Do’s and Dont’s on LA trip.please advise?
Hotel Prices
cyberbiz77 asked:
Hey guys…
I will be going to LA for a week for the first time…I absolutely have no idea what to expect….heard some great things about the place…Please advise me on
… places I should visit within a week (family places)
… bad neighborhood to avoid…(do’s and don’t’s)
… good time to drive and also bad times (traffic time)
… where to find decent motel with reasonable price
… best cities around LA that I should visit
Hey guys…
I will be going to LA for a week for the first time…I absolutely have no idea what to expect….heard some great things about the place…Please advise me on
… places I should visit within a week (family places)
… bad neighborhood to avoid…(do’s and don’t’s)
… good time to drive and also bad times (traffic time)
… where to find decent motel with reasonable price
… best cities around LA that I should visit
I am taking this break after 5 years ..so i am really excited about this trip…please anyone help me with your valuable suggestions…its greatly appreciated!!! thxxxxxxxx 
…
Brent
July 30th, 2009 at 8:50 am
Ruben
I used to live there, and I’m going back for a visit myself this June, with my teen daughter. I lived in L.A. for seven years and this is what I can recommend to have a great time!:
Visit Santa Monica Pier (in the day-time) - mixed crowd, but you should be OK in the day-time. Be alert and aware of who’s around you…avoid eye-contact with those who you think might be on shady shade (this advice goes for anywhere in LA if you feel you’re in an unfriendly area).
Visit Hollywood Walk of Fame, Chinese Theater (in the daytime). Great tourist shops all over.
Griffith Observatory! This place is a blast for all ages - and you’ll get amazing views of all over L.A from the roof, and grounds– to the Pacific, Pasedena, downtown…and GREAT VIEW of the Hollywood Sign. (Many movies were filmed on the grounds of the observatory,,,it may look familiar to you when you arrive)
Disneyland - Great family adventure
Knotts Berry Farm - Great for family
Santa Monica Third Street Promenade - Seems fairly safe both day and early evenings — so much to see and do. A place to see and to be seen.
Westwood on a Friday or Saturday night. Be alert and aware and you should be fine. Great to see a movie and have dinner, go shopping. Big UCLA crowd - it’s usually a very fun evening just to walk around in the happy crowds. It can be shoulder to shoulder at times.
El Compadre Mexican Restaurant, 7508 West Sunset Blvd.
Great Mexican food in a festive yet intimate setting, mariachi’s, live bands, and their famous flaming margaritas! And very affordable.
Hotel Queen Mary in Long Beach - Great family activity. Fun to spend the day touring the various decks, have a meal at one of the restaurants board ship. The Ghosts and Legends tour is fun. Long before I knew it was haunted, I always felt a strange compelling presence on the Queen Mary…never knew quite what it was.
Malibu Public Beach and Pier - A different atmosphere than Santa Monica Beach. Real surfers riding the waves. Visit the surf/bikini shop across the street.
Night Life in Hollywood - Whiskey-A-Go-Go, Troubadour, Roxy — will be a memorable experience. These places have a lot of historical signifigance to music scene of the 60’s, 70’s
Pasedena Ice House — Great Comedy Shows! Never laughed so hard. Two drink minimum–not sure if they accept under 21, if you have kids.
California Missions are fun if you like historical sites. San Gabriel Mission is nice, as is the one in Capistrano. I believe I went to one in San Fernando Valley which was quite impressive. These are very safe, family-friendly places to go. Due to Earthquake damage over the years, increasing areas of the missions may be off-limits. But they all have visitor museum and shop areas, and beautiful outside grounds for walking.
Avoid: East L.A. - except driving through it on the freeway. .
Avoid: South Central L.A.
Driving Tips: On freeways - 6:00 - 9:30 a.m. is pretty much slow going (grid-lock) on the freeways… pretty clear in lat emorning early afternoon. Traffic picks up again around 2:30-3:00 p.m. until about 6:30 p.m. After 6:30-7:00 p.m. freeways are fairly free flowing. Night time is a great time to fly on the freeeways –and they are well lit.
Avoid displaying any road rage (or rude driving habits) when driving — people have been known to shoot. It’s rare, but it’s happened.
Hotels/Motels: Even modest places in safe places are not cheap. Expect to pay at least $100-$150 a night for SAFE, modest places to stay. Best Westerns are reliable and clean. Marriotts are very nice, but will cost a lot.
*Remember the North of Santa Monica Blvd and North of Wilshire Blvd rule when selecting accomodations on the West Side…for safety, especially if you want to walk around at night by yourself. Mapquest will help you there.
For the most part people in LA are great. They will treat you fine as long as you are polite and friendly. And keep in mind that LA is a very multi-cultural place, like the United Nations…every ethnicity and nationality will be present. Everyone seems to intermingle quite well.
