What to do @ SAN PEDRO PIER 93???

[BURWASHT]

Were doing a back to back out of Las Angeles on Princess and need to know what is there to do at San Pedro pier for the day. Where is there shopping? Thanks for your time!!!

[Cruisin' Chick]

The World Cruise Center itself is just the berths for the ships and the parking lot. But beyond, down on Harbor Blvd., there's Ports o'Call with restaurants. What type of shopping are you interested in? For beverages and booze? For items you didn't pack?

[Splinter]

What kind of shopping? Ports O' Call has very limited shopping. There are some shops in downtown San Pedro, depending on what it is you want to purchase. If you are talking about going to a Walmart or a large shopping mall, then you will need either a rental car or take a cab. The closest large mall is about 10 miles away in Torrance (Del Amo Fashion Center). There is also a fairly large mall about equal distance near the pier in Long Beach.

 

Other than shopping, in San Pedro you can visit the Lane Victory ship museum, the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, or the Cabrillo Aquarium and Museum. There is more to life and a vacation than shopping!

[cruisetmc]

We stayed at the Crowne Plaza. Not a lot of shopping within walking distance. Sunday morning we walked to a drug store - about 15 minutes each way. We did eat at the Grinder for both breakfast and lunch. For Dinner I recommend the Green Onion. We tried Acapulcos - they lost our reservation and after an house of watching their people that were suppose to seat people goof off we left. Acapulcos main attraction is the water front.

[BURWASHT]

Thanks for all the help, I think we'll be going to the mall, but is Walmart or Target closer? Dose anyone the cost of cab fares to the mall or Walmart or Target, thanks!!!

[RAYMORRA]

Try using taxifarefinder.com you can search on Walmart or Target's websites for locations in the zip code of your hotel to find the nearest one and then use taxifarefinder to estimate how much it would cost.

[Wineaux]

Thanks for all the help, I think we'll be going to the mall, but is Walmart or Target closer? Dose anyone the cost of cab fares to the mall or Walmart or Target, thanks!!!

 

There is a Target in San Pedro. CP should shuttle you there.

[BURWASHT]

There is a Target in San Pedro. CP should shuttle you there.

 

Sorry for sounding stupid but what the heck is " CP " ????

[Wineaux]

Sorry for sounding stupid but what the heck is " CP " ????

 

It's short for Crowne Plaza but you never said you were staying there so I don't know why I said that. Any hotel with a shuttle should take you there. But if that is not an option, you should be able to catch a cab at the cruise Terminal. It's a two-minute ride from the pier.

[LUVtheNW]

Where/what is the closest "larger" mall to San Pedro? (besides the Ports O Call). We will have a car, and were considering Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade for killing some time.....

[PatriciaF]

Del Amo Fashion Square in Torrance is a huge mall with all the stores. It is the closest to the San Pedro port.

 

http://www.simon.com/Mall/?id=1240

 

It would be at least an hour drive to Santa Monica. Third Street Promenade has pretty nice ambiance--but the mall itself was pretty rundown the last time I was there (about two years ago). If you are going to drive that distance, I would go to South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa or Newport Fashion Island in Newport Beach.

 

I live in Long Beach--but don't bother with its downtown mall unless you want to go to WalMart.

[LUVtheNW]

Del Amo Fashion Square in Torrance is a huge mall with all the stores. It is the closest to the San Pedro port.

 

http://www.simon.com/Mall/?id=1240

 

It would be at least an hour drive to Santa Monica. Third Street Promenade has pretty nice ambiance--but the mall itself was pretty rundown the last time I was there (about two years ago).

.....(update) It looks like the Santa Monica Place Mall is closed and under going a MAJOR renovation. According to the website, it looks like its gonna be somethin - pretty cool......

If you are going to drive that distance, I would go to South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa or Newport Fashion Island in Newport Beach.

 

Its hard for me to keep in mind how long drive times are... 25 miles up to Santa Monica takes an hour!??!! shees.

