First time in LA..Need help

[emen822]

My family and I are travelling to LA for 4 days precruise next April. We plan to rent a car but I have so many ideas in my head and feel like I'm trying to cram way too much into 4 days. So, for those who live there or have been there, what are the not to miss places to see. I have two teenage girls (13 and 15) so please keep that in mind. ;)

Here are the things I have tossed out there:

 

Hollywood (see the sign, walk of fame...probably do one of those tours for a day)

Venice Beach

Santa Monica pier

Universal

Disneyland

California Adventure

Knotts Berry Farm

 

I would say Hollywood is a definite so I just need to fill the other days without being stuck in a car all day. Thanks for your help! :D

[HERnME2]

My family and I are travelling to LA for 4 days precruise next April. We plan to rent a car but I have so many ideas in my head and feel like I'm trying to cram way too much into 4 days. So, for those who live there or have been there, what are the not to miss places to see. I have two teenage girls (13 and 15) so please keep that in mind. ;)

Here are the things I have tossed out there:

 

Hollywood (see the sign, walk of fame...probably do one of those tours for a day) A full day indeeed

Venice Beach Not alot to see here so Santa Monica Pier can be included

Santa Monica pier

Universal Disneyland A full day

California Adventure A full Day

Knotts Berry Farm A full day

 

I would say Hollywood is a definite so I just need to fill the other days without being stuck in a car all day. Thanks for your help! :D

 

The La Brea tar pits are very innteresting.. Also the Observatory/ Planetarium is great and the views of Hollywood are spectacular.

 

You do have a very ambitious four days planed..:D Have fun. :p

[notentirelynormal]

My family and I are travelling to LA for 4 days precruise next April. We plan to rent a car but I have so many ideas in my head and feel like I'm trying to cram way too much into 4 days. So, for those who live there or have been there, what are the not to miss places to see. I have two teenage girls (13 and 15) so please keep that in mind. ;)

Here are the things I have tossed out there:

 

Hollywood (see the sign, walk of fame...probably do one of those tours for a day)

Venice Beach

Santa Monica pier

Universal

Disneyland

California Adventure

Knotts Berry Farm

 

I would say Hollywood is a definite so I just need to fill the other days without being stuck in a car all day. Thanks for your help! :D

 

For me, and I know I'm in the minority but, I'm not a big beach person and one beach is more or less like another. While its a nice day trip when there is nothing else to do, if I only had a couple of days in LA I'd see the other sights. The walk of fame (I assume you're talking about the stars on the sidewalk) is cool but it shouldn't take you all day to do. If you want to see Hollywood kind of things like a movie set, spend a day at Universal - and spend a little more and get the "front of the line" ticket and save yourself some time and see more. If you've never been to Disneyland, thats 2 days between that and California Adventure. With so little time here, I'd rather see the unique things to LA then sand and a pier. Its not like you aren't going on a cruise and won't see another beach.

[emen822]

In case I wasn't clear, I don't HAVE to see all these things. These are just things that are somewhat in the same proximity and I was hoping to get an idea of things that we should not miss. As far as Venice Beach, I was interested in seeing it for what its famous for, not so much to go to the beach. I certainly don't want to go to two amusement parks, Disneyland and Universal. That would be one pricey precruise visit for a family of 4! :eek: Maybe I should've worded my question better. :o

I guess I might just need to make another trip to California since I would like to get to the Redwood Forest and also the San Diego Zoo. :D

[ruready]

Venice is always a fun place to visit. I usually go every few years now even though I probably only live about 12 miles away. Definitely try an In-N-Out Burger -- well known on the West Coast. Hollywood seems to be a popular destination for tourists. Maybe take a tour of one of the entertainment studios or try to sit in as an audience member of one of the sitcoms. If you are into museums, the Getty Center is nice. I like to visit the Queen Mary (I just like historical things like that) or Griffith Park. You already mentioned most of the popular spots, Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, Universal Studios, etc. Maybe Rodeo Drive -- famous Pretty Women scenery. Given your kid's ages, they may prefer Six Flags Magic Mountain over Disneyland and Knott's, but Magic Mountain is a longer drive from the Long Beach / LA area.

