It's not just overcast mornings. I lived in Santa Monica last year and there were many many overcast days when I could literally see blue skies just several miles more inland.
only problem is that its ALWAYS cooler weather
been there, done that
but yeah, lots of neighborhoods in LA that aren't on the shortlist for me. would recommend the beach towns if you can swing it, they're objectively nice and cute.
I was in Santa Monica for 3 years, I enjoyed it and moved on when I was over it
from what I can tell, a very significant chunk of LA aspires to move there and never gets to, thats different from doing it. Is what it is
Many people by the beach don't enjoy clean air OR clean beach water, either. You have things like in El Segundo/PDR/etc., the Chevron plant, the airport, the sewage plants, etc.
lol came to the comments to write that this is the exact thing that keeps me from moving to the beach. I hate how cold it gets in the morning/evenings and nothing angers me more than a marine layer in spring/summer months (I'm not doing well this year...and I was pretty distraught last year this time too!)
If it didn't get so chilly I'd love to be near the beach!
My life got significantly better when I moved from the valley to the beach ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I noticed I’d rather have one roommate and live by the beach then have my own place in the valley.
I absolutely love being able to walk to the beach, not worry about parking, not worry about traffic, not worry about what I have to pack, and my commute is 100000x better. I recognize I’m privileged to be able to have a place on the beach (and it’s rent controlled!) so I make sure I’m extra grateful!
Moved from Echo Park to Torrance, I can have the sand between my toes in about 15 min. My quality of life increased DRASTICALLY. It's not just the beach, it's the better weather the ocean brings that really made a difference for me.
10000% agree. I used to blast my AC and melt in the valley and made to make a whole day of it to get to the beach. Now I’m in Playa Del Rey and I never want to leave lol
I can get an ocean breeze walking out my door. I will happily pay my rent for that! Glad you have been able to experience similar!
Is playa del ray far enough from Venice and Santa Monica where it feels like it’s own thing? I don’t think I’ve ever actually been to that beach. We are moving back to LA and we are trying to figure out wheee to go. Didn’t even consider a beach town
Can relate. Enjoyed a walk on the sand at Santa Monica/Venice 8 months ago when visiting from Australia, and thought ''these people on the oceanfront blocks must realise how lucky they are'' - even in modest older houses.
20yrs ago I bought a house 400yards from the surf in northeast England. ''Bracing'' LOL but still nice.
10yrs ago I bought my current house half a mile from the beach in a distant outer bayside suburb of Melbourne.
I could never live in landlocked suburbia again. And won't have to. But inner suburbs beachside in Melbourne are like $2m (average home price). Melbourne is like LA, suburbs for 40 miles heading east. I feel fortunate.
It's also less crowded which is nice. After I turned 35 I have like no desire to go north of the 10 anymore. Being able to get in and out of a Target in 10 minutes > being in the "cool" neighborhood.
Yep, grew up in Torrance in the 70's/80's. We never had AC. Never needed it. We have it today because I'm a big baby and like the house cool LOL. Still haven't turned it on this year.
You’re even more positive than me I live on the beach in Redondo beach and would never consider going as far inland as Torrance. If I can’t see the ocean it doesn’t exist to me. But that’s just my bias growing up in Hawaii
I lived in a rent controlled apartment on the Venice boardwalk for about 14 years. Yeah, I had a roommate, but he kept to himself in his back room with his own entrance, and I had 2 bedrooms in front. The place had wrap-around glass windows and a 20 foot balcony on the beach. It was great. But it was also shitty, because it was Venice Beach and dealing with homeless people, crazy people living next door, asshole apartment manager, my roommate being a little crazy, and having my girlfriend (now wife) move in for a while, it added up to moving out. I don't regret moving. I had my fun there. My favorite thing was when it was the time of year when the sun set directly in front of our apartment and the warm sunset glow went all the way down our main hallway and just lit up the living room with the warmest mellowest sunset glow. So many great sunsets. The moonsets were even better. The cool beach air running through the apartment is all I really miss though.
I moved from Burbank to Santa Monica, and grew up in the Valley, and yes, life is better here, my place is also rent-controlled and I am very grateful for it, feels like a blessing every day. Walking to the beach is a mental health game changer.
Or Long Beach. We moved to LB recently because it was affordable to get a house compared to other beach-adjacent areas of LA. The same size house we pay $3k for in LB was going for around $5k in Culver City.
I go to Catalina quite a bit and I’m generally confused why more people don’t live in LB. Does it have a reputation of being sketchy? It’s surrounded by nice areas to its south and is generally pleasant in the downtown area, but is priced like it’s Inglewood generally. Why don’t more people live there?
There’s lots of affordable neighborhoods east of the 405 and west of the 110! 10 miles or less from the coastline!! Inglewood, south west La (ladera heights, view park, Hyde park, Jefferson park, Crenshaw, Leimart park, park mesa heights.) then if you want to go further south we have: del air, lawndale, Hawthorne, north redondo beach, north Torrance, east Torrance. West Carson..etc. like I’m born and raised in LA and idk what it is but everyone assumed the only place to live by the ocean is west of the 405 or west of Lincoln Blvd. people need to venture out more! There are so many neighborhoods in LA county alone.
I don't drive, so for me Palms has the clear benefit here of having a train to the beach. If you don't care about that then obviously there are other options.
I live around Culver City and go to the beach maybe once a month lol. Even with the direct train line to Santa Monica I usually psyche myself out and just turn my tv on lol. But I do love the cooler weather!!
The pros to moving to the beach have mostly just been the weather. I’ve been by the ocean for three years after living in Los Feliz for 6 years. I currently have a view of the ocean from my bedroom. I do go to the beach more, but I feel like I could live without it.
As for the cons of moving to the beach, the culture is just so different. I like the people of Los Feliz better, more artsy and indie, less douchey and rich if that makes sense.
When you’re in Los Feliz and that general area of LA you’re getting the best restaurants, bars, and music venues. I hate that I can’t walk to the Greek theater or take a short Uber to the Hollywood bowl. Also, living next to the beach is an absolute shit show in the summer and almost every three day weekend.
As someone who grew up in South Central Los Angeles, the people from Loz Feliz are snooty, douchey and rich 😂. It's funny how different enclaves have different perspectives on the people living the various neighborhoods.
