Tayls Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 (edited) Heading out next month to begin my west coast trip - starting and finishing in LA and will have 3 days there. Little bit nervous about LA as I have no idea how to get around and when exactly to start avoiding certain places. I mainly just hear about the dodgyness that the city can offer... We are staying in a hotel right by the airport as well. I want to do these things: Santa Monica pier and the shopping centre Venice beach Universal Studios (Hollywood) I would like to see Marilyn Monroe's crypt as well. Just worried about when it starts to get a little seedy and when I should aim to head back to my hotel. Also any decent eats in the area? Edited August 5, 2013 by Tayls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 (edited) Public transport is virtually nil in LA...I'd either rent a car or take a cab from the airport. Taking a cab will eliminate the chances of taking a wrong exit into dodgy parts of town... I'd personally want to stay out of an airport hotel as long as possible, regardless of potential seediness (and Hollywood is).... But if you have little ones in tow, that's a different story. Plenty of good eateries in Santa Monica Edited August 5, 2013 by maqroll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted August 5, 2013 Author Share Posted August 5, 2013 I'm not very clued up when it comes to getting around cities though, especially ones the size of LA and I am a cautious person. So keen to avoid any trouble. How easy is it to hail down a cab? Any other recommendations maqroll? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetrees Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 Nothing wrong with being cautious, but ask in your hotel how to get to the places that you want to go. They will put you right. Car hire is a good shout, and it is very cheap in CA. Remember that Americans go everywhere in the car, so there will be places to park. I was at Santa Monica Pier in June, and it was about $10 to park for the day. Eateries? It's the US, so big portions and crap service are the order of the day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 I'm not very clued up when it comes to getting around cities though, especially ones the size of LA and I am a cautious person. So keen to avoid any trouble. How easy is it to hail down a cab? Any other recommendations maqroll? There should be cabs queued up outside your hotel day and night who will take you wherever you ask them to...less stressful than navigating yourself, but more expensive. Angelinos go everywhere in cars, thetrees apparently hasn't visited Boston, NYC, Chicago, Seattle, San Fran, etc. etc.... It's Los Angeles, so you'll find plenty of great restaurants with perfectly normal portions and fine service despite the silly generalization above There is great live music there, so check local papers/websites to see if anything interests you. You could take in a Dodgers game...drive to Burbank and catch the Tonight Show... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donnie Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 (edited) I went LA couple of years ago, stayed in central Hollywood. Gonna be honest and say I absolutely hated it. Cost us around £60 return to Venice beach in a taxi so hiring a car is your best option. Even Venice beach was nothing special though. I went with 3 mates and unless you have serious money, it is not possible to enjoy the nightlife. Dangerous, dirty and expensive. San Francisco was much much better Edited August 12, 2013 by donnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 Cheers for the advice so far chaps. We have three days in LA to explore at our leisure. We have half a day when we land followed by the next day and then after that we hook up with other people to explore. We will head off to San Diego, Phoenix, Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Las Vegas, San Francisco and then back into LA for a day. We kinda have plans for the other cities that we visit but we cannot just nail anything down for LA - don't know why, it's just really really difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leviramsey Posted August 12, 2013 VT Supporter Share Posted August 12, 2013 LA is all artifice, a sold image Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Cheers for the advice so far chaps. We have three days in LA to explore at our leisure. We have half a day when we land followed by the next day and then after that we hook up with other people to explore. We will head off to San Diego, Phoenix, Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Las Vegas, San Francisco and then back into LA for a day. We kinda have plans for the other cities that we visit but we cannot just nail anything down for LA - don't know why, it's just really really difficult. That's because the city is just so massive, and any decent destinations are all spread out away from each other. I think to really enjoy LA, it helps to have a friend or more who lives there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seat68 Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 Big blue bus will get you between downtown LA and Santa Monica. You can then go via subway to Hollywood and vine etc. All cheap and keeps you off the interstate in a car, which to be frank is **** evil. No discernible city centre in LA so I prefer Melrose, lots of cools stores, or shops to give them