Tourist in LA-Where to Stay

[rps2004]

We are planning to stay 3 or 4 days in LA before our 1/7/11 Spirit out of San Diego.

 

DW and I have been to LA a fair amount, but our two teenage grandaughters (19 and 13) have never been. Would like to do a very touristy visit for them. Any ideas on which area to stay in, hotel recommendations and things to do. We will have a rental car and will be driving to San Diego the morning of the 7th ( I know, leave early).

 

Any help will be appreciated.

 

Richard

[Jen1000]

Things like Disneyland, CA Adventure, Universal Studios, Hollywood walk of fame and theater?

 

Jen in SoCal

 

We are planning to stay 3 or 4 days in LA before our 1/7/11 Spirit out of San Diego.

 

DW and I have been to LA a fair amount, but our two teenage grandaughters (19 and 13) have never been. Would like to do a very touristy visit for them. Any ideas on which area to stay in, hotel recommendations and things to do. We will have a rental car and will be driving to San Diego the morning of the 7th ( I know, leave early).

 

Any help will be appreciated.

 

Richard

[Bruin Steve]

We are planning to stay 3 or 4 days in LA before our 1/7/11 Spirit out of San Diego.

 

DW and I have been to LA a fair amount, but our two teenage grandaughters (19 and 13) have never been. Would like to do a very touristy visit for them. Any ideas on which area to stay in, hotel recommendations and things to do. We will have a rental car and will be driving to San Diego the morning of the 7th ( I know, leave early).

 

Any help will be appreciated.

 

Richard

 

Richard,

There are a lot of different options...

Really depends on what they (and you) like to do...

 

In LA, my personal choices of where to stay would be:

1) Santa Monica

2) Universal City

 

Santa Monica gives you the Santa Monica Pier (rides, nightlife, etc.), the Third Street Promenade (shopping, restaurants and nightlife), the beach (though January is hit and miss--you MAY have warm, though not quite beach, weather or you could have cold and rain) and Palisades Park (great views). Venice Beach and its famed boardwalk are nearby...So is the Getty and UCLA/Westwood Village...

 

Universal City is, of course, close to Universal Studios, CityWalk (shops, restaurants and nightlife) and Warner Brothers and NBC Studios in Burbank...and is a short drive to Hollywood (Grauman's Chinese, the Walk of Fame, etc.)

 

Disney is in Anaheim--between LA and San Diego--good for a day, not three days...and only if the kids are really into it...

 

Scour these boards and you'll find a few reviews on hotels in both of these places...many by my compadre, Curt Jerome Wild--who really knows LA hotels...

 

I, myself like the 4- and 5- star places...Curt tends to like the nice but "Value" places...I guess the question is what $$ range you want to be in...Remember, first class hotels in LA can be pricey...

 

That said, in Santa Monica, I'd recommend Loews, Shutters on the Beach, LeMerigot, Casa del Mar and the Fairmont Miramar...those are the "nice" hotels...the first four right on the beach, the Miramar up on the cliffs near the Third Street Promenade...But, there are a few others in the immediate area at more reasonable prices, but not quite "luxury"...There are also a couple of hotels (look for Curt's reviews) in the Venice Beach area that might be great choices...

 

Right in the Universal City complex, there are two nice hotels: The Sheraton Universal and the Universal Hilton...Curt really likes the Sportsmens Lodge--which is sort of a local institution in Studio City--not too far from Universal...but may be a great choice since you will have a car...

 

In Hollywood, I like the Renaissance at Hollywood and Highland--right next door to Grauman's Chinese...but though the immediate commercial complex is quite nice, the surrounding area could be viewed as a bit "scuzzy"--but it is right at the Hollywood attractions...With a car, I would stay elsewhere and just drive to Hollywood and Highland and park in the garage here when you tour the Hollywood sights...

 

Other places to visit in LA:

Do the girls like shopping?

Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood has all of the one-of-a-kind trendy shops and boutiques where the celebs buy their stuff...also all the standard LA weirdos shop there too...

The Grove and Farmer's Market at Fairfax and Third is a really incredible shopping center--has a look like no other shopping center...

Of course, Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills may be worth a look...

 

Do they appreciate art?

My two recommendations: The Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades (though they call it Malibu--trust me, it's not--I grew up next door--seriously, I mean IMMEDIATELY next door to Getty's actual house--which is right behind the museum...Curt grew up in the same neighborhood, by the way) and the Getty Center...off the 405 north of Sunset...Both are incredible museums and incredible works of architecture--The Villa houses the "antiquities" collection, the Center the "art"...

 

Movie/TV biz?

Lots of studios around town..some give tours...or you might get tickets to the taping of a TV show...Be wary, though, you may spend some of your day waiting in line...but, if it impresses the girls...

 

Theme parks:

(Check the hours...they may be short in January)...

Disneyland (Anaheim) and Knotts Berry Farm (Buena Park) are both in Orange County...about an hour south of LA...Six Flags Magic Mountain is in Valencia...about an hour north up the 405/5...Universal Studios is, of course, in Universal City, just over the hill from Hollywood...

 

Lots of other things to do as well...but, again, depends on what you like...

[rps2004]

Steve and Jen: Thanks. This gets me off to a good start. Looking at LA/Hollywood vs amusement parks. So, Santa Monica, Hollywood, etc is right track.

 

I like nice hotels, but DW will remind me that we will only be eating breakfast and sleeping in it, so I will track down Curt's reviews.

 

Steve: Do they like shopping? It is a lifework to them. I will need to build in the key spots.

 

Thanks, again.

 

Richard

[PatriciaF]

Melrose is fun for boutique shopping. For a nice outdoor mall with a good selection of restaurants and the near by Farmer's market, check out The Grove.

 

www.thegrovela.com