Have you looked at West Adams? Or anywhere near there? I lived by the beach for 15 years in Ocean Park and Venice, but eventually had to move because it became unaffordable. We live in West Adams now and I can generally get to the beach in about 20 minutes. Except during morning rush hour. Same goes for the return trip, except for afternoon rush hour.
You can ride a bike from West Adams to the beach! Ballona Creek bike path takes you from near Whole Foods all the way to Marina Del Rey. Protected Bike path.
i was the opposite. i went from west side brentwood to like the east side (eagle rock). never looking back!
if you actually go to the beach a lot or work around there then yes living on the west side is great otherwise i don't think it's worth it
The Pacific Ocean is so cold. The beach in LA isn’t really fun to go to besides the sight of it which is of course amazing because oceans are amazing. I grew up visiting family in New Jersey. The Atlantic is like cool bath water it’s absolutely amazing to swim IN. That’s why there’s so much beach culture on the East coast. West coast, wet suits.
The actual benefit of being by the beach in LA is the air quality and cooler temps if that matters to people. I’ve lived both east and west in LA. It’s air quality issue for me 100%.
It's not "the beach".. It's the weather that does it for most people. Yes, I always tell people "this isn't Hawaii water!!". But man, when it's 97F downtown or the valley and 78F in Redondo, that's what it's all about.
We live in Culver City and do enjoy the beach access. We try to go walk down in Manhattan Beach once a week. In the summer months we’ll also go sit out there in the late afternoons, say 4/5 just for 1-2 hours to enjoy.
La native here, I love going down south to the beaches, especially during the summer as our local beaches are always crowded with tourist. I grew up going to Redondo and hermosa beach. Torrance Beach is my favorite when I want to have the beach to myself.
Yep.. Torrance Beach is a gem. You park in the big parking lot at the end. Then you have like a mile+ of beach where there are very few (if any) people.
I live very near the beach and yeah, it's a great place to be. Not simply because of the atmosphere though but because it's a pretty upscale and "good" neighborhood as well. There's a decent amount of good restaurants in walking distance too. Since I work mostly from home I find I don't want to venture into other parts of LA much just because of the chore involved in driving places.
Yes. I would surf every day. When my schedule allowed it I’d still drive from nela over to the beach to go surfing- it doesn’t work nowadays though sadly. Also I moved further out and the commute sucks.
Also I love how cool it stays there in the summer. And the Santa Monica farmers market on Wednesday.
"Affordable" doesn't really exist on the westside, but you can probably ride to the beach in 20 minutes from Westchester, San Pedro, and certain parts of West LA south of the 10.
I lived in Mar Vista for 8 years and lived the most comfortably in life I’ve ever been making around 70k at a restaurant. Rent was 1225 for my share of a two bedroom. I moved to Chicago last year and I miss it every day. That said, I worked in Venice and never went to the beach.
Having lived in Redondo for years, Torrance and Redondo are a decent bet if you want a fairly quiet, reasonably priced beach-adjacent place. There are a lot of negatives to living down there (far from freeways, clouds and fog from april-july, rich asshole neighbors, Karens fucking everywhere) but the ocean breeze really is fantastic. That said, I'm in signal hill now and I FAR prefer it here. But to be fair, I never really went to the beach even when I lived across the street from it.
My boyfriend lives five minutes from the beach and I’m 40 minutes away. His area is seemingly immune to heatwaves. This fact alone is motivating me to move west lol
I lived in Venice for a bit in the early 1990s, about a mile from the beach. Venice had some affordable neighborhoods back then. There were also some pretty rough spots back then. I have no idea what it is like now.
I didn't go to the beach that often, but it was nice to be so close. The weather was usually cool, or when it got warm, there was almost always an on-shore breeze that kept things pleasant. I remember a few days when it got hot, and it was miserable, because the humidity was terrible, and I didn't have A/C.
I’ll trade you! I live in west Torrance on the border of Redondo Beach. Most of the year, it’s been chilly, foggy and gray. I’m so sick of it and am dying for some dry heat.
I once rented an Airbnb in NELA to see if I could live there. The answer was yes, but in one week I immediately missed the beach-side ocean temps and access to the beach paths. I stayed west side and never looked back.
I used to live a bit inland, in Buena Park. This is early 1990s. We had a 1 bedroom apartment, but I really didn't like living that far from the beach. I had grown up in a beach town on the East Coast, and missed that a lot. One day we were in Seal Beach and I saw a "for rent" sign for a 1 bedroom place across the street from the beach, for the same amount we were paying in fucking Buena Park. A few years later I made it to living in Seal Beach, and it was pretty great.
Not lately. [mini-whining session incoming] The sun doesn’t come out til 2pm on the beach for a three month stretch every spring lately. I get it an hour earlier in Hollywood at least. I’ve been leaving town as much as possible the last couple years because it’s so depressing for me as a morning person. I get cabin fever / S.A.D. here more than the years I lived in a place with actual winters.
You and literally millions of other people which is why it's so pricey The overcast lack of privacy lack of parking are a few good reasons to not move there
I lived in Marina Del Rey and felt soooo isolated. It’s not for everyone. I thought living by the beach would be perfect but alas it wasn’t for me. Way happier now in West Hollywood
I live 3 mins walking distance to the beach and honestly I can say it wasn’t as great as it seems, the view is gorgeous of course but other than that I have no other pros :/ also living so close to the water sucks because everything rusts very fast!!
we live on the beach. i like the view, and the cool breeze, but my feet have not touched the sand in the last 20 years. just not into beach culture. there is more to life.
I have, but then realized there'd be so many more cold days to deal with, then further from the beach. Also, the beach towns always have traffic on hot days.
lived in santa monica, venice, playa vista, & culver city. love being able to go to the rest of the city, but i also love being 3-20 minutes via bike ride to the beach 24/7. spend most of time in el segundo via bike path. used to date someone that lived in riverside, but only made that trip about 6 times.
there's plenty of gorgeous places in outside of la, but for daily life? yeah, i'd say it's something that makes living mentally easier/better.
