At the beginning of this tour, I told you that not all the stereotypes of Los Angeles are true. I don't want to leave you without talking about all aspects of downtown Los Angeles, good and bad. This underappreciated part of Los Angeles offers so much to see and do that it took me two days just to visit all the sights in this tour. With the new L. A. Live and Grand Avenue projects underway and many older buildings being renovated into residential units, downtown should grow more vital and fun.
Nevertheless, parts of downtown Los Angeles have been neglected for decades, and a noticeable homeless population can be seen on the streets. Downtown hotel concierges caution their visitors to be cautious after dark. However, Downtown Los Angeles News reports that downtown has one of the lowest crime rates in the city.
What you're more likely to encounter are pockets with rundown buildings, dirty sidewalks and small shops selling cheap goods. Riding the DASH bus will help you stay out of the fray, but at the same time distances you from experiencing everything that is downtown Los Angeles.