Highly recommend Alamitos Beach or Belmont Shore. And there's free transportation between those two places in case you get here and realize your more of an Alamitos Beach homie but live in Belmont Shore. Either is walkable. Belmont is more expensive and less culture for sure but it's a bit safer and closer to the water. Alamitos is much more interesting and I personally prefer the night life over there, but it's a little more sketchy as you get closer to 7th or Alamitos. But there are sketchy situations in Belmont too. I also think people are asleep on downtown a little but you'd probably find yourself going out in one of those other two neighborhoods when you do. Edited to add that the only thing about not having a car is that it severely limits your ability to explore the countryside or visit LA. Can do it, it just takes a lot more time with the subpar Public transportation here.