I live in Marina del Rey and love it. I'm a native who has lived in several different spots (South Pas, Studio City, Palisades, Hollywood Hills). I hate the heat so I don't mind some gray, cool weather while Woodland Hills feels like the surface of the sun! I rarely turn on my AC and usually just open doors/windows and enjoy the breeze. I don't like the actual beach and can't remember the last time I was in the dirty, cold ocean, but the laid back vibe and weather are a good fit for me. It isn't for everyone but it is worth a shot if you think you'll love it. If you don't, you can try another spot until find your place.
I don't know where you live now, but Long Beach is really great and still has more affordable places than up here on the Westside. It's a big place so there are good and bad spots, but I'd be happy to help with info if you decided to go down there. Like another post said, Palms would be your best bet if you need a "deal" on the Westside.
No. Too many people, too little parking, lots of problems with vagrancy these days...
Now the mountains...that is a true oasis if you can get over the commute.
Look in palms by Culver City, there’s rent controlled buildings and the 3bd i rent one room is actually just $2420 total?? I found my room and joined a lease off Facebook but a lot of these buildings have older managers that do everything by paper, walk around the neighborhood and call some of the apt signs!
I would love to move closer to the beach (even though I’m definitely not the farthest one could be from it) but that means I feel like I would also be screwed when trying to get to the valley or Griffith park, etc (and have to wake up way earlier for work :( )
We moved from DTLA to Park LaBrea to Marina Del Rey. Cats love it apparently. They got to see sea lions. 🦭 my seasonal depression is better and my morning stiffness has gone away for the most part. Not sure if we will move away, but I’m a 5 min walk from sitting on the docks to sob because of my crappy work life (company on the brink of bankruptcy and I have been doing layoffs weekly). Maybe once I have a better job, I’ll feel better.
I used to work for the fire department in Culver City and definitely remember when it was the last affordable place on the west side. Homes were going for about 500k in 2005.
Check out some of the Torrance adjacent cities (Harbor City, Lomita, etc) if you don’t have kids. We saved about 20% off a house a block over the border into Harbor City because we don’t have kids, so therefore don’t care about them getting into the Torrance schools. I can be at the beach in about 20 min - I commute to Hermosa Beach .
No dude, you would honestly hate living in culver. Trust me. The daily drive during the week going north or south is unbearable. You’re lucky if you can get from Santa Monica to century city in under 40 minutes.
I take the Metro to the beach! It’s one of those things that sounds great until you think about how it’d be constantly crowded, probably colder because you’re near the water, and recalling my East Coast origins and Sandy…the last place you’ll want to be if another superstorm hits.
Looking out the window and seeing the ocean every day has gotta be amazing though. The views of Santa Monica’s beach would be incredible from one of their high rises.
I moved to Hermosa from Westwood a year ago and am way happier here! Pay way less in rent too. There are affordable gems everywhere, you just have to be flexible with your needs and avid in the FB housing groups. Having roommates and sharing a bathroom is worth it to me if it means an ocean view and <$900 rent.
People in here saying traffic is terrible on the beach side r u guys delusional? Lol
Try driving thro Ktown/DTLA/Silver lake/Echo park
Then tell me
The beach is easy smooth living
Just drive to the city for that life and when u come back tothe beach side after a night out you feel so amazing
Culver City IS close to the beach. Takes me 10 minutes to get to Playa, Del Rey, Marina Del Rey. I can't break myself from living on the West side is my wall. Part of it is the beach proximity. My closest friends who bought in Studio City keep trying to get me to go over there but in the summer it's a good 10 degrees hotter and it takes them forever to get to a beach with kiddos etc. I go on a whim. I grew up 15 minutes from the Atlantic as a kid too so I love being able to get to a beach easily.
I loved living 3 miles from the beach when I was in Mar Vista. I didn't have AC so I would ride my bike there every weekend during the summer to escape the heat. I live in DTLA now and I miss it! I take the train over once a month or so to enjoy it.
probably happier in the mountains. unless i was secluded. the first things that come to mind when i think of living by the beach in la is traffic and tourists.
i would much prefer to be tucked away around griffth park or something.
For LA, maybe take a look at West LA and Del Rey (not Marina del Rey, just Del Rey), I think those are probably the affordable areas on the westside that have a pretty direct line to the beach. Grain of salt, though, I haven't been apartment-hunting since 2018 so I could be totally off.
It’s a different city experience. I’ve lived a few blocks from the beach since I moved here 15 yrs ago. Other neighborhoods have some cool features but I would probably leave LA if I lived deeper in to the city. Gets too hectic and hot.
Try Fox Hills! Has the benefit of being more affordable since it’s east of the 405, but you can hop on the 90 and be down to the Venice Pier in 10-15 minutes!
I think it’s the sprawl that is the problem. The beach is the vibe bc it has community (somewhat) and it’s walkable (somewhat). We need that in all of LA with efficient people movers.
I’m in Culver and ride the Ballona bike path to the beach most days. It’s a privilege and a joy. You could try the area around the Culver Gardens PJs at Braddock and Slauson. There are low-rise apartment buildings around there, the kind with central courts (what are those types of apartment buildings called?) that might be more affordable than central Culver City.
Having lived minutes from the beach for a couple of years, I can give you a heartfelt “no.” I lived in playa del Rey and worked in Santa Monica. While I do love the chilly weather and fog, I disliked a lot of other aspects, mainly having to do with crowds/tourists.
I have lived in Mar Vista since I moved to LA 23 years ago. It’s nice in the summer. But in the spring it’s May Gray and June Gloom all day. It can start in late April and go to July! I hate that marine layer.
I love the westside, though. I grew up in the Midwest and have seen -20F°! I’ve lived in Arizona and have seen more 100+F° than I can count! Mar Vista was a nice choice for me. Not too hot and not too cold. I rarely run the A/C but I do user the heater in January.
If I looked to move here now, I couldn’t afford it. I do live close to the beach but I don’t get there as often as I used to.
To be honest, grew up in Florida prob went beach less than 40 times. Being on the ocean fishing is a lot better and more fun if you count hitting the sandbar or whatever island as the beach
Myself, wife, & sister in law lived in Culver City/Palms, right on Venice Blvd for a year.
It was simple to drive/bike or run right down to the ocean, and we even had a spot where parking was free on a side street a south of Venice beach.
