LA Advice please

[lhall85917]

We will be on Diamond Princess April 7, arriving at LAX on the 6th. How can we maximize our time in LA while still being frugal (i.e. cheap!!)? Should we book Priceline at the airport or downtown LA? I noticed in one post that there is a rail system near one of the airport hotels - is it convenient to most of them?

We will arrive early afternoon and would like to find something for that afternoon and the next morning to see and do. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! By the way, it is just the 2 of us.

[Bruin Steve]

We will be on Diamond Princess April 7, arriving at LAX on the 6th. How can we maximize our time in LA while still being frugal (i.e. cheap!!)? Should we book Priceline at the airport or downtown LA? I noticed in one post that there is a rail system near one of the airport hotels - is it convenient to most of them?

We will arrive early afternoon and would like to find something for that afternoon and the next morning to see and do. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! By the way, it is just the 2 of us.

 

Okay, (maybe) here we go again...

I think you might have read the "rayz" thread regarding the #445 bus and staying in Downtown...There is no rail line that goes anywhere near LAX...

 

Do NOT stay in Downtown LA...it is generally out of your way and there is not really all that much there worth seeing...and nothing really charming about the neighborhood...

 

LA is a BIG city and things are fairly spread apart...LAX is about 20 miles from the port in San Pedro...and Downtown is even farther in a different direction...

Public transportation is NOT very condusive to use for those visiting either LAX or the port in San Pedro...in fact, most Angelenos will advise you AGAINST using public transportation...

 

Assuming you have just the remainder of the afternoon, that evening and the time the following day before going to meet the ship, you really do not have a lot of time to see or do much...things like Disneyland are out of the question...

 

The difficult thing here is "maximizing" your time...

What do you really want to see?

 

Personally, for such a short visit, I would not try to fit in too much...

My first instinct would be to stay at LAX (Santa Monica is usually my first choice for convenience--especially if you have a rental car, which you should-- AND charm if one is visiting tourist sites...Long Beach/San Pedro is convenient if one is merely relaxing and heading straight for the ship in the morning...LAX is a nice compromise if one is looking for value between the ship and dock--and is only using the hotel to sleep) and rent a car for the one day (24 hours, from arrival until the afternoon you board...There are threads on here about rental car companies that might allow a pick up at LAX and a drop-off in Pedro or Long Beach...otherwise, I'd still rent a car even if I had to return it to LAX and take a shuttle to the pier)...

 

With a rental car, you have the freedom to go where you want, stay however long you want and to get places you cannot easily access by LA's poor public transportation system and won't see adequately on a high priced guided tour...

 

After checking into the hotel, you could head north from LAX to Venice Beach and the Marina, then to the Getty Center museum...or to Rodeo Drive/Beverly Hills or up to Hollywood...at night time, I would head back down to Santa Monica, see the pier, have a nice dinner and then a stroll on the Third Street Promenade...Now, that's a lot to do in one day, so, whatever you didn't fit in, you could do the next morning after checkinjg out of your hotel...then, eventually head back to LAX to turn in the car and shuttle to Pedro...or, if you got a one-way rental, you just eventually head down to Pedro, turn in the car and get on the ship...

 

Of course, what you do with your one day in LA depends a lot on what you like to do...There is also the studios, show tapings (you need to arrange in advance), the Getty Villa, UCLA, shopping, the Aquarium and Queen Mary in Long Beach, Universal and CityWalk and much more...

[lhall85917]

Thanks, I really appreciate the input. I try not to be one of those that posts without looking through other threads, obviously I misread or misunderstood what I had seen about rail near a hotel by LAX. We're still not sure what we'll do. If we stay at a Santa Monica hotel are most within walking distance of the Santa Monica pier?

Are there any hotels that offer airport shuttle service other than those right by LAX? We don't really want to do Disneyland or anything like that, would just like to stay somewhere on the way to the pier or convenient that might offer a little something to do nearby.

 

Thanks again for the advice! :)

[Bruin Steve]

Thanks, I really appreciate the input. I try not to be one of those that posts without looking through other threads, obviously I misread or misunderstood what I had seen about rail near a hotel by LAX. We're still not sure what we'll do. If we stay at a Santa Monica hotel are most within walking distance of the Santa Monica pier?

Are there any hotels that offer airport shuttle service other than those right by LAX? We don't really want to do Disneyland or anything like that, would just like to stay somewhere on the way to the pier or convenient that might offer a little something to do nearby.