their proper name. Santa Monica is a great place to spend a day or more, 3rd street is your shopping area and there is also a shopping centre, its also close for bars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetrees Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 Angelinos go everywhere in cars, thetrees apparently hasn't visited Boston, NYC, Chicago, Seattle, San Fran, etc. etc.... It's Los Angeles, so you'll find plenty of great restaurants with perfectly normal portions and fine service despite the silly generalization above Yep, visited all of the above, and a few of the etceteras. Driving through Manhattan was a nice experience. Silly generalisation? Perhaps, but in Europe dining is an experience, while in the U.S. it is purely refuelling. Nowhere in Europe is your main course delivered while you are eating your starter, nor are plates taken away until everyone at he table has finished. I like the U.S., but I certainly don't visit for the cuisine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
privateer Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 If you are going to be driving much I'd recommend a satnav - in fact I would really hate to drive in LA without one. It would probably benefit you to buy one rather than take it as an option from a car rental company. They tend to charge a lot for them and by the look of your itinerary you'll be driving quite a lot? Driving around LA in the rush period ain't fun, it's even worse if you don't know exactly where you are going. Radioshack sell them cheap and they are worth every penny for the stress they reduce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted August 16, 2013 Author Share Posted August 16, 2013 (edited) We're not going be driving, that's the tricky thing. We are getting around mainly by coach to all the other places. So, going from where I am staying near the airport, what's the best way to get to Santa Monica and what is the best way to get back? I hear it is quite difficult to hail down a taxi? What's the shopping like in Santa Monica and any recommendations for places to get a nice meal? Edited August 16, 2013 by Tayls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seat68 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Nice meal in santa monica, up near 23rd on SM Boulevard is Bistro of Santa Monica, its a great restaurant, ate there a few times and its amongst the best meals I have ever had. That said 100 yards from there is ihop and who doesnt love breakfast food. On Ocean avenue in Santa Monica you get a view of the pier, and there are some ok restaurants down there to try, you will pay though. On the pier you have stuff like bubba gumps. Last time we were there we tried Seasons 52, it was good, I think The Ivy at The Shore is down there too. Number 3 rapid big blue bus is less than $3 and will take you from LAX to 3rd street promenade in around 45 minutes. The same will get you back to LAX. Shopping in Santa Monica is pretty good, you have the sandard US high street shops as well as quirky little ones, on the Santa Monica Boulevard side of 3rd street you have the mall, 3rd street you have a ton of shops too, then at the other end of third street is Wilshire, take a walk up there for smaller shops, go up as far as 12th before looping back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choffer Posted August 31, 2013 VT Supporter Share Posted August 31, 2013 Had a similar short stay in LA a couple of years ago when I added a weekend stay to a business trip. Getting around without a car wasn't great but it was definitely do-able. Your hotel will be able to arrange a bus to Universal. For Santa Monica, you cab grab a cab up there for about $30, spend some time on 3rd St for shopping/eats, do the pier and then walk down through Venice/Muscle beach. If you're not completely shagged out by then, keep walking as far as Marina Del Ray. You're pretty close to the airport at that point but there's also plenty of hotels around the Marina so finding a cab is easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted September 1, 2013 Share Posted September 1, 2013 didnt like LA, so ,many rude people and so many dodgey areas, do your research because if you go on a wrong street you could really fck yourself up its a strange city everywhere is so far apart from each other and no transport links, your screwed if your not able to drive if you dont have a license over there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drat01 Posted September 1, 2013 Share Posted September 1, 2013 I think it's worth a visit, if only to do the tourist places, Hollywood, Beverley Hills etc. Anahiem where Disney is a better tourist bet I would say and you can easily get on the freeway to head down south to San Diego (great place) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 Sooo flying out next week - little bit scared, not gonna lie. (Of LA). Anybody got any recommendations for the following places: Vegas San Diego Phoenix/Scottsdale San Francisco Be greatly appreciated... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Skip Arizona 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 Skip Arizona Oww, was kinda looking forward to Phoenix!! Got a couple of days there before heading to the Grand Canyon, and then onto Lake Powell and Bryce Canyon. What's wrong with it? Haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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