new to cruising from the west coast

[Langley Cruisers]

I was wondering if you knew the cost of a taxi from Long Beach airport to the San Pedro pier. There are three of us and I know a shuttle is $17 a person. I was wondering if it would be cheaper to share a taxi?

 

We did it in reverse and it was a flat rate of $45.00 (plus tip) from the pier to the LB airport. The various flat rates are posted on a sign inside the cab.

[Kaylafire7]

Bruin Steve you seem to have a lot of knowledge of this area and have already given great suggestions. However I am in need of some more suggestions. My family and I will be going on the Splendor (hopefully she will be fixed by then) for the June 12, 2011 cruise. We are flying in LAX around 11:00 a.m and plan on renting a car and staying in Long Beach for the two days pre-cruise. You have given great suggestions for hotels and activities to do for the Long Beach area which we will use. However after our cruise which gets back on June 19 we will be staying for 6-7 days afterward before driving over to Vegas. There are definitely places we want to visit in L.A., but really don't want to stay in a hotel there. We had rather stay in a less congested city. So would Long Beach be the best area to stay post cruise as well? We want to get in as much sight seeing as we can and definitely want to drive and visit all the coastal cities in this area without driving too far away. Preferably no further than 150 miles away from the L.A. Long Beach area. Unless there is a must not miss place that is a little further, but worth the drive. We want to stay in a nice motel 4* at least, but at a decent price that won't break our family preferably not over $150.00 a night. We want to be conveniently located in a place that we can travel to various surrounding cities, but at the same time be in a good safe area. In addition to sight seeing, we enjoy the beach which shouldn't be a problem for us since we are Floridians. We like (or I should say my mom and I) like shopping, but dad likes fishing :), we like museums, of course we want to see all the typical tourist stuff that people go see and do like the tours in Hollywood and L.A. We like eating at local restaurants that aren't chains or at least ones that we don't have on this side of the gulf coast. We are really looking forward to this trip as this will be our first time to California and my first time to Vegas since I am now legal to gamble, not that I'm a big gambler. I would appreciate any information or suggestions you could give me or anyone else with suggestions. We really want to go ahead and book our hotel, but want to make sure we are staying in the best locations at a nice hotel. Just another note, we are not really interested in doing Disney or Universal since we visit those all the time in FLA. However if there is any other fun theme parks that have lots of thrill ride roller coasters, I am always up for the thrill. Thanks for your help!

 

Kayla

[Bruin Steve]

Bruin Steve you seem to have a lot of knowledge of this area and have already given great suggestions. However I am in need of some more suggestions. My family and I will be going on the Splendor (hopefully she will be fixed by then) for the June 12, 2011 cruise. We are flying in LAX around 11:00 a.m and plan on renting a car and staying in Long Beach for the two days pre-cruise. You have given great suggestions for hotels and activities to do for the Long Beach area which we will use. However after our cruise which gets back on June 19 we will be staying for 6-7 days afterward before driving over to Vegas. There are definitely places we want to visit in L.A., but really don't want to stay in a hotel there. We had rather stay in a less congested city. So would Long Beach be the best area to stay post cruise as well? We want to get in as much sight seeing as we can and definitely want to drive and visit all the coastal cities in this area without driving too far away. Preferably no further than 150 miles away from the L.A. Long Beach area. Unless there is a must not miss place that is a little further, but worth the drive. We want to stay in a nice motel 4* at least, but at a decent price that won't break our family preferably not over $150.00 a night. We want to be conveniently located in a place that we can travel to various surrounding cities, but at the same time be in a good safe area. In addition to sight seeing, we enjoy the beach which shouldn't be a problem for us since we are Floridians. We like (or I should say my mom and I) like shopping, but dad likes fishing :), we like museums, of course we want to see all the typical tourist stuff that people go see and do like the tours in Hollywood and L.A. We like eating at local restaurants that aren't chains or at least ones that we don't have on this side of the gulf coast. We are really looking forward to this trip as this will be our first time to California and my first time to Vegas since I am now legal to gamble, not that I'm a big gambler. I would appreciate any information or suggestions you could give me or anyone else with suggestions. We really want to go ahead and book our hotel, but want to make sure we are staying in the best locations at a nice hotel. Just another note, we are not really interested in doing Disney or Universal since we visit those all the time in FLA. However if there is any other fun theme parks that have lots of thrill ride roller coasters, I am always up for the thrill. Thanks for your help!

 

Kayla

 

Wow, Kayla...You seem to have a much different attitude than most...I'll try to give you some thoughts and ideas...

 

First, know that Los Angeles is very different than most large cities...It is often described as 100 small cities run together...That said, it's often hard for most non-locals to understand that the most "congested" parts don't reaslly follow the patterns of other cities (ie, it dioesn't necessarily get more congested the closer one is to the center)...Everything is fairly spread out...But, OTOH, yes, it is VERY large...and a lot of people live here...

 

That said, I would NOT stay in Long Beach post cruise...

 

Since you have no interest in Disney, I won't suggest anything in Orange County either...and I won't suggest Hollywood as it's probably not what you are looking for based on your descriptions...

 

Normally, I would strongly recommend Santa Monica...but you are never going to see a four star hotel there for under $150 a night...Same for Beverly Hills/Westwood/Century City...and those may be a bit urban for your descriptions...

 

So, first, I am going to recommend someplace I seldom recommend for most out of town visitors: The town I live in!

 

Here is my recommendation for your situation:

 

http://hiltongardeninn.hilton.com/en/gi/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=BURCAGI

 

This is a very nice, reasonably new hotel in a very nice location in a very upscale town a little bit northwest of Los Angeles...

 

Calabasas is a separately incorporated city located in the Santa Monica Mountains inland from Malibu...most of the residential neighborhoods are guard gated and home to a fair number of celebrities... (Unfortunately, it seems) Most of those Celebrity based TV reality shows are taped here...it's where those celebs live...The town is virtually surrounded by State and National park land and most of the roads don't go through to anywhere...We have a very attractive little town center and an "Old Town"...

 

http://www.shopcommons.com/

 

http://www.cityofcalabasas.com/vtour/old-town/old-town.html

 

Old Town has a restaurant that's an institution in these parts:

 

http://www.sagebrushcantina.com/

 

Another interesting eatery just next door in Topanga (a town in the middle of one of our canyons that's about as rustic as you'll ever find in the middle of any large city:

 

http://www.innoftheseventhray.com/

 

There are lots more interesting places to eat around here as well...or over the hill on the beachfront in Malibu...

 

We also have one of the lowest crime rates of any city of this size in the US (One of the many great things about living in a community with guard gates, private security forces and security systems all over the place...

 

If you've got a rental car and are willing to drive a little, you can be at most of the major tourist destinations within 30 minutes to an hour...a "Day Trip" to Santa Barbara is closer than from most of LA since we are on the way in that direction--68 miles up the 101...about an hour 15 to an hour and a half away...

 

Malibu is 13 miles...about 15-30 minutes (depending on how you drive over canyon roads), The Getty Villa (museum)--15 miles, approx 30 minutes...again canyon roads (those canyon roads are extremely scenic--but can be frightening to some...The Getty Center (Art Museum) is 18 miles away (this time all freeway, so still under a half hour drive)...Santa Monica Pier and Third Street Promenade are 25 miles away by freeway--so still around a half an hour if not during rush hour...Venice Beach Boardwalk is 27 miles/35 minutes...

 

If Dad wants to fish, he can head here:

 

http://www.malibupiersportfishing.com/malibupier1024res.htm

 

As to shopping, we have two major indoor malls on Topanga Canyon just north of the 101 (within 5 miles/10 minutes), a major "outlet" mall in Camarillo (on the way toward Santa Barbara) 25 miles/30 minutes the other way up the 101...The funky boutiques along Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood are 22 to 25 miles (depending on your route)...