 

I was figuring taking the 213/Pacific Coast Highway up there (instead of using the 110 to 405). That way we could see what there is to see on the way up - Redondo, Manhattan, Venice Beach areas... by jumping over onto Hermosa/Manhattan Aves, for instance. We're not planning on making any speed records, but would doing a little sight seeing along the beaches on on the way up just burn up a whole morning in traffic? Or would it be worth while?

This would be on a Friday morning, maybe around 10am?

 

I'll be checking out those other malls - could depend on the weather which direction we go. Is the traffic not as bad to the south?

 

Thanks a bunch!

[BURWASHT]

Thank-you for all the information!!

[Arwenmark]

Its hard for me to keep in mind how long drive times are... 25 miles up to Santa Monica takes an hour!??!! shees.

 

I was figuring taking the 213/Pacific Coast Highway up there (instead of using the 110 to 405). That way we could see what there is to see on the way up - Redondo, Manhattan, Venice Beach areas... by jumping over onto Hermosa/Manhattan Aves, for instance. We're not planning on making any speed records, but would doing a little sight seeing along the beaches on on the way up just burn up a whole morning in traffic? Or would it be worth while?

This would be on a Friday morning, maybe around 10am?

 

I'll be checking out those other malls - could depend on the weather which direction we go. Is the traffic not as bad to the south?

 

Thanks a bunch!

 

I think the Hour was being on the optomistic side myself. If it were today you would not be driving at all unless you were in a row boat.

[PatriciaF]

The hour was a guesstimate during midday, work week, on the freeway. the OPs plan to drive PCH to Santa Monica from San Pedro with the 1000 traffic lights (a slight exaggeration) would take 2 hours or more, one way? I takes about 45 minutes from Long Beach to Redondo Beach via PCH.

 

You probably won't do this drive if it is raining--perhaps just drive around Palos Verdes Peninsula to REdondo Beach and have lunch at the pier and drive back to the ship, as a scenic alternative. Or eat lunch at the new Terranea Resort.

[Chesie]

We stayed at the Crowne Plaza. Not a lot of shopping within walking distance. Sunday morning we walked to a drug store - about 15 minutes each way. We did eat at the Grinder for both breakfast and lunch. For Dinner I recommend the Green Onion. We tried Acapulcos - they lost our reservation and after an house of watching their people that were suppose to seat people goof off we left. Acapulcos main attraction is the water front.

 

Do you recall the address of both Grinder and Green Onion? Also, any menu items that popped out as a good selection? We are venturing out a day before our cruise and staying at CP also.

[LUVtheNW]

The Grinder is a long block from the Crown Plaza at 511 S Harbor Blvd (310) 832-1267, on the corner of 5th. grinderrestaurants.com There's 13 reviews on Yelp.com

The Green Onion is just to the east of the Crowne Plaza at 145 West 6th Street (310) 519-0631 green-onion.com There's 17 reviews on yelp, if you wanna check there.

 

........... the OPs plan to drive PCH to Santa Monica from San Pedro with the 1000 traffic lights (a slight exaggeration) would take 2 hours or more, one way?

....perhaps just drive around Palos Verdes Peninsula to REdondo Beach and have lunch at the pier and drive back to the ship, as a scenic alternative. Or eat lunch at the new Terranea Resort.

 

That sounds like a good option. Doesn't look like many traffic lights for most of that drive to the PCH, at least. And we'd be close to the Del Amo Mall too! We were thinking of trying the Brazilian place Samba in Redondo. Do you know anything about the food or experience there?

Thanks for the info Patricia!

[BURWASHT]

How far is Target from the pier?

[PatriciaF]

I don't have a good since of mileage in the San Pedro area and have no clue what address to put in as a starting point from the cruise ship to the San Pedro Target, but here's a link to the map. I wouldn't think it would be more than two - three miles--but, if I remember correctly, its probably close to a mile into the port to the cruise dock.

