Post Cruise - Santa Monica

Hi,

We have 5 days in LA after our Mexico cruise in January 08.

We are booked in the Holiday in Santa Monica near the pier.

Has anyone stayed there? Any sugggestions on what to do for 5 days?

All ideas/suggestions are most welcome! :)

Cheers,

Ann

A few questions...

#1 Are you renting a car, or wanting to do everything by bus, taxi, or shuttle?

#2 What types of things are you interested in activity-wise? There are almost unlimited options in the LA area.

#3 Do a general search on post by myself and BruinSteve with the key words "Santa Monica" there is lots and lots of info here to already get you started and thinking.

#4 Are you absolutely sure and locked into that particular hotel? It's okay, but not the best and a bit noisy because it literally backs up right on to the freeway?

Again welcome, give us a little more info, and there's lots of great folks who will be checking in here to help.

CJW

In Santa Monica itself there is the 3rd Street Mall and shopping up on Montana. 3#rd street is accessable by foot and Montana an easy bus ride. If you have a car see if the museum is still at the Santa Monica Airport. Westwood used to be a fun place to walk around. Not sure any more so maybe some present westsiders can let you know. Out Wilshire at 3rd and Fairfax is the Farmers Market and next to it The Grove. These are also available by bus if you have no car. See if Greyhound still have those hokey bus tours. They are fun. B.H. and Hollywood and "stars homes". The NEW Getty Museum is just fantastic and the new Catholic Cathedral is supposed to be a great tourist attraction. You'd need a car for both I believe. If you have kids Universal Studios has a great tour. If you get to Farmers Market, see if CBS is giving tours.

The key thing to remember is that Los Angeles and the surrounding area covers an immense area. So it is a good idea to plan out what you want to do, day by day. The travel distance as well as traffic conditions can be daunting.

Santa Monica is considered "West Side" and by the coast. Also on the West Side is Malibu, Westwood (where UCLA is located, it's a business and movie theater district too), Century City (major shopping mall; also business district).

Another area that many of us recommend for tourist activities is Long Beach, which has undergone a renaissance with the Queen Mary, the Aquarium, Shoreline Village. Carnival docks its ships there, rather than in San Pedro.

Thanks for the warm welcome and info!!

CJW..

• If we rent a car it will only be for a couple of days. Otherwise it is mainly foot/taxi...
  
• We're rather laid-back, relaxing is good... like to walk, the less crowded the better (but if we know it's coming - it's not so bad!)-
  
• Universal Studios sounds good, a bit of shopping, chilled out bars/restaurants (not too fancy or $$$$), we're are happy to venture further afield (car day) if there is something you recommend!
  
• Unfortunately we are tied into the Holiday Inn (priceline) - any suggestions for a room to ask for?

This is all I know at the moment...

I did that search... what would us foreigners do without you guys!!!

Thanks again!

Ann

Real quick check in here...

As, in my time zone and work, I'm still working and need to get off the boards...:o :p

Cool, I'll get back to you with a lot of things,

but in the meantime, on THAT Holiday Inn, it's basically nice, just get a room that is not on the backside up against the Freeway...

Request one that is on or near the corner towards the pier and facing the street as (believe it or not) in that particular hotel, that will be the quietest...

Now, bear in mind, here in LA/Santa Monica the hotel people are generally really nice and helpful, and want to accomodate your requests as best they can...

But also "forgetful", so if you can getting closer and closer to your trip, call and request what you want. Be very nice and friendly, and persistent, and you'll get what you want.:D

I'm sure that they have a toll free number...

as long as you keep yourself "friendly" and "in the front of their minds", then here in LA they'll do their best to get you what you want.

That is the key here.

Hope this helps...

I'll give more details later.

CJW

I stayed at the Santa Monica Holiday Inn at the Pier this past April and I couldn't agree more with CJW. Get a room facing the street! We had one facing the highway and the noise kept me up all night. Even though it is an older hotel it was well-kept and in a good location.

If you like to walk, there's plenty to walk to in santa Monica right near the Holiday Inn...

As has been mentioned, the Third Street Promenade is a pedestrian-only shopping and restaurant street that is really only steps from your hotel...walk through the Santa Monica Place enclosed Mall and out the other side and you're there...

Or, head out of your hotel onto Colorado Ave. and walk a couple of blocks to your left and you'll find the Santa Monica Pier with it's various amusements...

Just as you get to the pier, if you crioss Ocean Avenue and turn right, you can walk along the cliffs in Palisades Park and see great views of the Pacific Ocean...

Or you can go down below the Pier and walk along the Beach...

There are public "Big Blue" Santa Monica buses that go up Wilshire Blvd (#2) or Santa Monica Blvd. (#1) to Westwood Village and the beautiful campus of UCLA...or down to Venice Beach and its fun "Boardwalk"...if you're willing to take public buses, that is...

If you are, check outh the whole Santa Monica Bus System here:

http://www.bigbluebus.com/systemmap/basic.asp

You may want to save Universal Studios and Hollywood and other more distant points for when you hire a rental car...

Hope this helps...

Thanks Steve for the bus numbers! I was born and raised in Santa Monica and spent most of my life there and lived on the buses until age 23, but I could NOT remember the Blue Bus numbers to save my life. You gave OP some great tips and expansions on my ideas. Go Bruins!

Thanks heaps!!!

All this info is very much appreciated!! Keep it coming... I'm taking notes!

Cheers,

Ann