You’ll know right away when you are in a questionable area. Leave quickly, and avoid making eye-contact when in those danger areas. Don’t act scared though, even if you are. Act confident, chin up, eyes straight ahead, walk fast, and keep to yourself. Be polite (and stay calm) if forced into a face to face encounter, excuse yourself by deferring to being in a hurry, some where to be, etc. Courtesy helps in those situations.
When in the West side of LA — North of Santa Monica Blvd is much safer than South of Santa Monica Blvd. And North of Wilshire Blvd is even safer and even nicer, and kept up better. You’ll notice the divisions. A geologist told me its because North of Santa Monica Blvd, the city rests on bedrock and would be much safer in an earthquake. South pf Santa Monica Blvd rests on sand. In a BIG earthquake, most everything would be devoured into the sand by the process of liquifaction… that’s supposed to be the reasoning behind real estate distinctions along the Santa Monica Blvd North/South divide.
Palisades Park, overlooking the PCH is a stunning park overlooking the Pacific, up on 100-200 foot cliffs. Many TV shows, commercials, and movies are filmed in this park. It should look extremely familar to you. The further North you get away from the Santa Monica Pier, the park seems cleaner and safer. North of Wilshire are the nicer areas of the park… not to say that South of Wilshire will not have breath-taking views… just the crowd and cleanliness of the park does vary along Ocean Avenue. Very safe in the day-time. A lot of homeless people sleep in the park after sunset, especially closer to the pier. They usually don’t bother anyone, but there can be a bad smell of urination in those areas.
Must See - Watch a sunset over the ocean from Palisades Park… sunsets last for hours over the Pacific. If you are in a group, it’s even nicer from the beach…but there are saftey issues. Don’t be on the beach at night if you are alone. Many serious crimes go unreported due to tourism.
By all means avoid the foot bridges to the beach across PCH at night. Perfectly fine in the daytime, though.
On Wednesdays in Santa Monica, at third Street and Arizona (I think), there is a Farmers Market is that is a lot of fun to stroll through..and pick up some delicious fresh produce among other things for sale. The best fruit I ever ate was in California!!!
Have a wonderful time! Even with its few “warts,” LA is a magical place with so much to do and see. It’s a beautiful city, where the mountains touch the sea.
I can’t wait for our visit next month!!
Kim
August 2nd, 2009 at 10:49 am
Herbert
Good Answer Kim…..
August 4th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Gladys
I personally think the jewel of my LA trip was going to the Warner Bros Studio tour. It was a lot of fun to learn about the movies made there, as well as being able to visit the ER and Gilmore Girls sets!
August 7th, 2009 at 2:08 am
Marion
“Kim” gave you an excellant answer. My only additional contribution is:
Due to the recent Griffith Park fire, the Park and Observatory may not be an option. The Observatory requires a reservation if it is open.
Add Compton as a place you do not want to go.
You may find that lodging costs are a little less if you do not stay in the midst of the “touristy” areas.
August 8th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Michael
Kim gave such an exceptional answer, I’m tempted to cut out the parts of my list that she already covered. But then it would look a little too patchwork, so here goes:
Disneyland: The Happiest Place on Earth. Half a billion visitors can’t be wrong. (Sometimes it seems all at once)
Universal Studios: A theme park that grew out of a studio tour. Check out eBay. You can find some discounted tickets there. And Universal City Walk is a fun place to hang out in the evening after your day inside the park.
Hollywood: Hollywood Boulevard is ready for its close-up, thanks to years of urban renewal and renovation. Enjoy the Walk of Fame, Entertainment Museum, Mann’s Theatre and more. You can see a lot for free. I have also added the Hollywood & Highland complex to my top ten list… it has lots of shops and restaurants, and the Kodak Theater (home of the Academy Awards). I like the El Capitan theater, because it has been restored to its former glory, unlike the Chinese, which was essentially gutted and turned into a multiplex.
Rodeo Drive, 90210: Packed with exclusive shops, full of gawkers. They all came to enjoy the excess. Free, unless you intend to buy something.
Venice Beach: Los Angeles kitsch and over-the-top culture at its best.
Here you’ll find Muscle Beach, street performers and tacky shops galore.
Fun, VERY interesting, but I avoid it after dark, when it gets a little TOO interesting for my taste. And it’s a short bike ride from:
Santa Monica Beach and Pier: Great beach scene and a classic seaside amusement park, complete with antique carousel that has been in a lot of TV and movies. (The Sting and “Three’s Company” come immediately to mind).
After visiting the pier, you can ride a bike south a couple miles to Venice Beach.
Santa Monica Third Street Promenade - Downtown Santa Monica’s shopping promenade is often the scene of movie star-sightings. Just a short walk from the Santa Monica Pier.
Sunset Boulevard: Perhaps one of the world’s most famous streets, it began as a route between the stars’ posh neighborhoods and the Hollywood studios. It runs from downtown to the ocean, passing through the “Sunset Strip” on its way. It makes for a fun drive. Along the way, you see a lot of different neighborhoods. Hollywood, West Hollywood, Bel Air, and Pacific Palisades. When you get to the ocean, stop at Gladstone’s for Fish.
