Los Angeles 2 days pre-cruise ideas for 10adults

[Cruisin' Chick]

BTW, Smoothdancer, April isn't really a good time for laying on the beach here, unless you don't mind overcast skies and cold ocean water. Our best beach weather is between July and October.

[smoothdancer]

Thats fine about the beaches as was not really in our plan anyway... I love shorelines so I would like to walk the beaches with maybe a sweater... Can you tell me how far away are we from the coast line in LA?

 

Our last trip to Calif was from San Jose to Napa Valley to SF (another dance competition) and we loved driving the coast line... What was it? route 1, dont remember.... Will our trip to LA be different? That is OK if it is a different expereince I am just trying to vision what my this trip will be like.

[canadiancruiser23]

we just got back on the 12th.we were on a princess cruise from the 5th to the 12th.we came in on the 2nd and stay at the best western on sunset (8400)..it was clean and in a great location.we did the hop on hop off bus for 48 hours cost was $40.00 each.it was great and easy from the hotel as a stop was across the street.we were able to see lots and no stress of driving.from the hotel we took a super shuttle at a cost of $48.00 per van to the ship. i did most of our trip based on cjw's posts and he was right on. IF YOU WANT A GOOD TRIP LISTEN TO HIM!!!!!!! good luck and have fun

[Cruisin' Chick]

Thats fine about the beaches as was not really in our plan anyway... I love shorelines so I would like to walk the beaches with maybe a sweater... Can you tell me how far away are we from the coast line in LA?

 

Our last trip to Calif was from San Jose to Napa Valley to SF (another dance competition) and we loved driving the coast line... What was it? route 1, dont remember.... Will our trip to LA be different? That is OK if it is a different expereince I am just trying to vision what my this trip will be like.

 

If you stay in Santa Monica, you'll be at the coast. The Pacific Coast Highway (the 1) is right there. You can drive up past Malibu and even farther north until it meets up with the 101 around Oxnard.

[Curt Jerome Wild]

Thanks Curt. I have been doing my research(when I'm not working;)) and it sounds like a great area to explore. The Best Western is near the Comedy Store and House of Blues and right on the Red route for a bus. I'm not too sure about the Sportmen Lodge yet. Is in near a bus stop for the red zone? I am also assuming you can take the red route over to the yellow route and go out to Santa Monica Pier using the Hop on bus.

Absolutely!

This is one of the great an easy things about this Hop On Hop Off Bus.

You've got Red Route right in front of your hotel...

From there, you can switch to Yellow Route to for to Santa Monica, Purple Route if there is something you want to see downtown, and Blue Route for Universal/Studio City.

[Curt Jerome Wild]

we just got back on the 12th.we were on a princess cruise from the 5th to the 12th.we came in on the 2nd and stay at the best western on sunset (8400)..it was clean and in a great location.we did the hop on hop off bus for 48 hours cost was $40.00 each.it was great and easy from the hotel as a stop was across the street.we were able to see lots and no stress of driving.from the hotel we took a super shuttle at a cost of $48.00 per van to the ship. i did most of our trip based on cjw's posts and he was right on. IF YOU WANT A GOOD TRIP LISTEN TO HIM!!!!!!! good luck and have fun

This is fantastic!

Thanks for the return report.:D

Sounds like it was easy and convenient for you - and you got to see lots of sightseeing with no driving stress!

When you have time, it would be great if you could do a little review of your trip and/or share any cool pictures you got!

I am so glad that my information helped you to have such a great trip.

You made my day.;)

[Curt Jerome Wild]

Pefect thread for me. I will be in LA 5 days in April. This is not for a pre cruise stay but a dance competition event. We will have two and a half days afterwards to experience LA.

Curt,

Do you know anything about the new hotel due to open in February. The Marriott at LA live? They are offering our group a rate of 179 a night which I am guessing is a pretty good rate for the amount of stars.

A couple of things...

I wouldn't normally suggest that hotel, but for you and this particular situation, it's so perfect and convenient.:D

You're at an event, and it's a million times easier to be in the hotel with all of the event people.

It's going to be a beautiful hotel when finished, and just so convenient for your competition.

LA Live is a really cool place. But just realize, that it's kind of like a really nice cool little island in the middle of not so nice Downtown LA.

Will we be in an area that we can pick up the hop on and off plus guided tours? Or will we need to rent a car?

Yes, you are just one block from the #38 Purple Route stop for the Hop On Hop Off Bus. Depending on how they finish the hotel, you might even have inside access directly to it...

So absolutely no need to rent a car.

There are lots of nice little historic sights there in close proximity on that route (Olvera Street, Walt Disney Concert Hall) - and you might like a little side trip to the FIDM Museum!

http://fidm.edu/resources/museum+galleries/

Really cool for those interested in clothing and costume design. A very unique and one of a kind LA sight.

