7 Misconceptions I found After Living in Los Angeles for a Month.

For the past month, I’ve been living in Los Angeles, specifically West Hollywood. Before moving here, people warned me about 7 things that I see now as misconceptions.

1. It’s too far to walk somewhere!

No way, man! Maybe in the suburbs! Despite popular wisdom, many parts of Los Angeles are walkable! People think all of LA is annoying and congested, but that isn’t true; there are plenty of alternatives. While most people seem to get around by car, there are walkable neighborhoods such as West Hollywood, Koreatown, and Fairfax, to name a few. West Hollywood has an abundance of walkable, safe areas that have everything you need. I have three different grocery stores less than half a mile from my apartment! West Hollywood has great shopping options because there’s a ton of small boutiques and huge department stores. One day walking with friends, we walked down Sunset Blvd to go to Fred Segal. On the way back, we stopped to check out the famous book store Book Soup and then went on Melrose Ave to get some Hibachi (I love living in West Hollywood!).

2. The people are fake.

Hollywood is often depicted as a place with an abundance of snooty, fake people. While that does ring true here, it’s not all Hollywood. I have been blown away by how friendly and down-to-earth most people are in Los Angeles, especially at the dog park! Although LA has its share of superficial people, many people make an effort to be social and kind. Like anywhere else, you can find both. People are also really well-traveled here, meaning they’re exposed to different cultures and are less likely to be biased or close-minded.

3. Everyone is an aspiring actor!

I’m an actor, and I’ll admit it: LA has a pretty strong entertainment industry presence. But you will meet people from all different walks of life in LA. In fact, Los Angeles County is the largest economic center in California and the 2nd largest in the country. Before moving here, I was expecting everyone to be thinking about their next big project. While that does happen, the majority of the people I’ve met so far don’t have anything to do with the entertainment industry at all.

4. The Traffic is Horrible!

I know it’s a big city, but I was told that traffic was absolutely terrible here — and while there is some congestion, it’s not as bad as I thought. AND parking, in my opinion, has been much better than expected! LA was ranked #1 worst traffic in the United States (not anymore! source ), but that isn’t true for everyone. The crazy traffic (the worst being on the 405) is mostly near Hollywood or parts of Downtown, where many people work in entertainment or government jobs. Nearby neighborhoods don’t share this problem; they’re more residential with fewer commuters nearby. In fact, some neighborhoods like Santa Monica are tiny and walkable because people don’t rely on their cars to get through their day-to-day lives!

5. Los Angeles is a cultural wasteland.

This one surprised me, but I can honestly say that there are more theaters and museums here than in New York City). There’s even a thriving underground theatre scene in LA; you just have to look for it.

The Getty Museum is huge, and while it’s free to walk through their gardens, there is an entry fee for each exhibition. Even local museums like the Norton Simon have frequent special exhibits on loan from other museums worldwide, such as their recent exhibit featuring work by Marc Chagall. And that’s not to mention Disneyland or Universal Studios…whatever your heart desires, LA has it!

6. Los Angeles is Super Expensive

The average one-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles can cost you as much as $2,376 a month or more. However, that isn’t to say that you cannot find cheaper places to live — it’s just better if you’re willing to compromise on location and quality of living space (although there are other alternatives for that!). For instance, finding rooms in shared housing with other tenants can cut down the cost significantly. According to this article, almost 50% of LA residents live with roommates compared to only 30.2% nationally. Also, please do not restrict yourself to living somewhere confined within the Los Angeles city limits; there is plenty of available space and housing in the nearby suburbs.

7. If you’re not from Los Angeles originally but have decided to move here, you’ll always be a tourist.

Los Angeles is one of the most diverse places in America due to its geographical location as well as the influx of people from around the world, which means that LA has always been a melting pot for different nationalities and cultures. Also, even if you are an immigrant or just someone who hasn’t lived in LA before, there are many ways to become “included” in community life, including finding groups through Facebook or going to local events hosted by your city. So really, after some time spent getting involved with everything that goes on around you, this misconception will most likely become untrue. There are places that I’ve been in my month and a half that native Angelinos haven’t even been to!

This is a place where many people are open to newcomers because it is part of the city’s culture (and also, there are so many new arrivals due to the high volume of tourists).

It turns out that, while Los Angeles has its faults and quirks like any city does, LA has a lot more positives than what I was told before coming here. Even just a month in this town changes you too! If there is anything specific you want me to share with readers who may be considering making a move from whatever part of America they live in (or even if they’re not American), leave a comment below, and I’ll try to answer it. Also, let me know if there are any misconceptions you’ve heard about Los Angeles that are simply not true.