Need help with touristy stuff for a day in LA

I'm calling on my LA experts once again!

We are flying into OC on Feb. 12th. Thanks to a direct flight at the time space continuum we arrive just in time for noon rush hour so I'm having Super Shuttle take us from the Orange County airport to the Crowne Plaza hotel in San Pedro.

We don't cruise out of San Pedro until the 14th and Enterprise has a rental location right at our building, so my signficant other who has never seen the sights wants to rent a car.

Say we decide to do that... where would one want to go late afternoonish on Friday, February 12 and all day Saturday, February 13th? He's never seen Graumann's Chinese Theater, the Hollywood sign, etc. Eat lunch somewhere.

Would we be better off driving to all these places or trying to hook up with some kind of tour?

Thanks in advance.

I'm calling on my LA experts once again!

We are flying into OC on Feb. 12th. Thanks to a direct flight at the time space continuum we arrive just in time for noon rush hour so I'm having Super Shuttle take us from the Orange County airport to the Crowne Plaza hotel in San Pedro.

 

We don't cruise out of San Pedro until the 14th and Enterprise has a rental location right at our building, so my signficant other who has never seen the sights wants to rent a car.

 

Say we decide to do that... where would one want to go late afternoonish on Friday, February 12 and all day Saturday, February 13th? He's never seen Graumann's Chinese Theater, the Hollywood sign, etc. Eat lunch somewhere.

 

Would we be better off driving to all these places or trying to hook up with some kind of tour?

 

Thanks in advance.

With the rental car, I would do it myself--so I could go on my own schedule...

I would use the 12th to do Hollywood...I'd head right up the 110 through Downtown to the 101 and get off at Hollywood Boulevard, turn left and head to Hollywood and Highland...By now, it's a late lunch and you're probably hungry...park at the Hollywood and Highland complex and pick any of the number of eateries there...After lunch, you can walk over to Grauman's Chinese (it's right in the complex) and walk along the sidewalk and gawk at the "stars"...There are views of the Hollywood Sign from the complex as well...If you wanted, you could hop back into the car and actually go up to the sign (I think Curt Jerome Wild has posted some detailed directions somewhere on this board) or, you could leave Hollywood an head to some other nearby site--either up to Universal and Citywalk or down Sunset through West Hollywood (Sunset Strip) and into Beverly Hills, check out Rodeo Drive and such...If that direction, I'd continue afterwards into Westwood and visit UCLA (maybe too late to visit the Getty), then take the 405 South to the 110 south to get back to the Crowne Plaza...

I'd use the second day to do something else--depending on your likings--Disneyland? Or, for me, I'd head up the coast (Use the 405 north to the 10 west) to Santa Monica and Venice...maybe the Getty first (If you like Art Museums)...visit the Santa Monica Pier, the Venice Boardwalk, maybe the Getty Villa...

But, there are all sorts of other things to do...What would you like to see?

Thanks Steve - knew I could count on you!

I think we'd like Santa Monica, Venice Beach that kind of thing over a theme park. My other half is a bit of a amateur photog and would probably like some photo ops. I think we'd enjoy the boardwalk / beach area. Is there a lot going on during February?

Any recommended lunch stops around there?

Thanks Steve - knew I could count on you!

 

I think we'd like Santa Monica, Venice Beach that kind of thing over a theme park. My other half is a bit of a amateur photog and would probably like some photo ops. I think we'd enjoy the boardwalk / beach area. Is there a lot going on during February?

 

Any recommended lunch stops around there?

Clearly not as much going on at Venice during February as during the summer months...after all, it is primarily a beach...and beach weather is a big part...But often there's some activity of note...The Santa Monica Pier and Third Street Promenade are pretty active year round...

Of course, in February, you also have the possibility of rain--which puts a damper on a lot of stuff...But, the good thing is that it doesn't rain all that much here ever (except last week--which was miserable by LA standards)...

Santa Monica is loaded with photo ops...Of course, a lot depends on what sorts of photos you like to take...There are great ocean and beach views from the bluffs in Palisades Park...and views of the Santa Monica Pier--including some great night shots when they light up all the rides on the pier...The pier itself is full of photo ops...They have shot a number of movies and TV shows here, so you might recognize it...In the movie "The Sting" with Redford and Newman, that wonderful old Carousel that is supposed to be in Chicago in the movie is actually on the Santa Monica Pier...The Getty Villa, just a little ways up the coast at PCH and Coastline Drive (just past Sunset Blvd.) houses Getty's Antiquities Collection and the building itself is modeled after a Roman Villa in Pompeii or Herculaneaum and has ocean views from the courtyard/garden/fountains...so, both the building and grounds as well as the contents are photo ops...

If the Venice Boardwalk has any kind of warm weather and crowds, it usually provides great people pictures--like the weightlifters at Muscle Beach and the girls in bikinis on roller skates (maybe not in February, though) and all of the strange street people...

And Marina del Rey with all of the boats in the harbor always provides some great and colorful photo ops...

As to places to eat, if you're down in the Venice Boardwalk/Marina del Rey area, one of my picks is C&O Trattoria:

http://www.cotrattoria.com/

Right near the southern end of the Boardwalk on Washington Blvd.

Up near the Getty Villa is a longstanding LA institution, the original Gladstones:

http://www.gladstones.com/

Dining right over the beach where Sunset hits the coast...Can get a bit crowded, it's the highest grossing restaurant in California...

Additionally, there are a host of restaurants of all kinds along the Third Street Promenade and within a block or so of there and along Main Street going south in Santa Monica...

we played tourist for three days just a few weeks ago. we biked up and down santa monica/venice beaches. ok, not too impressed. not that much going on--perfect weather.

we spent 5 hours at the getty-over by I-5--go early--opens at 10 absolutely fabulous. we drove up and down rodeo drive and around beverly hills a bit--not too impressed. I would skip it.

then we went to the getty at malibu after the cruise--you need reservations--both gettys are free-just pay for parking. very nice.

but we like art

Depends on what you and your husband are interested in.