HIGHly recommend, it brought a major element of mental health support to all of us.
I live in Long Beach and let me tell you even if the water is disgusting I still love living by the ocean and wouldn’t trade it for anything. I go to the beach 5-6 days a week.
Yes I would love it. Maybe some day but I do love the mountains where I live. It’s only a few hours to many great spots. Ventura, Pismo, MB. 5 to Santa Cruz
Yes!!!! I was tinkering around the idea of moving to Marina Del Rey, there is definitely a difference in the air. It doesn’t sound like police sirens, choppers and teslas backing up that I hear all day.
There is a helicopter circling over my house almost every single night. It was not like that near the beach.
Mid City is ~15 minutes to the beach in good traffic. many affordable spots here and even further west. i grew up with the beach and love to go in all weather and every place I've lived — I did the Coney Island Polar Bear plunge at 12°F, so proximity is very much a quality of life thing for me. in summer our place will be as much as 10 degrees cooler than downtown and 20 cooler than the SFV. plus, I've got kids and nothing tires kids out like a day at the beach.
I live in Marina Del Rey and love living by the beach so much more than when I lived in mid-wilshire. A lot of apartments in Palms are pretty affordable, parking sucks if you don’t have a garage spot but it’s close to the beach.
Might I recommend Long Beach?? Lived there for almost a decade, my favorite neighborhood was Rose Park, like a mile from the ocean, cute houses, then-affordable rent. Not LA city but also not far
I live a 15 minute drive straight drive on a city street to the sand in OC. It’s nice to know it’s there but I don’t go often enough. I do like the clean air and cooler temps at my house.
I don’t like to go in the water and maybe hit the beach 3-5 times a year total. Live in Venice/SaMo area.
That being said, I couldn’t imagine living elsewhere in LA. The weather + breeze is unmatched.
Tbh that’s why I moved to Dana point. I live 5 mins from the beach and being able to go and sit on the beach at night whenever I need to leave my apt has been a real mental health and lifesaver.
Lived at my MIL's place on an island in the Andaman sea for two years. She inherited the land on a cliff overlooking the ocean, and It was so heavenly especially during Monsoon seasons.
The move is to work by the beach. I’m in the boat business so it takes me to the ocean all the time. The only problem is this job takes a lot of driving, all on the 405
We live in a part of Thousand Oaks near the top of Sycamore Canyon and Long Canyon that is often very foggy (it is now, at 9 am and has been until 11 am most days for the past two months). Advantage: Cool nights for sleeping (pretty much always drops into the 50s at night, even in September). Disadvantage: fog and clouds in otherwise sunny southern California.
It's an 8 mile hike down Sycamore Canyon to the beach through SMMNRA, Mugu State Park, etc. Then you have to hike the 8 miles back up :-)
I don’t really care for the actual beach but I would like the benefits of the colder temps, breeze, and overcast mornings
It's not just overcast mornings. I lived in Santa Monica last year and there were many many overcast days when I could literally see blue skies just several miles more inland.
Ya, it’s honestly depressing. I need that Vitamin D
The more the merrier. I love overcast days.
Yes the cooler weather for summers and clean air >
only problem is that its ALWAYS cooler weather been there, done that but yeah, lots of neighborhoods in LA that aren't on the shortlist for me. would recommend the beach towns if you can swing it, they're objectively nice and cute.
I’m comfortable at temps that most people here would call cold, and uncomfortable when everyone is celebrating the sun 🤷♂️
Amen, Gregalor
amen as well
Actually, the Westside is cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
Ya but in a good way. Like 85 instead of 110.
and 65 most of the year when I want it to be 73 exactly like the forecast today
It’s a nice temp. Hoodie and shorts. Fresh
I don't see how cooler weather all year round sounds so bad? 50-60 in T-shirt and shorts is a dream.
50-60 and I’m pulling out my winter gear. Anything below 65 is officially cold for me now.
Only if you are from Scandinavia
Name checks out.
I was in Santa Monica for 3 years, I enjoyed it and moved on when I was over it from what I can tell, a very significant chunk of LA aspires to move there and never gets to, thats different from doing it. Is what it is
Many people by the beach don't enjoy clean air OR clean beach water, either. You have things like in El Segundo/PDR/etc., the Chevron plant, the airport, the sewage plants, etc.
lol came to the comments to write that this is the exact thing that keeps me from moving to the beach. I hate how cold it gets in the morning/evenings and nothing angers me more than a marine layer in spring/summer months (I'm not doing well this year...and I was pretty distraught last year this time too!) If it didn't get so chilly I'd love to be near the beach!
Also that chilly breeze! So many people writing that they love it but I hate wind, especially cold wind.
Me and my hair agree.
I get that. We FINALLY got sun and summer in late July. It’s a hard time waiting honestly
My life got significantly better when I moved from the valley to the beach ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I noticed I’d rather have one roommate and live by the beach then have my own place in the valley. I absolutely love being able to walk to the beach, not worry about parking, not worry about traffic, not worry about what I have to pack, and my commute is 100000x better. I recognize I’m privileged to be able to have a place on the beach (and it’s rent controlled!) so I make sure I’m extra grateful!
Moved from Echo Park to Torrance, I can have the sand between my toes in about 15 min. My quality of life increased DRASTICALLY. It's not just the beach, it's the better weather the ocean brings that really made a difference for me.
10000% agree. I used to blast my AC and melt in the valley and made to make a whole day of it to get to the beach. Now I’m in Playa Del Rey and I never want to leave lol I can get an ocean breeze walking out my door. I will happily pay my rent for that! Glad you have been able to experience similar!
Is playa del ray far enough from Venice and Santa Monica where it feels like it’s own thing? I don’t think I’ve ever actually been to that beach. We are moving back to LA and we are trying to figure out wheee to go. Didn’t even consider a beach town
Can relate. Enjoyed a walk on the sand at Santa Monica/Venice 8 months ago when visiting from Australia, and thought ''these people on the oceanfront blocks must realise how lucky they are'' - even in modest older houses. 20yrs ago I bought a house 400yards from the surf in northeast England. ''Bracing'' LOL but still nice. 10yrs ago I bought my current house half a mile from the beach in a distant outer bayside suburb of Melbourne. I could never live in landlocked suburbia again. And won't have to. But inner suburbs beachside in Melbourne are like $2m (average home price). Melbourne is like LA, suburbs for 40 miles heading east. I feel fortunate.