 

Thanks again for the advice! :)

 

In Santa Monica, there are several hotels walking distance from the pier...The big ones (expensive as well) are Lowe's, Shutters, Fairmont Miramar...But there are also some more reasonably priced ones in the area as well...there's the Best Western Ocean View on Ocean Ave...and Curt Jerome Wild has reviewed the CalMar...Holiday Inn is on Fourth street--not far away...There's also a TravLodge on Ocean Avenue--virtually directly across from the Santa Monica Pier...

 

No one, except LAX area hotels, offers free shuttles to the airport--it's a little too far away (And, again, I really recommend just renting a car--it's pretty cheap for a one day rental)...

 

Santa Monica, by the way, is not "on the way to the pier"--it's about ten miles in the opposite direction (north of LAX...the pier--the one the cruise ships leave from, which is in San Pedro--is 20 miles south)...

 

Santa Monica is nice (lots of walking streets, restaurants, shopping, the pier) and it is convenient to go visit sites on the West Side (Getty Center, Getty Villa, Rodeo Drive, UCLA. Venice Beach, even Hollywood and Universal)...but the day you leave, you'll have to go about 30 miles south to meet the cruise ship...

 

OTOH, if you just want someplace nice with anything to see or do nearby, you could also consider staying in Long Beach...in the Convention Center area...You have a few attractions nearby--The Aquarium of the Pacific, Queen Mary, Shoreline Village) and some decent rerstaurants (I recommend Parker's Lighthouse at Shoreline Village)...and you're only 6 miles from the pier in Pedro...You'd need a shuttle to your hotel in Long Beach...but could walk to most attractions from there...and a short taxi ride the next day to the ship...

[lhall85917]

Again, thanks so much for the advice - we will definitely look at it carefully. BTW, I just now read the bus thread - the rail near the hotel info came from a different thread. If I had read the bus thread earlier I might have been scared away!! j/k but I definitely wouldn't have been considering public transportation to begin with!!!

[Curt Jerome Wild]

Just jumping in at this point...

As usual my compadre BruinSteve has given some great general advice...

That being said (and jumping further from what he has said)

LA is a big place, and there is TONS to see and do...

I could give you a bunch of specifics though, and help with your plans better, if you could "define" a little more of what you are talking about...

#1 What is cheap/frugal to you? You're in LA for a day or so...

You can have great or trashy according to what price range it means to you...

#2 What is convenient to you? If you want super convenient and just something to pass the time, then there are a couple of great hotels in San Pedro for that...

If you want something where you actually can see a lot of fun LA but be 20 to 30 minutes away from the port, then that opens up WAY more options...

#3 Are you renting a car? Or do you want just shuttles, taxies, or buses?

Makes a big difference in your plans, and what would be the best recommendation...

Two of you? What do you like to do or see?

We have so many options or opportunities here...

Are there any TV Shows or movies that you love?

Might make a difference...

Just saying.

A little more info, and we could help you out more here...

CJW

PS I know lots of hotels specifically in the different areas, it just depends on what you are looking for and your budget...

[lhall85917]

LOL - I really haven't done a good job with this question, have I??!! I think we are planning this so last minute that we don't have a clue what we are doing or what we want!!:eek:

 

Just jumping in at this point...

As usual my compadre BruinSteve has given some great general advice...

 

That being said (and jumping further from what he has said)

LA is a big place, and there is TONS to see and do...

 

I could give you a bunch of specifics though, and help with your plans better, if you could "define" a little more of what you are talking about...

 

#1 What is cheap/frugal to you? You're in LA for a day or so...

You can have great or trashy according to what price range it means to you...[?quote] Cheap/frugal - what can I do/where can I go that I can see something without having to pay admissions? This isn't a trip to LA for us, its time before the cruise where we happen to be in LA and have never been. Perhaps there is somewhere scenic that we should stay and just be able to get out and see the sites?

 

#2 What is convenient to you? If you want super convenient and just something to pass the time, then there are a couple of great hotels in San Pedro for that...

If you want something where you actually can see a lot of fun LA but be 20 to 30 minutes away from the port, then that opens up WAY more options...

From what I hear San Pedro doesn't have much to do or see, but if I'm wrong about that, we would be fine with that. Bruin Steve mentioned Santa Monica, perhaps thats an option. We don't mind taking a shuttle from LAX to somewhere, then a cab to the pier if we can find something we'd like.

 

#3 Are you renting a car? Or do you want just shuttles, taxies, or buses?

Makes a big difference in your plans, and what would be the best recommendation...

 

Two of you? What do you like to do or see?

We have so many options or opportunities here...

Are there any TV Shows or movies that you love?

Might make a difference...

 

Just saying.

A little more info, and we could help you out more here...