 

I always hesitate a bit to recommend my home town to most tourists...because it IS a little out of the way...and not instantly convenient to those without a car...and most tourists want to be close in and immediately convenient--even walking distance to sights...or at least where they can get buses, taxis, tours and public transportation...and, of course, this is not one of those...We are definitely in the suburbs...We have a convenient freeway (the 101) running through town but otherwise we're a little bit apart form the rest...but, based on your description, this may be a fit for you...and, you can get a very nice hotel here for within your price range...and with 6-7 days, you can afford a slower pace than most seem to desire...

 

How does that sound?

 

Ps. We are WAY less "congested" than Long Beach...and closer to most tourist attractions in the LA area...

[Kaylafire7]

Thanks Steve for your prompt reply and many suggestions. Your town looks absolutely gorgeous and is definitely a place I want to visit. I finally got out my LA map just so I could list some of the places we want to take day trips to or even half day trips. We are interested in a lot of the coastal areas such as Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Malibu Beach, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and of course Hollywood. I definitely see what you mean by LA is huge. The biggest towns I have been to are Miami, Nashville, Chicago, and Atlanta. None of them probably even touch the size of LA. We do want to go on a lot of the typical tourist tours that you recommended on some of your previous posts. We definitely want to get out and see all that we can during the day, and at night be in an area that offers plenty of night life such as dining, shows, theaters, etc. The cantina you recommended definitely looks like our kind of place. One problem for us is that my dad is not real keen on mountainous/canyon road type driving. He will do it, but let's just say he isn't real comfortable with it. He has severe height issues. It was definitely interesting when we went to Hawaii a couple years ago driving along some of the cliffs. I will also admit that my mom or I are not scared of heights, but we haven't exactly done a lot of mountainous driving. We live in Northwest Florida on the Gulf Coast and here we are pretty much on flat land. Thanks for all your suggestions and the hotel you suggested looks nice. Now I know not to stay in Long Beach post cruise. If you can think of any other places to stay even if it is slightly over what I quoted just let me know. Any other suggestions are definitely appreciated.

[Bruin Steve]

Thanks Steve for your prompt reply and many suggestions. Your town looks absolutely gorgeous and is definitely a place I want to visit. I finally got out my LA map just so I could list some of the places we want to take day trips to or even half day trips. We are interested in a lot of the coastal areas such as Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Malibu Beach, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and of course Hollywood. I definitely see what you mean by LA is huge. The biggest towns I have been to are Miami, Nashville, Chicago, and Atlanta. None of them probably even touch the size of LA. We do want to go on a lot of the typical tourist tours that you recommended on some of your previous posts. We definitely want to get out and see all that we can during the day, and at night be in an area that offers plenty of night life such as dining, shows, theaters, etc. The cantina you recommended definitely looks like our kind of place. One problem for us is that my dad is not real keen on mountainous/canyon road type driving. He will do it, but let's just say he isn't real comfortable with it. He has severe height issues. It was definitely interesting when we went to Hawaii a couple years ago driving along some of the cliffs. I will also admit that my mom or I are not scared of heights, but we haven't exactly done a lot of mountainous driving. We live in Northwest Florida on the Gulf Coast and here we are pretty much on flat land. Thanks for all your suggestions and the hotel you suggested looks nice. Now I know not to stay in Long Beach post cruise. If you can think of any other places to stay even if it is slightly over what I quoted just let me know. Any other suggestions are definitely appreciated.

 

Actually, you don't really have to use those canyon roads from here...You can get to everywhere via the 405...and only Malibu is closer via the canyons...Malibu pier is about 15 miles from here via Malibu Canyon--which really is a pretty straight road...and you only notice how high you are near the Malibu end as you have to drop altitude down to sea level...it's about 35 miles via the 405 and will take around 45 minutes that way if not done during rush hour...Getty Villa is about 15-16 miles if done through Old Topanga (really curvy and recommended for locals only) of Topanga (a little better, still curvy, but not high up--it follows the creek bed)...it's 30 miles via the 405 and actually takes about the same amount of time...

 

All of the other places I've mentioned were via freeways only...including Santa Barbara--which is a straight 67.7 mile jaunt up the 101...

 

I'm trying to think of other towns that might fit your needs...

 

Manhattan Beach is one...a bit more dense than Calabasas, but a nice little town and on the ocean...A little south of LAX so not too far from a lot of places in the LA area...

 

I'm trying to think of a 4 star there and this one comes to mind--not on the water or the heart of the town, but not bad...I don't think you'll see the sort of bargain rates you will up here...

 

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/laxmn-manhattan-beach-marriott/

 

Redondo Beach, just down the coast from that, has this one--very close to their marina...

 

Thanks Steve for your prompt reply and many suggestions. Your town looks absolutely gorgeous and is definitely a place I want to visit. I finally got out my LA map just so I could list some of the places we want to take day trips to or even half day trips. We are interested in a lot of the coastal areas such as Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Malibu Beach, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and of course Hollywood. I definitely see what you mean by LA is huge. The biggest towns I have been to are Miami, Nashville, Chicago, and Atlanta. None of them probably even touch the size of LA. We do want to go on a lot of the typical tourist tours that you recommended on some of your previous posts. We definitely want to get out and see all that we can during the day, and at night be in an area that offers plenty of night life such as dining, shows, theaters, etc. The cantina you recommended definitely looks like our kind of place. One problem for us is that my dad is not real keen on mountainous/canyon road type driving. He will do it, but let's just say he isn't real comfortable with it. He has severe height issues. It was definitely interesting when we went to Hawaii a couple years ago driving along some of the cliffs. I will also admit that my mom or I are not scared of heights, but we haven't exactly done a lot of mountainous driving. We live in Northwest Florida on the Gulf Coast and here we are pretty much on flat land. Thanks for all your suggestions and the hotel you suggested looks nice. Now I know not to stay in Long Beach post cruise. If you can think of any other places to stay even if it is slightly over what I quoted just let me know. Any other suggestions are definitely appreciated.

 

Actually, you don't really have to use those canyon roads from here...You can get to everywhere via the 405...and only Malibu is closer via the canyons...Malibu pier is about 15 miles from here via Malibu Canyon--which really is a pretty straight road...and you only notice how high you are near the Malibu end as you have to drop altitude down to sea level...it's about 35 miles via the 405 and will take around 45 minutes that way if not done during rush hour...Getty Villa is about 15-16 miles if done through Old Topanga (really curvy and recommended for locals only) of Topanga (a little better, still curvy, but not high up--it follows the creek bed)...it's 30 miles via the 405 and actually takes about the same amount of time...

 

All of the other places I've mentioned were via freeways only...including Santa Barbara--which is a straight 67.7 mile jaunt up the 101...

 

I'm trying to think of other towns that might fit your needs...

 

Manhattan Beach is one...a bit more dense than Calabasas, but a nice little town and on the ocean...A little south of LAX so not too far from a lot of places in the LA area...If there's a problem getting from this area to sights in LA, it's traffic...you're dealling with some difficult freeway areas, driving on the 405 section known notoriously as the "South Bay Curve" then up past LAX...or to Hollywood through South Central and then up through Downtown LA...not really my favorite drives...You can skirt the issue when heading up toward Santa Monica and Malibu by avoiding freeways and sticking to the coast...

 

I'm trying to think of a 4 star there and this one comes to mind--not on the water or the heart of the town, but not bad...I don't think you'll see the sort of bargain rates you will up here...

 

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/laxmn-manhattan-beach-marriott/

 

A little further down from there is Redondo Beach and this hotel--right at their marina:

 

http://www.cpredondobeachhotel.com/

 

But, you're a little farther away from things--though the immediate area is fairly attractive...

 

I am not sure there's much that fits your parameters any closer in...most upscale areas with nice hotels closer in are fairly urban and very expensive (Beverly Hills, Century City, Westwood, et al)...