Queen Mary: Once the largest ship afloat, she’s been docked in Long Beach for longer than she sailed, and her elegance never fails to impress. Free to visit. You can actually stay on board, for a price.
Farmers Market and The Grove - A new shopping complex right next to a Los Angeles landmark, The Grove and Farmers Market coexist. Enjoy a movie or shopping, then take the trolley to the Farmers Market for lunch or dinner.
Farmer’s Market is right next to CBS, so walk across the lot to see if they are taping “The Price is Right”. You might even get in.
Griffith Park - Home of the Los Angeles Zoo, Griffith Park Observatory, Travel Town, the Greek Theatre, and Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage.
Getty Museum - The Getty’s architecture is so beautiful that it keeps me fascinated. No matter whether you like their art or architecture better (or maybe you’ll just enjoy the view), the Getty is sure to please. Free.
Attend a TV taping - You can get free tickets at audiencesunlimited.com, or see the booth at Universal City walk. It’s very interesting to see a show being taped. The most popular, by far, is the tonight show. Check the NBC web site for all the details there.
Places to eat:
In-N-Out Burger: Multiple locations, best burger in LA, ask anyone.
Pink’s Hot Dogs: 709 N. La Brea, just north of Melrose. Might see a celebrity.
Tommy’s Chili Burgers: Look for the shack, an LA tradition. Original location at Beverly & Rampart, a couple miles west of downtown.
Canter’s Deli: 419 N. Fairfax, between Beverly & Melrose. Near CBS, might spot a celebrity.
Phillippe’s: 1001 N. Alameda. Great roast beef sandwiches. Near Union Station, Olvera Street. Watch the mustard, it’s hot.
Places to Stay:
In Hollywood, I recommend the Hollywood Celebrity Hotel and the Farmer’s Daughter Hotel.
In Anaheim, I recommend the HoJo Anaheim, and the Candy Cane Inn. If you want to splurge and make this a most memorable trip, stay at Disney’s Grand Californian. You get the full Disney experience.
In Santa Monica, the Holiday Inn Santa Monica is close to the pier and reasonably priced.
As for bad neighborhoods, they are very easy to avoid. ASK directions at your hotel if you are unsure about where to go. If you stick to the above areas, you should be just fine. Chances are that you won’t get lost in East LA if you are staying across the street from Disneyland. You generally want to avoid East LA, Compton, South LA, and environs. It’s pretty obvious when you are in the wrong place. If you do find yourself lost in a rough looking part of town, get back on the freeway, and find a shoulder to park on. Then use your cell phone to call AAA: 800-400-4222 for directions.
Sonds a lot like Kim is from the West Side. I would say the sunset from Huntington Beach or Newport is just as good.
Peedle’s right about Griffith Park, it might be closed for awhile due to the fire.
Have fun!
August 9th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
Doris
Good rule of thumb. The tourist attractions are in the good parts of town. Therefore, you will have no reason to go to the bad parts of town, unless you’re lost.
Disneyland is a must for families with kids. Give yourself at least 2 days in the Anaheim area, then you can hit Knott’s and some of the other attractions down OC way.
Most people want to see Hollywood. You should just to imagine Hollywood during it’s glory years.
Do: Just get good maps, (not online maps), fill up the tank, and make sure you know where you’re going.
Do: spend all you money here.
Do: Have a great time and come back soon.
August 11th, 2009 at 2:25 am
Pauline
visit Disneyland, universal studios, and Knots
stay away form the LA area at night. Good time to drive never. Bad morning traffic and evening traffic. Irvine spectrum, orange county Block, Ontario Mills.
August 14th, 2009 at 5:04 am
Lee
If you’re going to be travelling across L.A. (l.a. to disneyland, etc.), do it super early in the morning, or at about 11am. The 405 pretty much sucks every hour of the day. And don’t be surprised when you’re sitting on the freeway at 10pm at night. Construction happens pretty often at night. Just make sure to know your maps before you get on the road and pay attention to the signs.
I’d recommend The Getty - it’s free (just pay for parking) and so beautiful. Also, Santa Monica - 3rd Street Promenade is fun. (day-dusk-gets cold at night) I’d say skip the Block in Orange - it’s not that exciting - Irvine Spectrum is better - they have the Improv at least. Check House of Blues for concerts. (usually pretty good bands for a good price)
August 16th, 2009 at 12:17 am
Anita
u definitely have 2 go 2 the beach. sunset blvd. hollywood, Beverly hills even just driving through and looking at the houses is fun. Shopping . 3rd street promanade in Santa Monica is a must. Pinks hot dog stand. hollywood walk of fame, u should go to seal beach its really pretty there the water is nice and clear. u have 2 go 2 disney land and Knotts.
u should avoid places like crenshaw and downtown unless u go to alvera street its nice there.