[Tweety1961]

You should be able to do quite a bit in 4 days. Our family only had 1 day and we did go to Hollywood, saw the "walk of fame" and the Hollywood sign, ate at In and Out Burger, then drove through Beverly Hills and down Rodeo Drive, didn't stop to walk around though. We then drove to Santa Monica pier then walked for close to an hour and a half down toward Venice Beach. We didn't go on the beach, just walked on the paths. They do rent bikes too! So, depending on where you are staying, you can get a lot done in 4 days. We were staying in San Pedro, and we left early in the morning then got back to the hotel around 8pm. CJW has some great info, hopefully he can help you out too. Try and search any posts he has had on here. Have a great time!

[Petert]

Hi Emen,

 

We live just a few miles from Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm, and have been to these attractions numerous times. I would advise you to pass up the California experience, as there is not enough different from other attractions to warrant a seperate visit. I agree with the suggestion to minimize any time spent in Venice.

 

You might think about visiting the Queen Mary in Long Beach. They have made this a nice attraction, where you can tour the historic vessle and later enjoy comparing the Queen with your modern cruise ship. Shops and dining on board and in the adjacent village. Your wise to plan carefully, as there is much to see in this area, but be sure to avoid freeway travel during commute times, as the heavy traffic can be exasperating at best.

 

Petert

[emen822]

I'm thinking two days in Hollywood with a rental car should be good to see the usual touristy things and then one day at Disneyland. Maybe we will skip the amusement parks altogether. I appreciate all your help! There is so much to see that I think we need to make another trip to Cali. :D

[Bruin Steve]

Okay...time to jump in here...

 

First, know that "LA" is a BIG place with LOTS to do...

And what is important to do depends more on who's doing the visiting than anything else...

 

Also, the perspective you get, even from locals, depends a lot on who those locals are, what their backgrounds are and on what part of SoCal they come from or live in...

 

As for my neighbor in Oak Park who thinks a "beach is a beach and a pier is a pier", at least to my thinking, couldn't be more wrong...Beaches in So Cal--especially certain ones of them--have a specific history and culture...chief among these are Venice and Santa Monica (Though Malibu, Manhattan, Laguna and others have some special characteristics and interest, these two may be the most special...What makes Venice and Santa Monica stand out is the part they take in local and even national and international culture...You will recognize the locations from Television, movies and more...

 

Whether or not you're visiting these sites for a short or long time really depends a lot on where you are staying...If you are staying close by (which I usually recommend), you are not as much touring these areas as you are "living" them...You will stroll the Venice Boardwalk for part of your afternoon and you will stroll down the Santa Monica Third Street Promenade or hang out at the Santa Monica Pier for the evening...

 

As to the amusement parks, the ones here have historical significance--this is the ORIGINAL Disney, this is the REAL Universal Studios (though the current tourist stuff is really more of a fake--but the location is real)...Now, if your girls love amusement parks, sure, you can make a whole vacation out of just that...But, remember three things:

1) The rides at Disney are the same for the most part as the ones in Orlando

2) The prices are astronomical--doing four amusement parks in four days (Disney, California Adventure, Knott's and Universal) will likely cost you more than your cruise!

3) Maybe not for the kids so much, but for the grownups, it gets old FAST...and the crowds can get to you as well...

 

My recommendation is to keep the kids happy, pick one and spend a whole day...

 

Hollywood IS just a short visit--if ALL you plan on doing is checking out Grauman's Chinese, the Walk of Fame and getting a photo of the Hollywood Sign...Of course, if you take a tour, they show you a lot more than those and it can be a full or half day...Or, doing it yourself, you see those AND also visit a TV studio tour, go see a TV show taping, head up to Universal CityWalk and, basically, do the whole day touring...If your girls are into shopping, you can head from Hollywood over to Melrose for the funky boutiques or to the Grove for the designer and mall shops in an architectural masterpiece or down to Rodeo Drive to windowshop the stuff none of us can afford--those can all be fit into the same day--

 

But a lot depends on WHERE you are staying and how you logistically organize it...