Our plans are to put on our tourist shoes and see as much as we can in this time as I dont know when we will be back again. Can anyone help with ideas?

What I know I dont want.... Universal studios(been there), Catalina Island(been there too) or Long Beach Queen Mary(been there). We do like tours where we can learn about where we are, some history.

We would like to do some of the star and glitter stuff!

I'd highly, highly recommend a Red Line Tour:

http://www.redlinetours.com

They are the best tour company in LA, and you get both "stars and glitter", but also very deep and interesting history into Los Angeles itself.

So you really combine the best of both worlds there.

They even have some options, where you get a discount with your Hop On Hop Off Bus tickets.

My personal favorite tour is the Hollywood Movie Star Experience during the week. It gives you an overview of everything, and includes a bit of Sony Studios - which is more of a working studio tour (not so touristy).

 

Some other ideas that are right on the Hop On Hop Off Bus Routes:

La Brea Tar Pits and the LA County Museum of Art, Pacific Park, Farmer's Market/The Grove, and Melrose Blvd.

We love traveling along shorelines but dont want to use up our time actually laying on a beach.(thinking we may need a car for one day for this)

What else would be a good idea that could be in contrast maybe with a star tour?

If you want, you can see quite a bit of shoreline at the end of the Yellow Route (Hop On Hop Off) at Santa Monica and Venice Beach. The views are great there.

But, if you want to rent a car and drive - I think that's a great day as well.

You can combine these tours together for one giant shoreline day...

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

Then take this one backwards heading south...

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

And if you want to go a bit further, you can continue here:

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

In the evenings we like dining at somewhat upscale resturants, lively/interesting atmosphere, contemporary menus would be fun too. Any other evening entertainment we should consider?

Well, there are some good restaurants in LA Live, so you're covered there.

But there are tons of great ones, depending on what you are looking for all over the area...

My favorite "gourmet California" restaurant is this:

http://figsantamonica.com/

It really encompasses California Cuisine in a fresh, local way that you can't get anywhere else.

 

For great unique casual but nice California Asian (and awesome people watching and star sighting) I love Chin Chin's at West Hollywood/Sunset Plaza:

http://www.chinchin.com/home.php

 

Musso and Frank is original old school. So much history in this restaurant. It feels like you have gone back in time.

http://www.mussoandfrankgrill.com/

 

Those are just some ideas of different things to get you started. All of them are easy access from the HOHO Bus Route.;)

Finally, we could, if two and a half days just is not enough, extend our stay. This is an 8 hour flight for us so getting there and back quick, a short stay, is not important or necessary.

If you can...

I'd stay a little bit longer. There is an awful lot to see and do here in LA, so if it might be a while before you are back here again - I say take advantage.

Any other travel sites I should look at and is it necessary to book tours in advance?

I already mentioned the Red Line Tour, as I think that is unquestionably the best tour company in the area.

I think that a really fun and unique thing is to get tickets to a TV Show...

A personal favorite of mine is "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson"

http://www.cbs.com/late_night/late_late_show/

It's really easy to get tickets the day of the show, and it's always fun there in the studio audience. It's really intimate.

"Jimmy Kimmel Live" is also pretty easy to get tickets, and is a second choice...

http://abc.go.com/shows/jimmy-kimmel-live

You never know who is going to show up there, and they generally have good musical acts.

 

I do think that you should switch to a different hotel as soon as the event is concluded. LA Live will be convenient for you during the event, but it will be much more fun to get out of there to a different area and hotel afterward...

I'm posting all of this now, and will continue later.:D

[Curt Jerome Wild]

Dear Fred,

Your agenda is really misguided at me in your posts, so please let me clear up a lot of information, so that we can move forward and focus on really helping people here on a case by case basis...

Surely, people who visit California should go and see what they want.

I think though that as providers of information we should tell them that there is so much to see and do here apart from Hollywood ,Santa Monica and the west side. One prominent responder seems to imply that this is all that there is to see here

I know that sometimes you don't read all of the information contained in questions, or especially all of the history of certain posters.

If you actually knew me and my postings, then you'd realize that I very often recommend things in California outside of Hollywood and Santa Monica.

I have specifically helped people plan their time from San Luis Obispo to San Diego, from Venice to Valencia, from the High Desert to the Low Desert.

I've got pictures and informational posts from hotels all over SoCal - top to bottom. I've helped people with restaurants from Bakersfield to Baker and from Santa Clarita to San Diego.

It seems like you've taken partial information from a few recent or random posts, and gone from there.:rolleyes:

There happens to be a recent few posts for the same area, so perhaps this is what you are only seeing and responding to...

Hello,

With due respect to Mr. Wild, if you want to stay in the west side of Los Angeles and see only Hollywood and Santa Monica, then use one of his hotels. I know the Raddison Hotel LAX very well.