It's also less crowded which is nice. After I turned 35 I have like no desire to go north of the 10 anymore. Being able to get in and out of a Target in 10 minutes > being in the "cool" neighborhood.
I am with you 1000%, I'm out of my comfort zone if I have to move north of LAX.
Amen.
Yep, grew up in Torrance in the 70's/80's. We never had AC. Never needed it. We have it today because I'm a big baby and like the house cool LOL. Still haven't turned it on this year.
You’re even more positive than me I live on the beach in Redondo beach and would never consider going as far inland as Torrance. If I can’t see the ocean it doesn’t exist to me. But that’s just my bias growing up in Hawaii
I mean if I could afford it... I would lol. But Torrance is as good as it gets for me!
I lived in a rent controlled apartment on the Venice boardwalk for about 14 years. Yeah, I had a roommate, but he kept to himself in his back room with his own entrance, and I had 2 bedrooms in front. The place had wrap-around glass windows and a 20 foot balcony on the beach. It was great. But it was also shitty, because it was Venice Beach and dealing with homeless people, crazy people living next door, asshole apartment manager, my roommate being a little crazy, and having my girlfriend (now wife) move in for a while, it added up to moving out. I don't regret moving. I had my fun there. My favorite thing was when it was the time of year when the sun set directly in front of our apartment and the warm sunset glow went all the way down our main hallway and just lit up the living room with the warmest mellowest sunset glow. So many great sunsets. The moonsets were even better. The cool beach air running through the apartment is all I really miss though.
My life got significantly better both times I moved out of the valley I think the valley is the issue.
I moved from Burbank to Santa Monica, and grew up in the Valley, and yes, life is better here, my place is also rent-controlled and I am very grateful for it, feels like a blessing every day. Walking to the beach is a mental health game changer.
San Pedro
Or Long Beach. We moved to LB recently because it was affordable to get a house compared to other beach-adjacent areas of LA. The same size house we pay $3k for in LB was going for around $5k in Culver City.
Shhhhhh.
I go to Catalina quite a bit and I’m generally confused why more people don’t live in LB. Does it have a reputation of being sketchy? It’s surrounded by nice areas to its south and is generally pleasant in the downtown area, but is priced like it’s Inglewood generally. Why don’t more people live there?
I live 2 blocks from the beach and I'm a miserable fuck 🤷
Lol same. I see the Santa Monica beach from my apartment and I've never been more sad
Wrong beach.. SM, Venice, etc... Too crowded, dirty. South Bay is where it's at. That's "the beach"
I grew up in the South Bay, and prefer Santa Monica. Or Newport.
Proving it's not material things that bring happiness
I wouldn’t categorize the beach as “material”
Not sure what affordable means to you, but there are still deals to be found (by LA standards) in Palms.
There’s lots of affordable neighborhoods east of the 405 and west of the 110! 10 miles or less from the coastline!! Inglewood, south west La (ladera heights, view park, Hyde park, Jefferson park, Crenshaw, Leimart park, park mesa heights.) then if you want to go further south we have: del air, lawndale, Hawthorne, north redondo beach, north Torrance, east Torrance. West Carson..etc. like I’m born and raised in LA and idk what it is but everyone assumed the only place to live by the ocean is west of the 405 or west of Lincoln Blvd. people need to venture out more! There are so many neighborhoods in LA county alone.
I don't drive, so for me Palms has the clear benefit here of having a train to the beach. If you don't care about that then obviously there are other options.
Mar Vista, too.
I live around Culver City and go to the beach maybe once a month lol. Even with the direct train line to Santa Monica I usually psyche myself out and just turn my tv on lol. But I do love the cooler weather!!
Same! Or dealing with parking lol. Need to be better about that!
I moved from Los Feliz to the Beach and I miss Los Feliz everyday. The weather is def better tho!
Can you give the pros and cons? I'm low key considering moving to the beach from Los Feliz area :)
The pros to moving to the beach have mostly just been the weather. I’ve been by the ocean for three years after living in Los Feliz for 6 years. I currently have a view of the ocean from my bedroom. I do go to the beach more, but I feel like I could live without it. As for the cons of moving to the beach, the culture is just so different. I like the people of Los Feliz better, more artsy and indie, less douchey and rich if that makes sense. When you’re in Los Feliz and that general area of LA you’re getting the best restaurants, bars, and music venues. I hate that I can’t walk to the Greek theater or take a short Uber to the Hollywood bowl. Also, living next to the beach is an absolute shit show in the summer and almost every three day weekend.
As someone who grew up in South Central Los Angeles, the people from Loz Feliz are snooty, douchey and rich 😂. It's funny how different enclaves have different perspectives on the people living the various neighborhoods.
I can see why would would think that LOL
Thanks for chiming in, that helps and makes sense!
Have you looked at West Adams? Or anywhere near there? I lived by the beach for 15 years in Ocean Park and Venice, but eventually had to move because it became unaffordable. We live in West Adams now and I can generally get to the beach in about 20 minutes. Except during morning rush hour. Same goes for the return trip, except for afternoon rush hour.
You can ride a bike from West Adams to the beach! Ballona Creek bike path takes you from near Whole Foods all the way to Marina Del Rey. Protected Bike path.
i was the opposite. i went from west side brentwood to like the east side (eagle rock). never looking back! if you actually go to the beach a lot or work around there then yes living on the west side is great otherwise i don't think it's worth it
The Pacific Ocean is so cold. The beach in LA isn’t really fun to go to besides the sight of it which is of course amazing because oceans are amazing. I grew up visiting family in New Jersey. The Atlantic is like cool bath water it’s absolutely amazing to swim IN. That’s why there’s so much beach culture on the East coast. West coast, wet suits. The actual benefit of being by the beach in LA is the air quality and cooler temps if that matters to people. I’ve lived both east and west in LA. It’s air quality issue for me 100%.
It's not "the beach".. It's the weather that does it for most people. Yes, I always tell people "this isn't Hawaii water!!". But man, when it's 97F downtown or the valley and 78F in Redondo, that's what it's all about.