 

There are various hotels sort of "in the city", as it were, that we often recommend here...but, based on what you've said you want, I hesitate to point you in those directions...same with hotels along the 405 (I will sometimes recommend a couple of properties in Culver City, just north of LAX, for some situations--they're convenient and cheaper than, say, Santa Monica...but not really the upscale suburban feel it sounds like you want)...

 

Maybe others who live down in the South Bay (Manhattan/Redondo) may have some more specific recommendations down that way...

[jkbe321]

Bruin Steve you seem to have a lot of knowledge of this area and have already given great suggestions. However I am in need of some more suggestions. My family and I will be going on the Splendor (hopefully she will be fixed by then) for the June 12, 2011 cruise. We are flying in LAX around 11:00 a.m and plan on renting a car and staying in Long Beach for the two days pre-cruise. You have given great suggestions for hotels and activities to do for the Long Beach area which we will use. However after our cruise which gets back on June 19 we will be staying for 6-7 days afterward before driving over to Vegas. There are definitely places we want to visit in L.A., but really don't want to stay in a hotel there. We had rather stay in a less congested city. So would Long Beach be the best area to stay post cruise as well? We want to get in as much sight seeing as we can and definitely want to drive and visit all the coastal cities in this area without driving too far away. Preferably no further than 150 miles away from the L.A. Long Beach area. Unless there is a must not miss place that is a little further, but worth the drive. We want to stay in a nice motel 4* at least, but at a decent price that won't break our family preferably not over $150.00 a night. We want to be conveniently located in a place that we can travel to various surrounding cities, but at the same time be in a good safe area. In addition to sight seeing, we enjoy the beach which shouldn't be a problem for us since we are Floridians. We like (or I should say my mom and I) like shopping, but dad likes fishing :), we like museums, of course we want to see all the typical tourist stuff that people go see and do like the tours in Hollywood and L.A. We like eating at local restaurants that aren't chains or at least ones that we don't have on this side of the gulf coast. We are really looking forward to this trip as this will be our first time to California and my first time to Vegas since I am now legal to gamble, not that I'm a big gambler. I would appreciate any information or suggestions you could give me or anyone else with suggestions. We really want to go ahead and book our hotel, but want to make sure we are staying in the best locations at a nice hotel. Just another note, we are not really interested in doing Disney or Universal since we visit those all the time in FLA. However if there is any other fun theme parks that have lots of thrill ride roller coasters, I am always up for the thrill. Thanks for your help!

 

Kayla

 

I would definately suggest Orange County. Any where from Huntington Beach on south to Dana Point. You will find affordable hotels that are close to both shopping, the beach, museums and a ton of other attractions.

 

You asked for a theme park that wasn't Disney. I would suggest Knotts Barry Farm. A ton of thrill rides and it is really centrally located. You may have some people suggest Magic Mountain. If you value your safety, I would stay away. This place has become a haven for gangs.

 

I know that Bruin Steve reccommended Calabasas, its not really what I think you are looking for. You would be closer to Santa Barbara than anywhere in LA. Plus you'd have so much traffic on the 101, that you'd waste an hour plus just in travel time.

 

You also stated that you wanted to do some shopping. In Orange County you have South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, right off the 405 fwy. This is one of the nicest malls in the U.S. They have some of the trendiest most expensive stores in the world. DON'T let this scare you away as just with any other mall you will still find bargains. In Newport Beach, you have Fashion Island just of Pacific Coast Hwy. Once again an upscale mall with views of the ocean.

 

Laguna Beach is an Artist colony, with over a dozen galleries up and down PCH and all within a 3 mile stretch.

 

One final reason to stay in the OC. You shave at least an hour or more off your drive to Vegas.

[Jen1000]

I think you are asking for something that does not exist! You cannot be close to all places you want to visit and avoid the congested areas. As you have seen, the area is very spread out. I agree with Steve that Long Beach would not be my first choice on where to stay but it is more central if you plan to spend time in LA and Orange County. There is congestion there too. Lots of people live and work there plus it is a very busy port.

 

Steve made a suggestion to the North of where you want to visit. An option would be Orange County where it is less congested in most places and is to the South. $150 for a 4 star will be tough in the summer. Because you want to see many beach cities, an option is Newport Beach. The Hyatt Newport is a lovely resort but will run about $200 per night. That will put you in a good spot for Newport, Huntington and Laguna but will be a drive whenever you want to go to LA (at least 1 hour). I would personally rather stay in Newport over Long Beach.

 

You should be able to find a nice 3.5 to 4 star in Anaheim/Garden Grove, especially in the Disney area (Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, Red Lion, Embassy Suites, etc.) all should be under $150 per night. I know you are not going to Disney but there are a huge number of hotels there and several would meet your needs. The location is actually pretty central, especially if you do your driving out of rush hour times. It is very close to Knotts (see below), not a bad drive up to LA/Hollywood, not a bad drive to the beach. Anaheim is not that congested (compared to LA), I go there regularly for work and to go to Disney. There are lots of places to eat, chain and not. Again, I would personally stay in Anaheim/Garden Grove over Long Beach.

 

Theme parks, if you love thrill rides visit Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park. It is a great theme park, much cheaper than Disney and has lots of thrill rides and tons of character. There are a few shows and some non thrill rides as well. If you go be sure to eat lunch or dinner at Mrs. Knotts just outside the gates. It is famous for its fried chicken and boysenberry pie.

 

Also, Universal Hollywood is very different from the one in FL and I think the one here is superior (loved Islands of Adventure though). It is a real working studio and the back lot tour is one of my favorite things to do at the park because you see actual sets and locations for current and previous movies and TV shows. If you are in to TV and movies, you may want to reconsider this park.

 

You may want to consider a day at Catalina Island. It is a very nice day trip and will get you out of the congestion that is Southern CA. You can go from several cities including Newport Beach and Long Beach.

 

When you want to the the theater and walk of stars, and a good view of the sign, park at Hollywood and Highland. Also close are the wax museums, Ripley's, Guiness Book, El Capitan, shops, Hard Rock and other restaurants. $2 for 4 hours with validation. You can buy a map of the stars homes for $5 and do that your self. You can also pick up tours from this area if you prefer to see the area that way.

 

Jen in SoCal

 

Bruin Steve you seem to have a lot of knowledge of this area and have already given great suggestions. However I am in need of some more suggestions. My family and I will be going on the Splendor (hopefully she will be fixed by then) for the June 12, 2011 cruise. We are flying in LAX around 11:00 a.m and plan on renting a car and staying in Long Beach for the two days pre-cruise. You have given great suggestions for hotels and activities to do for the Long Beach area which we will use. However after our cruise which gets back on June 19 we will be staying for 6-7 days afterward before driving over to Vegas. There are definitely places we want to visit in L.A., but really don't want to stay in a hotel there. We had rather stay in a less congested city. So would Long Beach be the best area to stay post cruise as well? We want to get in as much sight seeing as we can and definitely want to drive and visit all the coastal cities in this area without driving too far away. Preferably no further than 150 miles away from the L.A. Long Beach area. Unless there is a must not miss place that is a little further, but worth the drive. We want to stay in a nice motel 4* at least, but at a decent price that won't break our family preferably not over $150.00 a night. We want to be conveniently located in a place that we can travel to various surrounding cities, but at the same time be in a good safe area. In addition to sight seeing, we enjoy the beach which shouldn't be a problem for us since we are Floridians. We like (or I should say my mom and I) like shopping, but dad likes fishing :), we like museums, of course we want to see all the typical tourist stuff that people go see and do like the tours in Hollywood and L.A. We like eating at local restaurants that aren't chains or at least ones that we don't have on this side of the gulf coast. We are really looking forward to this trip as this will be our first time to California and my first time to Vegas since I am now legal to gamble, not that I'm a big gambler. I would appreciate any information or suggestions you could give me or anyone else with suggestions. We really want to go ahead and book our hotel, but want to make sure we are staying in the best locations at a nice hotel. Just another note, we are not really interested in doing Disney or Universal since we visit those all the time in FLA. However if there is any other fun theme parks that have lots of thrill ride roller coasters, I am always up for the thrill. Thanks for your help!