 

I always recommend visiting the Getty...but you've got a couple of teenagers...how are they with museums?

 

When my girls were teens and we traveled, we always took them to see college campuses (always reinforcing those goals...and I guess it worked--my younger daughter is a senior at UC Davis, the older daughter got her undergraduate degree from UC San Diego, her Masters from Columbia and is now working as a college administrator at Tulane)...You might want to take yours to go see the UCLA campus--it's right in beteen Beverly Hills, Brentwood and Bel Air--and an absolutely beautiful campus...worth a visit...Maybe one of the daughters will get an idea to go there?

 

So, do you have any hotel ideas yet? How you structure your days is really quite dependent on where you are staying...

[kenish]

I live 30 minutes from Disney and agree that it is a lot better than California Adventure. A lot of people must agree because CA's attendance has never been what Eisner hoped, and they have constantly revamped it to find something that clicks.

 

 

Suggest you make a list and omit things the parents don't want to do for lack of interest or budget. :) Then give each of your daughter's the short list, and ask them to independently rank what they want to do (and do not want to do). That should help a lot!

[TahoeBob]

I guess I might just need to make another trip to California since I would like to get to the Redwood Forest and also the San Diego Zoo. :D

 

Just remember there is about 600 miles between SD and the best redwoods

[PoohUnderstands]

Bruin Steve:

 

Any suggestions for hotels to stay at before a cruise leaving from Los Angeles. Have done the amusement parks many times and more interested in things like Getty, or enjoying local culture. Any suggestions.

 

Pooh

[HERnME2]

Getty is a great place to visit,, But again I'll recommend a trip to the La Brea Tar Pits if you have never been it's very interesting and it is a work in progress..

 

About Hotels I like the Double Tree in San Pedro.. Ask for a harbor view and the cruise package,, It will include a full breakfast,, buffet or off the menu ... Very nice...Also they will take you to and from the pier... And lets not forget about the large warm chocolate chip cookies....;):p

[Curt Jerome Wild]

My family and I are travelling to LA for 4 days precruise next April. We plan to rent a car but I have so many ideas in my head and feel like I'm trying to cram way too much into 4 days. So, for those who live there or have been there, what are the not to miss places to see. I have two teenage girls (13 and 15) so please keep that in mind. ;)

Here are the things I have tossed out there:

 

Hollywood (see the sign, walk of fame...probably do one of those tours for a day)

Venice Beach

Santa Monica pier

Universal

Disneyland

California Adventure

Knotts Berry Farm

 

I would say Hollywood is a definite so I just need to fill the other days without being stuck in a car all day. Thanks for your help! :D

Hey all who are giving advice here...

 

Just so you know...

emen822 has already gone through some basic plans here on this thread, starting at about post #26:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=854246&page=2

 

That will give you background for further advice.

She's got two teenage girls who love the TV Show "The Hills" and are more interested in all things Hollywood.

She herself (emen822) is interested in the Disney aspect.

 

As far as I can tell, if she's taking the Red Line tour of Hollywood and LA, then she's got all of that worked and taking up an entire day.

 

Other than that for now...

emen822 - click here for some things to see that you and your teens might be interested in:

 

The Taste of LA Driving Tour

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=511653

 

The OC Filming Location Tour

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=500138

 

The San Pedro Filming Location Tour

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=567043

 

Let me know if you have any further questions or need specific help.;)

[Cruisin' Chick]

Not to be persnickedly, or maybe I'm just tired from working on my girl's Halloween outfit, but let's not assume every preteen and teen is interested in the Hills (my girl hasn't indicated any interest). She is even "allergic" to anything to do with High School Musical.:D I will have to spend money on movie tickets for "Twilight" though.

