South Central is a relatively impoverished region of Los Angeles infamous for gang violence Despite its reputation, however, Leimert Park has developed as an African-American cultural center.

Travel to Los Angeles - South Central - Visa Requirements

As with most of LA, the area has a well-developed bus system facilitated by its square grid system. The Blue Line, which runs along the 110 Freeway, offers easy metro access from downtown. Streets are wide enough to prevent too much automobile traffic.

Los Angeles - South Central tourist attractions and sightseeing

  • Watts Towers - 17 interconnected structures, two of which reach heights of over 99 feet (30 m). The Towers are located near (and visible from) the 103rd Street-Kenneth Hahn Station of the Metro Rail LACMTA Blue Line. Next to the Towers is a small museum and a cultural center.
  • Leimert Park - A famous center for Los Angeles' African-American culture, this neighborhood (just south of Crenshaw/Martin Luther King- accessible by bus) is a must-see if in the area. A quick sidetrip into nearby Baldwin Hills offers beautiful views of Downtown Los Angeles as well as a nice peek at lifestyles in the "Black Beverly Hills".
  • The Shrine Auditorium - A huge venue that holds the Emmy's and other award shows. Is located on Jefferson Blvd and Figueroa Street across the street from the University of Southern California, famous for its red bricks and nightlife. Closed to visitors.
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum - 3911 South Figueroa Street. The current official capacity of the Coliseum is 92,516. This is where the opening ceremonies of the Olympics were held. It is located on the south side of USC.

Los Angeles - South Central city tours

  • The University of Southern California hosts many musical and theatrical performances throughout the year that are free or cheap.

USC football games are one option. Tickets can be purchased on campus at the Ticket Office next to Tommy Trojan, but can sometimes be hard to come by.

  • Also, head to a Baptist (or AME) African-American Church for a peek into local spiritual culture.
  • Go to a Leimert Park coffee shop at night for some spoken word or freestyle rap.

Los Angeles - South Central souvenirs and shopping

Los Angeles - South Central Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

  • Randy's Donuts, 805 West Manchester Avenue, Inglewood, ☎ +1 310-645-4707, [1]. The most delicious donuts you'll ever eat in a city that's famous for having a donut shop on every block. Not Located in South Central but minutes away from the LAX Airport. This 24 hour drive-thru donut shop is shaped like a giant donut and is visible from the 405 freeway. It has also been featured in many movies, commercials, and music videos. 
  • Chanos - A taco stand frequented by USC students is located on Figueroa Street very close to the Shrine Auditorium. It is delicious, has a drive through and is open very late.
  • Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles - Technically located in Inglewood (just outside LA City boundaries) on Manchester (or further north on La Brea in Country Club Park), this is the most well-known of the ubiquitous LA-area chicken & waffles restaurants. Cheap, and with good service, this restaurant is a convenient, quick dinner spot.
  • La Taquiza - on Figueroa two blocks north of USC, this restaurant serves its famous "mulitas de res," a must-try Mexican dish.

Los Angeles - South Central nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

Lots of cheap bars abound. For a peek into Greek university student life head to the 2-9 a few blocks west of Figueroa (just north of USC) or the 9-0 right on Figueroa (USC students' favorite dive).

Los Angeles - South Central cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging

There's no shortage of cheap motels here. There are a few standard chain hotels in Inglewood near LAX which offer standard anonymous airport area accommodation. Otherwise, every block offers some sort of cheap accommodation. Luxury hotels, however, are in short supply.

  • Los Angeles-Dayus In Airport Center, 901 W. Manchester Blvd, Inglewood. checkin: 12PM; checkout: 11AM. Starting at $100.  
  • Comfort Inn & Suites LAX Airport, 4922 W. Century Blvd, Inglewood. checkin: 3PM; checkout: 11AM. Starting at $100.  
  • Westfield Inn at LAX Inglewood, 4652 W. Century Blvd Inglewood. checkin: 1PM; checkout: 11AM. Starting at $55.  

Contact

Stay safe

South Central is a violence-prone region. It was the scene of the '92 L.A. riots and is known for producing the Bloods, Crips, MS-13 and other notorious gangs. South Central is not a good place for someone who does not know the area. Locals are not friendly towards tourists and outsiders. While muggings are still occuring, most happen at night on smaller streets. Stay in groups of at least three if you must be on foot. South L.A. is often comparable to Baghdad because street wars take place on the regular.

This page was last edited by Peter Fitzgerald. Based on work by Reza Hayek and Erika Lynn, Wikitravel user(s) Cacahuate, Texugo, Morph and Khuryps and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license

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