 

Kayla

[Bruin Steve]

I figured the Orange Countians would chime in recommending Orange County...

For me, it's a bit far from a lot of the LA area sights...and the trafic coming from that direction is often horrendous...I know...I once lived down in that direction...much of Orange County is overbuilt and the Freeways couldn't handle it, so they've now added toll roads--the only part of SoCal that has them...Laguna and Newport are nice, but you will struggle to find a hotel of the four star variety in your price range...and theo only other places in the area with perhaps decent prices on hotels would be Anaheim/Anaheim Hills/Yorba Linda and those are really only convenient for Disney...All IMHO...

 

The Orange County folks always think of themselves as less congested or less urban--they're comparing it to LA proper...But the Ventura County/Las Virgenes corridor area northwest of LA is actually far less congested...maybe half the number of people per sqaure mile...and much less densely packed in the developed areas...

 

I know...I've lived in both places and chose to move up this way...

 

I did forget to mention that there is a threme park up in this direction known for its "thrill rides"...

 

http://www.sixflags.com/magicmountain/index.aspx

 

It's north of LA up the 5 Freeway...32 miles/40 minutes from here...

I prefer Knott's down in IOC for the general park, for smaller children, for entertainment (I used to live for about 12 years only 10 minutes from Knotts)...but for sheer "thrill rides" only, Six Flags Magic Mountain is better...more and scarier coasters and such...

[chinita415]

I agree with others that what you are asking for probably doesn't exist.

 

But since BruinSteve suggested the South Bay, I'd chime in.

 

The Beach House in Hermosa Beach is slightly above your indicated budget but it is right on the beach and along the pedestrian/bike/roller blade walkway called The Strand.

http://www.beach-house.com/hermosa-beach-hotels.html

It is in an area with tons of restaurants, bars, and shopping. If you or your folks like Jay Leno or comedy, check out the Comedy and Magic Club. Jay Leno has been perfecting his acts here on Sundays for years.

 

In Manhattan Beach, the place to be is The Shade Hotel:

http://www.shadehotel.com/

It is right in the middle of all the shops and restaurants. But it is a 5 star boutique hotel with 5 star prices.

 

For more reasonable accommodations, consider the hotels near Kings Harbor in Redondo Beach.

http://www.bestwestern-sunrise.com/

http://www.cpredondobeachhotel.com/

http://www.hotelportofino.com/

You are not right on the beach, but many rooms have beach views. Also lots of restaurants nearby at the Harbor, but the Redondo area is definitely less classy than Hermosa and Manhattan. However, your dad can get on a boat to go fishing here at Kings Harbor.

 

 

Thanks Steve for your prompt reply and many suggestions. Your town looks absolutely gorgeous and is definitely a place I want to visit. I finally got out my LA map just so I could list some of the places we want to take day trips to or even half day trips. We are interested in a lot of the coastal areas such as Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Malibu Beach, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and of course Hollywood. I definitely see what you mean by LA is huge. The biggest towns I have been to are Miami, Nashville, Chicago, and Atlanta. None of them probably even touch the size of LA. We do want to go on a lot of the typical tourist tours that you recommended on some of your previous posts. We definitely want to get out and see all that we can during the day, and at night be in an area that offers plenty of night life such as dining, shows, theaters, etc. The cantina you recommended definitely looks like our kind of place. One problem for us is that my dad is not real keen on mountainous/canyon road type driving. He will do it, but let's just say he isn't real comfortable with it. He has severe height issues. It was definitely interesting when we went to Hawaii a couple years ago driving along some of the cliffs. I will also admit that my mom or I are not scared of heights, but we haven't exactly done a lot of mountainous driving. We live in Northwest Florida on the Gulf Coast and here we are pretty much on flat land. Thanks for all your suggestions and the hotel you suggested looks nice. Now I know not to stay in Long Beach post cruise. If you can think of any other places to stay even if it is slightly over what I quoted just let me know. Any other suggestions are definitely appreciated.

[Kaylafire7]

Thanks again Steve for your wonderful suggestions :) Also thanks to Jkbe321, Jen1000, and Chinita for all your great suggestions as well. I didn't mean to sound unrealistic on my hotel selections. I do realize 4* and up hotels in good locations can be hard to find at a decent price. I started at a base price of $150 and was hoping for the best, although we don't mind going up on the price. We just don't want to get stuck with an outrageous price when there might be something better or as good that doesn't charge a small fortune. A couple of years ago when we went to Hawaii, not knowing the area or any locals we chose a very nice waterfront location which we were happy with. However the price with taxes was right at $300 a night which in my opinion is way too much to pay for a week vacation. Once we were there we seen many other hotels that would have suited our needs, was actually closer to much of the areas we went to, and definitely was a lot cheaper. So in that case we had to live and learn, but when we go to Oahu again, we know now different places to choose from that won't break the wallet. So I guess that is what I am hoping to find in the LA area and looking for you great locals to guide me in the right direction. My mom and I are both off for another week for the holidays from school she is a teacher and I'm a college student going to school to be a teacher, so we will definitely be busy researching all the information you all have given us. All the suggestions on the activities and the theme parks have definitely given us lots of ideas to help us start planning out our days so we are able to see as much as we can and do all the things and sights we want to see. I guess our biggest dilemma is still deciding on the best location and hotel to stay at. We would probably maybe stay a few days in one area then maybe go to another area, but my mom said she prefers to stay in one place. Too much hassle packing up and moving around so much. We are already doing that before the cruise, then for the cruise, again after the cruise, and then when we go to Vegas and of course back home. Enough packing and unpacking, I have to agree with her. I will say that all the different locations that have been suggested is a definite that we will visit. Steve your town is absolutely beautiful, the Old Town part actually reminded me of a little town I visited outside of San Antonio a few years back. I can't remember the name of it, but it was a small little town with a lot of German culture and heritage. I think is was the landscaping and set up that reminded me the most. I know that I said I really didn't want to stay in the LA area directly, but you mentioned that there were some other places that you typically recommend but didn't to me because of what I said about the congestion. Well I guess it won't hurt for me to add those to my research as well if you don't mind:) I really do appreciate all the insight and information given from all of you and will greatly use all the information that you have given us. If you guys have anymore to share please let me know. If any of you ever want to visit Florida, just let me know because I can give lots of information out especially in the town that I live in. We live in a big tourist area and advertise "The Worlds Most Beautiful Beaches" which they are beautiful with the pretty white sand and aqua green water, but I have seen some awesome beaches in my life so I couldn't agree they are the worlds most beautiful LOL. I would have to give that hands down to many of the beaches I seen in Hawaii (North Shore) is hard to beat, Jamaica, Grand Caymen, and Bahamas are great too. Anyways my town is nice especially if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. We have no big freeways and our closest interstate 10 is about 50 miles away. But we have lots of activities and places of interest to see and do as well as the pretty beaches. Yes I am a college student, but just a word of advice don't visit during Spring Break because it's not so nice then from mid February to Mid April. Just about every college group comes to our area to do one thing and that is see how much alcohol they can consume and how crazy they can act. I even stay away from the beach area during that time too much traffic and craziness for me. I like to have a good time too, but I know how to act and don't destroy or trash other places I visit just because I had too much to drink. Sorry I guess I got a little off track of my topic, just though I might give a heads up if any of you are thinking about visiting. Again thanks for all your help and suggestions and I look forward to anything else you can think of.

 

Kayla

[Jen1000]

Congestion is all relative. I think most of Orange County is less congested than where the tourists go in LA. Having been to Ventura county many times I know it is less congested than Orange County. However, the OP did not seem keen on the Calabasas idea so I would not think she would be interested in going even further north up in to Ventura county. Yes, it is less congested and there are several nice hotels in the area but it will be very inconvenient to get to the beaches of Orange County and somewhat inconvenient to most of LA.