We used this hotel when my daughter got married in 2005 as the hotel for out of town guests. It is a nice hotel but if some one wants to go for a walk in the morning there is absoutely nothing of interest to see.

I'm not sure why the Radisson Hotel LAX has anything to do with me?

I don't ever recommend that hotel, so I don't understand what it has to do with anything relevant. And yes, one of the reasons I don't recommend it, is that there is absolutely nothing of interest to see in walking distance.

But, yet, you contradict yourself and your agenda.

One of your biggest points in most of your recent posts, is that people should save money and stay in an out of the way hotel. Then they don't need to have anything interesting in walking distance. You suggest they stay further away and drive everywhere.

So, you're agreeing with me now that it's an important factor in Los Angeles to have things to see for walks around the hotel in the morning?

Other times you are touting the great money saving factor of LAX, and now it doesn't have anything around it in walking distance?

You're giving conflicting advice, so it could be confusing to people. I'm trying to clear up confusion here.

If you want to see much more of Los Angeles then a van is the best way to go.

I understand that your opinion is that everyone needs to rent a car who visits Los Angeles. You point this out in every post.

While that is one viable option, and good for some people, it is definitely not the only option nor the best way to go for a lot of people in different situations.

This is not a one size fits all town here. It's also not a "rental car solves all vacations" town here.

Sometimes people want to rent a car, a lot of times they don't.

Occassionally you have to think outside of the box for people, and pay attention to their specific needs and comfort levels.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Museum in Simi Valley (there is a lot of stuff about movies here)

 

Richard Nixon Birthplace and Museum (DO NOT MISS no matter what you believe politically, because of the sheer history of the place and grounds.

 

The Huntington Library and grounds in Pasadena (especially for art and gardens fans)

 

Will Rogers State Park (see his home and ranch...a country boy who made it big in this part of the world)

 

Laguna Beach...see this lovely beach city, walk on the beach, have breakfast,lunch or dinner at the Beach House.

 

Whatever you do, I hope that you and your friends have a great time here.

All of these are various random things in Los Angeles, and great if people have specific interests in those people. But unless people are here for a long time, or specifically want to go there - this would take a lot of time for not a lot of actual "sight".

There are tons of other various random things like this that I could mention as well, but most of them are simply not a good use of anyone's time - unless they specifically have an interest in them.

If you actually knew my posts and recommendations, then you'd know that I've helped people with all the various beach cities (specific hotels and restaurants) including Laguna Beach - when it was appropriate, feasible, or something they wanted to do.

Crusin,

You miss the point. I mentioned the Ronald Reagan Library as an example of major things to see and do here.

Fred, I think that you miss the point here. You're giving examples just to prove a point to yourself, and I just think it confuses people who are new to this part of the world.

I really don't think that in the vast amount of things available to see and do in Los Angeles - that the Reagan Library and the Nixon Library are "major" things to see and do here, unless you are an Ex-Republican President afficianado or something. If people are huge "fans", then they'll say that or ask that in their posts. If they're not, then that would be more likely a very disappointing or possibly huge waste of their day and time here.

Maybe a walk around Santa Monica is preferable to seeing something that is a part of our history.

How is the Reagan Library, started in 1990 a "part of our history" - and Santa Monica, which was started in 1875 not a "part of our history"?

You can still see a hotel that was started in 1889, and touch a tree that was planted over 120 years ago.

Ocean Park and Venice began here in the 1890s.

There are still art deco buildings there from the 1920s.

There is 120 years of history there, if you want to look for it.

And there are also heritage museums there, if people are looking for more history.

If you are interested in the motion picture industry, for example, Reagan was a major part of this industry for a long time. He always credited much of his success to the work/training he had as an actor. Sure it is a long ride but well worth it. And sure is a lot more thought provoking and interesting than looking at some shopson Hollywood Boulevard.

If people are really interested in the motion picture industry, then why on earth would they trek out to Simi Valley to see information about one single B Movie actor?

There is far more of Reagan's acting history, as well as tons, and tons more all over Hollywood. There are plenty of great tours of the history, stories, architecture, and actual places to walk in the actual footsteps.

You can get Reagan, and all of the actors in some great tours at the same time.

There is a lot more actual history there, a lot more historical architecture, and way more shopping to do before and after any history lessons.

And what do the shops on Hollywood Blvd have to do with this?

One could easily say that the great behind the scenes actual Hollywood History Tours are a lot more thought provoking and intersting than that one shop at the Reagan Library.;)

Or seeing Hollywood is preferable to seeing the Gene Autry Museum or the Will Rogers State Park. There is more about the motion picture industry in the Autry Museum than thereare in all the shops in Santa Monica.

And there's a lot more history of the motion picture industry in Santa Monica than in the one shop in the Autry Museum. :confused:

For a lot of people, seeing Hollywood is definitely preferable to seeing the Gene Autry Museum or Will Rogers State Park.

