I went in 2015. Beautiful setting (and the Griffith Observatory is justifiably famous), lots of weird things to see, but also the most dystopian place I've been in the Western world at least. More homeless people than I've seen anywhere, more desperation, people pushing their entire belongings in this world on shopping trolleys while hipsters sip civet shit coffee or whatever. And the Scientologists are big of course.
We hung out a lot at the diner where Tarantino is supposed to have written Reservoir Dogs (I think..?), and earwigged on a fair few film conversations that could have come from an Altman movie. Great pie too. And LA has the best vegan food I've had anywhere.
I went when I was 12 or 13 too, and my Dad drove us by mistake into Watts. Unfortunately didn't see the Watts Tower tho...