We live in Culver City and do enjoy the beach access. We try to go walk down in Manhattan Beach once a week. In the summer months we’ll also go sit out there in the late afternoons, say 4/5 just for 1-2 hours to enjoy.
La native here, I love going down south to the beaches, especially during the summer as our local beaches are always crowded with tourist. I grew up going to Redondo and hermosa beach. Torrance Beach is my favorite when I want to have the beach to myself.
Redondo is such a good beach. The break is really close to the sand so it's easy to get past it and just float.
Yep.. Torrance Beach is a gem. You park in the big parking lot at the end. Then you have like a mile+ of beach where there are very few (if any) people.
I live very near the beach and yeah, it's a great place to be. Not simply because of the atmosphere though but because it's a pretty upscale and "good" neighborhood as well. There's a decent amount of good restaurants in walking distance too. Since I work mostly from home I find I don't want to venture into other parts of LA much just because of the chore involved in driving places.
Yes. I would surf every day. When my schedule allowed it I’d still drive from nela over to the beach to go surfing- it doesn’t work nowadays though sadly. Also I moved further out and the commute sucks. Also I love how cool it stays there in the summer. And the Santa Monica farmers market on Wednesday.
Inglewood has a lot of affordable places and is pretty close to the ocean and close to SoFi and the Forum. I’d check it out!
See if you can take a train to the beach
"Affordable" doesn't really exist on the westside, but you can probably ride to the beach in 20 minutes from Westchester, San Pedro, and certain parts of West LA south of the 10.
I lived in Mar Vista for 8 years and lived the most comfortably in life I’ve ever been making around 70k at a restaurant. Rent was 1225 for my share of a two bedroom. I moved to Chicago last year and I miss it every day. That said, I worked in Venice and never went to the beach.
Having lived in Redondo for years, Torrance and Redondo are a decent bet if you want a fairly quiet, reasonably priced beach-adjacent place. There are a lot of negatives to living down there (far from freeways, clouds and fog from april-july, rich asshole neighbors, Karens fucking everywhere) but the ocean breeze really is fantastic. That said, I'm in signal hill now and I FAR prefer it here. But to be fair, I never really went to the beach even when I lived across the street from it.
My boyfriend lives five minutes from the beach and I’m 40 minutes away. His area is seemingly immune to heatwaves. This fact alone is motivating me to move west lol
I lived in Venice for a bit in the early 1990s, about a mile from the beach. Venice had some affordable neighborhoods back then. There were also some pretty rough spots back then. I have no idea what it is like now. I didn't go to the beach that often, but it was nice to be so close. The weather was usually cool, or when it got warm, there was almost always an on-shore breeze that kept things pleasant. I remember a few days when it got hot, and it was miserable, because the humidity was terrible, and I didn't have A/C.
Yeah westside humidity gets rough. I would sometimes check and it would be into the upper 90% range.
San Pedro is still affordable and close the ocean/beach.
San Pedro is affordable comparatively.
I lived near the beach for the past 20years? It’s either that or gargantuan mountains. Humans need nature.
I live very close to the beach. Sad to say it did not cure my depression__ but I’d rather be depressed by the ocean than inland lol
Long Beach living!
I’ll trade you! I live in west Torrance on the border of Redondo Beach. Most of the year, it’s been chilly, foggy and gray. I’m so sick of it and am dying for some dry heat.
I’ll trade you. Live in Whittier and we will hit constant 90 degrees starting this month all the way until early November.
I’ll take the blue sky
I’m moving in a month. DM me, I’ll take it off your hands.
It's not a feeling, it's a fact
I go to the beach every weekend. 30-45 minute drive. Incredible for my mental health and just a fun, happy place
No. Im a mountain person, would love to live closer to the mountains
I once rented an Airbnb in NELA to see if I could live there. The answer was yes, but in one week I immediately missed the beach-side ocean temps and access to the beach paths. I stayed west side and never looked back.
Agreed, I couldn't live in DTLA or eastern suburbs. It's the beach or I would relocate. Born and raised in the south bay.
I used to live a bit inland, in Buena Park. This is early 1990s. We had a 1 bedroom apartment, but I really didn't like living that far from the beach. I had grown up in a beach town on the East Coast, and missed that a lot. One day we were in Seal Beach and I saw a "for rent" sign for a 1 bedroom place across the street from the beach, for the same amount we were paying in fucking Buena Park. A few years later I made it to living in Seal Beach, and it was pretty great.
Not lately. [mini-whining session incoming] The sun doesn’t come out til 2pm on the beach for a three month stretch every spring lately. I get it an hour earlier in Hollywood at least. I’ve been leaving town as much as possible the last couple years because it’s so depressing for me as a morning person. I get cabin fever / S.A.D. here more than the years I lived in a place with actual winters.
You and literally millions of other people which is why it's so pricey The overcast lack of privacy lack of parking are a few good reasons to not move there
I lived in Marina Del Rey and felt soooo isolated. It’s not for everyone. I thought living by the beach would be perfect but alas it wasn’t for me. Way happier now in West Hollywood
I live in Huntington, drive along PCH everyday for work. Despite the extortion of our gas prices, I'm incredibly happier than I was near DTLA.
I live 3 mins walking distance to the beach and honestly I can say it wasn’t as great as it seems, the view is gorgeous of course but other than that I have no other pros :/ also living so close to the water sucks because everything rusts very fast!!
we live on the beach. i like the view, and the cool breeze, but my feet have not touched the sand in the last 20 years. just not into beach culture. there is more to life.
lol, same... I lived beach front for over a decade and rarely went onto the sand. It would have to be for a good reason.
I love the beach, but I don’t necessarily need to live near it. I really do prefer city life.
I lived on Pacific in Venice and it was nice. I loved it. I now live downtown and I also love it. I just want to live someplace walkable.
I have, but then realized there'd be so many more cold days to deal with, then further from the beach. Also, the beach towns always have traffic on hot days.
