LAX Area- Things to do

[ORV]

We are going to be staying one evening at a hotel around LAX in August and should be getting in around 1 in the afternoon. Are there any tours that we could take from our hotel (Westin) that would get us back by early evening? I really don't want to rent a car and would be happy with a Greyline type tour. We will be there on a Friday if that makes any difference. Our long flight to Tahiti leaves around 1pm the next day and we want to be rested up for that.

 

I've noticed there is a great deal of excellent information on this section of the board and want to thank all in advance for any ideas they post.

[Bruin Steve]

Getting in to LAX at around 1 really means you will be checking into your hotel some time after 2...The walk from the gate to the luggage area and then the wait for luggage take up a lot of time...Then you're waiting for the shuttle to your hotel...So, figure you're really not able to get out on the town until around 3 at the earliest...

 

Organized tour companies, such as Gray Line do run tours that will pick up at LAX area hotels...but, generally, they're picking you up in the morning, not mid-afternoon...as far as I know...

 

The typical tourist tours take you to Hollywood, Beverly Hills, etc. and, at 3 pm on a Friday, it would be difficult to just drive from LAX to Hollywood and back by "early evening"...But, you could try contacting Gray Line (or others) and see what they might offer...

 

So, I would rule out a "tour" under those constraints...

And there really is not a lot in the LAX area...

 

What you might consider, aside from renting a car, would be to take a cab or shuttle up to Santa Monica and walking around the Santa Monica Pier, Palisades Park and Third Street Promenade, then choosing a restaurant in the Third Street area...and just catching cab back to the hotel after dinner...

 

Or, as an alternative, hop over to the Venice Beach Boardwalk area, stroll the Boardwalk, maybe check out the canals and finish with a dinner there (My family likes the C&O Trattoria...31 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA)...

 

Both of these areas are not far from LAX...More relaxing than trying to get to Hollywood or Universal or Disney or other areas...

 

Good luck...

[Curt Jerome Wild]

We are going to be staying one evening at a hotel around LAX in August and should be getting in around 1 in the afternoon. Are there any tours that we could take from our hotel (Westin) that would get us back by early evening? I really don't want to rent a car and would be happy with a Greyline type tour. We will be there on a Friday if that makes any difference. Our long flight to Tahiti leaves around 1pm the next day and we want to be rested up for that.

 

I've noticed there is a great deal of excellent information on this section of the board and want to thank all in advance for any ideas they post.

 

Okay, so taking a lot of this info into account for what you want...

Friday will be a traffic mess in general at that time (2 PM until about 8 PM) for driving around on tours...

 

Are you absolutely dead set on The Westin and LAX?

I would have suggested this anyway, and BruinSteve has alluded to it...

 

Without renting a car...

#1 Go to this link for The Foghorn Inn:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=13581085&posted=1#post13581085

Pics and info there...

It is the only hotel currently that is not directly at LAX, but close enough to have a shuttle to and from the hotel. (It's about 10 minutes on surface streets to and from).

 

You can get Marina Del Ray and Venice Beach within easy walking distance.

Lots of LA sights, scenes, and relaxing strolling and beaching for the day before. You can even lounge out on the beachfront, or have breakfast at a nearby restaurant before you head back the next morning.

(Friday will actually be a really fun active sightseeing day for the Venice Boardwalk at that time - probably street performers of some kinds, etc.)

 

#2 Another option would be to take a taxi to Jamaica Bay Inn:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=679886

Similar area, but no hotel shuttle.

 

#3 If You must stay at a Westin, then you might try either

The Sheraton Delfina Santa Monica on Pico Blvd. as it's still taxi close enough to the airport, and there is tons of great strolling, shops, restaurants, 4 blocks from the beach etc.

or

Four Points by Sheraton Los Angeles Westside in Culver City

as it's about 5 minutes right down Sepulveda Blvd to and from LAX, and is closer by taxi to shopping, restaurants, or you could probably even get in a late tour or sightseeing around Sony Studios or spend the evening in downtown Culver City, which is the original Hollywood and near Culver Studios.

Click here for pics and info on things near there:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=509495

 

 

#4 All that being said, if you still want a tour, there is one that does a Hollywood/LA at night, but I'll have to check on that and see when/where it picks up from. You might have to cab it to Hollywood to get picked up for one of these evening tours though...

 

Let us know your thoughts...

 

 

[ORV]

Thanks for the reply Steve.

 

Technically our flight gets in at 12:25 but with all the delays who knows for sure when it will hit the gate.