 

Location wise I actually had thought of the Radisson in Culver City you sometimes recommend because you have reasonable access to get down to the OC beaches and it is pretty central in location for seeing things in different parts of LA, price should be about right, but I did not think it was upscale enough for her and it is certainly in a congested area.

 

If the price is right in the South Bay that may be a good option as well. I knew people would say DL area was inconvenient, but all the options will be inconvenient for some attractions and the price is in their budget for a 4 star under $150. Traffic can be bad anywhere around here and if you are staying in Orange County, Anaheim is reasonably convenient to go to LA.

 

There is going to have to be some give and take for the OP to find something.

 

Jen in SoCal

 

 

 

I figured the Orange Countians would chime in recommending Orange County...

For me, it's a bit far from a lot of the LA area sights...and the trafic coming from that direction is often horrendous...I know...I once lived down in that direction...much of Orange County is overbuilt and the Freeways couldn't handle it, so they've now added toll roads--the only part of SoCal that has them...Laguna and Newport are nice, but you will struggle to find a hotel of the four star variety in your price range...and theo only other places in the area with perhaps decent prices on hotels would be Anaheim/Anaheim Hills/Yorba Linda and those are really only convenient for Disney...All IMHO...

 

The Orange County folks always think of themselves as less congested or less urban--they're comparing it to LA proper...But the Ventura County/Las Virgenes corridor area northwest of LA is actually far less congested...maybe half the number of people per sqaure mile...and much less densely packed in the developed areas...

 

I know...I've lived in both places and chose to move up this way...

 

I did forget to mention that there is a threme park up in this direction known for its "thrill rides"...

 

http://www.sixflags.com/magicmountain/index.aspx

 

It's north of LA up the 5 Freeway...32 miles/40 minutes from here...

I prefer Knott's down in IOC for the general park, for smaller children, for entertainment (I used to live for about 12 years only 10 minutes from Knotts)...but for sheer "thrill rides" only, Six Flags Magic Mountain is better...more and scarier coasters and such...

[chinita415]

However after our cruise which gets back on June 19 we will be staying for 6-7 days afterward before driving over to Vegas. There are definitely places we want to visit in L.A., but really don't want to stay in a hotel there.

Kayla

 

I just re-read this Kayla, and thought of another idea for you. Because you guys are here for 6-7 days, a vacation home rental would probably be your best value in an excellent area, be it the South Bay or Orange County or Hollywood. Have you used VRBO? Most home rentals require at least 2-3 nights minimal, or week long stay for more popular homes or areas. I have used VRBO extensively for my own vacations for the past 5 years, either with my husband or for family gathering. I've rented homes in CA (Tahoe, Mammoth, Marin County, Gold Country), Hawaii (your Oahu story reminded of of this!), and Europe (Barcelona, Paris, and Dusseldorf last summer).

 

I just did a search in Manhattan Beach around the time you are looking and some very nice options came up in the <$200/night range:

http://www.vrbo.com/316678

(I've biked by this house many times and often wondered how much it costs to rent it. Now I know!)

http://www.vrbo.com/137184

http://www.vrbo.com/211851

 

You can also look in the OC and Hollywood area too. In my opinion, if you are not wanting to unpack and move AND you are here for 6-7 nights, this is you best option. This way you can have a home away from home and be very comfortable and be able to stretch out.

[Bruin Steve]

I think Jen and I agree on one thing for certain...

No place is going to be perfect for everything...

This is just too big an area with so many places so far apart...

And, of course, the combination of upscale, uncrowded areas with 4 star hotels at reasonable prices is a difficult find...

Staying outside of the most urbanized areas of the city means that, with such a large city, you are going to be far away in one direction or another...

Whether you are in Orange County down the coast or in Ventura County up the coast, you are going to be an entire city away from the other...

Good part is that it is still just a "day trip" from one to the other either way...and all of that "LA" stuff is inbetween...and you are going to hit traffic going to it or through it...

 

As far as areas within the LA area that you MIGHT consider, there is Culver City...

 

http://www.radisson.com/culver-city-hotel-ca-90230-6306/caculver

 

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1257

 

I wouldn't consider Culver City as particularly upscale...it's a town virtually surrounded by Los Angeles...just a few miles north of LAX...The Downtown area has undergone considerable gentrification in recent years and has some nice restaurants and walking area...and it has Sony Studios--which does tours...The area near these hotels has a recently renovated mall, some theaters, restaurants and shopping...What positions it best for tourists is its central location...it is a fairly short distance to most of the major LA area sights--Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Marina Del Rey, The Getty, UCLA, Beverly Hills/Rodeo Drive, West Hollywood, Hollywood et al are all in relatively short driving distance...It is on the fashionable "West Side", just not in the expensive upscale part of it...so, the hotel prices are much more reasonable and there is no parking fee issue...It's a good area to use as a "base"...

 

Another area to consider closer in is Santa Monica...but here, if on a budget, you unfortunately have to forego the top tier of hotels (Loews, Shutters, Fairmont Miramar, Casa Del Mar, Le Merigot) and instead opt for less well located and less upscale hotel...

 

Unfortunately, with these, you still may exceed your budget...I think you are in the low $200s as a minimum with each of these--unless you can find a "deal" or special...or perhaps gamble on Priceline...These are the hotels OFF the beach...the HI has a more convenient location than the other two, but the unfortunate position of virtually overhanging the freeway...

 

http://www.sheratondelfina.com/

 

http://www.hisantamonicahotel.com/

 

http://doubletree1.hilton.com/en_US/dt/hotel/SMOPCDT-Doubletree-Guest-Suites-Santa-Monica-California/index.do

 

What makes Santa Monica such an incredible location is that it is right in the heart of everything...and a number of very popular attractions are RIGHT THERE...and it is right on the beach with the best weather (read no excessive heat, no smog--the ocean is a tempering factor on heat and the prevailing winds blow off the ocean keeping it clear)...The area is fairly upscale and, for being in the heart of a big city, it is not that crowded or dense...

 

http://www.santamonicapier.org/

 

http://www.downtownsm.com/visitors/index.html

 

http://www.santamonica.com/visitors/what-to-do/shopping/downtown/

 

http://www.santamonica.com/visitors/about-santa-monica/

 

http://www.seeing-stars.com/shop/thirdstreetpromenade.shtml

 

Another thought in the city...and in a very upscale area...is Westwood...

 

The Palomar, with a AAA rate will get you a room at $206 per night...

 

http://www.hotelpalomar-lawestwood.com/westwood-village.html?WT.mc_n=PalLA_WESTWOOD&WT.mc_t=Hotel_PPC&WT.srch=1

 

An interesting choice would be the area off the 405 on Sunset Boulevard, right below the Getty Center--extremely convenient so long as you have a car...and in one of the most exclusive locations in LA--wedged between Bel Air and Brentwood...

 

This hotel may actually have specials within your price range:

 

http://www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/losangeles/angeleno

[Jen1000]

I have been entertaining out of town guests and we did some typical tourist things in LA yesterday. There was some traffic and it did not help that my cousin complained the entire time about the traffic, routes we took, hoards of people everywhere, congestion, cars in the parking structures, etc. I didn't think the traffic was even that bad. Spending most of my life in the area, it is always interesting to see how we all can view these types of things differently.

 

Your point is what I was trying to make to her, but you said it better. No matter where they stay they will need to deal with traffic and congestion, that is just the reality of coming to this area. No matter where you stay if you want to see a lot of different areas you will not be near something. If you can afford to stay in one of the beach cities, go for it.

 

Steve, I actually thought your Calabasas idea was good with her specific requests, so we agree on that and one other thing we agree on is don't stay in downtown LA (but I don't think it was mentioned yet)! :)

 

Jen in SoCal

 

I think Jen and I agree on one thing for certain...

No place is going to be perfect for everything...