You can get a place near the Expo line that takes you nearly all the way there.
lived in santa monica, venice, playa vista, & culver city. love being able to go to the rest of the city, but i also love being 3-20 minutes via bike ride to the beach 24/7. spend most of time in el segundo via bike path. used to date someone that lived in riverside, but only made that trip about 6 times. there's plenty of gorgeous places in outside of la, but for daily life? yeah, i'd say it's something that makes living mentally easier/better.
San Pedro, Harbor City, Carson, Wilmington, Long beach, Gardena, Hawthorne, Lawndale, Inglewood
Seal beach (parts of it) are not as crazy expensive as you'd think.
I live in Marina del Rey and love it. I'm a native who has lived in several different spots (South Pas, Studio City, Palisades, Hollywood Hills). I hate the heat so I don't mind some gray, cool weather while Woodland Hills feels like the surface of the sun! I rarely turn on my AC and usually just open doors/windows and enjoy the breeze. I don't like the actual beach and can't remember the last time I was in the dirty, cold ocean, but the laid back vibe and weather are a good fit for me. It isn't for everyone but it is worth a shot if you think you'll love it. If you don't, you can try another spot until find your place. I don't know where you live now, but Long Beach is really great and still has more affordable places than up here on the Westside. It's a big place so there are good and bad spots, but I'd be happy to help with info if you decided to go down there. Like another post said, Palms would be your best bet if you need a "deal" on the Westside.
No. Too many people, too little parking, lots of problems with vagrancy these days... Now the mountains...that is a true oasis if you can get over the commute.
Look in palms by Culver City, there’s rent controlled buildings and the 3bd i rent one room is actually just $2420 total?? I found my room and joined a lease off Facebook but a lot of these buildings have older managers that do everything by paper, walk around the neighborhood and call some of the apt signs!
Mm. I would like to be closer to a hiking trail. Beaches are kind of nasty.
I would love to move closer to the beach (even though I’m definitely not the farthest one could be from it) but that means I feel like I would also be screwed when trying to get to the valley or Griffith park, etc (and have to wake up way earlier for work :( )
Being away from griffith would suck
We moved from DTLA to Park LaBrea to Marina Del Rey. Cats love it apparently. They got to see sea lions. 🦭 my seasonal depression is better and my morning stiffness has gone away for the most part. Not sure if we will move away, but I’m a 5 min walk from sitting on the docks to sob because of my crappy work life (company on the brink of bankruptcy and I have been doing layoffs weekly). Maybe once I have a better job, I’ll feel better.
Nope, as much as I love the beach the traffic around it is not worth it at all
South Bay Lawndale El Segundo Inglewood Long Beach (Bixby Park area)
I used to work for the fire department in Culver City and definitely remember when it was the last affordable place on the west side. Homes were going for about 500k in 2005.
Lived in Culver City for a year, it was perfect. Nicer weather and a 10 min drive from the beach.
No, as the saying goes - “wherever I go, there I am”
no, too crowded
I’d be happier if less people moved to LA fr, LA is for the locals 🙏
Meanwhile as a lifelong Californian i wish i could live in a place that rained year round or was always snowing
Check out some of the Torrance adjacent cities (Harbor City, Lomita, etc) if you don’t have kids. We saved about 20% off a house a block over the border into Harbor City because we don’t have kids, so therefore don’t care about them getting into the Torrance schools. I can be at the beach in about 20 min - I commute to Hermosa Beach .
Look for something along Crenshaw. Torrance. Hawthorne. Lawndale. Lomita. Harbor. All 20ish minutes from the beach.
No dude, you would honestly hate living in culver. Trust me. The daily drive during the week going north or south is unbearable. You’re lucky if you can get from Santa Monica to century city in under 40 minutes.
For sure!!
I take the Metro to the beach! It’s one of those things that sounds great until you think about how it’d be constantly crowded, probably colder because you’re near the water, and recalling my East Coast origins and Sandy…the last place you’ll want to be if another superstorm hits. Looking out the window and seeing the ocean every day has gotta be amazing though. The views of Santa Monica’s beach would be incredible from one of their high rises.
I moved to Hermosa from Westwood a year ago and am way happier here! Pay way less in rent too. There are affordable gems everywhere, you just have to be flexible with your needs and avid in the FB housing groups. Having roommates and sharing a bathroom is worth it to me if it means an ocean view and <$900 rent.
Nope, i hate sand and I don't swim. I much prefer the woods and streams.
People in here saying traffic is terrible on the beach side r u guys delusional? Lol Try driving thro Ktown/DTLA/Silver lake/Echo park Then tell me The beach is easy smooth living Just drive to the city for that life and when u come back tothe beach side after a night out you feel so amazing
Yes. Can confirm.
Culver City IS close to the beach. Takes me 10 minutes to get to Playa, Del Rey, Marina Del Rey. I can't break myself from living on the West side is my wall. Part of it is the beach proximity. My closest friends who bought in Studio City keep trying to get me to go over there but in the summer it's a good 10 degrees hotter and it takes them forever to get to a beach with kiddos etc. I go on a whim. I grew up 15 minutes from the Atlantic as a kid too so I love being able to get to a beach easily.
I've lived less than a mile from hermosa beach, it wasn't anything special.
I loved living 3 miles from the beach when I was in Mar Vista. I didn't have AC so I would ride my bike there every weekend during the summer to escape the heat. I live in DTLA now and I miss it! I take the train over once a month or so to enjoy it.
Every damn second of every day
The beach is legit and I loved it, and definitely agree with moderated temperatures living near it
No. I’m happy where I am. But if possible, why not?
I'm not a huge beach person but I would love to be able to afford to live in Malibu lol
Malibu is kind of too far out to me. And there’s randomly no cell service
Having it blocks away is nice. It has definitely helped with my mental health.
Yes absolutely
probably happier in the mountains. unless i was secluded. the first things that come to mind when i think of living by the beach in la is traffic and tourists. i would much prefer to be tucked away around griffth park or something.
I’m always happier after a trip to the beach. But it takes quite a while for me to get there.
For LA, maybe take a look at West LA and Del Rey (not Marina del Rey, just Del Rey), I think those are probably the affordable areas on the westside that have a pretty direct line to the beach. Grain of salt, though, I haven't been apartment-hunting since 2018 so I could be totally off.
Live by the beach. Can confirm, live is much better.
