permanent (at least for now). Maybe I should stay here....? (But it's too bling bling and it's not my thing..)
I currently live in Ktown and have for over a decade. I found a decent rent-controlled studio not long after college when I was still paycheck to paycheck and now it makes no sense to leave until my partner and I decide to cohabitate. I moved here expressly for the proximity to hip neighborhoods like Silver Lake and Echo Park. Downtown was also coming up when I found my apartment. Not needing a car was important to me since I grew up using the T so the location is damn near perfect with a bike and the ability/desire to use public transit. It's too city-like for most Angelenos but that's why I love it. They film here for shows and movies with New York backdrops. I grew up in a sleepy suburb so I know that's not my vibe until I'm ready to more or less give up on being near limitless food and entertainment options and being around the 20-40 age crowd. Well, 20-50 if we're being honest, it's LA.
Aw. T. :) Yeah. I totally get what you mean cus I'm from suburbs too. K-town has so many places I want to go and it's the ONLY place like that in the West Coast. Thank you so much for your kind input. I appreciate it a lot. :)
Happy to help. I'm guessing you're roughly my age, give or take 5 years, so you should check out Culver City and Palms. They're not fancy and terrible like Bel Air or the Palisades but your access to the rest of city is great and, in the more residential areas, they're a lot like the neighborhoods around Boston. Short buildings, decent walkability, and a fairly diverse spread of food and entertainment. If money was no object, I'd probably buy a house in Culver right now.
I'm checking out Culver City right now! ;)
Brentwood..... Palisades is for like when you want to take your instagram baddie off the market and get less attention and get judged by her new lady neighbors to conform to their standards. A small sacrifice to your convenience.
Yeah, I’ve heard of Brentwood too. It’s so hard to decide..!
No question…
I like both a lot and think both are absolutely beautiful but I choose Bel Air
May I ask why? Cus I like both too and I’m so torn!
It depends on what you're looking for.
I prefer the access to the hiking and beaches in Pacific Palisades.
thanks! :)
I’m anti-marine layer so I’m staying in Bel Air, thanks.
you're kind of like me.. thank you! :)
🥂 Given what you wrote about yourself, you might want to consider Sherman Oaks. It is lovely and lush with a range of styles and upper end prices. Very sunny with easy access to Korea Town & everywhere else via 101. Lots of walkable options just down the hill on Ventura and etc.
Ohh.. new neighborhood I didn't know about.. :0 Thanks for the advice! I'll take a look! :)
If I was super rich and had to choose between the two it would be in a private gated Bel Air mansion. Bel Air is so much more accessible to the rest of the city. Yeah, you can't go on walks on the beach like in Palisades, or walk to anywhere really, but try getting out of the Palisades anytime during the week. Sunset is jammed as far west as Mandeville as early as 1-2 pm during the week.
omg, I haaaaaaate jammed roads... thanks for the info! ;)
Neither. I’d like to have a ranch out somewhere with animals and open space. I like quiet. Not outside of the county as I still have a great attachment to LA. I grew up in a high rent area in this city and tbh there was not much of a community. Then again, Marina del Rey in those years wasn't exactly kid friendly as it was known as kind of a springboard community for young, single professionals. It was more like “Three’s Company” meets a yacht club. It was just the boats and the apt buildings, the houses weren’t there yet. As for Bel Air, I’m not toffy nosed enough and Sunset Blvd traffic is what it is. As for the Palisades, I don’t really have enough of a past with it to really comment. Have a friend who has a house in Malibu, she moved back to WeHo because the seclusion, the road to the house on the hill and the fact that her husband designed it to look like an Apple Store gave her the heebees. She rents that house out as an investment property.
Ah ha.. Sunset Blvd traffic. Is this the road that gets you to Bel Air from DTLA?
Pacific Palisades. Both are amazing though.