Should You Still Visit LA Even During Wildfires?

Sometimes, it feels insensitive to visit a place facing a hardship. Such is the case with Los Angeles, especially due to the prolific, devastating wildfires in the area. Before you cancel your plans, realize that your trip may actually be helping the city get back on its feet. After all, your visit could help provide much-needed income for small businesses and staff. Though a few places might temporarily shut down, many remain open, which is why tourism is so important. After all, the fact that everyone is wealthy is one of the things Hollywood often gets wrong about visiting Los Angeles.

Adam Burke, the LA Tourism CEO, says in an interview with People, "With over 540,000 Angelenos working in the tourism sector and more than 1,000 local businesses relying on our industry for their livelihoods, travelers continuing to visit our City of Angels for leisure, business, and meetings and conventions has never been more critical." In short, visiting Los Angeles could help bolster the local economy. 

As many people are affected by the fires, residents can't support businesses like they usually do. In these situations, tourism is important to help keep the local economy alive. Though some people do not want tourists visiting, many stores will welcome travelers with open arms. If you can, consider dropping your plans for a budget-friendly trip to Los Angeles, and look at taking a vacation that's centered around supporting local businesses.

Many popular attractions in and around Los Angeles, like Santa Monica Pier, Griffith Observatory, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Knott's Berry Farm, and the Hollywood Sign, are still open to visitors at the time of this writing. If the fires are still active and smoke is a big problem, you may want to tailor your activities to be more indoor-based, such as trying out delicious restaurants and exploring museums. Save the opportunity to discover rugged nature on this breathtaking hike right in the heart of Los Angeles for another time. 

While it certainly doesn't hurt to see all of the popular attractions, tourists are urged to try and support smaller locations as well, such as mom-and-pop stores and family-run restaurants. For example, the Moody Vegan is woman-owned and offers all sorts of delicious creations that will make you want to go back for seconds, whether you are vegan or not. This local establishment not only supports the community but also has been directly helping those suffering from the tragedy. 

Additionally, it's important to check where the fires are and see if there are any new alerts for your area before you travel and during your vacation. Visit California is a great website to get information on the locations of the fires, any warnings, what businesses are open, and more.