[Curt Jerome Wild]

And my persnickety friend...

 

I'm not assuming anything at all.

Those who know me well, know that I pay very close attention to everything that people mention, and I try my best to advise according to their own specific details...

 

So I was referring to this from before:

CJW - the links are so helpful. I'm a day or two away from making my final decision about this trip. Once I make that decision, I'll be back here in full force with all my questions and hopefully you can help me some more. :D

 

They have been watching the Hills and paying serious attention to their hangouts. My girls are writing down the places they want to see and seem like amateur stalkers. :eek: :D

 

Just sayin'

;)

[cigal]

I guess I might just need to make another trip to California since I would like to get to the Redwood Forest and also the San Diego Zoo. :D

 

Emen,

You definately need another trip.....maybe two! :) One for San Diego (SoCal) and another for the Redwoods (NorCal) actually, far Northern Cal....almost Oregon;)

 

When you get ready to visit the Redwoods ~ come find me!!:)

But for now, listen to CJW for all your LA advice........he's the master!:)

[dirtgirl]

I actually preferred California Adventure Park over Disneyland, and so did my family. :) It was less crowded, and there were far fewer young children. We loved the California Screamin' roller coaster, and the Tower of Terror.

 

The OP could also get a Park Hopper Pass, and jump to both parks in one day. ;)

 

Knott's has more thrill type rides. I felt sick at Knott's last time, so had to stop going on the rides!:o

[Bruin Steve]

Bruin Steve:

 

Any suggestions for hotels to stay at before a cruise leaving from Los Angeles. Have done the amusement parks many times and more interested in things like Getty, or enjoying local culture. Any suggestions.

 

Pooh

 

Pooh,

If you have a few days in LA and are interested in art, culture, etc., You definitely want to stay on the West Side--Santa Monica, Venice, Marina del Rey, Westwood, Century City, Beverly Hills, etc. I particularly like Santa Monica since it has the nicest and most convenient walking streets, shops, restaurants...as well as a nice, laid back atmosphere...Venice is a little more "funky", Century City and Beverly Hills a little more dense and businesslike...There is also a nice range of hotels in Santa Monica from the comfortable, reasonably priced no-frills to the high end luxury--all depends on your budget and desires...

 

The other thing to consider is how you will be getting around...First choice in LA is to have a rental car...Most sites require transportation and taxis are hard to find and expensive and public transportation is not great...

 

The Getty Center (the art museum) is just off the 405 just north of Sunset Blvd., near Westwood Village...

 

http://www.getty.edu/

 

If you don't stay in Santa Monica, Westwood is a fairly convenient location. One possible hotel choice very close to the Getty Center is the Hotel Angeleno:

 

http://www.hotelangeleno.com/

 

This is virtually adjacent to the Getty and very close to Westwood Village and the UCLA campus...A short ways up the 405 from the Getty is the Skirball-- a little more specialized (largely Jewish themes) but often some interesting exhibits:

 

http://www.skirball.org/

 

The Getty Villa is the home of the Antiquities Collection--and a very striking property in and of itself, right off Pacific Coast Highway, just up the coast from Santa Monica at the order of Pacific Palisades and Malibu, just past the end of Sunset Blvd.--fairly convenient to get to from Santa Monica or Westwood if you have a car...

 

Hotels in Santa Monica include, at the "high end":

 

http://www.santamonicaloewshotel.com/

 

http://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/home.html

 

http://www.fairmont.com/SantaMonica?cm_mmc=icppc-_-Branded-MIR%20-%20Miramar%20Hotel%20Santa%20Monica%20-%20US-_-google-_-miramar+santa+monica

 

http://www.lemerigothotel.com/

 

Lots of other hotels in Santa Monica...look here:

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g33052-Santa_Monica_California-Hotels.html

 

Also search through this list for the many reviews Curt Jerome Wild has done on this area...

 

Good luck...