This is just too big an area with so many places so far apart...

And, of course, the combination of upscale, uncrowded areas with 4 star hotels at reasonable prices is a difficult find...

Staying outside of the most urbanized areas of the city means that, with such a large city, you are going to be far away in one direction or another...

Whether you are in Orange County down the coast or in Ventura County up the coast, you are going to be an entire city away from the other...

Good part is that it is still just a "day trip" from one to the other either way...and all of that "LA" stuff is inbetween...and you are going to hit traffic going to it or through it...

 

As far as areas within the LA area that you MIGHT consider, there is Culver City...

 

http://www.radisson.com/culver-city-hotel-ca-90230-6306/caculver

 

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1257

 

I wouldn't consider Culver City as particularly upscale...it's a town virtually surrounded by Los Angeles...just a few miles north of LAX...The Downtown area has undergone considerable gentrification in recent years and has some nice restaurants and walking area...and it has Sony Studios--which does tours...The area near these hotels has a recently renovated mall, some theaters, restaurants and shopping...What positions it best for tourists is its central location...it is a fairly short distance to most of the major LA area sights--Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Marina Del Rey, The Getty, UCLA, Beverly Hills/Rodeo Drive, West Hollywood, Hollywood et al are all in relatively short driving distance...It is on the fashionable "West Side", just not in the expensive upscale part of it...so, the hotel prices are much more reasonable and there is no parking fee issue...It's a good area to use as a "base"...

 

Another area to consider closer in is Santa Monica...but here, if on a budget, you unfortunately have to forego the top tier of hotels (Loews, Shutters, Fairmont Miramar, Casa Del Mar, Le Merigot) and instead opt for less well located and less upscale hotel...

 

Unfortunately, with these, you still may exceed your budget...I think you are in the low $200s as a minimum with each of these--unless you can find a "deal" or special...or perhaps gamble on Priceline...These are the hotels OFF the beach...the HI has a more convenient location than the other two, but the unfortunate position of virtually overhanging the freeway...

 

http://www.sheratondelfina.com/

 

http://www.hisantamonicahotel.com/

 

http://doubletree1.hilton.com/en_US/dt/hotel/SMOPCDT-Doubletree-Guest-Suites-Santa-Monica-California/index.do

 

What makes Santa Monica such an incredible location is that it is right in the heart of everything...and a number of very popular attractions are RIGHT THERE...and it is right on the beach with the best weather (read no excessive heat, no smog--the ocean is a tempering factor on heat and the prevailing winds blow off the ocean keeping it clear)...The area is fairly upscale and, for being in the heart of a big city, it is not that crowded or dense...

 

http://www.santamonicapier.org/

 

http://www.downtownsm.com/visitors/index.html

 

http://www.santamonica.com/visitors/what-to-do/shopping/downtown/

 

http://www.santamonica.com/visitors/about-santa-monica/

 

http://www.seeing-stars.com/shop/thirdstreetpromenade.shtml

 

Another thought in the city...and in a very upscale area...is Westwood...

 

The Palomar, with a AAA rate will get you a room at $206 per night...

 

http://www.hotelpalomar-lawestwood.com/westwood-village.html?WT.mc_n=PalLA_WESTWOOD&WT.mc_t=Hotel_PPC&WT.srch=1

 

An interesting choice would be the area off the 405 on Sunset Boulevard, right below the Getty Center--extremely convenient so long as you have a car...and in one of the most exclusive locations in LA--wedged between Bel Air and Brentwood...

 

This hotel may actually have specials within your price range:

 

http://www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/losangeles/angeleno

[chinita415]

Kayla - just for kicks, I looked for houses in Hollywood that I would rent myself or for family if I were in your situation. I know you said you wanted a "less congested city," but I wonder if you would be up for a quiet neighborhood close to the hub of the Hollywood activities.

http://www.vrbo.com/196632

http://www.vrbo.com/239620

http://www.vrbo.com/298876

http://www.vrbo.com/193248

 

If you or your parents have not done vacation home rentals, it does take a leap of faith to deal with an individual home owner rather than a hotel. First timers always wonder if they are going to be ripped off. Websites like VRBO have a reputation to keep and they offer a type of "insurance" to protect your from fraudulent listings and other disputes with the owners for a nominal fee. http://guarantee.homeaway.com/tac Also, if you pay the rental with a major credit card AND via PayPal, you have additional layers of protection. I've only purchased the insurance when I rented in Europe as the owners there wanted payment by bank wire transfers. (Apparently a common practice in Europe, but alarm raising here stateside).

 

Do some more research to narrow down what you want to do in your week in L.A. Then perhaps that will help you decide where to stay as well. You've gotten a lot of suggestions here. Sometimes too many options can also be confusing! Happy planning.

[DeniceRG]

You've been given alot of great suggestions, and I'm not going to add to the confusion of where to stay, but wanted to add a couple of tour ideas.

 

Red Line Tours (redlinetours.com) does a great walking tour of Hollywood. Their office is located next door to the Egyptian Theater on Hollywood Blvd. They also coordinate with Starline tours, who are also good.

 

I know you've said you don't want to do Universal, but if you would like to see a working studio, I suggest taking the VIP Tour at Warner Bros (located in Burbank, off the 101 Freeway). It's a very interesting tour that I bring my own visitors on. (http://vipstudiotour.warnerbros.com/). There's no rides or attractions, but they do have a great small museum. One of the docents there worked under Jack Warner and is full of stories!

 

In the OC, do visit Balboa Island in the Newport Area. It is right off of Jamboree Road, just down the street from Fashion Island (shopping). It's a great little island that has shops, restaurants and a sidewalk that circles the Island (about 1.5 miles around). The Newport Harbor is fun. You could rent Duffy Electric boats (http://www.duffyofnewportbeach.com) down there (off of PCH) and cruise the harbor yourself, or take one of the showboat tours that you can catch at the Fun Zone (http://www.thebalboafunzone.com). A great way to spend the day. Oh, and there are fishing boats there too ... check out Davy Jones' Locker (http://www.daveyslocker.com).

 

By the way, I have rented from VRBO and have found them very good.

 

Whatever you do, enjoy!

 

Denice

 

P.S. I'm a tour guide so I do know all these places/companies I recommended :)

[Kaylafire7]

Wow you guys have been great and we definitely have many options to look at based on your recommendations. We really appreciate the time you all have taken to give us these great recommendations. Decisions, decisions, decisions that we have to make. I definitely agree that regardless where we stay, we will be centrally located to some places and maybe have a 30 to 60+ mile drive to other places. However that is to be expected, as we don't mind driving just really didn't want to have to drive over a 100 miles to one place for a day trip. We definitely will have a rental car, learned on other trips that is a definite and most often saves money in the long run compared to public transportation. My dad will love doing the boat rental, he is a big lover of the ocean as he is a true salt water person with his own boat and spends many weekend days on the Gulf fishing. All of the places you guys have suggested on things to do sound great and helps us plan our days and the day trips we will be taken. I definitely will reconsider visiting Universal as I would enjoy seeing a real live taping production. We do have tickets for the price is right and my mom wouldn't mind seeing the taping of Days of Our lives, but we won't torture my dad with that.

 

One thing that excited me as I said I am a big thrill seeker for roller coasters and something different from what I typically go to here in Florida is always nice. I liked the link that Steve gave me on Six Flags Magic Mountain definitely had plenty of thrill seeker type roller coasters I would love to challenge. However another poster stated that in you value your safety to stay away from the theme park Magic mountain as it become a big gang haven. Are both of those places one in the same? If so let me know because I would love to go ride some of those roller coasters, I am no way desperate enough to be in the middle of a gang haven. I definitely want to avoid the gangs as I want to have fun and see the great things of CA.