 

http://sites.target.com/site/en/spot/search_results.jsp?&startAddress=san pedro, ca&mapType=standard&startingLat=33.7379208958585&startingLong=-118.2846286500122&mapCenterLat=33.80118918983815&mapCenterLong=-118.26399564401456&mapWidth=20.0&mapHeight=16.380952380952383#store2470popupAnchor

[BURWASHT]

Thanks for the help.

[Wineaux]

Target is about 2 miles from the pier. Short cab ride and you are there, or, if you are in good shape it's a nice walk along the tracks to Capitol.

[Wineaux]

Its hard for me to keep in mind how long drive times are... 25 miles up to Santa Monica takes an hour!??!! shees.

 

I was figuring taking the 213/Pacific Coast Highway up there (instead of using the 110 to 405). That way we could see what there is to see on the way up - Redondo, Manhattan, Venice Beach areas... by jumping over onto Hermosa/Manhattan Aves, for instance. We're not planning on making any speed records, but would doing a little sight seeing along the beaches on on the way up just burn up a whole morning in traffic? Or would it be worth while?

This would be on a Friday morning, maybe around 10am?

 

I'll be checking out those other malls - could depend on the weather which direction we go. Is the traffic not as bad to the south?

 

Thanks a bunch!

 

Plan on a VERY long day of driving if you are getting around on a Friday. 10am you should be fine but traffic coming back will be a nightmare from 2pm until 7pm. And that is freeway AND side streets. If you plan on staying up in Santa Monica or the Beach areas until after 7pm you'll be ok.

 

Just for kicks though, get on the 405 at 5pm. You'll get to use the car pool lane and be able to tell your friends you saw 8-10 lanes of traffic at a standstill. It ain't pretty here on a Friday afternoon/evening.

 

Going south would be a better option but that is equivalent to the difference between getting hit in the head with a sledgehammer or a regular hammer. Neither one is pleasant.

 

You are not going to see any coast going through Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach unless you specifically make a point take side streets to go there. IMHO it's not a very scenic route once you get south of Santa Monica.

 

You could always take the 405 north to the west 10 which turns into PCH and drive up into Malibu if you want some coastal scenery, have lunch and head back to Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade. Then just have dinner there and drive back after the traffic subsides.

 

Just know that traffic in LA is absolute HELL from 2p-7p on a Friday. I drove it for years when I worked in Van Nuys and had to drive the 40 miles to San Pedro. I got off work at 6p and would get home around 7:30p or 8p. I also report traffic for a living and have for nearly 20 years.

 

Welcome to Los Angeles!!!

[Cruisin' Chick]

I used to commute between the Valley and the west side for years on the 405 and/or the Sepulveda Pass. It's amazing that somehow going south on the 405 on Friday afternoon will be bumper to bumper (sometimes even worse than going north) which seems to be against logic.

[Pumbaamd]

Target is about 2 miles from the pier. Short cab ride and you are there, or, if you are in good shape it's a nice walk along the tracks to Capitol.

Not knowin' nuthin' about the area (we are just trying to escape endless snow storms in the east, next up coming on Friday is up to 30 inches) we are on Mariner 2/14. Those tracks, are they safe to walk by? Are they hi speed freight lines or local shifters? And how far is it to Target? I can probably walk it, but the Mrs. may not be able to.

Thanks!

R&D

[Wineaux]

Not knowin' nuthin' about the area (we are just trying to escape endless snow storms in the east, next up coming on Friday is up to 30 inches) we are on Mariner 2/14. Those tracks, are they safe to walk by? Are they hi speed freight lines or local shifters? And how far is it to Target? I can probably walk it, but the Mrs. may not be able to.

Thanks!

R&D

 

From the cruise line entrance you will walk north along side the road (Harbor Blvd) in the bike lane for about a half-mile before reaching the park area around the tracks where you will find a sidewalk that will take you to Channel Street. Cross over Channel Street to Gaffey (one block) and make a right and continue along Gaffey until you reach Capitol where you will find the Target. The tracks are not used all that often and you wouldn't actually be walking on them but beside them. It's about a mile and a half to two miles away. Not the most scenic walk in the world and one I recommend only during daylight hours.