CJW

 

As of now, we don't really plan on renting a car - would prefer shuttles to and from aiport. I'm a reality show junkie and love some of the talk shows (Ellen) and would go out of my way to see her. Ideally, we would end up at a reasonably priced hotel, preferrably through Priceline, where we could get out and walk around and see a little bit before our cruise.

 

Thanks for your patience...

[Cruisin' Chick]

Just checked on the Ellen website re tickets in April. Currently the calendar lists tickets being available for the 4/10 and 4/12 tapings. I'm guessing that there will not be any tapings on 4/6 anyway because of the proximity to Easter.

 

http://ellen.warnerbros.com/tickets/

[Cruisin' Chick]

If you're a member of your area Triple-A club, I would suggest you get their guide book for Southern California. There's plenty of info in it. Plus, you can use your auto club card for discounts on hotels and attractions. If you stay in Long Beach, as above, you can go down to the port and find lots to do within walking distance in that one location. There's also a free shuttle that travels between the various attractions there.

[TahoeBob]

We will be on Diamond Princess April 7, arriving at LAX on the 6th. How can we maximize our time in LA while still being frugal (i.e. cheap!!)? Should we book Priceline at the airport or downtown LA? I noticed in one post that there is a rail system near one of the airport hotels - is it convenient to most of them?

We will arrive early afternoon and would like to find something for that afternoon and the next morning to see and do. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! By the way, it is just the 2 of us.

After our cruise in dec we stayed one extra day at the westen near LAX, there is nothing to do there execpt sit by the pool.

[Flash2]

We flew into LAX, got a shuttle to the Four Points Sheraton, then the next day took a public service bus (which we felt quite happy with) to Santa Monica. The cost was something like 75 cents. The concierge at the hotel gave us all the information we needed about where to get the bus and he also gave us a map.

[lhall85917]

Thanks everyone for the great advice!! We just booked the Hyatt in Long Beach through Priceline for $60. It looks like we can get shuttle service there through Priceline for $13 each, so I'll probably do that too unless I hear bad things about that. This seems like a great option - we're in an area with a few things to do, but not too far from port.

Priceline also has a LA city tour by night for $57 each that picks you up at the hotel, I'm kind of intrigued with it - any thoughts?

[Bruin Steve]

Thanks everyone for the great advice!! We just booked the Hyatt in Long Beach through Priceline for $60. It looks like we can get shuttle service there through Priceline for $13 each, so I'll probably do that too unless I hear bad things about that. This seems like a great option - we're in an area with a few things to do, but not too far from port.

Priceline also has a LA city tour by night for $57 each that picks you up at the hotel, I'm kind of intrigued with it - any thoughts?

 

The tour Priceline offers is from Star Lines...see this link:

http://www.starlinetours.com/los-angeles-tour-3B.asp

 

I am not sure they will pick you up in Long Beach...They have a list of hotels on their site that they pick up from and it's largely West Side/Downtown/Hollywood/Pasadena/SF Valley...no mention of any pick-ups south...

 

It's a 4 hour bus tour starting at 6:00 pm, so I suppose you'd need to eat an early dinner first...It does seem to cover a lot of ground: Music Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion, City Walk, Mulholland Drive, Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Sunset Strip, Grauman's Chinese Theatre and Walk of Fame...

 

Star Line actually offers it direct through their web site for $52...

 

But, I would call the hotel and ask to speak to the concierge and ask if there are any outfits doing similar tours that DO pick up from their hotel...

 

It all seems a bit hectic to me...but, if this was the only opportunity to see these sites, I guess it could be interesting...It is a rather touristy way of doing things...

[lhall85917]

The tour Priceline offers is from Star Lines...see this link:

http://www.starlinetours.com/los-angeles-tour-3B.asp

 

I am not sure they will pick you up in Long Beach...They have a list of hotels on their site that they pick up from and it's largely West Side/Downtown/Hollywood/Pasadena/SF Valley...no mention of any pick-ups south...

 

It's a 4 hour bus tour starting at 6:00 pm, so I suppose you'd need to eat an early dinner first...It does seem to cover a lot of ground: Music Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion, City Walk, Mulholland Drive, Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Sunset Strip, Grauman's Chinese Theatre and Walk of Fame...

 

Star Line actually offers it direct through their web site for $52...

 

But, I would call the hotel and ask to speak to the concierge and ask if there are any outfits doing similar tours that DO pick up from their hotel...

 

It all seems a bit hectic to me...but, if this was the only opportunity to see these sites, I guess it could be interesting...It is a rather touristy way of doing things...

 

It definitely is touristy, but I guess thats what we will be when we are there!! We'll see...we may just go over to the Aquarium and spend our time over that way.