 

The rental houses look great and yes we have heard of VRBO (I think that is right) before, we looked into that when visiting Hawaii. It is something we thought about doing for Hawaii, but at the time mom didn't know if that was the right thing to do. As one mentioned your first time is a little risky. Since then we have read many reviews such as some have mentioned on here that its a great company and a great way to go. So that is something we will definitely look into and consider as well.

 

Another question I haven't asked yet, is does anyone have any good recommendations on the best rental car companies? We have rented from practically most car companies Hertz, Avis, Budget, Alamo, Enterprise, Dollar, and National. Even when we went to Hawaii we were able to get reasonable deals for the week. We actually were there for three weeks and went to three different islands, Oahu, Big Island, and Maui. A week on each and got great weekly rates on all deals. However when we pulled up some of the rental companies for the dates we needed, the prices seemed more pricey than what we paid in Hawaii. Is that typical? We didn't expect that for state side. We are needing a rental from LAX to drive to Long Beach for the 2 days prior to our cruise and turn the car back in at Long Beach before getting on the cruise ship. Once we return from the cruise, we will want to get another rental in Long Beach since that is where we will be getting off the ship. We will keep it the remainder of our stay in CA and then drive to Vegas and turn in at the Vegas airport as that is where we will fly home from.

 

Anymore suggestions on places or things to visit is greatly appreciated and again I sincerely appreciate the abundance of information that all of you have taken the time to share with us. It definitely has given us a multitude of information and ideas of stuff to do. Also if any of you do have some good knowledge about a car rental that would be appreciated too. You all have been truly helpful !! :) Thanks a bunch.

 

Kayla

[Jen1000]

People say that all the time about Six Flags, I have not been in years so no personal experience as to whether it is true or not, but I believe people say that based on some incidents a long time ago, I think over 10 years ago.

 

Six Flags is famous for its thrill rides but there are other rides there too. Knotts Berry Farm has thrill rides and others but has tons of character and theming related to CA. I would look at both and go to one or both of them.

 

Jen in SoCal

 

Wow you guys have been great and we definitely have many options to look at based on your recommendations. We really appreciate the time you all have taken to give us these great recommendations. Decisions, decisions, decisions that we have to make. I definitely agree that regardless where we stay, we will be centrally located to some places and maybe have a 30 to 60+ mile drive to other places. However that is to be expected, as we don't mind driving just really didn't want to have to drive over a 100 miles to one place for a day trip. We definitely will have a rental car, learned on other trips that is a definite and most often saves money in the long run compared to public transportation. My dad will love doing the boat rental, he is a big lover of the ocean as he is a true salt water person with his own boat and spends many weekend days on the Gulf fishing. All of the places you guys have suggested on things to do sound great and helps us plan our days and the day trips we will be taken. I definitely will reconsider visiting Universal as I would enjoy seeing a real live taping production. We do have tickets for the price is right and my mom wouldn't mind seeing the taping of Days of Our lives, but we won't torture my dad with that.

 

One thing that excited me as I said I am a big thrill seeker for roller coasters and something different from what I typically go to here in Florida is always nice. I liked the link that Steve gave me on Six Flags Magic Mountain definitely had plenty of thrill seeker type roller coasters I would love to challenge. However another poster stated that in you value your safety to stay away from the theme park Magic mountain as it become a big gang haven. Are both of those places one in the same? If so let me know because I would love to go ride some of those roller coasters, I am no way desperate enough to be in the middle of a gang haven. I definitely want to avoid the gangs as I want to have fun and see the great things of CA.

 

The rental houses look great and yes we have heard of VRBO (I think that is right) before, we looked into that when visiting Hawaii. It is something we thought about doing for Hawaii, but at the time mom didn't know if that was the right thing to do. As one mentioned your first time is a little risky. Since then we have read many reviews such as some have mentioned on here that its a great company and a great way to go. So that is something we will definitely look into and consider as well.

 

Another question I haven't asked yet, is does anyone have any good recommendations on the best rental car companies? We have rented from practically most car companies Hertz, Avis, Budget, Alamo, Enterprise, Dollar, and National. Even when we went to Hawaii we were able to get reasonable deals for the week. We actually were there for three weeks and went to three different islands, Oahu, Big Island, and Maui. A week on each and got great weekly rates on all deals. However when we pulled up some of the rental companies for the dates we needed, the prices seemed more pricey than what we paid in Hawaii. Is that typical? We didn't expect that for state side. We are needing a rental from LAX to drive to Long Beach for the 2 days prior to our cruise and turn the car back in at Long Beach before getting on the cruise ship. Once we return from the cruise, we will want to get another rental in Long Beach since that is where we will be getting off the ship. We will keep it the remainder of our stay in CA and then drive to Vegas and turn in at the Vegas airport as that is where we will fly home from.

 

Anymore suggestions on places or things to visit is greatly appreciated and again I sincerely appreciate the abundance of information that all of you have taken the time to share with us. It definitely has given us a multitude of information and ideas of stuff to do. Also if any of you do have some good knowledge about a car rental that would be appreciated too. You all have been truly helpful !! :) Thanks a bunch.

 

Kayla

[chinita415]

People say that all the time about Six Flags, I have not been in years so no personal experience as to whether it is true or not, but I believe people say that based on some incidents a long time ago, I think over 10 years ago.

 

Six Flags is famous for its thrill rides but there are other rides there too. Knotts Berry Farm has thrill rides and others but has tons of character and theming related to CA. I would look at both and go to one or both of them.

 

Jen in SoCal

 

I haven't been to Six Flags for about 5 years so I can't give you recent accounts. But the crowds at Six Flags can be definitely a bit rougher than those at Knotts and leagues from Disneyland. But Kayla is coming in June so I assume there will be other out of towners too who will visit. Just mind your surroundings as you would at any large cities. When the young thugs hotheads start causing trouble, just stay away or report to staff. But it's not like the place is overrun with gangbangers either.

 

Another consideration, Kayla, is will your parents be going with you to the parks? There is more for them to do at Knotts if they don't want to ride the thrill rides with your than at Six Flags.

[Kaylafire7]

If we do go to a park, we will probably go to Knotts Berry Farm. This park seems like it will be more enjoyable for all three of us. Right now we are still trying to decide where we want to stay. Santa Monica looks nice, but prices are outrageous. For those kind of prices, I almost rather just go visit Hawaii again. I'm sure we will figure it out, it's just getting frustrating. Once we do that, then we will start planning our days out. Thanks for all the advice we have gotten, it has definitely helped us in this planning process.

[Cruiser0602]

Hotel Maya which became a doubletree a couple months ago has a special going on from now till like mid feb. I have stayed here before and it is pretty nice. I saw another post talking about the passport in LB and it stops at this hotel too. They have a special package for $99 which includes parking while you are on your cruise and they will shuttle you to the long beach and san pedro docks. Good luck in your search!

[Cruisin' Chick]

Wow you guys have been great and we definitely have many options to look at based on your recommendations. We really appreciate the time you all have taken to give us these great recommendations. Decisions, decisions, decisions that we have to make. I definitely agree that regardless where we stay, we will be centrally located to some places and maybe have a 30 to 60+ mile drive to other places. However that is to be expected, as we don't mind driving just really didn't want to have to drive over a 100 miles to one place for a day trip. We definitely will have a rental car, learned on other trips that is a definite and most often saves money in the long run compared to public transportation. My dad will love doing the boat rental, he is a big lover of the ocean as he is a true salt water person with his own boat and spends many weekend days on the Gulf fishing. All of the places you guys have suggested on things to do sound great and helps us plan our days and the day trips we will be taken. I definitely will reconsider visiting Universal as I would enjoy seeing a real live taping production. We do have tickets for the price is right and my mom wouldn't mind seeing the taping of Days of Our lives, but we won't torture my dad with that.