If you're going to do the Hollywood sights thing, you can swing down Fairfax Blvd and check out Farmers Market, which has been around for 75 years and then have dinner at Cantor's Deli (you'll see most of the neighboring stores will be shutting down before dark for the Sabbath - Shabbot, but Cantor's isn't true Kosher so it stays open all the time).

Definitely have a Plan B for any planned beach activities or photography. We're having an El Nino year, which is much needed, but can mean several days of rain in a row (just like last week). Daytime temps will probably be around the 50s-60s, but if the Santa Ana winds blow, they can go up to the 80s.

Thank you all for your advice.

We will definitely be heading toward Venice/Marina del Rey if the weather is good. Thanks for the restaurant suggestions.

I am going to try to talk my fiance' out of doing Rodeo Drive/Beverly Hills... I think he's seen that part of LA... he just didn't get to do the tourist part, so we may okay without that.

Thanks for the Farmer's Market suggestion Cruisin' Chick. That and Cantor's sounds fabulous!

Ann

Steve's suggestions are great, but I'd be really careful about the 12th - in your original post you say you need activities for late afternoon on Friday the 12th, which could lead you right into rush hour! It would sure give you a genuine LA experience, but I think it's one you'd rather not have.... If you start out early enough (2-3?) you'd probably be okay, and then I'd stay out until at least 8 before heading south again. But be warned that even surface streets (ie non-freeway) can get very very crowded, especially in Hollywood.

The only suggestion I might have for Friday that doesn't involve driving into LA is the Long Beach Aquarium and the Queen Mary - nothing particularly LA about either, but fun. If the weather is nice I'd absolutely head to the beach on Saturday, Venice/Santa Monica/etc.

If you like museums the Getty is magnificent (although on the 405 freeway, not the 5).

As for food -

Gladstone's is fun - not cheap and actually a chain, but eating on the beach is a lovely thing.

If you want seafood in Santa Monica, Famous Enterprise Fish Company is very nice, could be combined with walking along Main Street, lots of nice shops.

If you like deli, Canter's on Fairfax is great!

C&O Trattoria is fun, huge portions, decent food.

I guess coming from Texas you don't need to experience Mexican food?!

Call Crown Plaza. I bet they can hook you up with a tour company.

I am NOT one of the experts here, but after doing tons of research here I read about a tour group that will pick people up from the San Pedro area:

http://sunseekertours.us/

But, I have to ask....if you want to spend some time by the beach (Santa Monica/Venice) and see the sights (Hollywood) why don't you just stay there where you can go on a tour and walk to lots of shopping/restaurants etc and then get a shuttle the morning of the cruise? Maybe you've already ruled out that idea but it seems a shame to be stuck in SP when there are so many things to do elsewhere. CJW has posted several reports on very reasonable hotels in the Santa Monica/Hollywood area, if that idea is appealing to you...

Also, do not lose sight of the fact when you are talking later on Friday afternoon, it will be dark soon after 6 PM so not very good for sightseeing. Also you will be faced with driving back to San Pedro on freeways with which you are not familiar and Friday evening traffic can be a zoo - particularly considering that Monday is a holiday for many (President's Day) which will add even more traffic

Bella, you bring up good points.

This is a trip that has kind of evolved. We booked our hotel through Priceline with incredibly inexpensive rates, so it is non-refundable.

Its not necessarily we want to go to the beach - we both grew up on the Texas Coast, and we are about to get on a ship to go to Mexico! But we would like to see something other than San Pedro. I'm just turning to people who know the area to find out what is around us.

Arb, thanks for your traffic advice. Believe me, I'm going into this with a clear understanding of the traffic situation. Texas may proclaim to have wide open spaces but whoever said that obviously had never driven in Dallas rush hour. I vaguely remember seeing something about Gladstone's on the Food Network a long time ago. I kind of remember the view being the big deal. I'm kind of thinking we would lean more toward the Cantor's.

You might consider a studio tour at Warner Brothers or Universal for Friday afternoon...

I would look into a one way rental car from the OC airport to the San Pedro area and have a car the whole time and skip Super Shuttle. There is usually not noon traffic of any serious nature on the 405 (freeway to LA).

Jen in SoCal

I'm calling on my LA experts once again!

We are flying into OC on Feb. 12th. Thanks to a direct flight at the time space continuum we arrive just in time for noon rush hour so I'm having Super Shuttle take us from the Orange County airport to the Crowne Plaza hotel in San Pedro.

 

We don't cruise out of San Pedro until the 14th and Enterprise has a rental location right at our building, so my signficant other who has never seen the sights wants to rent a car.

 

Say we decide to do that... where would one want to go late afternoonish on Friday, February 12 and all day Saturday, February 13th? He's never seen Graumann's Chinese Theater, the Hollywood sign, etc. Eat lunch somewhere.

 

Would we be better off driving to all these places or trying to hook up with some kind of tour?

 

Thanks in advance.

Hi,

I am TexasAnn's otherhalf. We just had a wonderful day in Santa Monica and Hollywood. Thank you to everyone for your suggestions. We hit the pier, went to Cantor's Deli (best sandwich-- Pastrami and Corned Beef that I've ever had and Ann's sandwich was tasty too!), hit Graumann's Chinese Theater, walked the Walk of Fame (found the irony in putting Monty Hall on the Corner of Hollywood Blvd and N. La Brea.

Then hit the famed LA traffic on the 101 headed back to San Pedro.

Thanks to everyone! It was a good day!

john