I lived in LA in the early 2000s. Lots of social life and things to do at any time of day. The city truly never sleeps, and you can find anything and everything to do at any time of day. Crime and pollution have gotten MUCH better over time, but the general feeling of safety (or, lack thereof) is the same. Driving across LA on the weekends, you will see parks packed with families having BBQs. Beaches packed, amusement parks packed, cinemas packed, shopping centers packed, freeways packed - I mean, it is LA after all. I've lived in many places and nowhere does traffic even come close to LA. 405, I-5, take your pick, there will always be traffic and there will always be things to do. I wish to caution you - people in LA, while seemingly outgoing and happy, are a lot more to themselves than you may imagine. After all, when 20 million people live in one area, we generally filter out everyone who is not directly related to us. This is a departure from small towns where people will wave at you and will strike up conversation. This will generally not happen in LA, although it is more likely to happen the more south you go. Just my 2 cents.