 

One thing that excited me as I said I am a big thrill seeker for roller coasters and something different from what I typically go to here in Florida is always nice. I liked the link that Steve gave me on Six Flags Magic Mountain definitely had plenty of thrill seeker type roller coasters I would love to challenge. However another poster stated that in you value your safety to stay away from the theme park Magic mountain as it become a big gang haven. Are both of those places one in the same? If so let me know because I would love to go ride some of those roller coasters, I am no way desperate enough to be in the middle of a gang haven. I definitely want to avoid the gangs as I want to have fun and see the great things of CA.

 

The rental houses look great and yes we have heard of VRBO (I think that is right) before, we looked into that when visiting Hawaii. It is something we thought about doing for Hawaii, but at the time mom didn't know if that was the right thing to do. As one mentioned your first time is a little risky. Since then we have read many reviews such as some have mentioned on here that its a great company and a great way to go. So that is something we will definitely look into and consider as well.

 

Another question I haven't asked yet, is does anyone have any good recommendations on the best rental car companies? We have rented from practically most car companies Hertz, Avis, Budget, Alamo, Enterprise, Dollar, and National. Even when we went to Hawaii we were able to get reasonable deals for the week. We actually were there for three weeks and went to three different islands, Oahu, Big Island, and Maui. A week on each and got great weekly rates on all deals. However when we pulled up some of the rental companies for the dates we needed, the prices seemed more pricey than what we paid in Hawaii. Is that typical? We didn't expect that for state side. We are needing a rental from LAX to drive to Long Beach for the 2 days prior to our cruise and turn the car back in at Long Beach before getting on the cruise ship. Once we return from the cruise, we will want to get another rental in Long Beach since that is where we will be getting off the ship. We will keep it the remainder of our stay in CA and then drive to Vegas and turn in at the Vegas airport as that is where we will fly home from.

 

Anymore suggestions on places or things to visit is greatly appreciated and again I sincerely appreciate the abundance of information that all of you have taken the time to share with us. It definitely has given us a multitude of information and ideas of stuff to do. Also if any of you do have some good knowledge about a car rental that would be appreciated too. You all have been truly helpful !! :) Thanks a bunch.

 

Kayla

 

The last amusement park we went to was Magic Mountain (during their Halloween celebration just two or three years ago). There should be a lot of families there. One thing to be aware of is that in June there are Grad Nights there so if you do decide to go, check their website for the date you're thinking of in order to make sure they will be open (I imagine my daughter's 8th grade class will be going one night this coming June, but they are chaperoned by teachers). We didn't have a problem with gangs so it could be they are trying to tamp that problem down.

 

Depending on where you are staying, it could be a long drive as it's up the I-5 which is through the Santa Susanna mountains but it's not like winding canyon roads.

 

Another consideration is the weather. In June, it can get extremely hot there as in three-digits. But the morning would normally be overcast (we call it "June Gloom") so if you do decide to go there, you may want to get up early and hit the 405/I-5 early and then leave before mid-afternoon. There are extreme thrill rides (which I won't go on) and kiddie rides, but not really anything in between.

 

I would also echo the warning about staying in downtown LA. Not a good place to be at night (my hubby works the evening shift at City Hall and he wouldn't walk around when the sun goes down).

 

Another thing to note is that, unless your uncle is Ken Corday (or someone high up at NBC), you're not going to be allowed in the DOOL studio while it is taping. They have a very tight schedule. Sometimes they will auction or raffle off a day at the studio for charity, but probably not while the tape is rolling. It's different for sit coms -- they want an audience who will laugh. But sit coms usually don't tape in June. You might get in to Jay Leno at NBC in Burbank as they tape all year round except for vacations (which would probably fall in late June if IRC), but with any tapings, more tickets than seats are given out so for a popular show, you would need to show up early and wait in line (again, if you're a VIP, that would be different).

[Jen1000]

Right, soap operas are not open to watch during filming. However, you can go on the NBC studio tour and there is a lot of Days stuff to see. If they are not filming they will show you some of the sets. If you are huge fans take the tour and hope for the best. With AAA it is only $7.50 and lasts about an hour. It is not the most exciting tour in the world but OK for the price. If you want to see the Tonight Show order tickets in advance.

 

Jen in SoCal

 

 

 

The last amusement park we went to was Magic Mountain (during their Halloween celebration just two or three years ago). There should be a lot of families there. One thing to be aware of is that in June there are Grad Nights there so if you do decide to go' date=' check their website for the date you're thinking of in order to make sure they will be open (I imagine my daughter's 8th grade class will be going one night this coming June, but they are chaperoned by teachers). We didn't have a problem with gangs so it could be they are trying to tamp that problem down.

 

Depending on where you are staying, it could be a long drive as it's up the I-5 which is through the Santa Susanna mountains but it's not like winding canyon roads.

 

Another consideration is the weather. In June, it can get extremely hot there as in three-digits. But the morning would normally be overcast (we call it "June Gloom") so if you do decide to go there, you may want to get up early and hit the 405/I-5 early and then leave before mid-afternoon. There are extreme thrill rides (which I won't go on) and kiddie rides, but not really anything in between.

 

I would also echo the warning about staying in downtown LA. Not a good place to be at night (my hubby works the evening shift at City Hall and he wouldn't walk around when the sun goes down).

 

Another thing to note is that, unless your uncle is Ken Corday (or someone high up at NBC), you're not going to be allowed in the DOOL studio while it is taping. They have a very tight schedule. Sometimes they will auction or raffle off a day at the studio for charity, but probably not while the tape is rolling. It's different for sit coms -- they want an audience who will laugh. But sit coms usually don't tape in June. You might get in to Jay Leno at NBC in Burbank as they tape all year round except for vacations (which would probably fall in late June if IRC), but with any tapings, more tickets than seats are given out so for a popular show, you would need to show up early and wait in line (again, if you're a VIP, that would be different).[/quote']

[Kaylafire7]

Needing advice on the Jamaica Breeze Inn in Marina del Rey. The hotel looks nice and is at a decent price range. There were a lot of good reviews on trip advisor. I was wanting to get some opinions from some of the locals that have given me such good advice so far. Do you know of this hotel? If so is it a nice hotel and is this in a good area. It was fairly close to Santa Monica so I thought this might be a good location. I just didn't know much about the hotel since it isn't a chain. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. I looked at the Marriot in this area, but there were a lot of bad reviews on this particular property. I also looked at the Ritz Carlton in this area, but it is a little too pricey for me. Thanks for your help with this.

 

Kayla

[chinita415]

Needing advice on the Jamaica Breeze Inn in Marina del Rey. The hotel looks nice and is at a decent price range. There were a lot of good reviews on trip advisor. I was wanting to get some opinions from some of the locals that have given me such good advice so far. Do you know of this hotel? If so is it a nice hotel and is this in a good area. It was fairly close to Santa Monica so I thought this might be a good location. I just didn't know much about the hotel since it isn't a chain. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. I looked at the Marriot in this area, but there were a lot of bad reviews on this particular property. I also looked at the Ritz Carlton in this area, but it is a little too pricey for me. Thanks for your help with this.

 

Kayla

 

I don't know that hotel, but it's in a nice area of MDR right next to the Marriot. As for the Tripadvisor reports, be aware as there are only 9 reports and most of the pix are provided by the resort. Wonder if it was called something else before.

 

Also, the beach it's on, Mother's Beach, is very polluted. Not for swimming.

http://wikimapia.org/25757/Mother-039-s-Beach

http://www.healthebay.org/get-local/marina-del-rey-playa-del-rey

 

See this other thread about MDR where I made some recs (but to someone who already traveled!): http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1179113

 

The area itself is good for tourists with easy access to the nicer beach, lots of restaurants, and easy enough access to the freeway. Will wait for someone who knows more about the hotel. If you are a fan of the show Dexter, they film a lot of the show here in MDR and in Long Beach as a stand in for Miami.

 

Rental house out of the running? I am still partial you staying at Manhattan Beach. ;)

 

ETA: I guess they just opened around Thanksgiving after a major rehaul. So maybe not too many reviews available. If you get a great rate, why not? You saw that parking is $22 right?