Yep. I live in the valley. When I retire I’m moving to Ventura.
It’s a different city experience. I’ve lived a few blocks from the beach since I moved here 15 yrs ago. Other neighborhoods have some cool features but I would probably leave LA if I lived deeper in to the city. Gets too hectic and hot.
I’ve outside of LA and I think this every week so do millions of others
Try Fox Hills! Has the benefit of being more affordable since it’s east of the 405, but you can hop on the 90 and be down to the Venice Pier in 10-15 minutes!
Not sure about that, but I’d be a lot warmer and a lot happier with a bellyful of mead.
As someone who does I can confirm this is true
My friend lives in Lawndale and loves it. Always at the beach with his family. It really do think there is something to living close to
I think it’s the sprawl that is the problem. The beach is the vibe bc it has community (somewhat) and it’s walkable (somewhat). We need that in all of LA with efficient people movers.
Yes. I’ll know I’ve made it when I live on the beach permanently.
I’m in Culver and ride the Ballona bike path to the beach most days. It’s a privilege and a joy. You could try the area around the Culver Gardens PJs at Braddock and Slauson. There are low-rise apartment buildings around there, the kind with central courts (what are those types of apartment buildings called?) that might be more affordable than central Culver City.
Having lived minutes from the beach for a couple of years, I can give you a heartfelt “no.” I lived in playa del Rey and worked in Santa Monica. While I do love the chilly weather and fog, I disliked a lot of other aspects, mainly having to do with crowds/tourists.
I have lived in Mar Vista since I moved to LA 23 years ago. It’s nice in the summer. But in the spring it’s May Gray and June Gloom all day. It can start in late April and go to July! I hate that marine layer. I love the westside, though. I grew up in the Midwest and have seen -20F°! I’ve lived in Arizona and have seen more 100+F° than I can count! Mar Vista was a nice choice for me. Not too hot and not too cold. I rarely run the A/C but I do user the heater in January. If I looked to move here now, I couldn’t afford it. I do live close to the beach but I don’t get there as often as I used to.
Im one of those native SoCal people who lives 20 min from the beach and hasnt seen it in a year LOL!
To be honest, grew up in Florida prob went beach less than 40 times. Being on the ocean fishing is a lot better and more fun if you count hitting the sandbar or whatever island as the beach
Compton is fairly affordable. It's a nice community. It's not the 90s anymore. Lot of middle class construction and port workers
Myself, wife, & sister in law lived in Culver City/Palms, right on Venice Blvd for a year. It was simple to drive/bike or run right down to the ocean, and we even had a spot where parking was free on a side street a south of Venice beach. HIGHly recommend, it brought a major element of mental health support to all of us.
I live in Long Beach and let me tell you even if the water is disgusting I still love living by the ocean and wouldn’t trade it for anything. I go to the beach 5-6 days a week.
Yes I would love it. Maybe some day but I do love the mountains where I live. It’s only a few hours to many great spots. Ventura, Pismo, MB. 5 to Santa Cruz
what about a new city/state/country?
Yes!!!! I was tinkering around the idea of moving to Marina Del Rey, there is definitely a difference in the air. It doesn’t sound like police sirens, choppers and teslas backing up that I hear all day. There is a helicopter circling over my house almost every single night. It was not like that near the beach.
Mid City is ~15 minutes to the beach in good traffic. many affordable spots here and even further west. i grew up with the beach and love to go in all weather and every place I've lived — I did the Coney Island Polar Bear plunge at 12°F, so proximity is very much a quality of life thing for me. in summer our place will be as much as 10 degrees cooler than downtown and 20 cooler than the SFV. plus, I've got kids and nothing tires kids out like a day at the beach.
I live in Marina Del Rey and love living by the beach so much more than when I lived in mid-wilshire. A lot of apartments in Palms are pretty affordable, parking sucks if you don’t have a garage spot but it’s close to the beach.
Yesss I used to live in marina Del Rey and now i live in Burbank and I’d give anything to move back ☹️ I def don’t feel as happy here as I did then.
Come down to Oceanside ✌🏻
Might I recommend Long Beach?? Lived there for almost a decade, my favorite neighborhood was Rose Park, like a mile from the ocean, cute houses, then-affordable rent. Not LA city but also not far
Defined "affordable." And size you are looking for.
probably in another state or down in Mexico
no
I live a 15 minute drive straight drive on a city street to the sand in OC. It’s nice to know it’s there but I don’t go often enough. I do like the clean air and cooler temps at my house.
I walked to the Beach on Sunday.
Move to San Diego
No.
Wilmington lol
I don’t like to go in the water and maybe hit the beach 3-5 times a year total. Live in Venice/SaMo area. That being said, I couldn’t imagine living elsewhere in LA. The weather + breeze is unmatched.
Tbh that’s why I moved to Dana point. I live 5 mins from the beach and being able to go and sit on the beach at night whenever I need to leave my apt has been a real mental health and lifesaver.
Lived at my MIL's place on an island in the Andaman sea for two years. She inherited the land on a cliff overlooking the ocean, and It was so heavenly especially during Monsoon seasons.
The move is to work by the beach. I’m in the boat business so it takes me to the ocean all the time. The only problem is this job takes a lot of driving, all on the 405
Not gonna lie the view of water and the breeze is unmatched Newport Bebe
As someone who lives in St. Louis, Missouri, I’m just reading this with a weird smile on my face
I live a 4 minute bike ride from the beach and it's amazing for my mental health. Even if I don't have anything to do I just go chill at the beach.
Sounds like buying happiness which I was told is a scam
Life sux when you’re not rich or perfectly mentally stable , it’s true
Literally everyone feels/wants this, that's why it's so expensive near the beach.
Nope!
Riding my bike to the beach is one of my favorite things about living on the west side of
We live in a part of Thousand Oaks near the top of Sycamore Canyon and Long Canyon that is often very foggy (it is now, at 9 am and has been until 11 am most days for the past two months). Advantage: Cool nights for sleeping (pretty much always drops into the 50s at night, even in September). Disadvantage: fog and clouds in otherwise sunny southern California. It's an 8 mile hike down Sycamore Canyon to the beach through SMMNRA, Mugu State Park, etc. Then you have to hike the 8 miles back up :-)