Great if you're a Gene Autry or Will Rogers fan, not too much bang for your buck if you're not.

My point are that Los Angels has much to see and do and that having a car is the best way to do this. Secondly everyone should know that the distances are considerable, but with some planning you can see quite a lot of Southern California.

Sure Los Angeles has much to see and do, but is that just your general agenda? Regardless of what any particular poster or OP really needs for their specific situation?

Sure, some people are comfortable renting a car, and want to drive.

That's great for them, they can cover long car rides to far off destinations.

But, it's not a one size fits all answer for everyone.

A lot of people don't want to drive. A lot of people don't have time to cover hundreds of miles all over Southern California.

Sometimes we recommend this, and sometimes we don't.

But that's why I personally read and research what each particular person wants and needs. I gear the advice to them.

Having a rental car saves you all around.

It doesn't always save you time, distance, convenience, confusion or headaches a lot of the time. It also deosn't necessarily save you money, when you add up all the expensive gas, parking fees, and rental fees.

In the special situation of the OP, her group does have limited time and maybe a walk down Hollywood Boulevard is just about all they want to see.

Why the tone in this last statement?

"Maybe a walk down Hollywood Blvd. is just about all they want to see"?:confused:

Last I checked woth my advice they have the ability with their plans to see almost 30 LA sights, 15 different museums, 13 shopping areas, and 4 studios.

They've got the options to go from Hollywood, to Santa Monica, to Downtown and back.

They've got almost 50 miles of sights to see!

I think that they're set with far, far more than maybe a walk down Hollywood Blvd.

 

So, Fred, I understand your opinions, I just don't understand why your aiming them at me. If you actually pay attention over the long run, you'll have seen that I recommend lots of things and lots of places.

I also have helped to steer people to specific hotels in the other areas of LA County.

I've actually been there and taken pictures.

I've actually searched out and found specific and personal tours and information for people in South Bay, Orange County, and the Inland Empire.

I hope that I've responded to everyone in a way that is educational and makes sense.

I'd like to get back to the focus of helping individual posters on a case by case basis.

Thanks.

Bless You.

[Curt Jerome Wild]

Thank you. As I looked further down the posts and saw where Curt gave tons of information, it seems like I am not in the best hotel location. The event is at this hotel, so will stay there but once the event is over for us it looks like we might want to make a hotel change. Perhaps Santa Monica.

Thanks from me as well....

So can you tell me your thoughts on the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills?

SLS is in West Hollywood, in a busy but "chic" urban shopping area. It's not a really picturesque part of town, but very safe and very convenient. It's a beautiful hotel on the inside.

You've got the Beverly Center right there, and also the Hop On Hop Off Bus stop close (but still a few long blocks to walk to it).

 

The W in Westwood could be good as well. A little bit of a nicer area, and there is a HOHO Bus stop a block away. This is just west of Beverly Hills between that and Brentwood. This is more residential and quanit area. Near UCLA with lots of great restaurants closeby.

 

The Sheraton Universal could also be good. It's actually more convenient for the HOHO Bus, as it has a stop directly at the hotel.

 

The rest of those Starwood Preferred Guest Hotels, I really wouldn't recommend for your situation. Not good for one convenience or specific location. (Unfortunately the one in Santa Monica is just in a crappy, awkward location in the cheap side of town).

 

Do you absolutely have to stay in a Starwood? If so, then one of those is your best options.

 

If not, then let me know, as there are lots of nice convenient hotels that are farily easy on your budget.

Hopefully this helps to get you options to start thinking about.:D

[smoothdancer]

Thank you Curt.

 

I can either use my Startwood miles for our flight or hotel so no I dont absolutley have to go with a Starwood Hotel. My thought was that I would take a splurge and use all my miles at SLS but from what you said it sounds like it would not be a great splurge after all!

 

I would love to hear what other suggestions you have.

Thaks!

[Fredr]

Mr. Wild,

 

I apologize to you. You do provide excellent information for people who have limited time and interests.

 

I would though disagree about Ronald Reagan. He was not a "B" actor because if he was, he would not have been represented by Lew Wasserman. Wasserman was the most important actor's agent during Reagan's time in the film industry and Wasserman did not waste his time with second rate talent. Wasserman later became the head of Universal Studios where he had a hand in a great range of movies and televison shows including mentoring Steven Spielberg. And for the record I did not vote for Ronald Reagan but I do admire some of his accomplishments in movies and as a politician.

 

As for driving in California, I have started a thread on this subject.

 

As for any other threads or responses from you...no comments will come from me.

[carlywilson]

I have 1 1/2 days before our cruise, and we wanted to do the starline tour to the stars' homes, then the hopo bus line, and I have been researching good hotels that are right on bus course. I am thinking Santa Monica, can you tell me some good hotels that are right on the bus route? You are very informative!