[andynapril]

Universal - Disneyland -California Adventure - Knotts Berry Farm are each full day trips. Although you could do 1/2 day at Disneyland & 1/2 day @ California adventure. I would keep that in mind. If they've never been to Disneyland I would pick it over Universal or Knotts, but they're all good. :)

[emen822]

Great information has been provided. If I told my girls we would spend a week in Hollywood, they would be thrilled. I'm just trying to see as much as we can without feeling exhausted from vacation that we need a vacation before the cruise starts! :D

 

For those that suggested asking CJW, he has already been super helpful with everything. Once I figure out what we're going to do, I will figure out hotels. Like I've said in numerous posts, I have no clue about California so all of this is very helpful and I appreciate all the opinions/suggestions.

 

So far, I'd say we will stay in Hollywood Wednesday and Thursday night. Just trying to figure out where to go from there. Either towards Disney for the day or to the pier. I will talk it over with the family and be back for more! Thanks again! You guys are making this so much easier. ;)

[Curt Jerome Wild]

Also search through this list for the many reviews Curt Jerome Wild has done on this area...

Good luck...

Thanks for that compadre Steve!

That being said' date=' for your own further information and recommendations, I have to address this...[/color']

Pooh,

If you don't stay in Santa Monica, Westwood is a fairly convenient location. One possible hotel choice very close to the Getty Center is the Hotel Angeleno:

http://www.hotelangeleno.com/

I personally cannot recommend Hotel Angelino to anyone. Since it just converted over from the Holiday Inn, the service has gone downhill completely - and the snotty attitudes of the staff have only risen to unbelievable proportions.:(

This is based on experience with them on more than one occasion, so not an isolated incident.

I will not ever stay there again, or recommend anyone to do so.

In addition, the rooms are small pie shapes, and there isn't really any view worth paying that much for...

(Can you tell I've had several bad experiences with them;)).

 

Much better right next door, and I highly recommend is:

The Luxe Hotel Sunset Blvd.

http://www.luxehotelsunsetblvd.com/

 

Fantastic boutique hotel, with really friendly and great staff.

The best choice near the Getty.

 

Just so you know for future reference.:)

 

I'll try to post some links to info and reviews for Pooh later...

:D

[Cruisin' Chick]

And my persnickety friend...

 

I'm not assuming anything at all.

Those who know me well, know that I pay very close attention to everything that people mention, and I try my best to advise according to their own specific details...

 

So I was referring to this from before:

 

 

Just sayin'

;)

 

Okay, somehow I missed that reference (had even checked both threads, I thought, doing a search on "Hills" just to make sure I wasn't going crazy). I am so becoming aware through my daughter's interests that many kids over 10 may develop a dislike for some trends (saw that last year in a grade school holiday boutique, when the PTA president and the rest of us realized that anything Hanna Montana and HSM, among other themes, weren't selling). In fact, I'm happy my girl now checks the History Channel and Comedy Central (she now is a fan of the Daily Show and the Colbert Report) often before checking Disney or Cartoon Network. And don't even mention Barbie around her!

[cigal]

I personally cannot recommend Hotel Angelino to anyone. Since it just converted over from the Holiday Inn, the service has gone downhill completely - and the snotty attitudes of the staff have only risen to unbelievable proportions.:(

This is based on experience with them on more than one occasion, so not an isolated incident.

I will not ever stay there again, or recommend anyone to do so.

In addition, the rooms are small pie shapes, and there isn't really any view worth paying that much for...

(Can you tell I've had several bad experiences with them;)).

Thanks for the heads up CJW.....It is really sad to hear. DH and I stayed there a few years ago and had a good experience with staff and attitudes and all that........The only thing that threw us was how loud the freeway was - and we were on a pretty high floor too:(

Much better right next door, and I highly recommend is:

The Luxe Hotel Sunset Blvd.

http://www.luxehotelsunsetblvd.com/

 

Fantastic boutique hotel, with really friendly and great staff.

The best choice near the Getty.

 

What he said.....It is a very nice place.:)

[HERnME2]

HAPPY HALLOWEEN ALL...:D