 

By early evening I was thinking in the 9 or so range. I've taken tours in other cities that are promoted as twilight tours. I'll do a little research on them in that area and see what I can find. I'll also look into your suggestions.

 

Thanks again. ORV

[ORV]

CJW,

 

I booked the hotel through Priceline and we're locked into that. Sounds like going to the Santa Monica area is looking like our best bet. Sounds like it would be fairly reasonable to cab it there.

 

Thanks for your excellent input.

[Cruisin' Chick]

If you are staying in Santa Monica, you can follow Steve's suggestion and head for the Third Street Promenade for a truly LA experience, especially if there's nice weather. Lots of restaurants with some outdoor dining, unusual stores and often street performers. It's not that far from the beach and the Santa Monica pier.

[SHIPMEOUT]

We stayed at the LAX Marriott and we took an evening tour of Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Universal City Walk. Walked around the Chinese Theatre, Hollywood Walk of Fame, and really enjoyed Universal City Walk - the lights, shopping and restaurants were great.

 

We were picked up at our hotel around 5:15 pm and returned around 10 pm. It was about $48 pp, a nice smaller tour bus and a friendly guide.

 

Cindy

[NEW 2 CRUISIN]

We stayed at the LAX Marriott and we took an evening tour of Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Universal City Walk. Walked around the Chinese Theatre, Hollywood Walk of Fame, and really enjoyed Universal City Walk - the lights, shopping and restaurants were great.

 

We were picked up at our hotel around 5:15 pm and returned around 10 pm. It was about $48 pp, a nice smaller tour bus and a friendly guide.

 

Cindy

 

Hi CINDY!

 

Do you know the name of the tour company or have a link to their site?

 

This sounds like a great plan for arrival day! did they pick up right at the Marriott?

 

Also, how did yo uget form the Marriott to the Cruise Port?

 

Thanks!

 

:)

[SHIPMEOUT]

Hi CINDY!

 

Do you know the name of the tour company or have a link to their site?

 

This sounds like a great plan for arrival day! did they pick up right at the Marriott?

 

Also, how did yo uget form the Marriott to the Cruise Port?

 

Thanks! :)

 

Hi!

I don't remember if it was Gray Line or Starline...I'm thinking it was Starline...I'm going to see if I can find my bill and I'll let you know. Here's a link to the Starline site:

http://www.starlinetours.com/hotels-airport-area.aspx

 

We were on one of those nice small white tour buses and the guide was great. We didn't pre-book it; we had just gone down to the lobby to ask the concierge if there was any kind of evening tours available and he made the call to book us. We were picked up right at the front door of our hotel and then we picked up a few other people at nearby hotels. They took us briefly to the nearby tour office where we paid for our tickets then we were on our way.

 

We made various stops in Hollywood to see a lot of famous places, and had sufficient time to stroll around the Walk of Fame, etc.. That area was still hopping in the evening. We also toured Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills and walked around a bit (those shops were closed at night). We also had more than an hour to enjoy Universal City Walk which was fabulous at night with so many bright lights, unusual signs, great restaurants and shopping. When the tour was done we were returned right to our hotel. It was a great way to see a lot of Hollywood sights in an evening.:) The only thing they can't take you to see on the evening tour is the stars' homes.

 

We were at the LAX Mariott because we booked it as our pre-cruise hotel through Princess, and that also included the transfer from the hotel to the pier at San Pedro the next day.

 

Cindy

[Curt Jerome Wild]

#4 All that being said, if you still want a tour, there is one that does a Hollywood/LA at night, but I'll have to check on that and see when/where it picks up from. You might have to cab it to Hollywood to get picked up for one of these evening tours though...

ORV!

 

The one I was talking about above, is the one that Cindy stated...

Sounds like it's perfect! Go for it!

 

[ORV]

ORV!

 

The one I was talking about above, is the one that Cindy stated...

Sounds like it's perfect! Go for it!

 

 

That does sound like what we would be looking for. Thanks Cindy. I also like the Santa Monica Pier option. It looks like we won't have to sit around the hotel all afternoon and evening.

[kenish]

There are all sorts of great restaurants along 3rd Street. If you're into English pubs, a great one is Ye Olde King's Head:

 

http://www.yeoldekingshead.com/ (They are actually a block away on Santa Monica and 2nd). Some English friends of mine make a monthly pilgrimage there....and it's 2 hours each way!

 

The other post is right, on warm summer days and evenings (especially weekends) the area is quintessential LA.

[ORV]

I noticed on the Starline website that the PM tour doesn't pickup in the LAX area, unless I'm missing it. We might have to take another or cab to where they pickup. I guess I could call them direct.