Suggestion for Los Angeles

[ali-ali-oh]

We are ending our Alaska cruise in LA at the end of September. We arrive on the Friday morning and our flight leaves LAX back to the UK on Saturday afternoon. I know nothing at all about the area, but would like to see Hollywood etc - the usual tourist things I guess while we have the chance. Could anyone suggest...

What's a must see?

The best way of getting there (do we rent a car and, if so, where from)?

Where would be the best/safest place to stay that isn't extortionately priced?

Sorry if this has been asked before. I did do a search but most suggestions seemed to be based around pre-cruise and hotels near the port, which isn't really the issue for us.

Many thanks in anticipation of your help.

[trish1c]

LA is a car based town but if you are not comfortable driving on the "wrong" side of the street from your perspective, I wouldn't rent a car.

 

The Dept. of tourism does a walking tour of downtown LA. You should definitely walk around Hollywood & head up the mountain on Mulhulland Dr. to the Griffith Observatory. I woudl also recommend the Santa Monica pier & Venice beach.

 

Enjoy!

[ali-ali-oh]

Thanks for your suggestion. We have no problem with driving, so any more suggestions anyone?

[Splinter]

Hollywood is more a state of mind and an industry than a location. The actual physical location of Hollywood is a bit of a seedy part of town, although it has improved some lately. You could take a Grayline tour to see a lot, but would need to get downtown to pick this up most likely.

 

Burbank is an area that has a lot of TV studios and there are some tours here. Universal Studios tour is good if you want to see stunts and special effects.

 

If you want to see Mann's Theater (formerly Grauman's Chinese) where the foot and handprints are, this is in Hollywood, as is the "Walk of Fame". There are "drive yourself" homes of the stars maps you can buy from vendors on the street....some of the stars actually live in the homes they list, many of the maps are years out of date.

 

Rodeo Drive is the place if you want to do some expensive window shopping. It is in the Century City area, which is close to UCLA and Westwood (nice shops, many restaurants, etc.).

 

I would also drive along Malibu to see where more stars and execs actually live and to see a little beach.

 

Personally I would opt to go to the Getty Center...good view, great garden, wonderful art, but this might not be for everyone.

 

I would recommend staying near the airport. It will be less expensive than a nice hotel in Hollywood, West LA or Brentwood, and easy to leave your luggage there until you are ready to leave. I would recommend taking SuperShuttle from the cruise port to the airport, pick your car up at the airport, go into LA (avoid the freeway if you can...Friday afternoon is the WORST!), eat someplace there, then go back to your hotel for the night. If you have time, get up early and drive out to Venice Beach, Santa Monica and Malibu and see the beach before your flight leaves.

[ali-ali-oh]

Thank you Splinter, that's exactly the kind of advice I need. It's more the Hollywood sign that I wanted to see - you know the kind of thing - can't go all that way to LA and not at least see a bit of the place. Everything in the US is so big and so far apart from each other, we just don't appreciate the scale of things and for all I know, each thing could be hours and hours away from each other.Any other suggestions from anyone very greatfully received.

[jstducky]

The Hollywood sign can actually be seen from a lot of places around the Los Angeles area. Its on a big hill and the sign is huge. I am currently across town in Century City (West LA area, by UCLA) and I can look out my window and see the Hollywood sign.

 

I too would suggest renting a car. It is too hard to go anywhere around LA and not have a car. But be careful, a lot of hotels in the area do charge a parking fee per day to park your car in their lot since parking space is so scarce here. Also the only other drawback of having a car is that parking anywhere in LA is hard to find, and costly when you do find it.

 

These are the following places I would suggest visiting:

 

Venice Beach Boardwalk

Santa Monica Pier/Third Street Promenade

The Grove/LA Farmers Market

Beverly Hills/Rodeo Drive area

Hollywood Blvd/Mann's Chinese/Hollywood & Highland complex

You can catch a play at the Pantages at night (I beleive Annie will be playing)

Drive up to Malibu/Pacific Palisades

Getty Center

 

I don't think you'll have the chance to do everything on the list above, but in a little over a day, you can probably do most of it. Rodeo drive is good during the day time, as is Hollywood Blvd/Mann's Chinese. So is the Getty Center and driving up to Malibu. The Grove/Farmers Market and the Santa Monica Pier/Third Street Promenade can be day or night activities.

[trish1c]

Do you still need reservations for this venue?

[Sea_Weed]

We were at the Getty Center last Sunday morning, Aug 7. Drove up there from the Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica in about 20 minutes. Arrived at 10 am and had "0" problems getting into the parking garage no reservations needed. Cost is only $7/car and that is the only charge (amazing!). When we left around 2pm the traffic into the center was much, much heavier so "go early"!

 

We really loved the Getty Center and the work of architect Richard Meier. He had just competed his commission on an elementary school in Columbus, IN when he started the Getty Center work so I know and admire his work.

 

http://www.columbus.in.us/page.asp?page=Architecture